He was booed off stage at a show celebrating the visit of Nelson Mandela. In 1993 at the very popular show Sting he accused fellow deejay Bounty Killer that the elder artist had stolen his catchphrase, "people dead". This triggered a lyrical battle which continued on the air with each artist counteracting the other's songs. Finally, in 1995, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer settled their differences on the air by actually signing a peace treaty and the two recorded an album together, Guns Out. This was followed by a single, "No Mama No Cry", a rehash of the Bob Marley classic "No Woman No Cry", speaking out against violence and inspired by the murder of Pan Head, another popular Deejay.
Partially as a result of prodding from his producers, Sly and Robbie, Beenie Man soon converted to the Rastafari movement.
In 1994, he was signed by Island Records and released the critically acclaimed album Blessed.
In 1995, Beenie Man released a remix of Barrington Levy's "Under Mi Sensi" in the United Kingdom, and collaborated with Dennis Brown and Triston Palma to release Three Against War and Lt. Stitchie on Mad Cobra Meets Lt. Stitchie & Beenie Man. He took another step up the ladder in 1996, releasing the seminal Maestro, produced by Patrick Roberts and shot him to UK fame. During the period from the mid to late '90s, Beenie Man dominated the Jamaican charts to the extent that he perhaps had a good claim to the crown of "Dancehall King", a title only bestowed previously on Yellowman in the early 1980s.
In 1998, Beenie Man signed to Virgin Records to release albums in the United States. His first American offering was The Doctor (1998). In 2000, Beenie Man teamed up with Arturo Sandoval and Wyclef Jean (The Fugees) to release The Art & Life. During the late 1990s, Beenie Man began his conquest of America with the hits, "Romie", "Who Am I" and "Girls Dem Sugar", which featured American R&B singer, Mya.
In 2002, he had a sizeable hit with a duet with Janet Jackson called "Feel It Boy", but his biggest break in America came in early 2004 with the release of a remix of "Dude", featuring guest vocals by fellow Jamaican Ms. Thing, as well as rhymes by Shawnna.
Bad
Beenie Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oonu a bawl, caan oonu claim mi come pon T.V wid rupaul
No man caan jump bad man wall
No naah stall alright first
Dong, dong, dong, dong, dogger, diggy, diggy
Dong, dong, dong, dong, dogger, diggy, diggy
Dong, dong, dong, dong, dogger, diggy, diggy
Man, a bad man and man, nuh mingle wid nuh rodman
And if yuh dis di program, yuh is a dead man
Either by a shot or yuh hang
Jah, Jah ranks pass mi m-I
Man, a bad man and man, nuh mingle wid nuh rodman
And if yuh dis di program, yuh is a dead man
Either by a shot or yuh hang
Jah, Jah ranks pass mi m-I
(niggas bleed jus' like us)
Picture me being fraid of a
Bwoy weh bus di same gun as me
(niggas bleed jus' like us)
Picture me being 'fraid to defend my life a g.p
(niggas bleed jus' like us)
Picture me run away from a fight a some bwoy mussy bright
(niggas bleed jus' like us)
Picture me being fraid fi lock off a bwoy life like a light
Willie haffi squeeze the desert es
Better yuh ease nigga leave
Well, gun shot a surround yuh like breeze
Well, copper shot a tek a bwoy like bees
Caan believe, yuh hear mi steve
Bad man just get grieve and sing seh
Man, a bad man and man, nuh mingle wid nuh Rodman
And if yuh dis di program, yuh is a dead man
Either by a shot or yuh hang
Jah, Jah ranks pass mi m-I
Well, fi live dung ainna di jungle,
Yuh haffi have whole heap a skill
Yuh haffi tek a lot a chill pill to kill
Well, big up all di man dem from warricka hill, hill, hill
What is my favourite attack when mi dress up in a mi frock
Wid mi wig pon mi head, sixteen over back
Bragga, dagga, dagga, da twenty five body drop
But Mr. Ria, Mr. Squire, bredda nia,
Bad man a flex like vampire
Mi wi shot dung a bwoy and nyam him liver
But first the D.J haffi utter
Weh yuh think all my guns are for
Forty-five in control jus to explode on a bwoy soul
Time changing things re-arranging more guns bussing
More man dying from back in the days of pure mass murdering
Well, everyday yuh hear another likkle youth gone
And another m-16 man born
Man plant peas and waan reap corn
What a gwaan, what a gwaan
The lyrics to “Bad Man” by Beenie Man are a celebration of the artist's reputation as a bad man, who does not mingle with rodmen and is not afraid to defend his life. The song starts with Beenie Man addressing those who are crying and questioning his appearance on television with RuPaul. He states that no person can jump a bad man's wall or stall his progress. The artist then spells out words with meanings, emphasizing his street smarts and intelligence.
The second stanza underscores the artist's bad-boy image, again insisting that he does not mingle with rodmen. It warns anyone who disses his program that they will either be shot or hung. He then repeats this warning, asserting that Jah Ranks surpasses him, underlining his belief in a higher power's approval of his violent ways.
The third stanza serves as a reminder that the artist is not afraid of anyone, even someone who wields the same gun as him. He would never run from a fight with another guy, no matter how clever they might seem. He underlines the concept that every bad man has to stay alert to survive in the jungle, and you must have the necessary skills and chill to eliminate your opponents. Beenie Man shouts out his fans from the Warwick Hill area, who share his violent passions, before ending with a beckon to his D.J. to "utter" and "sound the alarm."
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, a dat a oonu a gwan wid
What are you guys doing?
Oonu a bawl, caan oonu claim mi come pon T.V wid rupaul
You're crying, can you claim that I appeared on TV with RuPaul?
No man caan jump bad man wall
No one can cross a bad man's territory.
No naah stall alright first
Don't hesitate or waste time, act quickly.
Dong, dong, dong, dong, dogger, diggy, diggy
Sound of drums playing.
Man, a bad man and man, nuh mingle wid nuh rodman
A bad man should not associate with a weak man.
And if yuh dis di program, yuh is a dead man
If you go against the bad man, you'll face death.
Either by a shot or yuh hang
You'll either be shot or hanged to death.
Jah, Jah ranks pass mi m-I
God's army is more powerful than me.
(niggas bleed jus' like us)
People are mortal and can be hurt.
Picture me being fraid of a
Imagine me being afraid of someone.
Bwoy weh bus di same gun as me
A guy who has the same gun as me.
Picture me being 'fraid to defend my life a g.p
Imagine me scared to protect myself against gang violence.
Picture me run away from a fight a some bwoy mussy bright
Imagine me fleeing from a fight with someone who is easily beatable.
Picture me being fraid fi lock off a bwoy life like a light
Imagine me being scared to take a life like it's nothing.
Willie haffi squeeze the desert es
Willie has to use his gun.
Better yuh ease nigga leave
You should leave and avoid trouble.
Well, gun shot a surround yuh like breeze
The sound of gunshots is as common as a breeze.
Caan believe, yuh hear mi Steve
You won't believe what I'm about to say.
Bad man just get grieve and sing seh
A bad man gets into trouble and sings about it.
Well, fi live dung ainna di jungle,
To survive in this world,
Yuh haffi have whole heap a skill
You need to be very skilled.
Yuh haffi tek a lot a chill pill to kill
You need to be calm to kill.
Well, big up all di man dem from warricka hill, hill, hill
Respect to all men from Warricka Hill.
What is my favourite attack when mi dress up in a mi frock
What's my favorite tactic when I dress up in women's clothing?
Wid mi wig pon mi head, sixteen over back
With a wig on my head and two guns behind me.
Bragga, dagga, dagga, da twenty five body drop
Sounds of firing 25 shots and 25 bodies dropping.
But Mr. Ria, Mr. Squire, bredda nia,
But Mr. Ria, Mr. Squire, and Brother Nia,
Bad man a flex like vampire
Bad men act like vampires.
Mi wi shot dung a bwoy and nyam him liver
I'll shoot someone and eat his liver.
But first the D.J haffi utter
But first, the DJ has to say something.
Weh yuh think all my guns are for
What do you think all of my guns are for?
Forty-five in control jus to explode on a bwoy soul
The 45 gun is controlled just to take a life.
Time changing things re-arranging more guns bussing
As time passes, things change and more guns are fired.
More man dying from back in the days of pure mass murdering
More people are dying like in the past when mass murders happened.
Well, everyday yuh hear another likkle youth gone
Every day, there is news of a young person dying.
And another m-16 man born
Another person with an M16 gun has emerged.
Man plant peas and waan reap corn
People want to get something without putting in the effort.
What a gwaan, what a gwaan
What's happening? What's happening?
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MOSES ANTHONY DAVIS, STEPHEN JOHN MARSDEN, ANDREW THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mundy586
Mad Mad Madddddddddd!!
TlkDiTruth
DI KING ISJUS DI KING SIMPLE AS DAT.... WEN A NEX ARTIST DO 20YRS ON TOP OF DA DANCEHALL GAME AN CONSTANTLY PRODUCE HITS AN #1s THRUOUT DEN DAT PERSON IS ENTITLED TO THE DANCEHALL CROWN AS KING
Tahjna Banton
maaawdddd!!!.. haffi move once u hear dis.
lpyle76
Shooting for the moon!! zagga zow
dwayne6156
SHOTTT!! Zagga
Anthony Akhimien
Beenie bad till Burke
mrsnagg1
ZAGGA ZOW