Profile of Bounty Killer on Famous Like Me

Bounty Killer (born Rodney Basil Price June 12, 1972 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican ragga and dancehall rapper/deejay, known for his hard work in combatting poverty and helping new artists. He is known commonly and in the business as The Warlord, Miss Ivy's Last Song, The 5-star General, The Ghetto Gladiator and The Poor People's Governor, he is most proud of the last moniker.

He grew up in the rough part of Kingston, a ghetto named Trenchtown. He was the last son in a family of nine. His mother stayed at home while his father went out to earn a living.

He started performing under the name Bounty Hunter but one day, while walking in one of the rough neighbourhoods of Kingston, he was caught in crossfire and hit by a bullet. He spent several days in the hospital. It was during his time there he decided to change his name to Bounty Killer.

During the early 1990s, Bounty Killer hung around the studio of producer King Jammy in Kingston – encouraged by the moderate success of fellow friend and deejay Boom Dandymite - and finally Bounty Killer got the chance to voice for King Jammy and one of the first tunes to come out from Bounty Killer was “Book, Book, Book”

Since 1993 Bounty Killer became a household name in Jamaica – due to his well received performance at the annual hardcore festival Sting held in the days after Christmas. His rough lyrics and unique flow have caused many singers to copy his style, among the better known deejays to copy him are Merciless and Beenie Man. Bounty Killer has tried to protect his individuality and this has caused many problems both on and off stage with these two singers. Bounty Killer and Merciless even got into a fist fight on stage during the Sting festival in 1997 – and have made headlines throughout Jamaica for the rivalry with Beenie Man as both claim that the other has stolen his act.

During the 1990s Bounty Killer has voiced for producers and labels in Jamaica – and has put out songs of redemption like: “Defend the Poor,” “Mama,” “Book, Book, Book,” “Babylon System” and “Down in the Ghetto.” In 1996 the Jamaican government banned his hit song ”Fed Up.” The 90s was also the year where Bounty Killer became known in USA and in Europe and it ended up with several combinations with big artists like The Fugees, Wycliffe Jean, Mobb Deep, Noriega and Capone as well as No Doubt and many others.

While the 1990’s were a decade of many album released – the new millennium seems to be the decade of many single released. Still working with top producers in Jamaica and abroad – Bounty Killer insists on releasing singles – almost in a daily basis. He is without any doubt one of the most productive artists to come out of Jamaica, however he seems now to be ready to release his first album in 4 years in the fall of 2005.

Discography

• Roots, Reality & Culture (VP Records) (1994)
• Jamaica’s Most Wanted (Greensleeves Records) (1994)
• Guns Out (Greensleeves Records) (1994)
• Face To Face (VP Records) (1994)
• Down In The Ghetto (Greensleeves Records) (1994)
• No Argument (Greensleeves Records) (1995)
• My Xperience (VP Records/TVT Records) (1996)
• Ghetto Gramma (Greensleeves Records) (1997)
• Next Millenium (VP Records/TVT Records) (1998)
• 5th Element (VP Records) (1999)
• Ghetto Dictionary – The Mystery (VP Records) (2002)
• Ghetto Dictionary – The Art of War (VP Records) (2002)

Singles

External Links

Bounty Killer - Jamaica's Most Wanted Website
Greensleeves Records's Biography of Bounty Killer
Reggae Reviews's Bounty Killer page

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