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.
Ready Fi Dem
Bounty Killer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Politika se čitala i pila C kafa,
gledao se Dnevnik u pola 8 svakog dana,
tamo uvek ista priča, uvek jedna ista banda.
Tad je bilo lako da se širi propaganda,
narod je verovao u reči sa ekrana,
nije bilo mesta da se čuje druga strana,
sve dok negde preko nije došlo do promene plana.
demokratije, interneta i novih tehnologija,
borbe za prava i slobodu govora,
posle svega, sve je opet isto kao nekada.
I dalje su na vlasti lažovi marionete,
prate naređenja i sve otimaju za sebe,
džabe hiljadu kanala i sve društvene mreže,
u ekran nabijamo glavu i od sukoba svi beže!
Refren2x
Sistem te laže, ne veruj šta ti kaže,
ovaj život je borba, od rođenja do groba,
zato ustani odmah!
Od malena mene lažu i rade me k'o volinu,
pričaju mi za Jožu da se sankao u koritu,
dali su mi maramu, zastavu i zakletvu,
kao drugovi se ne prodaju ni za kajmaka kašiku.
A bulje su uvalili po vilama na Dedinju,
šatro svi smo isti, ali svinje ipak vladaju.
Pa smo hteli demokratiju, izašli na ulicu,
trošili energiju, popušili kurčinu!
Strane agenture me izvukle k'o majmunčinu,
da napijem se suzavca, da nam sjebu državu.
Sad slušamo baronije iz usta loših glumaca,
al 'nisu oni vlast, već pozorište lutaka.
Znam ja ko me laže i od koga sam ja zgažen,
banke, MMF, korporacije su važne.
A sistem i postoji da za njih pravi pare,
i biće pravde tek kada ovo carstvo padne!
Refren: 2x
Sistem te laže, ne veruj šta ti kaže,
ovaj život je borba, od rođenja do groba,
zato ustani odmah!
Čovek veruje šta vidi, čovek veruje šta čuje,
ne kapira da od rođenja mozak mu se truje,
propagandom sistema, kako god se sistem zvao,
tabloidi, televizija, spinovana stvarnost.
Koja radi na tome da izgubiš identitet,
da budeš samo poslušni, truli mediokritet,
da krivicu svaljuješ, na nevinom iskaljuješ,
bes što si slep, što si ponovo namagarčen.
Popio si otkaz, to su reforme, to mora,
nema plate, kasne rate, seku struju odma',
pa muriju, izvršitelje čekaš kad će doći,
kao nekad tvoji preci Turke prve bračne noći.
A ćutao si, verovao, nadao se, glasao,
sad ne veruješ kako to na dnu da si se našao,
zato trgni se na vreme, kad te boli glasno reci,
to nisi dužan banci, al 'si dužan svojoj deci!
Refren: 2x
Sistem te laže, ne veruj šta ti kaže,
ovaj život je borba, od rođenja do groba,
zato ustani odmah!
These lyrics are a powerful statement against the corrupt systems that have been in power for generations. The singer remembers a time when there were only two channels and politics were discussed over a cup of coffee. The news was always the same propaganda and people believed whatever was said on the screen. However, with the advent of democracy, the internet, and new technologies, people have fought for their rights and freedom of speech. Despite all this, people in power are still corrupt and greedy, following orders and taking what they want for themselves. There are a thousand channels and social media platforms, but people still bury their heads in screens to avoid conflict. The system lies to the masses, so the singer urges everyone to stand up against it and fight for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Sećam se kad su bila samo dva kanala,
I remember when there were only two channels,
Politika se čitala i pila C kafa,
Politics were read and C coffee was consumed,
gledao se Dnevnik u pola 8 svakog dana,
The news was watched every day at 7:30 PM,
tamo uvek ista priča, uvek jedna ista banda.
The same story, the same gang every time.
Tad je bilo lako da se širi propaganda,
It was easy to spread propaganda back then,
narod je verovao u reči sa ekrana,
People believed what they saw on the screen,
nije bilo mesta da se čuje druga strana,
There was no place to hear the other side,
sve dok negde preko nije došlo do promene plana.
Until a change of plans came from somewhere else.
Danas posle ratova, protesta i promena,
Today, after wars, protests, and changes,
demokratije, interneta i novih tehnologija,
Democracy, the internet, and new technologies,
borbe za prava i slobodu govora,
Fight for rights and freedom of speech,
posle svega, sve je opet isto kao nekada.
After all, everything is the same as it was before.
I dalje su na vlasti lažovi marionete,
Liars and puppets are still in power,
prate naređenja i sve otimaju za sebe,
Following orders and grabbing everything for themselves,
džabe hiljadu kanala i sve društvene mreže,
Thousands of channels and social media are useless,
u ekran nabijamo glavu i od sukoba svi beže!
We bury our heads in the screen and avoid conflict!
Od malena mene lažu i rade me k'o volinu,
They have been lying to me and treating me like an instrument since I was a child,
pričaju mi za Jožu da se sankao u koritu,
They tell me that Joža was sliding down the tub,
dali su mi maramu, zastavu i zakletvu,
They gave me a scarf, a flag, and an oath,
kao drugovi se ne prodaju ni za kajmaka kašiku.
Selling out like friends for a spoonful of cream is not what comrades do.
A bulje su uvalili po vilama na Dedinju,
They snuck crooks into villas in Dedinje,
šatro svi smo isti, ali svinje ipak vladaju.
Supposedly, we are all the same, but pigs are still in charge.
Pa smo hteli demokratiju, izašli na ulicu,
So we wanted democracy and took to the streets,
trošili energiju, popušili kurčinu!
Exhausted our energy and were defeated!
Strane agenture me izvukle k'o majmunčinu,
Foreign agencies pulled me out like a monkey,
da napijem se suzavca, da nam sjebu državu.
To get poisoned with tear gas and destabilize our country.
Sad slušamo baronije iz usta loših glumaca,
Now we hear stories from bad actors,
al 'nisu oni vlast, već pozorište lutaka.
But they are not in power, just puppet shows.
Znam ja ko me laže i od koga sam ja zgažen,
I know who lies to me and whom I am oppressed by,
banke, MMF, korporacije su važne.
Banks, IMF, and corporations are important.
A sistem i postoji da za njih pravi pare,
And the system exists to make money for them,
i biće pravde tek kada ovo carstvo padne!
And justice will only come when this empire falls!
Čovek veruje šta vidi, čovek veruje šta čuje,
People believe what they see and what they hear,
ne kapira da od rođenja mozak mu se truje,
Not realizing that their brain has been poisoned since birth,
propagandom sistema, kako god se sistem zvao,
By the system's propaganda, no matter what the system is called,
tabloidi, televizija, spinovana stvarnost.
Tabloids, television, and manipulated reality.
Koja radi na tome da izgubiš identitet,
Intended to make you lose your identity,
da budeš samo poslušni, truli mediokritet,
To make you obedient, mediocre,
da krivicu svaljuješ, na nevinom iskaljuješ,
To make you blame someone innocent,
bes što si slep, što si ponovo namagarčen.
Angry that you are blind and tricked again.
Popio si otkaz, to su reforme, to mora,
You got fired, it's reform, it has to be,
nema plate, kasne rate, seku struju odma',
No paycheck, overdue bills, cut the electricity right away,
pa muriju, izvršitelje čekaš kad će doći,
Wait for the police and the bailiff to come,
kao nekad tvoji preci Turke prve bračne noći.
Like your ancestors used to wait for the Turks on their wedding night.
A ćutao si, verovao, nadao se, glasao,
And you stayed silent, believed, hoped, and voted,
sad ne veruješ kako to na dnu da si se našao,
Now you can't believe how you ended up at the bottom,
zato trgni se na vreme, kad te boli glasno reci,
Wake up on time and speak up when it hurts,
to nisi dužan banci, al 'si dužan svojoj deci!
You don't owe the bank, but you owe your children!
Refren: 2x
Chorus: 2x
Sistem te laže, ne veruj šta ti kaže,
The system lies to you, don't believe what it says,
ovaj život je borba, od rođenja do groba,
This life is a struggle, from birth to death,
zato ustani odmah!
So rise up now!
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Napaz24
2017 still fire...up up up with it
@1shadezja
2020 and the vibe still a kick.. Buyaka Buyaka 🔥🔥🔥🔥
@jasonwalters2684
“Dancehall a turn hip hop di ting a get wack”
What a prophecy
@juliuskilonzi4421
2019 and still one of the baddest diss songs inna recent times..
@deadlyvoice1
mad tune
@alexsolo87
2020 here this is still fire + Beenie still not ready
@misstruegem
Loving Rodney forever and a day!
@TrillaJ123
killer a gone good this year! Me feel good to see him a make a turn and focus on himself, if he was doing this from long time Kartel wouldn't take over the place and a freak out jamaica. But looking at it from another side, if kartel was not on top the business would be boring.
@paulsimms9640
Kartel is not the one holding the business up, every artest playing there part, who the hell is kartel
@osmondmoodie8533
all twenty five years bounty still have it lock a real talent this