Story and Photos courtesy Overtime Media
Jamaican Dancehall icon, Rodney “Bounty Killer” Pryce called for an end to escalating violence in Trinidad whilst in the midst of his electrifying performance at the Magnum Xplosion SummerStageTT concert event, held at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Trinidad last Saturday night. Pryce called on communities, concerned citizens and the government of Trinidad & Tobago to work together to alleviate the scourge of crime and violence currently escalating in the country and shared several poignant and powerful anti-crime messages during his hour-long headlining performance, which began just around 2 am.
Earlier that day, Pryce emerged smiling, excited and triumphant from the Piarco International airport following a nine-hour detainment by Immigration authorities after his entry into T&T was rejected upon his arrival on Friday night. The “Poor People’s Governor” as he is also known, thanked his “Trini friends and family”, including: cricketer and entertainer, Dwayne Bravo; Soca stars Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons; celebrity bodyguard, Kevin Da Costa (aka Johnny Bravo) and entrepreneur, Kweisi Daniel for supporting him during his detainment and praised Jamaican Prime Minister, the Hon. Andrew Holness l, and Jamaican Transport Minister, the Hon. Daryl Vaz for their intervention in securing his waiver to enter the country at this time.
Afterward Pryce told Overtime Media that he was happy to be in Trinidad again, but saddened and concerned about the reports of escalating crime and violence in his “sister country”.
“It was great man,” he said, “an awesome vibe, yuh know see me ah go ah party after til 10 o’clock cause the vibes was great and then the fact say we get fi come in after how dem ah fight and ah gwan wit dem ting, ah celebrate mi ah celebrate cause it’s ah great vibe to get in and get fi do the show, deliver to the people and then me make sure me give dem the message too man. We cyan continue to kill out each other daily and expect fi have ah future…”
Speaking to the thousands of patrons assembled for the annual dancehall concert experience, “Bounty Killer” called out familiar areas in at such as St Paul St, Sea Lots, Belmont and Maraval and numbered gangs such as “6, 7 and 11” whilst advising those listening that “even the smartest criminals ended up in prison eventually” and adding that “most of them are actually dead”, before leaving the rhetorical question: “so why choose a path like that with no future”?
Pryce also sang several uplifting songs, including a remake of the Billie Ocean classic “Suddenly” where he questioned how “life could have no meaning” to some of those involved in criminal and violent activities in T&T. The veteran entertainer gave no apologies for his frequent interludes, declaring that he was hired “not just to come and entertain the people, but to deliver these messages of peace and unity to T&T at this time”.
Magnum Tonic Wine’s Export Brand Manager from Jamaica, Georgia Fearon, who attended the annual concert event echoed and endorsed Pryce’s concern and advice to T&T, describing his performance as “exemplary”, she said:
“This was a shining example of regional unity and a display of maturity and civic responsibility by a legendary entertainer.“Our brand is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary since being launched,” she continued, “and we salute all performers alike for displaying the diversity of Magnum within the wider dancehall community.”
Earlier in the night, the younger dancehall stars on the cast, “Rajah Wild”, “Kraff” and “Alkaline” had the ladies screaming, singing and dancing throughout their respective solo performances leading up to Pryce, who engaged the men especially to listen as he injected serious messages and cautionary advice throughout his set filled with hits and now classic singles from the 90s and 2000s.
Last Wednesday, Pryce was one of several Jamaican nationals listed to receive awards for their contributions to culture. Both him and once-rival-turned-friend and collaborator, Moses “Beenie Man” Davis are scheduled to receive the Order of Distinction (OD) from the Jamaican government at their official “National Heroes Day” celebration in October. Rising Trinidad stars, “Squid”, “KESI”, “Kid Volt”, “Tempa” and “Sackie” also performed earlier in the night at the Magnum Xplosion SummerStageTT event, which commenced at 9 pm and ended at 3 am.
