America Owes More To Jamaica Than Most People Realize 🇯🇲🇺🇸

[00:00:00]I just saw someone online say that one of the reasons why they pulled raster mouse off of air this cartoon was because children started speaking in a Jamaican accent in the UK. English kids started speaking bad. So bless her Julie the mom. She's got Tommy. Do you want beans? And he goes Ellie. Where is your parents evening slip? Yeah. A real and do you know?

[00:00:24]Okay.

[00:00:25]>> Brothers and sisters, let me ask you something. How does a country with less than 3 million people influence a country with more than 300 million?

[00:00:35]Seriously, that sounds impossible, right? Yet, after researching this topic, I actually realized something incredible.

[00:00:45]Jamaica didn't try to conquer America with money or politics or military power. It did something much harder. So guys, please let's subscribe, tune in and watch this until the end and I'll be back with more commentary. Full credit goes to the original creators of these videos. Thank you.

[00:01:03]>> So if a [ __ ] talk [ __ ] cuz I learned how to talk [ __ ] in Jamaica say lift up.

[00:01:07]Lift up off me pom pom me dear. Lift up off me pom pom. Lift up. Lift up off me pom pom bomb.

[00:01:16]Lift up.

[00:01:18]Lift up me dear off me pom pom. Lift up.

[00:01:23]And then if you want to throw some Nigeria in here, say I beg. Lift up off me. Poo poo my dear. I beg. They going to be like, where the [ __ ] is this [ __ ] from? Jamaica, [ __ ] Nigeria. What the [ __ ] [ __ ] Yeah, we we learning it all. I'm learn Pas. Shout out to Star.

[00:01:39]Did I say it right though? I SAID I TELL them girl lift up. Lift up off of me.

[00:01:44]Poo poo >> Jamaicans and like reggae and that influenced the whole world personally.

[00:01:50]Like I think a lot of >> culture that has come from over there.

[00:01:55]>> You get me?

[00:01:57]>> Even the way the man them dress and that from like in bridge everyone's loud like super loud like you get me. That's a yard man thing.

[00:02:10]>> Yes. Smoke backward. Only smoke forward backward in life. You're supposed to go forward.

[00:02:18]>> You understand? Never never understand me. Only over stand >> over >> potato. I'm just playing. Potato.

[00:02:26]>> Irish.

[00:02:31][laughter] There's no way that you go to the restaurant.

[00:02:38]What sides would you like with that ma'am? Grown Parisian and Irish. Irish.

[00:02:44][laughter] Let me get a B.

[00:02:48]You can say potato or Irish piece of Irish piece of them Irish. The Irish them >> Irish potato.

[00:02:57]>> He said Mr. Potato Head. Mr. Irish right here. [laughter] You really just call it an Irish? Come on. Come [laughter] on. JAMAICA.

[00:03:10]JAMAICA.

[00:03:12][laughter] If you It's from Rebecca. You call a potato a Irish. [laughter] Irish head.

[00:03:20]Mrs. Irish. [laughter] The thing that goes on top of um cupcakes. Icing.

[00:03:28]>> Icing.

[00:03:33]You throw it in in there. Icing or frosting.

[00:03:37]>> Frosting.

[00:03:38]>> I like that one. Can y'all give me um a cupcake with some vanilla fries?

[00:03:44]Not icing.

[00:03:48][laughter] >> Black culture in South Florida is really just Jamaican and Haitian culture. Black culture in South Florida is really just Jamaican and Haitian culture. a little bit of Trinity, a little bit of Trinidadian and a little bit of things that we may have uh adopted from our Hispanic and Latino counterparts, but for the most part, black culture in South Florida is just Haitian and Jamaican culture. You want to know how I know?

[00:04:17]For things if you live in South Florida for Thanksgiving, what do you have? What do you have at your Thanksgiving dinner?

[00:04:25]Sometimes we don't even have turkey. And if and if you're Haitian, it's not the regular turkey. You have there's like two types of turkeys that H three types of turkeys that Haitians make. It's a spicy turkey and then like you have the fried turkey and then you have the stew turkey, right? But if you're Jamaican, sometimes you don't even have turkey.

[00:04:49]But the typical American meal is turkey.

[00:04:52]You have curry chicken. You have rice and peas. You have curry goats, fried chicken, and Jamaican food.

[00:05:01]Thanksgiving is an American holiday. But in South Florida, we celebrate it a different way. And that's my point when I say that cultures come from other cultures because even though we are celebrating an American holiday, we are celebrating it with Caribbean food. And 100red years from now, our our descendants are going to celebrate it the same way or in a similar way.

[00:05:31]>> Jamaicans are all over the US, [music] but here are the top 10 states where yachtis call home. Number 10, Pennsylvania. Philly and Allentown have been seeing more and more Jamaicans moving in and building community. Number nine, California. [music] The west coast vibes link well with island culture, especially in LA and the Bay Area. Number eight, Massachusetts.

[00:05:51][music] Boston holds a strong Caribbean presence with plenty of Jamaican pride. Number seven, Texas. Jamaicans are showing up big in Houston and Dallas, building businesses and bringing the culture.

[00:06:04]Number six, Maryland. Especially in Prince George's County and Baltimore, Jamaicans are deep in the mix. Number five, Connecticut. Hartford and Bridgeport are full of yard style flavor and community strength. Number four, New Jersey. From Newark to East Orange, the Jamaican flag flies high. Number [music] three, Georgia. Atlanta's Caribbean scene is growing fast, and Jamaicans are leading the way. Number [music] two, Florida. South Florida feels like mini Jamaica with non-stop culture and events. And number one, New York, Brooklyn, [music] Bronx, Queens, the original Jamaican hub in the US. What states do you think are missing? Leave your thoughts below.

[00:06:43]>> Let me give you Jamaicans don't have a culture. When you say the country Jamaica, no, there's no identifiable as a culture. The Rastapharians have a culture. Now, let me explain what I my worldview. The Rastapharians worldview is that men were put on earth to take care of nature. Okay? That wealth you have to create more than consume. So, they live a frugal life. So, politically they are pacifist. They will never go to war. Socially, they're communal and what we call epicuran. They believe getting high, eat some food and have deep conversation is what life is about. And then religiously they are Rastapharians.

[00:07:15]Hippies are the western version of Arastapharians. They also had a worldview and that dictated their relationship with wealth. I was in a group called PA Militia and Pimp was in a group with Mitchell Queen and they were the original version of UGK. We combined those two groups and created a group called 4BM which for black ministers and the whole thing about it was making reggae music over I mean making gangster music over reggae music over ru so the original version to tell me of um cocaine in the back of the ride is a Bob Marley song >> really >> but Rita wouldn't clear it because we were talking about cocaine and she said Bob like cocaine you want to do weed she like you want to do weed in the Right.

[00:08:00]In the car, but mom don't like cocaine.

[00:08:02]So, you can't use Bob's music to represent cocaine.

[00:08:05]>> I I get it. I didn't even know that. I didn't either.

[00:08:08]>> Yeah. But but that was the whole thing of us creating like a whole album of music, you know, gangster street music, but built around reggae cuz we were big reggae. I'm a huge Steel Pulse fan. You know what I'm saying? So, and Cal Plus was actually, you know, regg especially dance hall had a very strong movement in Houston from like I would say 90 to about 94, [music] >> right? It was very very dominant in the city of Houston. Our hottest club in the city at the time we were making music was called Jamaica Jamaica.

[00:08:44]>> It was called Jamaica Jamaica, right?

[00:08:46]And I was the best club in the city. And you would go there and they play reggae music all night. And then they would do a rap set >> for like 45 minutes for an hour and then get right back to the reggae. But we liked it. It was a cool vibe. It was chill. They had pool tables in there, you know, and women dance different to reggae, Jamaican women specifically. We a problem with it, but it was a cool place for everybody to congregate, you know, and and so no, Jamaican music and Jamaican culture has always been prevalent in Houston. even still is now to me because even um I think they have a reggae or reggae concert that they do every year. Ever since I've been here and I've been in the states 20 21 years and I've always heard everybody from Dallas who I know Jamaicanwise, Caribbean wise go to Houston and pack this place out for this concert and it comes once a year and it's always like the biggest thing.

[00:09:38]>> No, there's a lot of Jamaican influence in the city of Houston too. Yeah. No, for sure. It's always been represented in the city of Houston and Houstononians know, right? Especially people from my generation. Like you saw real Jamaicans in the club, not not like people that grew dread. No, no, not just people that grew like real rosters. You know >> what are you doing here?

[00:10:03]>> What do you >> mine? After me. [laughter] After me.

[00:10:12]Where are you going?

[00:10:15]Where y'all go?

[00:10:17]>> Where y'all go?

[00:10:18]>> Where y'all go? Girl, what are you saying?

[00:10:21]>> Why did you call me? Oh, what you call me for? [laughter] >> Come back here. COME BACK YOURSELF. I DIDN'T SAY THAT RIGHT, did I?

[00:10:31]>> No, you did not.

[00:10:32]>> Wait, how do I say it? Come back yourself.

[00:10:34]>> Come back yourself.

[00:10:36]>> Come back yourself.

[00:10:38]Why are you so aggressive at the end?

[00:10:40]>> Look here. Look y'all. Wait. No, I didn't say that right.

[00:10:44]>> You did.

[00:10:45]>> See me here. Wait. No, I'm not saying that one. Look at this. Look this.

[00:10:52]Look.

[00:10:54][laughter] Me mother. Me father.

[00:11:00][laughter] Me girlfriend.

[00:11:02]I mean pney.

[00:11:06]He got himself dirty and not stab himself. [laughter] [laughter] What a pretty girl.

[00:11:20]Put away pretty. [laughter] >> Let's go over there. Make we wait. Make we go over there. So, what is that?

[00:11:32]>> It's mech, not me.

[00:11:34]>> Me. Me. We go over there. That's all.

[00:11:36]What? What is that? Oh, what that?

[00:11:40][laughter] There he is. See him there? See him there? [laughter] Hey, y'all know what's my favorite Jamaican American translation? When Americans said, "Don't piss me off." My love when Jamaican people say, "Um, lady, don't upset me." Like, it's equivalent to, "Don't piss me off. Don't upset me."

[00:12:04]here like why murder >> manda the only reason why I'm still surviving in America the only reason >> is why >> Jamaican food >> oh my god >> Jamaican food >> Jamaican food with good company oh my god only reason Hi head in your sp who you think you talking to with >> ramp with >> ramp is play you playing with me we are ramp with >> I can't wait >> you have to look up and down >> I can't wait to use that on my future children with couldn't be me cuz I'm >> [laughter] >> I remember that one.

[00:13:07]>> Yeah.

[00:13:26]>> This sounds Asian.

[00:13:30]I I I add for you two plus two on my calculator.

[00:13:34]>> I add for you on my calculator.

[00:13:39]>> You know when people have kangles, you know, that's all I heard.

[00:13:44][clears throat] >> Why you put an N in there?

[00:13:49]>> I just thought it's there.

[00:13:52]calculator.

[00:13:53]>> I was sitting here thinking about how lucky I am to come from a Jamaican family, but to also be immersed in the black American culture. Two of the best cultures to ever exist. Like if I die and come back again, I want to be placed back in [clears throat] these same exact cultures. That combo, Jamaican and American chef.

[00:14:18]>> Welcome back everyone. So today we are actually reacting to something I don't think enough people appreciate. Whenever people think about American culture, they imagine Hollywood, you know, Silicon Valley, fast food, Wall Street.

[00:14:33]But quietly, another culture has been making its way into American life for decades, Jamaican culture. And once you start noticing it, you can't unsee it. Let's start with music. Honestly, this is where everything begins. Bob Mali didn't simply become a Jamaican legend. He became a global icon. Regga crossed oceans. Then dance hall exploded.

[00:15:04]Today you can hear Jamaican influence in hip-hop, pop, afro beats. You know, every country collaborations.

[00:15:13]American artists have sampled Jamaican rhythms, worked with Jamaican producers and borrowed dancel energy for years.

[00:15:21]You know, sometimes people don't even realize where the sound came from.

[00:15:27]That's how powerful influence becomes.

[00:15:31]You know, as someone from Kenya, this actually made me laugh because growing up, we actually listened to reggae.

[00:15:38]Americans listened to reggae. Europeans listened to reggae. Suddenly I realized Jamaica somehow managed to become everybody's neighbor without sharing a border with any of us. And I find that very incredible.

[00:15:56]Let's talk about the food. You know, walk through series like New York, Miami, Atlanta, Houston or even smaller American towns. Jack chicken restaurants, Caribbean food trucks, you know, Jamaican bakeries, beef parties, you know, they are everywhere. People aren't eating Jamaican food because someone told them to. They are eating it because it's delicious and they choose to eat it. Culture often enters through the stomach before it reaches the mind.

[00:16:27]Then, of course, there is language. This one actually surprised me. Think about how many Americans casually say things like big up I you know or recognize Jamaican PWA from music and movies. Language actually travels in funny ways. One catchy song, one viral video, one unforgettable movie.

[00:16:52]Suddenly, words that began on a small Caribbean island become part [clears throat] of conversations thousands of miles away. Personally, I think sports deserves much more credit. Imagine being an American child watching Usain Bolt.

[00:17:10]You don't see a Jamaican, you see greatness, you see confidence, you see joy. An entire generation of young athletes actually grow up inspired by someone from an island with fewer people than many American cities. That's actually influence.

[00:17:29]Fashion is also another thing. Raster colors, you know, Caribbean inspired clothing, island hairstyles, even luxury brands have borrowed Jamaican inspired aesthetics over the years. People aren't simply copying a look. They are embracing an attitude, freedom, confidence, authenticity. Now, of course, let's talk about movies and television. How many American films include regga music? How many documentaries feature Jamaica? How many travel shows dream about visiting the island? Even when Jamaica isn't the main character, its culture quietly appears the background.

[00:18:13]Little by little it actually becomes familiar and familiarity becomes influence. Now of course let's be honest this doesn't mean America is becoming Jamaica. Of course not. American culture remains diverse to and influential. This isn't about replacing one culture with another. It's about enrichment.

[00:18:33]Great cultures don't erase each other.

[00:18:35]They inspire each other. One thing I admire most about Jamaica is that it never tried to become someone else.

[00:18:44]Never. It never said, "Hey, let's copy America." Instead, Jamaica perfected what made Jamaica unique. The music, the food, the language, the personality, the confidence. Ironically, that's exactly what made America pay attention. You know what this actually reminds me of?

[00:19:05]Imagine walking into a party. One person tries desperately to get everyone's attention. Another simply enjoys themselves. They laugh naturally.

[00:19:15]They're being themselves. They're telling good stories.

[00:19:19]They It makes people feel welcome. By the end of the night, guess who everyone remembers?

[00:19:26]I think Jamaica is that second person.

[00:19:29]It never forced its culture onto the world. people invited it in. Maybe that's why Jamaica's culture is quietly taking over America. Not because it's louder or because it's richer, but because it's authentic. The authentic culture has something fake culture never will. A soul and people recognize soul even when they don't know where it came from. Now, of course, guys, that's all from me. I'd love to hear from you.

[00:20:00]What's the biggest way you've seen Jamaican culture influence America? You know, music, food, language, sports, or something else, or is it everything combined? Thank you for watching. Just leave your thoughts in the comments.

[00:20:14]Always just don't be shy. Just always drop your thought in the comments. Guys, as always, subscribe, enable notifications because I'll be back with more conversations. Thank you.