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.
Stainless
Bounty Killer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well this is Rodney Price aka Bounty Kiler,
The leader for Poor People Government
Well poor people fed up to how yuh system sheg up
Yuh issue gun fi wi pickney bus
Poor people fed up to how yuh system sheg up
Well everyday the ghetto youths dead up
Mi ask the leader
Him a di arranger
Fi mek poor people surround by danger
Fly an the roach an giant mosquita
Sewage water whey fill wid pure bacteria
Unno ever tak a look dung inna di Riverton area
Bactu, and Seaview, Waterhouse, Kentire
Long time the MP him nuh come near yah,
And the nedda one whey claims sey she a counselor
Rob senventy five percent and gi wi quarter
Conquer the land nuh waan fi gi wi a acre
Disconnect mi light an chop off mi water
To the Kings of Kings, well mi know them shall answer
The Lords of Lords well a him a wi sponsor
The lion from Judah dem well waan conquer
The eagle an the bear and the Queen an all daughter
Haile Selassie I mi know the whole a dem after
But them a go guh dung inna flames and water
See Selassie I nuh tek fi fun or laughter
Some lost dem roots and figot dem culture
Nuh study the past, dem nuh know the future
Some nuh tek telling, so dem end up so vulgar
Dem don't know Selassie I from Ethiopia
Serious as mi born, nuh tek mi for any joker
Dat same man mek mi hol dem note yah
Mi nuh play dem casino, mi nuh play dem poker
Dem plan fi destroy wi wid the coke an drugs yah
Nuff gravalicious like a damn baracoota
Plan to lick Ronnie Thwaites off a di piece a scooter
Yuh think dem like to see wi inna dem hot car ya
Wid dem hot gal yah a sing dem song ya
Dem song yah stronger than them vial and obeah
Mi a go heng Pope Paul wid da piece a rope ya
Jus' because...
Bounty Killer's song Stainless is a message to the leaders and media about the issue of violence, gun violence, and poverty in the ghetto. The song highlights how the system designed by those in power fits only the rich, with poverty and danger the only constant for those in the ghetto. The chorus conveys the message of how the poor in the ghetto are tired of living under unsafe conditions and how the situation is getting worse every day with youths dying daily. Bounty Killer emphasizes that the leaders are responsible for the dangerous environment in which the poor live since they support and defend systems that only benefit the rich.
Bounty Killer is calling for a change to the systemic inequality that grips the ghetto. He points out that the people in power have a responsibility to change things for the better, but instead, they plan to destroy those in the ghetto with drugs and coke. He also points out the need for action since most people have lost their roots and culture, forgetting the past hence not knowing the future, and falling into vulgar behavior. The song emphasizes the need for solidarity and alliances to make positive change and end poverty in the ghetto, and with "The lords of the lord" (representing divine power) and "The king of kings" (representing people power) there will be a victory.
Line by Line Meaning
Well this one reaching out to all the leaders, and the media,
Bounty Killer is speaking out to anyone with power or voice to listen.
Well this is Rodney Price aka Bounty Kiler,
Bounty Killer is introducing himself.
The leader for Poor People Government
Bounty Killer represents the poor and is speaking on their behalf.
Well poor people fed up to how yuh system sheg up
The poor are tired of how the system is failing them.
Yuh issue gun fi wi pickney bus
Guns are given to children as if they are school buses.
Poor people fed up to how yuh system sheg up
The poor are tired of how the system is failing them.
Well everyday the ghetto youths dead up
Every day, young people from poor neighborhoods are dying.
Mi ask the leader
Bounty Killer is asking the leaders to pay attention to the issues.
Him a di arranger
The leaders have the power to make changes.
Fi mek poor people surround by danger
The leaders are responsible for creating an environment that is dangerous for the poor.
Fly an the roach an giant mosquita
In the ghetto, there are pests that are much larger and more dangerous than in other areas.
Sewage water whey fill wid pure bacteria
The water in the sewers is filled with dangerous bacteria.
Unno ever tak a look dung inna di Riverton area
Leaders should take a look at the Riverton area where the trash dump is.
Bactu, and Seaview, Waterhouse, Kentire
These are other poor areas that need attention.
Long time the MP him nuh come near yah,
The member of parliament has not visited these areas in a long time.
And the nedda one whey claims sey she a counselor
This other official claims to be a counselor.
Rob senventy five percent and gi wi quarter
This official is stealing from the poor.
Conquer the land nuh waan fi gi wi a acre
The officials don't want to give land to the poor.
Disconnect mi light an chop off mi water
The officials are cutting off essential services to the poor.
To the Kings of Kings, well mi know them shall answer
Bounty Killer believes that the higher power will answer for the injustices that the poor face.
The Lords of Lords well a him a wi sponsor
The higher power is rooting for the poor.
The lion from Judah dem well waan conquer
The powerful are trying to conquer the poor.
The eagle an the bear and the Queen an all daughter
These are other symbols of power that the poor must face.
Haile Selassie I mi know the whole a dem after
Bounty Killer believes the poor are being hunted by all these symbols of power.
But them a go guh dung inna flames and water
Bounty Killer believes that these powerful symbols will ultimately face destruction.
See Selassie I nuh tek fi fun or laughter
Bounty Killer knows that the belief in the higher power is not a joke.
Some lost dem roots and figot dem culture
Some people have lost their sense of identity and culture.
Nuh study the past, dem nuh know the future
These people don't understand the past and won't have a clear path to the future.
Some nuh tek telling, so dem end up so vulgar
Some people won't listen to advice, and they become crude and unrefined.
Dem don't know Selassie I from Ethiopia
These people don't understand the higher power or their connection to it.
Serious as mi born, nuh tek mi for any joker
Bounty Killer is serious and should not be underestimated.
Dat same man mek mi hol dem note yah
Bounty Killer is taking control of his own future and not depending on anyone else.
Mi nuh play dem casino, mi nuh play dem poker
Bounty Killer will not risk his future on gambling or taking risks.
Dem plan fi destroy wi wid the coke an drugs yah
Powerful people are trying to destroy the poor with drugs.
Nuff gravalicious like a damn baracoota
There are many selfish people who will do anything for their own gain.
Plan to lick Ronnie Thwaites off a di piece a scooter
These people are planning to take down a member of parliament.
Yuh think dem like to see wi inna dem hot car ya
These powerful people don't like seeing the poor have nice things.
Wid dem hot gal yah a sing dem song ya
These people are trying to distract the poor with materialistic things.
Dem song yah stronger than them vial and obeah
These distractions are stronger than any evil magic.
Mi a go heng Pope Paul wid da piece a rope ya
Bounty Killer is willing to take down even the most powerful member of the Catholic Church.
Jus' because...
Bounty Killer has his own personal reasons.
Contributed by Alexander C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jay blaze
Damn, This man can murda any beat. Wack beat or great one
PATRICIA WIGNAL
This song tuff bless up bro 👏
realgunta
STAINLESS boom
ELROYALE
Was this the time when Kartel wrote some lyrics for the Killer? Could be Kartel lyrics imho. But of course Bounty could write dope lyrics himself too.
All Kina Ting
2020