Kurt Riley Urges Bounty Killer To Never Apologize For “Look Into My Eyes”, “Poor People Fed Up”

Musicologist and producer Kurt Riley, who co-curated the tunes for the iconic VERZUZ face-off between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer, today magnified the Warlord, heaping praises on him for his unwavering defense of Jamaica’s oppressed through his music, over the decades.

Riley’s adulations came after Bounty’s recent expression of regret at some of the violent lyrics embedded in many of his songs, including phrases such as “people dead!”

At the same time the former Fame FM radio disc jockey, told Bounty Killer that he had other Dancehall anthems which addressed society’s ills that he should always be proud of and from which he should never resile.

“@grunggaadzilla Dont ever apologise for songs like “Fed Up” and “Look Into My Eyes”. As a dj it was an honor to hear someone speak for the voiceless, unseen and unheard. Even tho society told the rulers of radio to ban both songs and more,” Riley, also known as the “Party Animal” wrote in a comment on Instagram.

“Despite they called you ignorant and stupid behind you back and they also laugh at you, if you are removed from being that voice then, well, I really don’t know. Bless up and nuff respect from a fan of your music. Btw, know that if you didn’t do music the way you did, you made @kingbeenieman step up and both of you has propelled Dancehall globally. BE VERY PROUD MY DJ,” Riley, who also served as Beenie Man’s selector during the VERZUZ clash, said.

In a recent media interview, Bounty Killer had expressed regret for some of the violent lyrics embedded in many of his songs, and admitted that while some of his past actions and statements could be interpreted as condoning violent behaviour, he is now older and wiser and has learnt from his errors of the past.

“I do learn from my mistakes … One of my mistakes was to sing seh ‘murder informa’, and ‘people dead’, and ‘my gun nuh join lodge’, and all these things,” the One General had said.

“I am growing, and I am trying to move past that. That is why I did an ad recently with Crime Stop… I am going forward with Jamaica. I am for the country and for the people…  I’m just a different man, I’m not the same age, I’m not at the same stage. But I’m still Rodney.   I’m still the same person who born on 12 June 1972,” he said.

“So I don’t think a person can change, I’m surely rearranged.  I’m stepping different and I’m seeing things different and I’m going about things different.  So people would call that a change…but I’m same the man just smarter, wiser and bolder,” the Callaloo Bed native had said.

After several users responded to his comment, Riley said the people who ridiculed Bounty and other Dancehall stars in the past, in most cases were jealous of them and their earning power.

“Mi kinda feel a way when I saw the video. Jamaican Dancehall culture was never respect from DAY ONE. It really hurt me a swear fam. They never respect him, dem tease him about the way he speaks and his grammar but one the things they dont like is most ppl in dancehall never finish school or went to a so called good school nor college and make more money in 2hrs or less then those who went to the so called good schools and up deh in a year,” Riley said.

“Now I know ppl will see this and speak negative. But there is proof that education is relative and understanding your own common sense have many values in life. Sigh. Btw, ask what did they do to @bobmarley records so djs couldnt play them back in the day? GOD HELP US PLEASE 😭🙏” he said.

When one follower, imtheoneandonlyshae, said although she understood that when Bounty voiced the songs glorifying violence and crime, it was all about “being lyrically bad”, he was sure to have regrets due to the influence “on these young shottas”, Riley rose to the Warlord’s defence, indicating that those lyrics were simply art and not a directive from Bounty for people to engage in nefarious activities.

“Like I said, to me its art.   They are what made him who he is.   Thousands of people gather in places large and small to hear djs play those same songs in a party, clash or festival. These song what he add added to the column of “Dancehall”. All those djs in and outside of Jamaica who has dem song deh on dub have gold.   And ppl still cutting dem tunes today. But, i see your point. Blessed love,” he stated.