Archbishop remixes Bounty’s song

Archbishop of Kingston, Kenneth Richards, yesterday remixed Bounty Killer's Miss Ivy Last Son (Run come up inna me Magnum bwoy), replacing the violent imagery with words of hope and peace.

Richards , during the annual National Day of Prayer at the Power of Faith Ministries church in Portmore, said that Jamaica has been bedevilled by gang violence and murders.

"What is driving this? As the song says;

Run come up inna me Magnum bwoy

Stand up in front me shotgun bwoy

Disrespect Miss Ivy last son

And yuh life disappear.

A no warn me no warn yuh

A no tell me no tell yuh

Disrespect Miss Ivy last son

And him life disappear

Richards said that the Church, which is united, is calling upon God to remove evil and unrighteousness from the land.

He then launched into his remix of Bounty Killer's 1995 hit song. Like a seasoned sound system selector, he introduced the tune.

"Suh all gun touches hear this," the clergyman said.

Run come up inna di church now bwoy

Listen to the gospel bwoy,

Siddung pon di church bench

And yuh life will change

A nuh warn me nuh warn yuh

A nuh tell me nuh tell yuh

Listen to the gospel

And yuh life will change

Earlier at the event, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that more than 70 per cent of murders committed in Jamaica are gang-related.

The prime minister, who appeared to be emotional, referred Tuesday's murder of two brothers -- Dervin Jones, 43, and Sheldon Jones, 41 -- in Westmoreland and the killing of 10-year-old Jezariah Tyrell in a home attack in central Kingston last week, the prime minister said he was haunted by the country's murder wave.

"I go to my bed with these things on my conscience every night. I know that I have tried. It's a minefield because every turn you make, there is someone who is trying to stop it, and I have to wonder, are they in support of the criminals in the country?" the prime minister asked, his voice cracking at moments.

Though major crimes declined by eight per cent in 2021, murders skyrocketed nationally by 10 per cent to 1,463.

Holness argued that for Jamaica to regain peace, stronger measures also need to be put in place to address illegal firearms.

"We must get tough on illegal guns in the country. If you possess an illegal gun, it is only for one purpose, and that is to kill someone - no other reason to have an illegal gun," he said.

The prime minister also demonstrated his knowledge of popular culture and Jamaican music, telling Richards that not only does Jamaica has a problem with an influx of illegal firearms entering the country, but that "These guns don't join church".