Still love you like that

One of the songs on my dance playlist is iNi Kamoze's Here Comes the Hotstepper. Hearing this as a child growing up, I thought hotstepper referred to someone with great dance moves (kind of like "footloose"). The lyrics in this song are genius to me. I was not surprised to learn that Kamoze was also an aspiring playwright, before his songs were finally heard and adopted by the mainstream.

"No, no we don't die, yes we multiply

Anyone test will hear the fat lady sing"

"Hey, start like a jackrabbit, finish in front of it

On the night is jack, that's it, understand?

I'm the daddy of the mack daddy His are left in gold, maybe

Ain't no homie gon' play me, top celebrity man"

These and other lyrics in the song express a feeling I think most Jamaicans have about their heritage. We are strong, we are invincible. We are 'lyrical gangstas' out in front of whatever field we choose to excel in. We are tricksters of those who would try to trick us.

I left the land of my birth in 2008, but Jamaica, I still love you like that. You're a beautiful sight, sound, and smell.