It may have just been a clever use of satire for social engagement in 2019 when up-and-coming recording artiste Icekoolio (now popularly known as Shalam) released a viral hit questioning Jamaica’s love and loyalty for fast food giant KFC. However, after chaotic scenes unfolded islandwide on Wednesday as the popular eatery celebrated its 50th anniversary with free chicken deals, the question of “Weh Di Bwoy Put Inna Di Chicken?” is even more fitting.

The song gained new wings on Wednesday as scores of social media posts used snippets of the track to accompany videos of long lines at KFC locations islandwide.

Scores of customers flocked to the popular fast-food restaurants to cash in on their one-day-only Big Deal promotion. In celebration of their five-decade-long local operations, KFC Jamaica offered customers the chance to score a two-piece meal free with the purchase of a three-piece Big Deal.

With a five-meal limit per customer, that meant each person could access up to 10 free pieces of chicken and five additional drinks with each purchase. That was enough to get customers out from as early as 3:00 am, hours before restaurants were scheduled to open at 10:00 am.

With his phone pinging off the hook all day on Wednesday as individuals shared edited videos of KFC customers, Shalam said the chicken craze came as no surprise.

The entertainer said he could be dubbed a prophet of sorts as he predicted this frenzy a few years prior.

“Memba mi ask long time ‘a weh di bwoy put inna di chicken ennu’, so di madness out there nuh surprising. Memba mi tell unnu long time say anuh nothing normal inna di chicken, and Jamaica get tie long time. It worse now yuh go give dem little freeness; it extra. Di ‘mount a video weh mi get from all bout, a craziness ennu,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “A test dem a test the waters, man, fi see if di loyalty still deh deh and mi nah tell no lie, it’s still in full effect.”

Using Vybz Kartel’s Freedom Street concert as his crowd marker, Shalam expressed that the ‘free chicken’ turnout far exceeded that of any huge entertainment event.

“Not even Kartel concert did full so. People did not even go to work. Dem call in sick. Is like a Christmas out deh; big holiday, international KFC Day,” he said.

Shalam, highlighting the popularity of his hit, said he believes he should have been an integral part of the restaurant’s 50th-anniversary entertainment package. He said having been the only entertainer brave enough to question KFC’s chokehold on the Jamaican populace, he deserved to have his moment in the spotlight to perform what has now become an anthem.

“When you think ‘bout dem long lines deh and wah really take place, an’ only one song come to mind, and dat a Weh Di Bwoy Put Inna Di Chicken?” he said. “As mi say, the amount a video mi get wid people a share di craziness wid my song, mi should deh pan dem line-up fi perform all ‘bout but dem still a go ‘round me. But as long as KFC a reign this song haffi reign too. It’s a classic at this stage.”

Nonetheless, Shalam offered congratulations to KFC on their special anniversary saying its hold on Jamaica is nothing normal.

“Big up KFC same way still, because a di people dem place. Unnu see dat fi unu self. Dem come out strong fi KFC and di culture because dem say a we have the best chicken inna di world. Mi give thanks because mi song buss again,” Shalam said with excitement.

Recording artiste Shalam