Long time rivals Bounty Killer and Beenie Man may have been feuding so long that the new generation of dancehall fans don’t even remember. But last weekend both dancehall kingpins made a huge stride in putting their differences aside for the greater good of dancehall.
On Sunday, Bounty did an honourable gesture when he brought his rival Beenie on stage during his performance at the Jungle night club. We all know this is not the first both deejays make peace but we sure hope this will be the last.
Some personalities have been saying that it was planned for both deejays to perform together for publicity reasons. But Bounty Killer dismissed those allegations as an attempt by detractors to sabotage any peace between the two.
“It was nothing planned. I was booked and was doing my thing an’ a do some counteraction to some Beenie songs. Den mi stop an’ sey mi a leggo off a da vibe dey an mi big up Beenie. But mi neva know sey Beenie was in di house,” told Jamaican journalist.
“It is something we should do again, cause mi know sey Kingston an all ova waan see dat. And I think it will set di precedence for the Gully-Gaza conflict. Suh even if dem waan sen Kartel, a guh be di same vibe. Anything fi uplift di people, I’m for it,” Bounty further said.
We saw a level of maturity in Bounty Killer and Mavado at reggae Sumfest that is worthy of much commendation. Both artists showed us the true meaning of dancehall culture a sub-culture of the more conscious Reggae that became a worldwide phenomenon. If we continue along these path that Bounty preach at Sumfest, we can look for dancehall music to impact the world just like Reggae music did four decades ago.
Urban Islandz big up Beenie and Bounty for doing the honourable thing last weekend.
