Dancehall veteran Bounty Killer is once again speaking his mind, this time calling out an unnamed rival whom he believes has been borrowing heavily from his signature style. The veteran deejay took to Instagram with a pointed message, writing, “you pirated my style fi buss,” making it clear that he feels another artist has been using elements of his sound and approach to help build a career.
Bounty Killer followed up with another message that made his position even clearer: “Is you sound like me not me sounds like you.” Although he never identified the artist by name, the comments immediately sparked speculation among Dancehall fans about who the veteran was referring to. The Warlord also added, “yuh lie like lysol,” keeping the post firmly in the tradition of Dancehall’s sharp and direct lyrical exchanges.
For Bounty Killer, the issue of artists borrowing styles is nothing new. His long history in Dancehall includes previous disagreements over imitation, including his famous rivalry with Beenie Man. Bounty has previously explained that the conflict with Beenie developed partly from his belief that his melodies, patterns and lyrical approach were being copied.
The latest comments also highlight a bigger conversation within Dancehall: where does inspiration end and imitation begin? New artists have always studied the veterans who came before them, but Bounty’s latest remarks suggest that he believes there is a difference between being influenced by an established artist and reproducing that artist’s recognizable style without acknowledging the source. Similar discussions about originality and imitation have been part of Jamaican music culture for decades.
For now, the identity of Bounty Killer’s unnamed rival remains unclear, and there has been no publicly documented response from a specific artist to the latest accusation. Whether the situation develops into a lyrical clash or simply remains another social-media moment is still unknown. But one thing is certain: when the Warlord feels somebody is stepping into his lane, he isn’t afraid to say so.
