ttgapers.com

Bounty Killer, real name Rodney Basil Pryce, was to perform last night at a concert titled Cease Fire, at King George V Park, St. Clair, Trinidad. The show was supposed to also feature fellow Jamaican ace Vybz Kartel. Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel have had an ongoing feud over the past couple years, which has, on several occasions, resulted in incidents of violence between their respective fans at shows in Jamaica.

After spending almost 12 hours at the gate under the watchful eyes of security personnel, Bounty Killer departed for Kingston, Jamaica at about 7.55 am yesterday morning on flight BW 416. A source close to the concert promoter, Jacho Entertainment, claimed that they were given no logical explanation as to why Bounty Killer was denied entry. The source said initially they were told that Bounty Killer failed to produce a work permit and then they were told that he was given no permission to enter Trinidad. “They tell us nothing. They just deport him and that was that,” the representative said.

Local artiste Ken Charles, also known as KMC, slammed the authorities for denying Bounty Killer entry to the country and said that the promoter should sue the State. “The promoter should sue the State because that is just, no doubt, disrespectful. After they spent all that money in advertising, it is unfair for Bounty Killer, when he actually reached into the country, should be told that he will have to return to Jamaica. The authorities could have told the promoters that he was not allowed into the country from the very beginning, don’t wait till last minute,” KMC said.

“There was no reason given. The concert was geared towards bringing peace again in the country, to show the young men and women that violence is not the way and that what they sing was just on an entertainment basis and not a lifestyle but the authorities prevented this from happening. ‘Fire bun’ the man behind this, who call the shot on Bounty Killer,” KMC continued.

In 2004, Bounty Killer was taken off the stage at Summerfest 2004, a concert staged at the Queen’s Park Savannah for using obscene language during his performance. He was arrested and charged under Section 51 of Trinidad’s Summary Offences Act, which makes it a crime to use language considered profane, indecent or obscene in a song. He appeared before a Port-of-Spain magistrate who granted him bail in the sum of TT$25,000. His passport was subsequently seized by the authorities, preventing him from leaving the island.

On September 17, Jacho Entertainment hosted a press conference at House of Angostura, Laventille, to assure prospective patrons that although the Jamaican entertainers Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel have long been in a “musical war”, they were coming to Trinidad and Tobago as a symbol of unity. The artistes are best known for their lead roles in the ongoing Gully versus Gaza dancehall feud where they have been waging lyrical battles that have been blamed for fueling gang wars among their fans. Cease Fire, produced by Jacho Entertainment, was advertised as a peaceful coming together of Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel on the same stage for the purpose of mending fences.

“The idea of bringing these artistes for a concert in Trinidad is to show the youths that at the end of the day, the artistes are entertainers. They have agreed to put aside their differences to promote peace,”concert organiser, Vern Extavour of 99.1FM, said, during that press conference.