Merciless - Lost In The Music

By Nomad
OutAroad.com Writer

merciless_jamaican_artiste_dancehall.jpgFor Merciless it is not about being lost in the music, it is about not being able to be found, literally. The last we heard of Merciless was that he was in lock up in the United States, and there was rumours circulating within the entertainment fraternity that he was in Miami running taxi.

Whatever the situation is with The Gal Dem Gizadda one thing is for sure, he once gripped the attention of the dancehall arena.

Merciless blast to the pinnacle of dancehall in 2000 at the annual Sting festival when he annihilated three of dancehalls biggest guns Ninja Man, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man. Dressed for war in army fatigue and with his face painted to match his striking attire, Merciless waited patiently as he sounded his war cry: Real war mi come, light!, b*mb*h*le dead tonight.

Ninja and Merciless were head to head initially, however, Merciless used his witty rhymes and chatter to win over the crowd. His line It look like yuh lef yuh under pants inna Kid Ralph prison cell, got the better of Ninja Man who struggled to find a comeback.

How Laing fi inna him right mind and clash mi wid Junkie (Ninja Man), sen out bl**dcl**t Bounty, Warhead said to thunderous roars from the crowd. The Killa was no match for Merciless who easily dismissed him. Beenie Man soon joined the fracas and was himself embarra**ed. After that famous clash, Merciless killed three goats, each representing the three-dancehall giants that he slewed.
ReadMore-color.jpg


Fast forward three years later and there is hardly any word of Merciless. In that famous 2000 Sting clash Ninja Man said Merciless career inna pothole and that is now close to reality. The exception being that Leonards career has actually fallen down a precipice.

A product of Clarendon Leonard Bartley initially called himself Sugar Demus before changing his name to something more fitting to his lyrical persona - Merciless. He was well known for hits such as Mavis and Gal Dem Gizzada, and has several other hard-hitting songs such as Mama's Cooking, Click Boom, Bon Voyage, and Not Me a well-put together counteraction for Bounty Killa.

After bursting into the limelight in 1995 with the big tune Lend Out Mi Mercy, Leonard made strides in the dancehall, but was often criticized for sounding too much like Bounty Killa.

No one who follows dancehall clashes will forget Sting 2000, however the victor did not make use of the spotlight and soon fade like evening into night. Beenie Man still has a blossoming career, while Bounty Killer and Ninja Man still enjoy a bit of the spotlight. As for Leonard Bartley aka Merciless, aka Warhead, the same cannot be said. Merciless have not been seen on a stage in Jamaica for years and there are no records of him performing overseas. If anyone knows the whereabouts of Merciless please find out if he is still recording music.