Alkaline Mourns Father’s Passing
Dancehall artist Alkaline is mourning the passing of his father, Mr. Earl Bartley, more commonly known as ‘Rooster.’
The Gleaner that the patriarch died last week, after battling an undisclosed illness. In an official statement this afternoon, the Bartley family acknowledged the tragedy, and extended gratitude for the outpouring of support thus far, while requesting privacy as they coped.
“We want to acknowledge the passing of Mr. Earl Bartley, more popularly known as Rooster. Mr. Bartley is the father of three kids and one grandchild. Mr. Bartley is also the father of reggae-dancehall artiste Earlan Bartley, known as Alkaline,” they said.
“As the family continues to mourn our loss and execute funeral arrangements, we kindly ask members of the media and public to respect our privacy. Mr. Bartley was a staple in his community and a pillar of strength and support for his family. “
“We would also like to thank everyone who expressed condolence and support.”
The statement continued: “The family’s focus currently is to provide each other with the necessary love, support, and comfort. Losing loved ones is unbearable, and no further information will be shared now.”
A nine night for Bartley is scheduled for tonight, the deejay’s singer and manager Kerry told the Gleaner newspaper.
She had very little words when asked to comment on the situation.
“He has passed … . I don’t know what to say in a situation like this,” she reportedly told the newspaper in a sombre tone.
When asked how Alkaline was holding up she said, “I can only speak for myself. That’s just the truth of what it is.”
Alkaline’s Instagram page paints a melancholic image. His last post, made four days ago, sees a photo of him with a straight face with the track Nah Laugh attached.
The comments under his posts have also been turned off, and his profile photo was removed.
Alkaline started 2023 on a high after he was named as the official face of Matthew M. Williams’s first dedicated menswear collection in a global campaign.
He also performed at the ‘Baderation’ concert in Guyana alongside Jada Kingdom.