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.
Summer Time
Bounty Killer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Huh, aiyyo! It's gonna be a hot summer
Drop top and hummer (Hummer) aiyyo yallo!
Gal dem bangin like a drummer
Can you see di summer sign
It's about summer time, aiyyo yallo!
Dem gal look summer fine
Aiyyo, you know it's Warlord
Well!
(Chorus:)
Girls are happy gangstas dancin
Party goers they are jumpin
Everybody go through somethin
Sum-mer-time!
(Verse 1:)
Dancehall hoppin again, and di girls dem shoppin again
By di color to di red to di black in again
Every ting get shockin again
Run on, from di river to di bank to di clappin again
Birds a heal and toes keep tappin again
And di tops keep droppin again
Girls fi get lizard lappin again
And di legs start knockin again
Bounty Killer flow change dun stoppin again
From di bakkle dem a rakkle
Dem a tink we a droppin again
Non stop inna di champagne poppin again
And di vendors dem start shackin again
Dem ready now!
(Chorus:)
Girls are happy gangstas dancin
Party goers they are jumpin
Everybody go through somethin
Sum-mer-time!
(Verse 2:)
From my pool to di beach, pure gal a beep
Hot sexy gal, could a some freak
Nuff gal a pop it off nuff gal a drop it off
Seh dem look and waan show dem physique
Girls look good seven days a di week
Go, dance, straight to di beat
All happy hot ladies inna summer heat
Jump up and dance now to di summer beat
(Chorus:)
Girls are happy gangstas dancin
Party goers they are jumpin
Everybody go through somethin
Sum-mer-time!
(Verse 3:)
From a yute dem baan seh dem love summer time
And di clicks and dem (? ) pon summer time
Drop top cars X5 summertime
Tell di shotta dem, a nuh gun a time
Dancehall fi di kids, a di tun a time
People get happy when dem see di summer sign
Girls drop loose when dem see di sun a shine
From di fat to do slim dem a love di summer wine
(Chorus:)
Girls are happy gangstas dancin
Party goers they are jumpin
Everybody go through somethin
Sum-mer-time!
The song "Summer Time" by Bounty Killer takes us through a vivid description of how people enjoy summer time in Jamaica. The intro sets up the tone for a hot summer season, as the artist paints a picture of the happy girls who are out to enjoy themselves in the company of others. The chorus "Girls are happy gangstas dancing, Party goers they are jumping, Everybody go through something, Sum-mer-time!" emphasizes on the upbeat vibe of summer time and the lively atmosphere that comes with it.
In the first verse, the artist describes how the dancehall scene in Jamaica comes alive during summer time. The girls come out in their numbers dressed in colorful attire and get ready to party. The environment is electric, as the tops start dropping, and the girls start dancing to the beat of the music. The artist refers to the vendors, who are ready to sell their wares while the champagne pops, and everyone is having a good time.
The second verse highlights the different ways people enjoy summer time in Jamaica, with beach parties and pool parties being popular. The women dress up in their finest summer wear, and everyone is happy and having a good time. The artist describes how some women are showing off their physique and enjoying the attention they are getting. The third verse is a nod to the youth who love summer time and how it is an excellent opportunity to have fun and enjoy the moments. The artist acknowledges the different ways people get happy during summer time, and the general consensus is that it is a time to enjoy oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Huh, aiyyo! It's gonna be a hot summer
The upcoming summer is going to be very hot and exciting.
Drop top and hummer (Hummer) aiyyo yallo!
Driving in expensive cars like Hummer and other convertible cars is enjoyable during the summer season.
Gal dem bangin like a drummer
Girls are dancing energetically like a drummer during the summer season.
Can you see di summer sign
The signs of summer season are visible all around.
It's about summer time, aiyyo yallo!
This song is all about the joyous summer season.
Dem gal look summer fine
Girls look very attractive and beautiful during the summer season.
Aiyyo, you know it's Warlord
The singer is the Warlord, and he is well known for his music.
Where di girls dem, fah di summer time
During the summer season, where are all the girls having fun?
Girls are happy gangstas dancin
Girls are enjoying and dancing freely during the summer season.
Party goers they are jumpin
People who enjoy parties are jumping in excitement during the summer season.
Everybody go through somethin
Everyone goes through a unique and personal experience during the summer season.
Dancehall hoppin again, and di girls dem shoppin again
During the summer season, people are going to dancehalls and buying things, especially girls.
By di color to di red to di black in again
People are wearing different and colorful clothes during the summer season, especially black and red.
Every ting get shockin again
Everything becomes very exciting and surprising during the summer season.
Run on, from di river to di bank to di clappin again
During the summer season, people are moving and dancing from the river to the bank, and clapping their hands.
Birds a heal and toes keep tappin again
Even birds are tapping their feet on the ground in excitement during the summer season.
And di tops keep droppin again
Girls' tops are dropping again during the summer season, emphasizing their attractive bodies.
Girls fi get lizard lappin again
Girls are getting attention from everyone, even lizards, during the summer season.
And di legs start knockin again
During the summer season, people's legs are shaking and knocking, signifying joy and happiness.
Bounty Killer flow change dun stoppin again
Bounty Killer's music is constantly changing and still going strong, especially during the summer season.
From di bakkle dem a rakkle
From the bottles, people are already making noise and enjoying themselves during the summer season.
Dem a tink we a droppin again
People think we are losing our momentum, but we are actually starting again with more excitement during the summer season.
Non stop inna di champagne poppin again
People are continuously popping champagne bottles, without any stop, during the summer season.
And di vendors dem start shackin again
The vendors are starting to shake their goods again during the summer season.
Dem ready now!
Everyone is excited and ready for a fun summer season.
From my pool to di beach, pure gal a beep
From my swimming pool to the beach, lots of girls are attracting attention during the summer season.
Hot sexy gal, could a some freak
Hot and attractive girls, some of them might be a bit of a freak, are everywhere during the summer season.
Nuff gal a pop it off nuff gal a drop it off
Lots of girls are dancing, popping and dropping their bodies during the summer season.
Seh dem look and waan show dem physique
These girls want to attract and show off their attractive bodies and physique to everybody during the summer season.
Girls look good seven days a di week
Girls look attractive and beautiful not only during weekends but also all days of the week during the summer season.
Go, dance, straight to di beat
People are dancing like crazy and straight to the beat of the music during the summer season.
All happy hot ladies inna summer heat
All the hot and happy ladies are enjoying the heat of summer during the summer season.
Jump up and dance now to di summer beat
People are jumping and dancing to the upbeat summer music during the summer season.
From a yute dem baan seh dem love summer time
Since childhood, people have been saying that they love the summer season.
And di clicks and dem (? ) pon summer time
Different groups of people and their friends love to be together during the summer season.
Drop top cars X5 summertime
People are driving luxurious convertible cars like X5 during the summer season.
Tell di shotta dem, a nuh gun a time
Tell those who carry guns that the summer season is not a time for violence and aggression.
Dancehall fi di kids, a di tun a time
Dancehall is fun for everyone, especially kids, during the summer season.
People get happy when dem see di summer sign
People become happy and excited when they see the signs of the summer season.
Girls drop loose when dem see di sun a shine
Girls become relaxed and carefree when they see the shining sun during the summer season.
From di fat to do slim dem a love di summer wine
People of all sizes and shapes love everything about the summer season.
Girls are happy gangstas dancin
Girls are enjoying and dancing freely during the summer season.
Party goers they are jumpin
People who enjoy parties are jumping in excitement during the summer season.
Everybody go through somethin
Everyone goes through a unique and personal experience during the summer season.
Contributed by Kylie D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.