Thursday, May 19, 2011

Risto Benji Gunned Down In Jamaica

Ragga dancehall deejay Risto Benji was murdered on Monday night in St. Catherine parish, Jamaica. Website dancehall.mobi.com reported that Benji was sitting outside a house at around 10pm, when a man walked up and shot him multiple times. He later died in hospital. The police have not yet established a motive for his murder though he appears to have been targeted. Risto Benji rose to predominance at the Jammys camp as a youth during the mid-1980s with his Punanny version Gimme The Money and continued to record and entertain until recently. He was best known for his early-mid 90s hits Passport Buddy (Mad Mad) and Gun John Crow (Punanny). Success in that time was not built upon and the deejay later struggled for exposure,  releasing only a hand full of singles in subsequent years. He struggled financially as well, hitting the news in 2009 and 2010 for attempted robberies. He attacked and tried to steal a phone and money from a female resident in St. Catherine, being charged with attempted robbery by aggravation, and was in court again in 2010 for trying to steal a motorbike. Both charges were ongoing at the time of his death. He had reportedly also been mobbed in New Kingston for robbing a bicycle.

Various Jammys stars have paid tribute to Risto and King Jammy is quoted by the Jamaica Star as saying "long time mi know him. From him a likkle bwoy him a tour with us go England and dem place deh. Mi miss him but we neva do any work for a long time. Mi try fi get him back inna di studio but him keep wide''. Dancehall producer Breadback left his tribute: "mi neva have no bad time wid him fi tell yuh di truth. Once yuh time come yuh caan go round dat. Mi just hope dem give him a good send-off. To me is a good bredda and him neva do mi no harm. Mi sorry fi hear but a just life. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away'' (Jamaica Star 18/5). He promises to release his recent work with Benji in the near future. Expect a heap a tribute tunes a Yard in the coming weeks too.