News
By Claudia Gardner
Dancehall stars Bounty Killer and Beenie Man will be bestowed with Jamaica’s sixth-highest national honour, the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) come National Heroes Day (October 21).
They will join a list of other eminent deejays who have previously received the award, among them Shabba Ranks, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Agent Sasco, Yellowman and Lieutenant Stitchie.
Bounty and Beenie, revered as ‘columns’ in Dancehall, will receive national honours for “their contribution to the development of Jamaican music and specifically Dancehall”. They will be among 150 people to receive accolades this year.
The Order of Distinction is awarded to Jamaican citizens who render outstanding and important services to the country, and upon any distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica (an honorary member).
The awards come after much outpouring for the duo, particularly Bounty, after one of his proteges, Wayne Marshall, was bestowed with the OD in October last year.
Among the proponents were Professor of Culture, Gender and Society at the University of the West Indies Donna P. Hope who joined her Dancehall compatriot producer Patrick Roberts in calling for both deejays to be bestowed with ODs.
“Bounty Killer, with his pedigree and the many artistes he has brought forward, I think he is long deserving of an award. Him and Beenie Man. I think they brought Dancehall to the forefront and they still continue to do so,” Hope, also known as the Dancehall Doctor, had said.
Roberts, for his part, had said he was of the view that Bounty, Beenie and their compatriot Capleton had been overlooked for National Awards despite their significant contributions to Jamaican music. He had also stated that he intended to personally nominate them for the 2024 honours.
“If we are really celebrating 61 years of Independence this year, these artistes’ names should have come up. They each have more than 30 years of service in the business and all three are still current… that in itself is an achievement,” Roberts had told The Star following the announcement of the 2023 recipients on Independence Day.
Roberts had also said that while he was unsure if any of the three deejays had ever been nominated, he hoped the Board of Honours would select them, adding that it would be unjust if any minor controversies surrounding them led to the withholding of such an honour.
Bounty, who has been hailed time and time again as the grand patriarch of Dancehall, was responsible for launching and molding the careers of Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Aidonia, Wayne Marshall, Bling Dawg, and Busy Signal, and Foota Hype, as well as Elephant Man and the Scare Dem Crew, among others, via his Alliance collective, making them into millionaires.
Notably, he never took any money or fees from the artists, allowing them to earn from local and overseas shows to improve their lives.
In April last year, Dancehall megastar Shaggy had declared that Bounty Killer ought to be awarded Jamaica’s sixth-highest National Honour, the Order of Distinction, in recognition of his altruism in Dancehall.
Shaggy had argued that Bounty’s had been instrumental in launching the careers of numerous elite artistes, bringing them to national prominence, and shaping their professional journeys.
Shaggy who was viewing murals of Dancehall artistes during a tour of Irish and Chin’s art room, had hailed Bounty Killer as a “five star general” who ought to be vested with the honor, whose motto is “Distinction Through Service” and said he was ‘fighting’ for the It’s Okay artiste to “get a Order of Distinction or suppm, due to the fact that this guy has started a whole heap a people career…”.
In February last year, during his performance at the Reggae Month Salute to Dancehall concert, Beenie Man, whose given name is Moses Davis, had said he did not want an Order of Distinction, and wanted instead, the Order of Jamaica (OJ).
Directly addressing Jamaica’s Entertainment and Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Beenie had said: “Mi nuh want no OD. A OJ yuh fi give mi. Order of Jamaica, a me run di country. King of di Dancehall…”
In late October last year, amid rising calls for him to be awarded the Order of Distinction for his contributions to Dancehall music, Bounty broke his silence by sharing a video clip of himself and Shaggy on stage. In his trademark bold style, he had declared: “Let me tell you, they can’t give me an OD. I am an OG.”
In 2022, Dancehall superstar Agent Sasco was among 142 Jamaicans bestowed with National Honours. Sasco, whose given name is Jeffrey Campbell, was inducted into the Order of Distinction in the rank of officer for his “outstanding contribution to music, philanthropy and positive pro-social message to youths.”
In 2021, Dancehall veteran Lieutentant Stitchie was presented with the Order of Distinction for his “contribution to Reggae and Dancehall Music, Locally and Internationally.”
In October 2019, Bounty Killer was celebrated by academics at the University of Technology (UTech) as the epitome of a social entrepreneur, notably for his expertise as a dubplate specialist.
Researchers highlighted that Bounty whose given name is Rodney Price, had provided greater opportunities and professional regard for dubplates within Jamaica’s music industry. They also recognized the Callaloo Bed native as both an entrepreneur and a philanthropist in his community, which spurred an overwhelming interest among students to research his work.
