Bounty Killer Reaffirms That Getting An IRAWMA Award Is Better Than A Grammy
Bounty Killer says his IRAWMA Award for “Outstanding contribution to the Jamaican music industry for over 30 years”, to him is better than the much-sought-after American Grammy Award.
On Sunday evening, Bounty was among numerous awardees who walked away with IRAWMA trophies, among them Spice and Sean Paul.
In his acceptance speech at what was the awards’ 40th Anniversary event, Bounty, whose Ghetto Dictionary: The Mystery was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album in 2002, hailed the IRAWMA as better than the Grammys once again, and called on Jamaicans to support their own.
“It’s not easy to keep these things going. Even in the pandemic, these people make sure they recognise who to be reckon. So Jamaica, lets support us. Everybody excited bout di Grammy… but I rather; this ain’t no drama!” he rhymed. “Forty years; hold dat!”
“I’m feeling elated and honored thanks to the IRAWMA Awards for this Lifetime Achievement Award and for recognizing my dedication and contribution to this culture Salute 🫡,” he captioned the video.
He added in another post where he shared a photo of the inscription on the award that: “It’s a honor to be honored especially in your own town Kingston Jamaica. Give thanks to all who had played even a tiny role or part on my journey to here I truly appreciated y’all despite where we’re today Salute”.
He was congratulated by several fellow artists, among them Mavado, Charly Black, and Ziggy Marley.
“Well deserved me a Stephen Marley been listening to @grunggaadzilla from high school days nuff respect legend,” he said, to which Bounty replied: “@ziggymarley. Yooooooow I remembered he told me all the times and that’s how the Ragga vibes came about hardcore reggae salute big bro 🫡”.
His compatriot Spice went a step further, declaring that Bounty be immortalized by the erecting of a gigantic statue.
“YOU DESERVE EVEN MORE AND MORE AND MORE 1 General 🌎🌎🌎 We need a Bounty Statue In Jamaica 🇯🇲 big like the statue a liberty 🗽,” Spice said.
Bounty also received congratulations from singer Olaf Blackwood, who wrote a heartfelt note to the High Grade Forever artist in a poetic fashion.
“The governor for the poor. the warlord. the general. The inspiration for countless people from musicians to fans. Today we celebrate you and all you’ve accomplished and the lives you’ve touched and changed forever. You’ve beautifully stained the fabric of our minds with your music and incomparable personality. a million roses for Mama Ivy for giving us a national treasure. #salute #konnect,” Blackwood wrote.
He also affirmed in another post, that he had the last laugh, triumphing over one of his critics who has in recent times accused him of “mashing up Dancehall”, this after a gleeful fan brought up the subject.
“Big up your damn self general. Nuh know how vagas a say u mash up dancehall and u help build dancehall. Bring dancehall to the super bowl,” the fan, One_daan, had said.
“@one_daan Why am I getting lifetime achievement award then for mashing dancehall?😂😅🤣” Bounty said.
This is not the first time the Warlord has elevated the IRAWMAs over the Grammys. In 2019, when he received the IRAWMA Icon Award, he had told The Star tabloid that it was “better than a Grammy”.
In March 2017, he had told The Gleaner that he would have given “Lee Scratch” Perry his Grammy if he had been given the award ahead of the I am A Mad Man singer, back in 2003.
Bounty Killer’s The Mystery, was nominated alongside Perry’s Jamaica E T, Capleton’s Still Blazin’, Freddie McGregor’s Anything For You, and Alpha Blondy’s Merci, for the Best Reggae Album in 2003, a year after he copped a Grammy alongside No Doubt, for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a duo or group.
But according to Bounty, he believed the GRAMMYS had made the right decision as the Hanover native had not only “pushed Bob Marley” but was Jamaica’s greatest producer.
“I could not take that Grammy over Lee Scratch… I swear on my mother’s grave, if I had won that Grammy, I would have given it to Lee Scratch,” Bounty Killer had said.
The awards, according to organisers, Martin’s International, was a “salute to dancehall music and its monumental contribution to the evolution of Jamaican music over the last 50 years”.
According to its founder and Producer Dr. Ephraim Martin, the organisation had made great efforts to give “deserving respect” to persons who have “contributed greatly to the music and culture of Jamaica” and contributed to social change in society globally.