Bounty Killer Promises “Straight Reggae” Album, Pushes Back ‘King Of Kingston’ Indefinitely

Bounty Killer has promised the release of a “straight reggae” album next year, but the wait is expected to continue for King of Kingston, after the Dancehall veteran revealed that the project has been indefinitely pushed back. In the meantime, to tide fans over, he has unveiled the Time Bomb EP, a collaboration with Cham and producer Dave Kelly, released on Friday, September 22.

Killer addressed the frustrating issue of his album encountering yet another delay on ‘The State Of Dancehall’ podcast with hosts Gaza Uncle and DJ Everlina. He squarely pointed the finger at Ghetto Youths International – the record label owned and operated by the trio of Marley brothers Stephen, Julian, and Damian.

“Da album deh got pushed back… [so] King of Kingston is in the oven,” he said. “Things neva work out with di label… I guess Ghetto Youths International neva ready fi Bounty Killer yet because my ting is on a different level.”

Bounty’s last album was the Grammy-nominated Ghetto Dictionary, which was released by VP Records in 2002.  He has released over ten albums, including his debut Roots, Reality & Culture (VP Records) (1994), Down in the Ghetto (Greensleeves Records) (1994), No Argument (Greensleeves Records) (1995), My Xperience (VP Records/TVT Records) (1996), Ghetto Gramma (Greensleeves Records) (1997), Next Millennium (VP Records/TVT Records) (1998), and 5th Element (VP Records) (1999).

“After over 20 years since mi do a album, my ting [KoK] can’t come average and normal. If it’s not gonna come extraordinary and on the level it’s supposed to be, it nah badda come den mek it gwaan stay inna di oven, but, in due time I will put it out.”

For Bounty, it’s all about patience on the trek to getting the album ready for next year, despite the history of delays haunting it.

He shared: “I’m not rushing anyting. A 20 years now mi nuh do waa album so why mi a force fi guh put out album now wid di wrong agreement? Mi is a man weh nuh rush fi do tings. My ting has to be proper.”

The Look Into My Eyes artist further shared that for one who has reached the heights he has – Billboard chart appearances and the like – the album needed to reflect that. Until it does, it will remain in the oven.

“If everyting nuh look like it go up to par wid dem deh, leave it, man. Mi a nuh young artist. Mi ting international. Nuh true mi nah fly. My voice and my career nuh deh a Jamaica. Mi might physically deh a Jamaica, but my international status nuh deh ya,” Killer noted.

Turning his attention to the Time Bomb EP, the 51-year-old described it as something to keep his fans “warm”.

“Di EP, Time Bomb – dat a gi dem a likkle ting fi gwaan warm up and keep dem comfortable,” Killer said.

“Next year, I’m gonna do a straight Reggae album! I’ve never done a Reggae album inna mi life… and den mi [will] consider King of Kingston if mi waa put it out,” declared a visibly excited Killer. 

King of Kingston, which he described in 2020 as being “95.5 percent complete”, had listed some top-billing collaborators, and Bounty was quizzed as to whether or not those remained. 

He explained: “All a di big murder collabs dem wa mi did a pree, mi have dem put down same way. Nothing nuh wrong wid it. Music nah dead. Mi nah rush it. Mi have all a di tracks dem same way, and mi tek time leak out some a dem.”

“Di album is there and it soon come. But not now. It’s Time Bomb fi di moment,” he continued. 

Interestingly, the roster of artists originally announced to be a part of King of Kingston featured Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Vybz Kartel, Movado, Chronixx, Richie Stephens, Barrington Levy, and Sanchez, would have marked one of Bounty’s most comprehensive list of features on an individual project.

Though not as expansive on the features front, the seven-track Time Bomb EP re-energizes the professional and undeniable chemistry between Bounty Killer, Baby Cham and Kelly, and embraces the addition of English actor and DJ Idris Elba, along with Dancehall crooner Dexta Daps.

According to veteran producer/musician Kelly, “My main goal while creating this masterpiece was to create music that would reflect our growth as individuals while demonstrating how we’ve evolved musically, even while remaining authentic to everyone involved. Hopefully, we delivered something that our original fans will love and enjoy, and maybe inspire both the previous and new generations of artists and musicians.”

He added: “Working on this EP, the musical chemistry between our collective minds was powerful and intuitive, focused and harmonious, which led to the perfect synergism during the creative process, and fostered an environment void of all egos. It allowed our creative juices to flow unencumbered. So as usual, we stuck to our philosophy of using the studio to have fun”.

Cham, whose last collaboration with Bounty came with 1999’s Another Level, expressed gratitude that they have reunited on such a project.

“Working with Bounty Killer is always a blessing. We have been in the studio with him since I was a boy, before I was a professional. I have been in the studio like a fly on the wall, or like a sponge soaking it up, absorbing and learning”.

Time Bomb, which is expected to commemorate Madhouse Records’ 30 anniversary, is said to have been recorded over a month in a secret location.

Its launch is accompanied by a documentary, which gives fans a peek behind the scenes at the creation of the project.

On Saturday, September 23, there will be a release party held for the EP at Di Lot, 33 Constant Spring Road.