Bounty Killer grateful for recognition at Reggae Gold Awards

Jamaica’s legendary dancehall deejay Rodney ‘Bounty Killer’ Price was left revelling in the recognitions he received for his contribution to music in Jamaica at the Reggae Gold Awards held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Thursday night.

Bounty Killer has been a part of the music industry as a deejay since the early 1990s and dubbed himself the “poor people governor” because of his devotion to highlighting social messages in his music.

He received two awards, one of which was the Wray & Nephew Cultural Impact Award presented by Candiese Leveridge, J. Wray & Nephew Ltd. media and public relations manager.

Grateful to receive such recognition, he said, “It’s very auspicious to know that the iconic Wray & Nephew that I have known since I was a young man because Wray & Nephew is like the python of alcoholic beverage in Jamaica, they are the spirit of Jamaica. So, for them to recognise me as the iconic figure that I am, it is something very interesting and I appreciate it and I am elated about it.” He continued, “What can I say? This is from your hometown, and they always say a king never gets crowned in his town. So, when you are recognised by your peers and your people that’s the most awesome feeling.

Bounty was also inducted into the Jamaica Music Museum Hall of Fame on the night, being among several Jamaican greats who have elevated the music to its current global status.

“The induction into Jamaica Reggae Music Hall of Fame, that’s another iconic achievement because to be recognised amongst all those greats, the great Bob Marley, the great Leroy Sibbles, the great Ken Boothe, Yellow Man, Josey Wales, all those people that I grew up listening to, to be recognised among them, that is like the legacy, you can’t get any better than that.

“Yellow Man is the king deejay, and they are inducting you in the same hall of fame with him, that means I’m a scholar, I have graduated with high honour. So, it’s an awesome feeling, it’s a great night and we give thanks to the minister and the organisation and the sponsors Wray & Nephew for recognising the players of reggae,” he said happily.

Price also hailed the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange for recognising Jamaican music the way she has done.

“This never happened, 10, twenty, years ago, so it’s good to keep the legacy and the history of reggae going. They have started the Reggae Music Hall of Fame which is a great induction again because we never had that years ago. Kudos to Babsy and the entire ministry supporting reggae and dancehall,” he said.

Among the other 32 awardees of the night were Third World, Beenie Man, Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy for dance, Wycliffe ‘Steely’ Johnson and Cleveland ‘Clevie’ Browne.