Bounty Killer Claims Merciless Died From An Overdose And They Weren’t Friends
Dancehall artist Bounty Killer has again defended his absence from Merciless’ funeral, this time asserting that he was not friends with the late veteran deejay, and that he did not owe Merciless or his family anything other than condolences.
In an interview on Grand Cayman’s Hot 104.1 FM, which has been making the rounds on social media over the weekend, Killer is heard saying, among other things, that Merciless died due to his alleged drug habit.
“A drugs kill Merciless,” Bounty said. “They just shy to say it. It was no heart attack or nuttn bredrin; a overdose kill di dawg. An wi nuh even waan elaborate pon di dead man nuttn, but dem [his critics], fi gweh.”
“Mi naw guh a no funeral; mi a bad man. Nuh bwoy caan ramp wid me. An Merciless wasn’t mi fren; him wasn’t mi colleague. Him was just a co-worker. Merciless nuh show mi no love, no respect. Mi nuh owe Merciless an him family nuttn more dan condolences,” railed Bounty, who was back in the Cayman Islands for the first time in 16 years.
Merciless was found dead in a hotel room on July 19, hours after complaining of feeling unwell. An autopsy performed on the 51-year-old in early August could not determine the cause of death. “The results are inconclusive,” head of the St Andrew Central Police Division, Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth, had told the Jamaica Observer.
His funeral took place in Clarendon on Saturday, September 17.
During the radio interview, Killer noted that there was no criticism of his absence from the funeral of Assailant, a former member of his Alliance Music Group, who was shot and killed in Los Angeles in July.
“Assailant dead and bury di Thursday, an mi nuh gu a di funeral. How nuh dutty drankro nuh seh nuttn? Him (Assailant) a Alliance. Tell dem guh chuck inna Merciless grave; Mi a bad man,” Bounty Killer added angrily.
Killer’s discussion came on the heels of harsh criticisms made by Tony Matterhorn and Ricky Trooper following Merciless’ funeral, that only a handful of artists were in attendance. The selectors had singled out Beenie Man and Bounty Killer, claiming that they, in particular, should have been present.
Last Tuesday—when Bounty first spoke on the matter—he said he had not participated in the funeral, because it appeared not to be about paying respects to, and celebrating the life of Leonard Bartley, but was concentrated largely on gloating about how the Gal Dem Gizzada decimated the combined trio of himself, Beenie Man and Ninjaman at Sting 2000.
“Showed up when they are there celebrating Leonard victory over us at sting instead of his life? Did unuh all saw the f-cking grade of disrespect displayed there? Then unuh all was looking for us to come share our sympathy at the time. Unuh fava rat pi– soup🤣😂😅,” Bounty had stated.
A mural—depicting Merciless’ Sting 2000 victory against the trio—was painted onto the wall at the gravesite.
As Dancehall fans took to his Instagram page to scold him about comments he made during the discussion in the Cayman Islands, Bounty Killer returned fire yesterday morning.
“Mi a Merciless puppa, I guess. But him said I wasn’t him father at-sting 2000 so what the issue😅😂🤣,” he replied to a supporter, who noted that he empathizes with Bounty. The supporter had said that the music selectors and artists in Dancehall, who have been criticizing him for being absent, only “have strength” for the Coppershot artist.
There was another fan, humbledon1, who sought to champion Bounty’s cause, after listening to his comments.
“When Bounty seh: ‘Merciless nuh show him nuh love and nuh respect’, yes Killer is right: Merciless and Killer personal mutual feud started long before sting 2000. Merciless was living in Bounty’s voice and style from long before Merciless buss and Bounty’s voice and style buss him’ so him and Killer always at odds for this’ even long after 2000 sting,” he argued.
“Merciless been still dissing Killer in songs… Merciless got no entitlement for Killer to go to his funeral, they weren’t close associates, a condolences to the family is ok, killer love him own mother more than himself, when miss Ivy died, did Merciless go to killer mother’s funeral?🤔?” he added.
Another fan, onevoice924, labeled Bounty immature while declaring that he would lose fans.
“Breda u show u real colors dj bo u mature .. u soon take time lose u fans . Remember your nothing without your fans base. U deal with merciless a way breda,” he wrote.
However, Bounty was caustic in his response declaring: “@onevoice924 Batty b-tch it’s 30 (years) unuh waiting now keep on waiting and wishing👈🏿”.