Found Footage: Watch Captain Barkey “Clash” Ninjaman + Deejay on NYC TV

Words by Jesse Serwer—

Here at LargeUp we always try to keep things positive, and leave the sensationalism to everybody else. So we’d rather spare you the gory details on the death of comedic dancehall don Captain Barkey (at left in the photo above), who was killed this weekend in the Bronx by a jealous ex-lover of his female companion, and celebrate his life.

Specifically, we’d like to bring your attention to a 2006 “clash” pitting Barkey and his longtime sidekick, Wickerman (at right in the photo above) as well as Merciless against the don gorgon, Ninjaman. What at first may appear to some as hostility, with the deejays pushing one another and and grabbing the mic from each other’s hands, is quickly revealed to be comedy: Dancehall theater at its finest.

Photo: Sherman Escoffery

For an equally entertaining flashback to better days, watch this video of Barkey and Wickerman, dressed in schoolboy attire (including backpacks, underground hip-hop style), performing at a dance in New York City. The footage is from the cable access show Ruff Kut, which aired on BCAT and other New York City stations (as well as in Guyana and Miami) in the mid ’90s.

But wait, there’s more…here’s a clip of Barkey at Reggae Sunsplash performing his best-known hit “Go Go Wine” (Not the Vybz Kartel version, but the 1996 original) accompanied by a bevy of lovely dancers… and then suddenly flipping the script with a dancehall version of the Macarena. This was one entertaining dude. Rest in peace, Captain.