Dancehall luminary Bounty Killer has announced his withdrawal from this year’s staging of Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The celebrated artist, known to fans as the “Grung Gad” or “Warlord,” shared the news on Tuesday night, revealing that he will not participate in the event or in the planned tribute to honour him. This tribute had been announced by the festival organizers last December and was highly anticipated by fans.
Bounty Killer made the announcement through a video post of a previous Reggae Sumfest performance, where he interacted with the crowd about their preferred dancehall crew. In the video caption, he wrote, “Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control, there won’t be no Bounty Killer tribute this year at Sumfest, and I won’t be appearing either. Salute to all the fans, alliance, and allegiances. Thank You🫡💫🥳🔥🇯🇲🥂🍾.” The news disappointed many, but fans flooded the comment section with messages of support for the iconic deejay.
The festival’s official account released the updated flyer for the week-long event earlier today, notably omitting the iconic deejay from the lineup. The festival team has yet to comment on his withdrawal. Initially, the tribute to Bounty Killer, billed as the “Godfather of Dancehall,” was scheduled for Night 1 on Friday, July 19. Promotional material previously hyped the event, urging fans to “pay di price and come see the Price,” emphasizing the significance of his contribution to dancehall music.
As Reggae Sumfest approaches, Bounty Killer’s absence from the lineup marks a significant shift. His departure raises questions about the circumstances behind the decision and leaves a noticeable gap in the festival’s offerings.
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