Father Bogle

Bogle (22 August 1964 – 20 January 2005), born Gerald Levy, and also known as Bogle Dancer, Mr Bogle, Father Bogle, and Mr Wacky, was a Jamaican dancehall star. His stage name was a reference to Jamaican National Hero Paul Bogle.

Bogle was called the "Dancehall Master" and was best known for his dancing. He had the ability to seemingly create dances without effort and his dances would become extremely popular. Creator of the Willie Bounce (named after Bogle's friend and Black Roses Crew member Willie Haggart), Wacky Dip, Urkle Dance, Sesame Street, Bogle Dance, Pelper, LOY, Jerry Springer, Zip It Up, Hotti Hotti Bogle, World Dance, Pop Yuh Collar, Row di Boat, Out and Bad, Sweeper, Stuckie, and many other popular dances. He was also in Belly.

In the 1990s, Levy created the Bogle Dance, the scene's first crossover dance move. He was also a major influence on breakout artists such as Elephant Man and Beenie Man, who gave shout-outs to Levy in songs like "Row Like a Boat": "Seh Mr. Bogle have di brand new style/Come get di style, come get di style."

On 20 January 2005, Levy and four others were in his car at a shopping-district gas station, when two men on a motorcycle rode by, shooting into the vehicle. The passengers were rushed to Kingston Public Hospital, where the 40-year-old Levy was pronounced dead. The home of John Hype, Levy's creative rival over the previous year, was burned to the ground just hours later. In the wake of Bogle's murder, Beenie Man offered a $1million reward for the capture of the killers.

Bogle's work lives on throughout the dancehall community as Jamaica's greatest dancer of all time. Many dancehall artists and dancers respect "Father Bogle" and give him shout-outs in songs. Popular DJ Bounty Killer credits Bogle for making him want to dance. In 2005, the trio Voice Mail had the hit single "Wacky Dip" on the Junkanoo Riddim which branded the lyrics that has proven to be true thus far, "Mr. Wacky is gone, but his dancing lives on". Elephant Man who previously recorded songs for Bogle's dances had the hit single "Willie Bounce" which is by far one of Bogle's most popular dances. Buju Banton also recorded a song called "Bogle Dance", which was inspired by Bogle. In R&B singer Rihanna's music video Rude Boy, she is seen doing "The Bogle". Many people such as Paul Bondy (aka InsideInfo) have adopted the "Bogle" technique and have taken it into new directions. At the recent UK National Bogle Dance-off Championship, the crowd went wild with Paul Bondy's adaptation of the "Willie Bounce" named, "The Wangle".

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