Shaggy Says Bounty Killer Deserves National Award For “Bussin” Many Dancehall Artists

Dancehall megastar Shaggy says Bounty Killer should be vested with  Jamaica’s sixth-highest National Honour, The Order of Distinction, for his altruism in Dancehall, where he kickstarted the careers of numerous elite artists, brought them to national attention and moulded their careers.

During a tour of Irish and Chin’s art room recently, Shaggy who was viewing murals of Dancehall artists who emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, hailed Bounty Killer as a real general who ought to be vested with the honor, whose motto is “Distinction Through Service”.

“Five star general, da artiste yah to me,” he said, gesturing to the painting of Bounty. 

“Mi a fight fi him get a Order of Distinction or suppm, due to the fact that this guy has started a whole heap a people career, Mavado, Kartel, Wayne Marshall, you name it, dem man yah.  Him nuh ramp fi bring people pan stage,” Shaggy said.

This year, the National Honours and Awards ceremony will be held on October 16, the date on which National Heroes Day falls.  As is customary, the awardees will be announced on Independence Day, August 6.

Bounty has been hailed time and time again as the grand patriarch of Dancehall, with his offsprings (protégés) from his Alliance collective being Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Aidonia, Wayne Marshall, Bling Dawg, and Busy Signal, and Foota Hype, as well as Elephant Man and the Scare Dem Crew, among others.

He has been particularly held in esteem for never taking any money or fees from the artists, but allowing them to take make their money from local and overseas shows and otherwise to better themselves.

Even Foota Hype, with whom the Warlord has had an acrimonious relationship, after their friendship ended in 2016, has hailed him for, among other things, creating many of Dancehall’s and Jamaica’s new millionaires, who would have perished in the ghettoes of Kingston if it were not for his generosity.

Foota has said that although his relationship with the artist has become strained, he still has maximum respect for Bounty, who is the most generous and most supportive friend he has ever had. 

He has also pointed to how Bounty had done free shows for himself and Mavado in their communities when, according to Foota, they were “nobodies”.

Of his musical sons, Vybz Kartel and Aidonia have been listed as the ones who have given Bounty Killer ‘grandchildren,’ meaning younger artists whom they themselves had mentored.

Vybz Kartel has been listed as being responsible for the rise of his musical children Popcaan, Tommy Lee Sparta, Blak Ryno, Jah Vinci, Shawn Storm, Gaza Slim and Lisa Hyper, whilst Aidonia was listed as the musical father of Dancehall star Govana.

Bounty’s ‘great-grandchildren’ which were ‘fathered’ by Popcaan, have been listed as Quada, producer Dane Ray and Dre Island.

In April 2021, Vybz Kartel had taken to Instagram where he sought to venerate the Warlord and highlight the role he had played in his musical ascension, by dubbing him “Father Abraham.”

“Father Abraham (Bounty Killer) had many sons ..and I am one of them and so are you” Kartel had stated.

Also in March 2020, Kartel had shared a lengthy post praising the Its Okay artist for what he said was his indelible impact on Dancehall music.

“I wonder if people really appreciate how great this man really is. Is just a pity Dancehall doesn’t have a well organised and streamlined industry that would have all the to truly celebrate the greatness of Dancehall “Gads”,” Kartel had said.

“Bounty Killa never start Dancehall but his impact on the Genre is ubiquitous and universal. If Dancehall’s creator was “newton”, Bounty Killer is “einstein” weh upgrade it and in some instances, redifine it or change it all together. Just check di amount of youth killa help realise dem potential. Both artiste producer promoter, plus the joy weh him bring to di fans and the raw truth weh him talk!” Kartel had written.

The Any Weather artist had also written of his love for Bounty Killer, despite their explosive falling out more than a decade ago.

“Me love di General like a father/as a father and a mentor a teacher and a provider who offered me the “great escape” from poverty and be able to take care of my family and make my kids live a more comfortable life than i had growing up. Bless up mi General,” he had stated.   

In October 2019, Bounty Killer was the toast of academics at the University of Technology (UTech) when he was cited as the consummate social entrepreneur, for, among other things, his work as a dubplate specialist.

At the time, researchers had said the Coppershot artist, whose real name is Rodney Pryce, provided “more opportunities or a more professional consideration with respect to how dubplates were treated within the music industry of Jamaica.”

They had also contended that the Callaloo Bed native was not only an entrepreneur but was a philanthropist in his community, factors which had led to the overwhelming request from students for his work to be researched.

“Well I never even know I was a social entrepreneur… When they came to me and told me about Social Entrepreneur, I said: ‘what kinda words are dat?’ I neva know there was such ting. So when I was doing all of these social tings, I never know you become ‘Social Entrepreneur,” a seemingly amused Bounty had told Onstage’s Winford Williams during an interview at the event.