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.
Living Dangerously
Bounty Killer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lawd a mercy
Lawd a mercy
Lawd a mercy (Oooh who)
Man a cerasee (Yeah)
Umman yuh livin too dangerous (Uh yay)
Too dangerous
Too dangerous
[Verse 1: Barrington Levy (Bounty Killer)]
Oooh woman I heard a little rumor last night
(Little rumor last night, rumor last night)
Somebody told me you weren't doing me right
(She wasn't doin' me right, doin' me right)
While I've been turning my back,
You've been out playing the field
(She jus playing the field, playing the field)
Can you look me in the eyes and say to me it's not real
(Girl that could not be real, couldn't be real)
That's all I wanted to know (Just wanna know, girl)
That look is giving you away (Give it away, give it away now - She was a {better} Gal)
An I'll never believe in a single word you say (I'll never believe yuh girl)
[Chorus:]
[Barrington Levy:] You're living dangerously
[Bounty Killer:] Umman yuh living too dangerous for me
[Barrington Levy:] You're living dangerously
[Bounty Killer:] Is it me or Barrington Levy
[Barrington Levy:] Living dangerously
[Bounty Killer:] Gal yuh living too dangerous for me, Lawd a mercy, Hey
[Verse 2: Bounty Killer]
Girl yuh livin too dangerous (Hoy!)
Better yuh give it up (Girl)
Yuh never stop until yuh pass di maximum line
Well now yuh know too much
I need a relationship
An not a war
Imagine fi see yuh woman inna man car
Tell me what yuh gonna think of her
She an man a drink outta one glass inna bar
Make man a rob tings
From mi cookie jar
Gal open up yuh eyes dem and look far
As yuh look up to the moon
And the pretty stars
Thinking me out like I am in Mars
[Bridge: Barrington Levy (Bounty Killer)]
Well that's all I can take (Lawd a mercy)
Can't let you outta my sight {Duggama? } sight)
An I wouldn't {jump} back in your life
For one more night (Not a second, girl)
[Chorus:]
You're living dangerously (Well!)
Gal yuh living too dangerous for me
You're living dangerously
Well if it's me or Barrington Levy (Talk!)
Living dangerously
Gal yuh living too dangerous for me
(Well!)
[Verse 3:]
Girl yuh livin too dangerous (Hoy!)
Better yuh give it up (Girl)
Yuh never stop until yuh pass di maximum line
Well now yuh know too much
Gal yuh betta look inna yuh life and stop flirt
A walk sidewalk when yuh should deh work
A wash up yuh plate
Or wash a man shirt
The bag a friendship
Business naw gon work
Yuh think it's me or your friends dem
It going to hurt
When me get upset
An mi just {splurt}
Yuh a walk pon di road
An alla wheel up yuh skirt
Dat not gon put one shilling
Inna yuh purse
Better yuh baptize
An gwaan inna church
And pray to God
An put him first (Girl, hey!)
[Chorus:]
Living dangerously
Well gal yuh living too dangerous for me
Living dangerously
Well if it's me or Barrington Levy (Talk!)
Living dangerously
Gal yuh living too dangerous for we
[Outro:]
Dangerously (Lawd a mercy)
Naw change your ways (Lawd a mercy, Lawd a mercy)
Dangerously (Too dangerous, too dangerous)
Naw change your ways
The song Living Dangerously by Barrington Levy and Bounty Killer explores the theme of infidelity and how it affects relationships. The song opens with Barrington Levy expressing his concern about a rumor he had heard regarding his partner's behavior. He questions her loyalty and wonders if the rumors are true. Meanwhile, Bounty Killer adds to the conversation saying that his partner's lifestyle is too dangerous for him, emphasizing how her behavior is tearing their relationship apart. He suggests that she gives up her reckless ways and focus on building a healthy relationship if she truly wants to keep him.
The song highlights the consequences of infidelity and how it affects everyone involved. It shows how partners can lose trust and faith in each other if one of them steps out of the relationship. It shows how valuable a healthy and committed relationship is, and advises that it is best to work on preventing infidelity from occurring.
In summary, Living Dangerously is a powerful song with a meaningful message. It speaks to the human experience of betrayal and shows how relationships can be damaged when one partner behaves recklessly. It is a call to action for partners to stay faithful in their relationships and work towards building and maintaining a fulfilling and loving partnership.
Line by Line Meaning
Lawd a mercy
Expression of surprise or concern
Man a cerasee (Yeah)
A type of herb (cerasee) that has healing properties, that the singer is taking
Umman yuh livin too dangerous (Uh yay)
The woman is living a dangerous life.
Too dangerous
The woman is exhibiting behavior that is reckless and potentially harmful.
Umman a live dangerous (Cho!)
The woman is living dangerously.
Oooh woman I heard a little rumor last night
The singer has been told a rumor about the woman.
Somebody told me you weren't doing me right
The rumor is suggesting that the woman is not behaving properly in the singer's relationship.
While I've been turning my back,
The artist has been unaware of the woman's behavior in their relationship.
You've been out playing the field
The woman has been involved in romantic relationships with other people.
Can you look me in the eyes and say to me it's not real
The artist challenges the woman to deny the truth of the rumor.
That's all I wanted to know (Just wanna know, girl)
The singer only wanted to know if the rumor was true.
That look is giving you away (Give it away, give it away now - She was a {better} Gal)
The woman's facial expression suggests that the rumor is true.
An I'll never believe in a single word you say (I'll never believe yuh girl)
The singer no longer trusts the woman.
You're living dangerously
The woman's actions are harmful to herself and those around her.
Is it me or Barrington Levy
The singer wonders if he or the singer Barrington Levy is the one in danger from the woman's behavior.
Gal yuh living too dangerous for me, Lawd a mercy, Hey
The artist cannot be around the woman because her behavior is too dangerous for him.
Girl yuh livin too dangerous (Hoy!)
The woman's behavior is putting her in danger.
Better yuh give it up (Girl)
The singer advises the woman to change her behavior to avoid danger.
Yuh never stop until yuh pass di maximum line
The woman's behavior goes beyond what is safe or acceptable.
Well now yuh know too much
The woman has too much knowledge about dangerous behavior.
I need a relationship
The artist is looking for a healthy romantic partnership.
An not a war
The artist does not want a relationship filled with conflict.
Imagine fi see yuh woman inna man car
The singer is imagining the woman in a car with another man.
Tell me what yuh gonna think of her
The artist asks the woman what she thinks of herself in that situation.
She an man a drink outta one glass inna bar
The woman and another man are drinking from the same glass in a bar.
Make man a rob tings
The woman's actions are causing other men to commit crime.
From mi cookie jar
The woman's actions are causing people to steal from the singer's possessions.
Gal open up yuh eyes dem and look far
The artist wants the woman to be aware of the harmful consequences of her behavior.
As yuh look up to the moon, And the pretty stars
The artist alludes to the woman's dreamy, idealistic view of the world.
Thinking me out like I am in Mars
The singer feels as if the woman is not really seeing him or understanding the danger of her behavior.
Well that's all I can take (Lawd a mercy)
The singer has reached their limit of what they can handle from the woman.
Can't let you outta my sight {Duggama? } sight)
The artist wants to keep an eye on the woman to prevent her from acting dangerously.
An I wouldn't {jump} back in your life, For one more night (Not a second, girl)
The artist will not return to the relationship with the woman because of her dangerous behavior.
Gal yuh living too dangerous for we
The woman's behavior is dangerous to the artist and others around them.
Naw change your ways (Lawd a mercy, Lawd a mercy)
The singer wants the woman to stop her dangerous behavior.
Too dangerous
The woman's behavior is risky and hazardous.
Writer(s): Barrington Levy, Rodney Price Copyright: Reservoir Media Music, Lipstic Music
Contributed by Hannah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.