Bounty Killer, aka Rodney Basil Price, was born 12.06.1972 in the Trenchtown area of downtown Kingston, Jamaica, with his family moving to a next ghetto area of Riverton City (formerly known as Dungle), and finally Seaview Gardens, Kingston, as a young child. One of nine children to his mother "Miss Ivy" and father, owner of a small sound system, Rodney first picked up the mic as a deejay at nine years old.
He nearly lost his life to gun violence at 14, but thankfully fully recovered from the bystander assault and soon began his music career as Bounty Hunter. He joined neighborhood friends Nitty Kutchie and Boom Dandemite in seeking out opportunities in country as well as town, performing for Metromedia and Bodyguard, as well as other local area sound systems. It was during a chance meeting with brother of King Jammy, Uncle T, which would change his career forever.
Bounty's initial recordings were done by Uncle T, after Jammy himself was skeptical due to the violent nature of the tracks. Jammy eventually relented upon witnessing the rising popularity of the deejay.
His first hit record on the sound system circuit was Dub Fi Dub and other recordings with the King Jammys label were compiled into 1993's Jamaica's Most Wanted, later released as Roots, Reality and Culture. By 1993, now known internationally as Bounty Killer, Rodney was quickly becoming regarded as one of the fiercest and most lyrically gifted of the next generation of deejays. Hits such as Coppershot, Lodge, and Spy Fi Die quickly propelled Bounty to an upper-echelon deejay, and sound system dubplate favorite. "Coppershot" was actually a hit in New York before Jamaica, which left Bounty as personally indebted to the American city as much as his native Kingston. 1993 also brought the beginning of a long, on-and-off rivalry with Beenie Man, which culminated in a battle at Sting 1993, extended through the mid-90s and flared up again in the latter half of the following decade.
Bounty won the war at Sting 1993 and his legacy as dancehall superstar was cemented as a result. The mid-1990s brought hit after hit, such as Cellular Phone, Not Another Word, and Mama. The heated war-of-words with Beenie Man gave the world many popular tunes from each side, including Ask Fi War, Suspense, and War Beyond The Stars.
The mid-90s era culminated in the release of My Xperience in 1996. The most comercially successful album of Bounty's career, and widely considered one of the best dancehall albums of the decade, it mixed popular dancehall tracks, such as Living Dangerously featuring Barrington Levy and Fed Up, with hip-hop crossover duets featuring Jeru The Damaja, Raekwon and, most popularly, The Fugees.
The decade closed out with two more albums, Next Millenium, which featued more hip-hop guest combinations, and 5th Element, which returned to a more hardcore-dancehall style.
By the year 2000, Bounty Killer, along with Capleton, was still considered the top deejay in the business, particularly with the waning popularity (at the time) of Beenie Man, and refocused career path of Buju Banton. This was due as much to being the most in-demand artist for dubplate recordings by sound systems as to actual studio material.
In 2001, he was featured with No Doubt on their international hit Hey Baby, and appeared with the band for a pre-game performance at the 2002 NFL Super Bowl.
In 2002, Bounty released his most ambitious project since My Xperience, a double CD (released seperately), titled Ghetto Dictionary: The Mystery and Ghetto Dictionary: The Art of War. While not nearly the commercial success of My Xperience, underground sales were strong, and it featured the smash dancehall hit Sufferah.
Since the Ghetto Dictionary project, Bounty Killer's influence has mostly been behind-the-scenes, working with young talent and bringing new dancehall reggae stars to the forefront. He has been credited with bolstering the careers of, among others, Elephant Man, Busy Signal, Wayne Marshall, Baby Cham, and Vybz Kartel.
He currently oversees a stable of artists known alternately as The Alliance and Gully, which includes Mavado and Aidonia.
Eagle & the Hawk
Bounty Killer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause you should be happy to see others happy!!!
We gonna start this and sell a million copy!!!
Anyway...
Fassyhole an battyman nuh want them around me
Want see me dead so them can get fi moan me
Battyman start come a stage show fi stone we
Well boy like a mi nuh battyman nah go crown me
Media and the press a try them best fi drown we
Cancel me visa but that still nuh ground me
Make them know the eagle and the hawk them surround we.
Well a nuff time the fassyhole them try fi clown me
Nuff time mi have it and mi well want fi sound it
Nuff time mi friend dem haffi beg an haffi hole me
Mek dem know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
Swell, wait there man
Look like a boy want to shame
Which fassyhole me hear a call up me name
But cool nuh man, don’t know a who them a go blame
So make me just say it out plain.
Pussyhole and battyman nuh want them around me
Want see me dead so them can get fi moan me
Battyman start come of stage show fi stone we
Mek dem know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
Well a guy a try hard like him well waan fi show me
Dem a seen threat like dem waan toe to toe me
Call up my name and them nuh really know me
Make them know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
A pure hotty-lotty and cute gal a own we
Nuff rich gal a come and mi yard fi bound me
Dun see it say Babylon well want to own we
Make them know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
Swell, nuff a dem waan see di Killer get waste
Nuff fassyhole mi see a bawl pon mi case
Nuff a dem glad when police raid mi base
A hell when we buck face to face.
Fassyhole and battyman nuh want them around me
Want see me dead so them can get fi moan me
Battyman start come a stage show fi stone we
Mek dem know a di eagle and the hawk dem surround we
Well boy like me nuh battyman nuh go crown me
Media and the press a try them best fi drown we
Cancel mi visa but that still nuh ground me
Make them know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
Nuff time the fassyhole them try fi clown me
Nuff time me have it and me well wan fi sound it
Nuff time me friend them haffi beg and haffi hole me
Make them know a the eagle and the hawk dem surround we
Swell, wait there man
Look like a fool want fi shame
Which fassyhole me hear a call up me name
But cool nuh man, don’t know a who them a go blame
So make me just say it out plain.
Fassyhole and battyman nuh want them around me
Want see me dead so them can get fi moan me
Battyman start come on stage show fi stone we
Make them know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
The song "Eagle and the Hawk" by Bounty Killer is a dancehall track that speaks out against fassyholes and battymen (homosexuals). The song is a statement that the artist will not be intimidated by those who wish to see him fail or harm him. Bounty Killer warns those who come to his shows to try to harm him that he is protected by the eagle and the hawk, symbolizing his strength and power.
Throughout the song, Bounty Killer speaks about how some people want to see him dead because of his success and popularity. He asserts that he will not be silenced or discouraged by these people. The lyrics also touch on the topics of cancel culture and media scrutiny, expressing the artist's frustration with being targeted and criticized by the media.
Bounty Killer's use of visual imagery throughout the song, as well as his energetic delivery, make the message of the song clear and impactful. It is a powerful statement against hate and violence, and an affirmation of self-confidence and resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Yow! You! Mr. Fassy!!!
The singer addresses a person as 'Mr. Fassy' and demands their attention.
Cause you should be happy to see others happy!!!
The singer believes that people should be happy for the happiness of others.
We gonna start this and sell a million copy!!!
The singer is confident that their project will be successful and sell a million copies.
Anyway...
The artist changes the subject and moves on to another topic.
Fassyhole an battyman nuh want them around me
The artist does not want homosexuals or effeminate men around them as they believe they wish to harm them.
Want see me dead so them can get fi moan me
The singer believes that homosexuals or effeminate men want to see them dead so they can enjoy the mourning of their death.
Battyman start come a stage show fi stone we
Effeminate men have started showing up randomly to the singer's stage shows and throwing stones at them.
Make them know the eagle and the hawk them surround we
The artist has a group of people around them that will protect them, symbolized by an eagle and a hawk.
Well boy like a mi nuh battyman nah go crown me
The artist identifies as not being effeminate or homosexual, and as such will not let them control them.
Media and the press a try them best fi drown we
The media and the press are trying their best to ruin the artist's career.
Cancel me visa but that still nuh ground me
Even though the singer's visa has been cancelled, they are still able to continue their career.
Well a nuff time the fassyhole them try fi clown me
Effeminate men have tried to degrade the artist by mocking them numerous times.
Nuff time mi have it and mi well want fi sound it
The singer has had enough and wants to speak out about it.
Nuff time mi friend dem haffi beg an haffi hole me
The singer's friends have to beg for their safety and protection.
Swell, wait there man
Look like a boy want to shame
Which fassyhole me hear a call up me name
But cool nuh man, don’t know a who them a go blame
So make me just say it out plain.
The singer brushes off someone who is trying to humiliate them by calling out their name, stating that they don't know who is truly to blame.
Pussyhole and battyman nuh want them around me
The artist does not want homosexuals or effeminate men around them as they believe they wish to harm them.
Well a guy a try hard like him well waan fi show me
Another man is trying too hard to compete with the artist.
Dem a seen threat like dem waan toe to toe me
Others see the singer as a threat and want to compete with them head-on.
Call up my name and them nuh really know me
People are calling out the singer's name without really knowing who they are.
A pure hotty-lotty and cute gal a own we
The artist is surrounded by attractive and charming women.
Nuff rich gal a come and mi yard fi bound me
Wealthy women are coming to the artist's house to spend time with them.
Dun see it say Babylon well want to own we
The artist is wary of external forces, such as the government, wanting to control them.
Swell, nuff a dem waan see di Killer get waste
Many people want to see the singer fail or be killed.
Nuff fassyhole mi see a bawl pon mi case
Effeminate men are often attacking the artist and trying to bring them down.
Nuff a dem glad when police raid mi base
Many people find pleasure in the singer being raided or arrested by the police.
A hell when we buck face to face.
When others confront the singer, it usually ends in chaos.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DAVID WILLIAM N KELLY, RODNEY PRICE, DAVID KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind