Bounty Killer isn’t here for Jamaica’s MP Peter Bunting using dancehall dubs despite his past statements saying the genre fueling crime.
The Grung Gad, aka Bounty Killer, has entered the chat, blasting authorities and the entertainers in their corner for creating campaign dubplates despite the history of conflict between the two factions. The warlord lashed out on social media at the current vote-garnering trend that’s too friendly for his liking, where dancehall acts seem to have conveniently forgotten the oppressive status quo. While posting an example of the disparaging remarks typically hurled at dancehall artistes, the industry heavyweight reminded his peers and fans that the music has been held as a scapegoat for almost all social ills since its inception.
Bounty uploaded a Observer archive of Peter Bunting, who now has his own Stylo G election dubplate, claiming at the time that dancehall fuels crime. In the Observer piece, the then Security Minister cited “dancehall tune[s] as evidence of the social ‘dysfunctionality’ behind criminality in Jamaica.” He’s had an overwhelming turnaround since 2013 it seems, as these days, “Bunting out and stunting” while, according to the poor people governor, “poor people out there starving and hunting.” The irony of the situation unnerved the “Fed Up” deejay, who’s survived years of hatred, fight and blame for everything from lottery scamming to skin bleaching. Bounty Killer blew off steam in a thought provoking caption on what he saw as little more than inflated vote buying and a manipulative trend.
“I’m not trying to bash condemn or tell anyone what to do I’m just telling Y’all it’s not right based on dancehall fundamentals it was that independent platform for the masses plus the pressure and disrespect we faced from higher society over the yrs a poppy show business folks but to each his or her own how many reached out to me and for got declined bcuz i’m Poor People Governor until death we shouldn’t be helping to foster the trust of the ppl for the leaders their policies and characteristics should determines that this is how these ppl planning on winning election today by presenting a hit dub instead of a hot debate?” he said.
But truth be told, the tables turning on endorsements between the two factions was a long time coming. Bunting’s article spoke to an “anti-authoritarian element in our culture”, but that script was flipped last year after the Prime Minister’s own dub—pronouncing himself the “Most Hon. BroGad”. His embrace of the dancehall moniker coupled with the review of the Noise Abatement Act was the start of overt political efforts to connect with the youth. Nevertheless, the addition of dubplate is clearly where both Bounty Killer and his Alliance protege, Vybz Kartel, draw the line.
In another post, Bounty Killer added that “the system only like the people for what it can get from them,” slyly taunting that “politricks have more dub playing than DJ.” The IG image was a repost from Pro DJ Mr. Metta, who perfectly outlined the issue as many see it. “I’M CONFUSED! THE MUSIC THAT MY ANCESTORS USED TO FIGHT INJUSTICE, INEQUALITY, OPRESSION, CLASSISM SLAVERY ETC. NOW ITS BEEN USED TO FIGHT POLITICAL WAR. BOB TURN IN HIS GRAVE RIGHT NOW.” Teejay, Jahvillani, Shenseea, Stylo G, Dovey Magnum, Chris Martin, and Spice are the artists under fire who’ve lent their voices to the electoral cause so far.
