Boom Dandimite, a founding member of the 1990s dancehall outfit Scare Dem Crew, died on the morning of Sunday, May 21, 2023, in a hospital in the United States, the Jamaica Observer reports. The deejay, whose real name was Herman Stewart, had suffered a relapse while recovering from a car accident in April that left him bedridden.

The crash happened on Half Way Tree Road, near a popular bakery, in late April. Rising deejay Wilful Skilful was also injured and sent home; Dandimite was hospitalised and discharged days later. He flew to the United States on Saturday to seek further treatment.

“Boom Dandimite travelled to the US yesterday, but after he came off the plane, he fainted away,” a source told the Observer. “He just got sick not long after reaching the US. He started to foam at the mouth, so they rushed him to a hospital and he died this morning.” The same source said American doctors had found blood clots and pneumonia among “all sorts of complications.”

Scare Dem

Boom Dandimite formed Scare Dem Crew in the 1990s with Elephant Man, Harry Toddler and Nitty Kutchie. The crew was closely aligned with Bounty Killer, who took them on tour to build their exposure, and scored hits with “Pure Gal” and “Many Many.” The group later disbanded, with Elephant Man going on to a solo career that took him onto international charts.

He had been due back on a major stage this summer: Dandimite was booked for Reggae Sumfest’s Boombox 90’s Badness segment on July 21, alongside General B, Harry Toddler, Jigsy King, Mega Banton, Nitty Kutchie, Silver Cat and Tony Curtis.

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Sources: Jamaica Observer — “Scare Dem Crew’s Boom Dandimite dies in hospital” (Claude Mills, May 21, 2023); Jamaica Gleaner — “Remembering those who died in 2023” (Jan 8, 2024). The Gleaner’s year-end review gives the date of death as May 22; we follow the Observer’s same-day report.

Editor’s note: This story is part of an archive backfill covering Jamaican music news from 2022 to 2026. It is dated to the events it reports.