In 1995, four ambitious dancehall artists hailing from Seaview Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica, initially banded together as the Seaview Family before adopting the name Scare Dem Crew. Bounty Killer, their frequent sparring partner and guiding mentor, provided the inspiration for that moniker during joint tours. The lineup comprised Boom Dandimite, born Donovan Stewart, Elephant Man, born O’Neil Bryan on 11 September 1975 in Seaview Gardens, Jamaica, West Indies, Nitty Kutchie, born Andrew Reid, and Harry Toddler, born Patrick Ricardo Jackson in 1975 in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Crew culture held sway over the dancehall landscape throughout the mid-90s, with Scare Dem’s rivals encompassing Monster Shock Crew, Shocking Vibes and the Main Street Crew. Johnny Wonder, the architect behind Bounty Killer’s initial breakthrough, steered the group and replicated that achievement by building comparable popularity for Scare Dem. He required them to serve an apprenticeship on the dancehall circuit, where they showcased vocal prowess alongside a dynamic stage presence. Their distinctive style amid the cultural revival drew particular enthusiasm from teenage girls across Kingston. That fervor fueled the crew’s breakthrough single ‘Pure Gal’, helmed by Steely And Clevie. Boasting that ‘Pure gal, pure gal, pure gal want we’, the members found confirmation when fans shattered the windows of their BMW while driving through Western Kingston in an effort to reach them.
Although each member issued solo singles, the others contributed backing vocals in the studio. Elephant Man and Harry Toddler took the lead on the hit ‘Nuh Run Dung Gal’, Nitty Kutchie put out ‘Go Baby Go’, and Elephant Man delivered ‘War Start’. Further visibility arrived via the well-received ‘Jailhouse Nuh Nice’. At the 1997 Boxing Day Sting festival, the group shared the stage with Bounty Killer, Anthony B., Sizzla and Capleton. Harry Toddler issued ‘Bad Man Nuh Dress Like Girl’ for Studio 2000 in 1998, and the crew teamed with Lukie D on ‘Kettle Of Fish’. Numerous US recording contract offers materialized in light of the stylistic overlap between Scare Dem’s dancehall sound and hip-hop. Elephant Man unveiled his solo debut on the Greensleeves label in 2000.
