Ini Kamoze

Ini Kamoze (born 9 October 1957 in Port Maria, St. Mary, Jamaica) is one of the few raggamuffin performers to have been successful both in roots reggae and the modern style.

. By 1988, however, Kamoze had effectively disappeared from the music scene following lukewarm reactions to his intermittent releases.


In 1994, Kamoze burst back onto the scene with a harder sound and the song which would become his signature - "Here Comes The Hotstepper". Adopting his nickname from the song title, Kamoze would become known as the "Hotstepper", from the Patois for a man on the run from the law. The infectious song found its way onto several soundtracks, including the fashion-industry satire, "Prêt-à-Porter". The resulting video featured a much more solid Kamoze and the obligatory scantily-clad women for this genre of music. "Hotstepper" still remains one of dancehall's more well-known hits, with its call-and-response chorus of "Here come de hotstepper - MURDERER (often misheard as "Word it up") - I'm de lyrical gangsta - MURDERER" lighting up clubs worldwide. "Here Comes The Hotstepper" remains Kamoze's only US #1 hit (see Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1994).