Chris Demontague Defends SOJA, Says Bounty Killer Being A “Hypocrite”
Reggae singer Chris Demontague has come out swinging in defense of Virginia-based reggae band SOJA, challenging Dancehall star Bounty Killer to rethink his comments in the wake of the band’s Reggae Grammy win earlier this week.
“Mi expect better than that from Bounty Killer, a veteran in the business. What kind of reasoning that? What’s this nonsense about reggae best album going to the white folks?” Chris Demontague told DancehallMag.
In the wake of SOJA’s surprising Reggae Grammy win, industry veterans like Bounty Killer reacted negatively, alleging cultural appropriation and race-based favoritism. Killer wrote in an Instagram post, “What a big piece a sell out gwaan ya so white folks winning best reggae album over Jamaicans wtf🤔.”
According to Demontague, the Bullet Proof Skin deejay should have known better.
“Reggae music is about peace and love and unity. It’s revolutionary. It’s about fighting the oppression of the system. Bounty Killer should know better. We all are oppressed by the system, both white and black. We are all people. Big up Soja for doing good reggae music, nuff work them put in,” he said.
“This group has been doing good reggae over the years, they deserve it for their work…competition leads to innovation with further leads to greatness. Bounty Killer himself has his greatest success with a white rock band, No Doubt, he even performed with the ‘white folks’ at the Super Bowl, even get a Grammy for ‘pop’, he must not be a hypocrite,” Demontague added.
In 2002, Bounty Killer teamed up with No Doubt, an American rock band from Anaheim, California for the Sly and Robbie-produced Hey Baby. The song, which was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 8, 2021 after it sold over 500,000 units, appeared on the group’s 2X Platinum Rock Steady album.
The song itself copped the Grammy award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2003. Dancehall fans always recall Bounty Killer’s legendary 2002 Superbowl half-time performance of the song with No Doubt at the Louisiana Superdome.
Chris Demontague will be releasing visuals for his new single, Revolution later this week. The single will be released on the Danger Zone Music imprint on all digital download platforms in April 2022. The song is one from his seven-song upcoming EP, titled Mixed Emotions, which will be released this Summer.
“The EP has seven tracks that cover conscious social commentary and lovers’ rock. We have a mixture of Afrobeats and trap-reggae fusions throughout the tracks,” he said.
Chris Demontague is known for singles such as Missing You and Couldn’t Believe, but his music has taken on a more revolutionary and socially conscious stand in recent months with songs like the fiery Silent Night.