by Kavelle Anglin-Christie and Teino Evans, Staff Reporters

DJ Bounty Killer (right), poses with Wayne Marshall after Marshall presented him with the Upliftment Awards. - Ian Allen

Editor's Note: The following is a re-run of the lead entertainment story published in The STAR on Friday, December 1, 2006. A part of the article, 'Alliance Still Strong' was cut-off. Here is the article in its entirety. We apologise for the error.

For now, only Vybz Kartel is fed up with Bounty Killer's 'cross, angry and miserable' persona; the other members of the Alliance are staying put.

Vybz Kartel fragmented the Alliance recently by walking out after at least three years with the Bounty Killer-led crew because he said he found it hard to shine in Bounty Killer's shadow.

"Bounty Killer waan control the artiste dem, no man nuh control me," Vybz Kartel told THE STAR.

He also says the restrictions placed on himbecame a hindrance to his music and if it were not for the Alliance, he would have been a greater artiste.

Addi's footsteps

There's no telling who will follow in Addi's footsteps and climb out of the shadows - but some have started to hint that it is Aidonia, Kartel's 'son'.

Aidonia says this is not so and as far as he knows, he is still a part of the Alliance: "Nothing like that. People in the streets have it wrong. I am still a part of the Alliance as far as I know and until me hear otherwise."

Still, one has to wonder what will become of the man who often proclaims 'Addi a mi daddy' in the Alliance.

"From day one mi say 'Addi a mi daddy' and a him first mek me talk to Bounty and mek me be a part of the Alliance. Is not a tek side ting, mi nuh inna dat," said Aidonia.

According to Kartel, though he introduced Aidonia to Bounty Killer, Aidonia has a mind of his own.

"Mi and Aidonia share mutual respect- mi can't tell him wa fi do. Mi introduce him to Bounty. Him (Bounty) nah show Aidonia no love. Mi will talk straight, him nah do it cause him (Aidonia) close to me. 'Cause Busy was in there first and Busy and Aidonia a war. That's why him (Bounty) drop di mic at Wolmers on Aidonia, cause him par wid me," explained Kartel.

As news spread about Kartel's exit from The Alliance, other members were hesitant to make any comments on the issue; apparently some were still in the dark about what was happening.

"Mi nuh waan comment bout dis right now an mi would a haffi talk to Kartel first fi hear wah him a seh," Bling Dawg said.

Another member, Wayne Marshall said that persons had a misconception of what the Alliance was all about.

"People always have a misconception of the thing, it's nothing like that, (being in Bounty's shadow), it's just a casual thing, a nuh nutt'n like yuh haffi get a tattoo or pledge allegiance, a jus Bounty an him friend dem, but fi me, a jus music first. Bounty bring me inna di business an him seh Alliance so me seh Alliance too," said Marshall.

He also said Kartel's exit from the Alliance would not affect the 'Tri State', a crew which includes Wayne Marshall, Bling Dawg and Kartel.

"TriState different from Alliance, it jus involve the three a we, it nuh have nutt'n fi do wid di Alliance or Bounty. Tri State a jus di artiste dem a come together, link pon a musical level, call up each other when wi have song we are good friends, nutt'n nuh change," said Marshall.

Alliance for life

Mavado, another member of the Alliance, says he enjoys being a part of the group and will continue to do so. "To me is just a great feeling. No matter what happen and people say, that Alliance inna war, everybody go through bad times sometimes no matter what. No stone naw go deh deh forever, yuh just have to know the point you can reach. Killa a mi don same way."

He also says years from now he won't look back with regrets, nor will he think he was stifled.

"That's not me. Alliance is what made me who I am, so I wouldn't look back and say, 'you know say me shoulddah deh pon me own'. But I am on my own: I make my own decisions and I have my own views, but if I want to know something I can go chat to the bigger heads at the end of the day. It's a family, because when certain things happen, people will get vex, but we still rate we friends and we know is just music, so we naw go tek it to certain level."

Irrespective of what other members of the Alliance say about the group, it seems 'Addi's son' has already started to feel the effects of the Bounty-Kartel war.

Aidonia explained that only recently he had to 'ask' some selectors why they were not playing his music.

"Mi neva threaten nobody, mi just a ask dem why dem a go round me thing and it must be something why them nuh want play me. I am not one of the most liked artistes out there because of one of the first songs I did," he said.

On a different note, Kartel says he does not think the Alliance will suffer without him.

"Not necessarily. There are good artistes in the Alliance - Mavado hot, Busy a do him ting. Whole of dem a do dem ting. Mek people know mi nah fight them (physically) only musically," he said.

Some members of the Alliance

Elephant Man - File