Bounty Killer for Western Consciousness - Bounty Killer to show positive side

Western Consciousness salutes dancehall in the 21st staging of the event which will feature for the first time a less 'cross, angry and miserable' Bounty Killer, who will be performing as Rodney Price.

Launched yesterday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, the event, which is staged by Worrell King, strives to celebrate the best in reggae music. This year Western Consciousness, under the theme 'The Celebration of Good Over Evil', has changed gears in an effort to represent a positive side to dancehall music. The event will be held on April 20, at the Paradise Park, Smithfield, Sav-la-Mar, Westmoreland. Roots FM's Denise 'Isis' Miller, MC for the evening, explained that Western Consciousness will be transformed to salute the positive side of dancehall from eras past and the dancehall of today.

Taking to the stage at the launch, Worrell King said, "This year we decided to express our sentiment of love for dancehall, for many people are of the idea that we hate dancehall. We don't hate dancehall, cause that is where it all started." For King, he hates the sometimes negative message of the dancehall but this year has striven to show that dancehall can be a positive tool for growth.

According to King, Western Consciousness was the innovator of having dancehall acts perform in a light they weren't normally given the chance to. Western Consciousness, King says, was the first to bring Beenie Man as 'Ras Moses' and Lady Saw as 'Marion Hall.' Now King says, after carefully listening to the songs of Bounty Killer he has decided to show a different side to the controversial deejay. He said, "For the first time we're having him on the show, and we want to show Jamaica that there is a positiveness in him, we will be presenting Rodney Price at Western Consciousness."

Cordell Green of the Broadcasting Commission also showed his support for the theme of the show this year at the launch. Green said that a number of artistes have tried to shed the negativity for a more positive outlook, pointing to the performance of Mavado as David Brooks at Rebel Salute this year, and deserved to be highlighted for their positive work as much as their controversial aspects.

Billed to perform are acts such as Beenie Man as 'Ras Moses', Rodney 'Bounty Killer' Price, Tanya Stephens, I-Octane, D'Angel, Harry Toddler and more. Other acts such as Freddie McGregor, Romain Virgo and Lutan Fyah are expected to perform.

The launch also saw the announcement of dub poet Mutabaruka and manager Copeland Forbes as this year's Western Consciousness honourees.