In the world of Reggae music it takes more than a few hit records to become a star. Renowned for his rebellious stance, reggae requires its leading lights to be heroes, not men of straw. Today's ragga equivalent is no exception.

Bounty Killer is such a character to the people of Jamaica. Like other famous Reggae legends before him, he was born in the notorious Kingston ghetto of Trenchtown, moving to the equally fearsome districts of Seaview Gardens and Riverton City as a youth, where his father operated a small sound-system. From the age of nine, the young Rodney Price - inspired by DJs like Brigadier Jerry and Ranking Joe - would entertain local crowds at impromptu dances held on street corners, sharpening his rhyming skills and learning the art of deejaying where it hurts - in front of the most discerning reggae audience there is!

Unlike archrival Beenie Man, his first opportunity to record didn't arrive for some time, despite his two cousins having already established themselves in the music business. One of them, the DJ John Wayne, encouraged him to visit King Jammy's studio in nearby Waterhouse, where he recorded his debut, "Gun Must Done" as Bounty Hunter for Jammy's brother Trevor "Uncle T" James in 1990. Still only 18 years old, the maturity of his lyrics (condemning Kingston's lawless gunmen) and deep, growling, yet melodic, vocal style immediately singled him out as a talent to watch.

Soon afterwards, the Hunter became the Killer; Bounty established an even more militant image to distinguish himself from rival MCs with similar monikers. Tunes like "Champion" and "Gunshot Fi Informer" quickly followed, but it was the rampant "Spy Fi Die" for King Jammy's son, John John, which became his first significant hit.

In the early 90s, the Reggae public thirsted for larger-than-life characters capable of taking on all-comers and asserting the hardened, streetwise attitudes rife in the deprived ghettos of Jamaica. By lashing out at not only the musical competition but also paid government informers, political corruption and police brutality, Bounty Killer quickly became a force to be reckoned with.

These early sessions resulted in his debut album, "Jamaica's Most Wanted", released by Greensleves in 1993. Collecting this album cemented his reputation as the most outspoken deejay of his generation. Containing all the hits, plus raw gun lyrics like "Gun Thirsty" and the harsh realism of "Man Ah Suffer" and "Roots, Reality & Culture", Bounty's first set propelled him to the forefront of Reggae MCs.

It was around this time that his on-stage (and on-record!) rivalry with fellow deejay Beenie Man began in earnest. Both shared a similar vocal style; both claimed to have originated it, and accused the other of piracy. Fact is, Beenie Man's career had been on hold for years before Bounty Killer's emergence, but both came out blazing over Jammy's toughest rhythms.

His next act was even more contentious. Jamaica's new Police Commissioner took incisive steps to stem the spread of violent deejay lyrics and Bounty responded with "Not Another Word", a massive hit in both JA and the UK. The anthem, "Down in The Ghetto" followed, another powerful reality tune, which in turn led to his second solo album of the same title. Hailed as the 'Album of the Year' by the world Reggae press, "Down In The Ghetto" at least fulfilled all his early promise, matching hard-hitting cultural lyrics with outlaw tunes of classic proportion. Tracks like "How The West Was Won" have since passed into ragga /jungle hits. The release of the album coincided with UK shows at the beginning of 1995, Bounty Killer sharing a bill with several of King Jammy's leading artists.

By now the undisputed champion of Jamaica deejays, the avalanche of hit tracks continued without cease throughout 1995. "Cellular Phone" for John John was a No. 1 smash, while "Action Speaks Louder Than Words", "Searching " (featuring Sanchez), "Cellular Number", "Miss Ivy Last Son" (the latter for Uncle T) and the militant "No Argument" - one of his rare excursions for former Jammy engineer Bobby Digital's label - all maintained his reputation for catchy delivery, memorable lyrics, and the most uncompromising attitude in modern reggae.

These tracks now form the basis of his third Greensleeves album, "No Argument". Packed with hits and reflecting his sheer dominance of the international dancehall market, the champion DJ has delivered yet another milestone of contemporary raga. No other current JA act has managed to capture the imagination of the Reggae public in quite so spectacular a fashion.

Yet, he hasn't let up, increasing the pace during 1995 with the formation of his own Priceless label and further hits for King Jammy and John John, including "Convince", the riotous "Suspense" and best-selling double-headed ragga/rock'n'roll single, "Book Book" / "More Gal", all again released by Greensleeves in the UK.

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