KINGSTON, Jamaica – At the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns in May, 2020, rappers Swiss Beatz and Timbaland staged Verzuz, an Instagram series pitting popular artists against each other in a lyrical throwdown. The most watched was between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer.
Their ‘clash’ took place during Memorial Day Weekend and attracted thousands of viewers including Diddy and Rihanna. The dancehall deejays took turns performing some of their hit songs including Matie and Memories from Beenie Man and Suspense and Living Dangerously by Bounty Killer.
Their highly-anticipated 20-round square-off was also hailed by Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness, who declared on X (then twitter) that,”Jamaican culture is global.”
On August 6, Holness presented Beenie Man and Bounty Killer with Global Icon awards during Grand Gala celebrations at the National Stadium in Kingston. Five days earlier, it was announced that the former rivals will be invested with the Order of Distinction, Jamaica’s sixth-highest honor, in October.
Gratitude from Beenie Man
Beenie Man
“Thanks to the heart of (the) Jamaican people, each and every one. Thank unnuh (you) for supporting us for all these years,” 50 year-old Beenie Man (real name Moses Davis) said in his acceptance speech.
Bounty Killer Expresses Gratitude
Bounty Killer
Bounty Killer (given name Rodney Price), 52, also expressed gratitude.
“Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. I just want to say I’m humbled and grateful to receive this. This is a milestone. This is something that a lot of us never get to receive while we can celebrate. So, my brother Moses, we came from rivals to iconic idols… It’s been over a decade I cannot travel to certain countries. This is certainly a Jamaican milestone,” he said.
The two were not as friendly in the 1990s when their bitter rivalry made headlines. Ironically, Beenie Man’s (now former) wife D’Angel was once romantically linked to Bounty Killer.
During that decade, they released signature albums. My Experience by Bounty Killer came out in 1994; it contains hard-hitting songs like the title track, Fed Up, The Lord is My Light And Salvation, and Living Dangerously (with Barrington Levy).
Beenie Man’s Many Moods of Moses dropped three years later. It was a hit machine, with songs like Who Am I, his American breakthrough; Foundation and Oysters And Conch.
In 2001, Beenie Man won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with Art And Life.
