Technology has changed things, same as everywhere. But the economy has changed drastically. When Jamaica first won independence, our dollar was stronger than the U.S. dollar. Now ours is about 90 to one. That's had a big impact on crime and poverty.

Nas is someone who can communicate with the streets and can still keep it real in terms of being human, he doesn't try to be this super perfect person, but has respect for his history and for his ancestors and for spirituality. So Nas always displayed that in his music, while at the same time keeping it hard and something that you can relate to.

Everyone is related to Africa; everyone comes from Africa. We are all distant relatives.

Politicians need to stop the violence because it has become a way of life in Jamaica. It's the thing to do - be violent in Jamaica.

In Jamaica, them always have throwback riddims, recycled old beats, and the hardcore reggae scene is always present. You have faster stuff like the more commercialized stuff, but you always have that segment of music that is always from the core, from the original root of it. This year, you have seen a lot of it explode on the international scene. It's great. People are looking for something different. Maybe there was too much of one thing, and now they're looking for something fresh.

Music is not like sports, where you can go and do a hundred reps in a gym and come out and be all buffed up.

Technology has changed things, same as everywhere. But the economy has changed drastically. When Jamaica first won independence, our dollar was stronger than the U.S. dollar. Now ours is about 90 to one. That's had a big impact on crime and poverty.