Bounty Killer To Headline JLP’s Matthew Samuda’s Birthday Bash In Ocho Rios
Bounty Killer will headline Saturday night’s birthday bash for Senator Matthew Samuda, co-founder of Dream Weekend, aspirant for the North East St. Ann Parliamentary seat, and the politician who, in 2020 became the youngest minister in the Andrew Holness-led government, at age 35.
On Wednesday, both the Warlord and Samuda shared the news via a video, with audio of a promotional jingle Bounty recorded for Samuda’s event, which will be held in Ocho Rios square this Saturday, September 2, at no cost to the public, with music provided by Swatch International sound system.
“Celebrating my birthday this Saturday with a Ocho Rios Street Dance! Featuring Swatch International Sound in dem town, Bounty Killer Live! Come out and support the local bars!” Samuda noted in the post, which also bore a photo of himself and the It’s OK artist sharing lens at a previous event.
In the accompanying jingle Bounty roared: “This is Bounty Killer, representing for Matthew Samuda… You know its Matthew Samuda birthday celebration, this Saturday September 2nd in the square of Ocho Rios, featuring me live! Admission free!”
Samuda, who turned 39 on August 29, has shown maximum respect for Bounty Killer over the years.
Last year, on the Poor People Governor’s birthday on June 12, Samuda, who is Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation with responsibilities for Water, Environment, Climate Change, and the Blue & Green Economies, had sung Bounty’s praises and hailed him as Dancehall’s greatest, and “the one who has influenced a generation, and ‘bussed’ most of the top 10 artists and sounds’!”
In early July, Nationwide News reported that Samuda had declared himself ready to serve as the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) candidate in the North East St. Ann constituency where Ocho Rios is located, and that while noting that the seat is not vacant, the Senator had said he was “keen to make the seat his launch pad into representational politics”.
North East St. Ann is currently represented by first-term MP, Marsha Smith, but according to Nationwide “JLP supporters have rejected her style of leadership and have told the party they will not support her at the next general election”.
The North East St Ann constituency is regarded as an important contributor to the national economy, being home to Ocho Rios, which is Jamaica’s second leading tourism town. Its principal towns are the parish capital, St Ann’s Bay, and Ocho Rios, and other large, highly-populated communities such as Exchange, Steer Town, Priory and Lime Hall.
Samuda, who hails from Upper St. Andrew, ascended to the Cabinet of Jamaica, the executive arm of the state in 2020, following his appointment to the Upper House as a Senator a few years prior.
A self-proclaimed environmentalist, in 2016, he led the tabling of a private members’ motion in the Jamaican Parliament which later resulted in the ban on single-use plastic and styrofoam in 2019.
In March 2015, the University of the West Indies (UWI) graduate became the President of Generation 2000, the youth arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Prior to that, he oversaw the JLP’s, G2K’s and Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ social media marketing efforts.
Prior to holding Ministerial office, the Campion College old boy had stints at Red Stripe, Advertising & Marketing Jamaica Ltd, Wray & Nephew, Facey Commodity and the Seprod Group.
On Bounty’s post, while some of his fans cheered and said they would be in attendance there was one who expressed scepticism.
“A vote Samuda a look. Think him slick,” one man declared.
Over on Samuda’s page, one man joked about the content of Bounty’s jingle.
“’Representing for Matthew Samuda’ have me in stitches,” he stated.