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.
Look
Bounty Killer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what I've said
The blind must be led, the hungry must be fed
Ayo, yalow
I'm looking, through our whole despair, over the year
Ayo, nobody cares
Take a look in my house, would you live in there? Huh
Look at my shoes can you see my toes?
Well, that's how the struggle goes
Nobody knows
Look into my eyes, tell me what you see?
Can you feel my pain? Am I your enemy?
Give us a better way, things are really bad
The only friend I know, is this gun I have
Listen to my voice, this is not a threat
Now you see the nine, are you worried yet?
You've been talking 'bout, you want the war to cease
But when you show us hope, we will show you peace
Look into my mind, can you see the wealth?
Can you tell that I wanna help myself?
But if it happen that, I stick you for your ring
Don't be mad at me, it's a survival thing
Look into my heart, I can feel your fear
Take another look, can you hold my stare?
Why are you afraid of my hungry face?
Or is it this thing, bulging in my waist?
Look into my eyes, tell me what you see?
Can you feel my pain? Am I your enemy?
Give us a better way, things are really bad
The only friend I know, is this gun I have
Listen to my voice, this is not a threat
But now you see the nine, are you worried yet?
You've been talking 'bout, you want the war to cease
But when you show us hope then we will show you peace
Look into my life, can you see my kids?
And let me ask you this, you know what hungry is?
Well, in this part of town, survival is my will
For you to stay alive, you've got to rob and kill
Look into my house, would you live in there?
Look me in the eyes and tell me that you care
Well, I've made up my mind, to end up in the morgue
Right now I'd rather die cah man ah live like dog
Look down on my shoes, can you see my toes?
The struggle that we live, nobody really knows
Stop and ask yourself, would you live like that?
And if you had to then, you wouldn't buss gun shot?
Look into the schools, tell me how you feel?
You want the kids to learn, without a proper meal?
Then what you have in place to keep dem out of wrong?
If they drop out of school, dem ah go buss dem gun
Look into my eyes, tell me what you see?
Can you feel my pain? Am I your enemy?
Give us a better way, things are really bad
The only friend I know, is this gun I have
Listen to my voice, this is not a threat
But now you see the nine, are you worried yet?
You've been talking 'bout, you want the war to cease
But when you show us hope, we will show you peace
Look into my mind, can you see my wealth?
Can you tell that I wanna help myself?
But if it happen that, I stick you for your ring
Don't be mad at me, it's a survival thing
Look into my heart, I can feel your fear
Take another look, can you hold my stare?
Why are you afraid of my hungry face?
Or is it this thing, bulging in my waist?
Look into my life, can you see my kids?
Let me ask you this, you know what hungry is?
In this part of town, survival is my will
For you to stay alive, you've got to rob and kill
Look into my house, would you live in there?
Look me in the eyes and tell me that you care
Well, I've made up my mind, to end up in the morgue
Right now me rather die cah man ah live like dog
Look into my eyes, tell me what you see?
Can you feel my pain? Am I your enemy?
Give us a better way, things are really bad
The only friend I know, is this gun I have
Listen to my voice, this is not a threat
But now you see the nine, are you worried yet?
You've been talking 'bout, you want the war to cease
But when you show us hope, we will show you peace
The song "Look" by Bounty Killer speaks to the struggles and hardships faced by those living in poverty and the desperate measures they must resort to in order to survive. The lyrics are a plea for help and understanding from those who have never experienced poverty or the violence associated with it. The first verse sets the tone for the song by declaring that people are dying and that the blind and hungry must be led and fed. This phrase is repeated throughout the song to highlight the harsh reality of poverty and the lack of resources available to those in need.
The rest of the song is a series of questions and statements directed towards the listener, urging them to take a closer look at the struggles of those living in poverty. The chorus asks the listener to look into the eyes of the poor and see their pain and to give them a better way, while also acknowledging that their only weapon is the gun they have. The verses detail different aspects of poverty, from the need to rob and kill to survive, to the lack of proper education and resources for children.
Overall, "Look" is a powerful song that highlights the need for compassion and understanding towards those living in poverty. It urges the listener to take action and help those in need rather than turning a blind eye or resorting to violence.
Line by Line Meaning
People ah dead (people ah dead), dead
The singer acknowledges the harsh reality of death and how common it is.
That's what I've said
The singer reaffirms his statement about death being prevalent.
The blind must be led, the hungry must be fed
The singer believes it is the responsibility of those who can see and have resources to take care of those who are less fortunate and in need of food.
Ayo, yalow
The artist uses Jamaican slang to capture the listener's attention.
I'm looking, through our whole despair, over the year
The artist reflects on the hopelessness and suffering of the past year for those in poverty.
Ayo, nobody cares
The singer expresses the feeling of neglect from those who have the power and resources to make a change.
Take a look in my house, would you live in there? Huh
The singer challenges the listener to imagine living in their impoverished conditions to gain a better understanding of their struggles.
Look at my shoes can you see my toes?
The artist draws attention to their worn out shoes to highlight the physical toll poverty takes on a person.
Well, that's how the struggle goes
The artist accepts that poverty is a harsh reality for them and others.
Nobody knows
The artist emphasizes how little those who are not experiencing poverty truly understand about their struggle.
Look into my eyes, tell me what you see?
The singer challenges the listener to see past the stereotypes and prejudices associated with poverty and really see their humanity.
Can you feel my pain? Am I your enemy?
The artist questions whether the listener sees them as a threat due to their circumstances and asks them to empathize with their suffering.
Give us a better way, things are really bad
The singer pleads for a solution to the problems caused by poverty, acknowledging how dire the situation is.
The only friend I know, is this gun I have
The singer sadly reflects on how they have to resort to violence for survival, as it is the only option they have.
Listen to my voice, this is not a threat
The singer assures the listener that they are not a threat, but instead trying to highlight the severity of the situation.
Now you see the nine, are you worried yet?
The artist reveals that they have a weapon, in hopes of creating a sense of discomfort in the listener and bringing attention to the urgency of the situation.
You've been talking 'bout, you want the war to cease
The artist acknowledges the listener's desire for peace, but questions what they are actually doing to achieve it.
But when you show us hope, we will show you peace
The singer suggests that if the listener provides hope and help to those in poverty, they will receive peace in return.
Look into my mind, can you see the wealth?
The singer questions whether anyone can see the potential they have to succeed if given the proper resources and support.
Can you tell that I wanna help myself?
The artist clarifies that they are not looking for a handout, but instead hoping to create a better future for themselves.
But if it happen that, I stick you for your ring
The artist acknowledges that, in desperate situations, they may have to resort to theft for survival.
Don't be mad at me, it's a survival thing
The artist apologizes for any potential thefts, but stresses that they are only trying to survive in tough conditions.
Look into my heart, I can feel your fear
The singer acknowledges the fear and discomfort that people may feel towards those in poverty and encourages them to look deeper into their hearts to see their humanity.
Take another look, can you hold my stare?
The artist requests that the listener look at them without judgment and see their strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
Why are you afraid of my hungry face?
The singer questions why people are quick to judge those who are struggling to obtain basic necessities such as food.
Or is it this thing, bulging in my waist?
The singer acknowledges that their weapon may create fear in others, and questions whether it is the reason for their discomfort.
Look into my life, can you see my kids?
The singer reminds the listener that they have a family to take care of and protect and highlights the importance of empathy when trying to understand someone's struggle.
Let me ask you this, you know what hungry is?
The artist challenges the listener to really understand the reality of poverty and whether they have ever experienced true hunger before.
In this part of town, survival is my will
The artist emphasizes that in their community, they have to fight to survive and it's a constant struggle.
For you to stay alive, you've got to rob and kill
The singer acknowledges that they and others may have to resort to illegal actions for survival due to the lack of resources and opportunities available to them.
Look into my house, would you live in there?
The singer returns to their initial challenge and asks the listener to imagine living in their conditions and the difficulties they face on a daily basis.
Look me in the eyes and tell me that you care
The artist challenges the listener to offer genuine care and help for those in need.
Well, I've made up my mind, to end up in the morgue
The artist expresses that they would rather die than continue living in poverty and desperation.
Right now me rather die cah man ah live like dog
The artist uses Jamaican slang to emphasize how degrading and inhumane living in poverty can feel.
The struggle that we live, nobody really knows
The singer reiterates the fact that those who do not experience poverty cannot fully understand the difficulties, fear and pain associated with it.
Stop and ask yourself, would you live like that?
The artist asks the listener to reflect on whether they would be able to survive and live positively in the same conditions.
And if you had to then, you wouldn't buss gun shot?
The singer challenges the listener to consider if they would resort to violence if they were in the same situation of poverty and desperation.
Look into the schools, tell me how you feel?
The singer highlights how impoverished schools lack resources and how it negatively affects the children's education and development.
You want the kids to learn, without a proper meal?
The singer questions the government's priorities and asks how they can expect impoverished children to learn and develop without basic necessities such as food.
Then what you have in place to keep dem out of wrong?
The artist questions what measures the government has put in place to prevent impoverished children from turning to illegal activities for survival when they lack basic resources and support.
If they drop out of school, dem ah go buss dem gun
The artist highlights the unfortunate reality that without proper education, impoverished children are more susceptible to resorting to violence and illegal activities.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Dave Kelly, Rodney Basil Price
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind