A LITTLE NOTE TO BOUNTY

So Bounty Killer has returned the deposit he got for Sting, after being the first artist that has signed on to do the show.  It seems like every other year Bounty comes into some kind of conflict with Laing and because of his influence this brings a dark shadow over the show.

For those who don’t know how effective Bounty’s influence is, he being indirectly nominated ‘’Dancehall’s Governor’’ is because of his strong influence on selectors in Jamaica. He is the on the ground man, and for your music to rise on the dancehall scene it really has to get his ok, directly or indirectly. This is the reason why payola has been such a new but very important and necessary part of the music, the money is what will cause some selectors to take a chance on a song.

Bounty through his second sight has kept a margin of respect by standing firm against gay influences trying to keep a negative light over the music alive. He has also brought many more artists to the music more than any artist in Jamaica and that is the reason he will always have the respect of many.

Music invokes the spirit, and in invoking the spirit it influences attitudes and lifestyle. A song someone doesn’t totally agree with will still rouse a dance move or two and if heard enough, the beat will become embedded in one’s memory without the person paying much attention through it. The words are the last thing the brain will process. This is what makes music a universal language. An example of this is the song Gangnam style by South Korean artist PSY. To date, half of those who moved to the beat and downloaded the song, does not know the song’s words or meaning. It is the music that has become addictive.

A song’s beat is its music and this music can bring a negative or a positive vibe; the soul can recognize this but cannot stop the intoxication once it allows it to enter.

Dancehall has been about Jamaica’s struggles, Jamaica’s sex and more importantly it has been Jamaica’s voice. Understandably, Tommy Lee has brought a hunting negative beat to the music and even in the lyrics of his songs. This is a very negative invocation of the spirit and if allowed to enter the soul, will create a negative impact on listeners over time. Bounty Killer was correct on speaking against this intoxication. The impact will be tremendous long term

Those willing to debate will say Bounty Killer himself has made negative songs but I beg to differ because the music of those songs were never haunting, and the invocation of them would cause one to dance more than anything. Besides, many of Bounty’s popular songs were made on rhythms that many other songs were made on, many of those other songs were positive music invoking dance.

Tommy Lee’s music haunts, invokes and influences the spirit to invoke what is seen as negative in society, even by unbelievers. A demon are seen by most if not all people as negative and does not speak much about Jamaica’s society because the natives are not demonic. It invokes a part of dancehall that is highly influential because of the invocation but most importantly, will influence people long before they know it.

For that, many will agree with Bounty Killer on his stance, because again he has stepped in to save the music. But life itself is not always about saving when you don’t build, feed and nurture.  The music needs to be fed, nurtured and built.

Sting has made many careers and has never been responsible for single career demise, throughout its debts and complaints Sting has been the show for almost thirty years.

When Bounty spoke out about Tommy Lee’s music he was speaking about the long term effects of the unseen and not attacking Tommy Lee personally. He championed for the music.

Tommy Lee took this as a personal attack and while this is understandable, he is about making money through his music and Bounty threatened this livelihood. Tommy Lee made a physical threat and Killer took a stance of defense. Both men have arguably valid points but it comes right back to the common factor and denominator, the music. What is important here is that Tommy Lee looks into his music to see why many people and not only Bounty Killer is denouncing it and makes the necessary changes. Bounty Killer should keep it at the music because that is where the feud began and if it’s about the music being negative and bad for young adults he should make that his focus no matter what.

Supreme Promotions not only produce and promote Sting, they are Tommy Lee’s manager and they will say anything to promote their artist regardless.

This year Sting has gotten the boost it needed, Ninjaman has brought back the excitement that made Sting , sting. Killer not performing is not only selfish but brings into question really if he was championing for himself and not the music.