The beauties were out in their numbers at Bounty Killer’s birthday celebration ‘It’s Tha Party’ at the Rockfort Mineral Spa in Kingston, on Saturday. - Colin Hamilton

By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Bounty Killer and Beenie Man, both now in their mid-30s, have been at musical war since their late teens. However, on Saturday night there was respect of sorts for Beenie Man at Bounty Killer’s birthday celebration ‘It’s Tha Party’.

Coming up to daylight, the Miami-based Nasheem Fire, who declared allegiance for life to the Bounty Killer-led Alliance, went R&B for the ladies, then older school dancehall, many women holding up a finger to confirm “one man in your life” at the Rockfort Mineral Spa, St. Andrew.

“De nex’ artiste me a go play me no too too like. But me like de tune, cause me a gallis from birth,” he said, before playing ‘Ol Dawg’.

And later, after whipping the crowd into a frenzy with the turntable declarations “we no want no fren from dem” and “top shotta no miss”, Alliance selector Foota Hype said, “yu know why me rate Beenie Man over nuff deejay? Beenie Man is a yute him no hate Killer. Him obsessed wid Killer career. Him want to be de one to hurt Killer lyrically. Him love Killer. Some a dem waan kill Killer. Big up de man dem whe keep it inna music.”

Publicised split He played “some bway chat too much” before saying “big up Beenie, although him no deh ya. Him a de secon’. Killer a de one. A lyrical ting, over 10 year now”. Vybz Kartel, who had a much publicised split from Bounty Killer, also got a tune played here and there at the 2007 ‘It’s Tha Party’, the hands going up for “any man whe a snack, mek sure a suppen whe come outta de pack” in the relatively early going.

Some time later, MC Nuffy, who hosted most of ‘It’s Tha Party’, said “it no look good. Artiste wey live ova desso tune cyaan play ova yasso. Oonu a edit or oonu a fool? Onnu have gol’ an a gi it wey.”

He said Bounty Killer had left the situation in his hand to address, but “when him come pon de stage, him a go talk to de yute dem an’ de fans dem.”

That talk never came, as the party ended without the deejay coming on stage. Then, in the near daylight hours, a selector from Top Secret asked for a response from “all who rate Kartel as one of Bounty Killer yute” before playing a song by him at the end of their stint. “A one mistake yu mek,” Foota Hype said when he took over, “Yu sey one a Killer yute. Was one a Killer yute. More time yu have yu pickney dem too rude; yu haffi pizen dem, kill dem,” he said to laughter.

And at one point, among his ‘big ups’, Nuffy sent respect to Aidonia, Vybz Kartel and Beenie Man. “Me a de baddes’ MC. Me big up everybody,” he said.