Dancehall artist-turned-entrepreneur Shauna Controlla is urging the public to pray for her former associate Gully Bop.

Following his 2021 hospitalisation for complications from a hernia and blocked tubes, the Body Speci artist needs funds for the regular upkeep of a colostomy bag, healthy diet and caretaker. He recently visited philanthropist Donna Gowe who called on people like Controlla to help.

“Me a ask all who did love the story ‘from the gully to the money’, ‘from rags to riches’, ‘every gyal want a wuk offa me’…mi a ask unno fi please pray for him,” Controlla said during a teary-eyed Instagram Live on Saturday. “Nothing beats prayers. Him have him ways, but this is not the right way for us to go about giving up on him.”

She added, “Yes, he’s disrespectful. Yes, him get the gold spoon inna him mouth and dash it weh…but also believe and know seh you a human too and if something go good for you tomorrow (fame), maybe you nuh know how fi handle it neither.”

Starting a music career as Country Man in the 90s, Bop, whose given name is Robert Malcolm, went viral in 2014 while deejaying his song Body Specialist.

Controlla has maintained that she was drawn to his talent and sought him out, igniting their business relationship. The two appeared to be a couple in public, but Controlla said it was a stunt to attract more attention to his music.

Bop has often recounted a romantic relationship, with the two severing ties in 2015.

While he’s released bangers, including My God, Rumours and Kill Dem Wid Style, his career has been riddled with rants about disloyal people, and music gatekeepers stifling his growth. Despite his colourful history online, Controlla asked folks to show compassion.

“Whole heap a we out here inna life a go through whole heap a mental illness, and is not everybody can handle it,” she said before breaking down. “It’s not everybody can get rich tomorrow and know how fi hold it and don’t f**k up. It’s not everybody who get them final break, know how fi keep it. And most importantly, cause me is a true believer inna this and mi live fi see it…a nuh everybody yuh help, a go help yuh back…”

To that end, she said she’s helped Bop behind-the-scenes, only for him to drag her online the next day.

“Fi a person mi see do that, be realistic, mi cya continuously help him,” she said. “Mi nuh owe yuh mi lifetime loyalty. Every loyalty have a expiration date and mi learn that last year…”

Nonetheless, she’s up for buying him groceries.

“A di best mi can do.”

The Control Button hitmaker hung up her artist hat in 2020, and is focused on her other businesses, namely her skincare brand, Goddess Tone, which has three locations island-wide.