Beenie Man Clears Up His Real Age, And Why He Was Absent At Merciless’ Funeral

Perhaps since the beginning of his professional career almost four decades ago, the correct age of Dancehall veteran Beenie Man has been up for debate. Many fans, acquaintances, and even Google and Amazon Alexa all claim that he’s currently 49.

However, the Who Am I singer has again confirmed that he’s actually 50 years old.

The confirmation came during a recent interview with the Entertainment Report podcast, after host Muscle teased Beenie about the infamous belly he had during his Verzuz clash against Bounty Killer in 2020.

“Nah man, ah sexy fi 50! Mi tell dem. Sexy at 50,” replied Beenie Man, hinting at his weight loss and slimer waistline, much to the amusement of Muscle.

Beenie Man continued: “This I wanna clear up. People, when yuh born in your house in Jamaica, they register you the year after. I’m home-born. Mi neva born inna hospital. Nuh doctor neva tek mi—a midwife tek mi out ah mi madda, zeen?”

“So they register you the year after. Because true yuh neva born inna hospital dem haffi mek sure seh yuh born an’ living suh yuh can register the year after. I was born 1972, August 22. They registered me 1973, August 22.  It’s not illegal, but it’s what they do,” he explained.

When quizzed about which year of birth he prefers, Beenie said that he’s more inclined to subscribe to his rightful age because several other Dancehall greats were also born in 1972.

“Mi live by di day mi born enuh because God got something that he was doing. Suh yuh have Buju Banton, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man born di same year,” Beenie said. “ One born June, one born July an’ one born August. This is epic!” 

This summer, Beenie had confirmed that he was 50 at his birthday bash at the ROK hotel located in Downtown, Kingston. Those who came out to support The Doctor included Bounty Killer, who was in a cheerful spirit, Cham, NotNice, Joe Bogdanovich, Chi Ching Ching, Denique, Marcy Chin, Mr. G, Leftside, Kabaka Pyramid, and other specially invited guests.

During the interview with Muscle, the King of the Dancehall also addressed critics who claimed that he and Bounty Killer had deliberately missed Merciless’ funeral in September.

Bounty Killer went on the warpath against the critics, which included Merciless’ manager Harvel ‘Gadafi’ Hart and Dancehall selector Ricky Trooper.  Among other things, the Warlord cited a “disrespectful” mural at the burial site, depicting the 2000 Sting clash between himself, Ninjaman, Bounty, and the deceased deejay, who destroyed the trio, as one reason why he did not attend the service.    

But, according to Beenie, he did not attend because he arrived after the proceedings had already concluded.

“I came late. I was coming from Trinidad. I came the same day. I came at 6:00 in the evening. The funeral supposed to be finished. I was upset because mi leave the same day after the first nine night…my humblest apology. If I wasn’t there, I wasn’t there because I could not be there,” he said.

The entertainer, however, joined Bounty in expressing his disapproval of the infamous mural, which was reportedly removed from the burial site in October. Merciless’ niece, known as British, revealed that it wasn’t the family’s decision to create the mural but rather the painter’s idea. 

“My condolences to Merciless friends and family, but I’m begging you please, when you put somebody in a grave you actually kill this person. Can you please take my face out that grave? If you’re gonna put a statue, put a statue but please take my painting off that….if you gonna paint a picture of me, a whole entire picture. Don’t paint my face, that mean you chop my neck off,” Beenie told Muscle with a deadpan expression, denoting his seriousness.

During his tirades in September, Bounty Killer had also asserted that Merciless died due to his alleged drug habit and that he was “not friends” with the late veteran deejay and so did not owe Merciless or his family anything other than condolences. 

Beenie, on the other hand, said that he was friends with Merciless, and wished his loved ones the best.

“My condolences to Merciless family and friends cause he’s my friend and I love and respect him for all the job that he did and for all that he have done for Dancehall music. I really do appreciate it,” he said.

“I highly do respect this guy. I don’t know what cause his demise, but I respect his life that he lived, and I respect the music that he sings.”

Watch the full interview below.