'Bigger than Grammy' - Bounty Killer puts award from peers on top shelf

Chronixx and up-and-coming artiste Koffee may have been Sunday night's big winners at the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) Awards, walking away with Song of the Year and Breakthrough Artiste of the Year, respectively. But the night undoubtedly belonged to Rodney Pryce, more popularly known as Bounty Killer.

Bounty Killer was honoured at the 11th annual staging of the awards and for his extraordinary impact on the reggae industry through mentorship. Bounty Killer, the man responsible for helping to jump start the careers of countless entertainers including Mavado, Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal, Wayne Marshall, and Baby Cham, told the audience gathered at the Courteligh Auditorium that he was humbled by the recognition.

"This is something different for me," said Bounty Killer, adding that it was never his aim to become a mentor.

"This award is bigger than my Grammy to me because this is for helping my peers, not my own career. This is a togetherness award, and this is for all of us - all of who I have helped over the years from the Scare Dem to the Alliance to the ANG."

Help his brothers

Bounty Killer said that he was merely trying to help his fellow brothers and sisters get their break in the industry.

"I don't even know how I became a mentor. I'm an artiste; a ghetto youth trying to make better for my life," he said. "I got a lot of awards, as you've seen, but this is the first time I've gotten an award for the significance of helping other careers. How I became a mentor, I don't know, but ... I got my break and I decided that as a ghetto youth when me come through the door, I leave the door open and I pass on the baton," he said.

"I started to fight with producers I was recording with to record dem [up-and-coming talent], but they don't want to record dem because they wasn't really polished and ready, but they had the raw talent," he said.

The dancehall artiste, who has won two Grammy awards, called on producers to take a chance on fresh talent.

"Most people inna music over the years, they don't show patience. They have no time for growth. They're looking for ready stars. Is not every star going to shine from the beginning," he said.

Bounty Killer, admitting that he started to like the feeling of helping others get their break in the industry, said that he continued to push fresh talent but stressed that the latter was never to get recognition.