I’m at a point in my life where I have to speak the truth as I see it. I can’t afford to sugarcoat reality or pretend that things aren’t as bad as they really are. For me to hold back my observations would be to do myself a disservice, and I refuse to live in denial.
Now, I haven’t traveled the entire world, and I don’t claim to be an expert on every culture, every race, or every nation. But what I do know—what I’ve seen firsthand—I have every right to speak on. And what I want to say today is something that many have thought but have been too afraid to say out loud:
What in the hell happened to Jamaican people?
Let me be clear before I go any further: I am not talking about all Jamaicans. I understand that there are still good, hardworking, morally upright people from the island. But the majority that I have encountered in recent times—both on the island and in the diaspora—are not what they used to be.
And before anyone accuses me of “bashing” Jamaica, let’s get one thing straight—I have Jamaican blood running through my veins. My father was a proud Jamaican, and he raised me with the values of his culture, even though I was born in America. I grew up in the Jamaican community, surrounded by the traditions, the discipline, and the pride that once defined what it meant to be Jamaican.
But what I saw as I got older was a shift—something wasn’t the same anymore. The values I had been raised with, the discipline, the pride, and the sense of community were starting to erode. I watched as materialism, foreign influences, and political corruption took a stronger grip on the culture. It wasn’t just about the music changing or the younger generation adopting different attitudes; it was deeper than that.
I started to notice how people were being conditioned to accept dysfunction as normal. I saw how crime and violence were becoming more commonplace, and instead of addressing the root causes, the response was often to either ignore it, glorify it, or find a way to profit from it. The strong sense of unity that had once existed among Jamaicans was being replaced by division—socially, economically, and even within families.
That awareness shaped my worldview. It made me look deeper into systems of control, whether in Jamaica, America, or anywhere else in the world. I knew early on that I couldn’t just accept what was being fed to me, whether through the media, the education system, or the streets. I developed an instinct to question things, to analyze them for myself rather than just taking them at face value.
That’s when law enforcement officers started approaching me, telling me I had the right mindset, the discipline, and the physical ability to be an asset to their teams. They told me straight up: “We’ve been watching you, and we know you would make a great addition to our team.” They wanted me to go into SWAT after observing my skills at the corrections department academy. I was flattered because it was very rare that they would approach anyone like this. But I didn’t want to go that route. I didn’t want to become a law enforcement officer because I already knew how the system worked.
But when this idiotic Jamaican chatterbox of an annoyance told me, with such pride, that he was a “gunman” in Jamaica, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted. Is this what it has come to? Is this what many of them are proud of now? Instead of striving for excellence, self-improvement, or community upliftment, they brag about being criminals? WOW. Any old fool can shot a gun while never having the training to truly master the craft. But then again, collective low self esteem will cause one to lie about just about anything.
There was a time when Jamaicans took pride in their intelligence, work ethic, and culture. They were known for their resourcefulness and resilience. But now, it seems like a huge chunk of the population has lost its moral compass.
So, let’s break this down.
The Descent Into Darkness: What Happened to the Jamaican People?
I’m not here to sugarcoat anything. What I’m about to say might upset some people, but I don’t care. The truth has to be spoken. Jamaica has become a nation riddled with crime, disrespect, and a severe lack of moral integrity. And while I know this doesn’t apply to every single Jamaican, it applies to far too many.
Once upon a time, Jamaicans were known for their discipline, strong family values, and unwavering pride. They worked hard, they dressed with dignity, and they carried themselves with self-respect. Today? The streets of Jamaica are filled with violence, greed, and self-hate.
Murder, Crime, and Lawlessness
Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates in the world. That’s not an opinion—that’s a fact. The bloodshed is out of control. Innocent people, including children and the elderly, are being killed over petty disputes, jealousy, and senseless acts of violence.
Not long ago, a well-respected woman, a retired nurse who spent decades working in America, returned home to enjoy her retirement. She built a house in Jamaica, believing she could finally live out her golden years in peace. What happened? She was murdered. Slaughtered. By her own people. And for what? Some small change and a few household items?
This is the reality. Jamaica is no longer a place of warmth and hospitality—it has become a death trap for its own citizens.
The men who should be the protectors of the community are the ones wreaking havoc. They have no loyalty, no brotherhood, no honor. They kill for sport. They rob their own. They terrorize the elderly who once nurtured them.
What happened to the village raising the child? Now, the child grows up to kill the village.
The Death of Respect and Morality
Jamaicans used to be some of the most respectful and well-mannered people. You wouldn’t dare curse in front of an elder. You wouldn’t dare act out of line in front of your community. But today? There’s no respect left.
The younger generation doesn’t care. They curse, they fight, they indulge in the lowest of behaviors, and they don’t care who’s watching. Social media has become a platform for them to showcase their filth.
I came across two young Jamaican women on TikTok recently. They weren’t just cursing—they were aggressively demanding money from men in exchange for sex, describing in detail the vile acts they were willing to perform. The way they spoke… soulless, dead eyes, no sense of life in them. It was demonic.
This isn’t entertainment. This isn’t “freedom.” This is self-destruction.
Envy, Jealousy, and the Crabs-in-a-Barrel Mentality
One of the most dangerous traits I’ve seen in modern-day Jamaicans is the overwhelming spirit of envy. They don’t just want to see you fail—they actively work to destroy you.
If you’re doing well, they want to smear your name. If you succeed, they want to bring you down. Instead of looking at a successful person and feeling inspired, they feel hatred. Instead of asking, “How can I learn from this?” they ask, “How can I ruin this?”
Where did this deep-rooted self-hate come from?
Jamaicans used to uplift one another. Now, they’d rather see their own brother or sister fall than celebrate their success. The level of backstabbing and betrayal among their own people is sickening.
Who is to Blame?
Many will point to outside forces—colonialism, slavery, systemic oppression. And while those factors absolutely played a role in Jamaica’s history, at some point, we have to take accountability for ourselves.
Jamaicans are not producing guns, yet they’re murdering each other with them at an alarming rate.
Jamaicans are not being forced to disrespect their elders, yet they do it anyway.
Jamaicans are not being forced to engage in pure filth and vulgarity on social media, yet they embrace it proudly.
At what point do we stop blaming external forces and start holding ourselves accountable?
Is There Any Hope?
Despite all of this, I still believe that there are good Jamaicans out there. I know there are people trying to make a difference. I know there are Jamaicans who still carry the old-school values, who still believe in integrity, respect, and hard work.
But they are outnumbered.
For Jamaica to change, there needs to be a spiritual, mental, and cultural revolution. The youth need guidance. The families need to be restored. The communities need to regain their sense of dignity.
But will it happen? Or is it too late?
Final Thoughts
I am not writing this to bash Jamaica. I love Jamaica. My bloodline comes from Jamaica. But I cannot sit here and pretend that things are okay when they are not. I am speaking the truth because the truth needs to be heard.
If you are Jamaican and you are offended by this, ask yourself why. Is it because I’m lying? Or is it because I’m exposing a reality you don’t want to face?
Jamaicans must wake up before it’s too late. The land is being destroyed from within. If the people don’t change, Jamaica will be nothing but a memory of what it once was—a beautiful island that lost its soul.
