Bounty Killer shared that late dancehall artist Merciless died of a drug overdose.
The Warlord is responding to critics from some quarters of the dancehall fraternity who are bashing him for not attending the legendary clash artist’s funeral. Merciless, whose real name is Leonard Bartley, was laid to rest last week Sunday (September 18). The artist died on July 1 at a motel on Beechwood Avenue in St Andrew. The 51-year-old artist’s death shocked dancehall fans, particularly as he was not only young but was reportedly not ailing up to the time of his death.
Merciless funeral was attended by Spragga Benz, Don Mafia, Little Hero, Alize, Silver Cat, and Ghost, who were spotted inside the St Gabriel’s Anglican Church in May Pen, Clarendon. However, others who were reportedly close and highly respected by the late singer were curiously absent from his funeral. Both Bounty Killer and Beenie Man, who have a long history with Merciless, were also absent from the farewell leading to fans of the late artist, including Tony Matterhorn calling them out, for not showing unity.
On Instagram, fans of Bounty Killer called him out for not attending the event prompting an acidic response from the artist. On Monday, Merciless manager Harvel ‘Gadafi’ Hart called out Bounty Killer and Beenie Man for not showing up at the funeral. Hart laments that Merciless family included Bounty and Beenie on his funeral program and shares that the late deejay spoke highly of them.
Hart also lashed out at Capleton and Sizzla for not showing up at any of the events or nine-night for the artist.
Over the weekend, an audio clip of Bounty Killer’s interview on 104.1 FM radio station in Cayman started making the rounds where the artist said Merciless died of a drug overdose and lashed out at critics who accused him of not showing up to the funeral.
“A over deh the man go lose it enuh dog,” the deejay said. “A drugs kill Merciless enuh. Is drugs kill Merciless. They just shy to say it. No heart attack or nutten bredren a overdose kill the Don. And we don’t even want elaborate pon the dead man or nutten, but them fi gweh, me nah go a no funeral me a badman. No bwoy cyan ramp wid me inno.”
Bounty Killer added that Merciless wasn’t his friend but rather a co-worker; hence he doesn’t owe his family anything but condolences. “Merciless wasn’t me friend, he wasn’t me colleague, he was just a co-worker,” he said.
Bounty has been criticized for the statement as the audio clip makes the round on social media.
Bounty Killer says drugs killed Merciless and lashes out at critics over his absence from Merciless funeral. pic.twitter.com/NPU1RxdV5v
— Urban Islandz (@urbanislandz) September 25, 2022
