Capture Rasta
Culture Lyrics


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Christopher Columbus, him come from Spain, sir
When him sail him ship, then him come ah Jamaica
Send go tell de Queen say him come-come discover
But when mi tek a stock, there was Red Indian

Him ah boooast - say him capture Rasta
Him gone-gone boooast - say him capture Rasta
Afterward mi check it out, him turn back ah Africa
Load the ship with human cargo
Come back and start to work up the cane field
Kill out the cassava and potato

An' ah boooast - say him capture Rasta (wha' im seh?)
An' ah boooast - say him capture Rasta

The next time they see him, them send fi the barber
Say that them come fi trim up the Rasta
Trim first and then them ask question
But when me tek a stock, ah Armageddon

Dem a boooast - say dem capture Rasta
An' start to boooast - say dem capture Rasta
(Heh! Watch dis!)

When mi tek a stock him come inna the land, sir
See mi ah Negril, grandfather Rasta
With mi grey beard and mi challwah
Him mash up the kutchie and him gon' ah Campion

Gone boooast, say him capture Rasta (what a sinting!)
Gone boooast, say him capture Rasta

The first semi-aircraft gun was made by
Carlton?? was a black American
And them tek it weh and gone mek M16
Give it to black man fi shoot one another

An' a boast, say dem capture Rasta
Dem a boast, say dem capture Rasta

If ah piece of cloth, why dem call it rattan?
Dolly an' lick-shot an' water pumpy
When mi tek a stock, that's not our unity
Among the children in our community

Dem a boast, say dem capture Rasta
Dem boast, say dem capture Rasta

Some black man say them drop off ah Trinidad
The other black man drop ah Antigua
The big stake them drop ah Jamaica
Because I and I, we come fi conquer

Dem cyann't boooast - say dem capture Rasta
Dem cannot boooast - say dem capture Rasta (yuh ah hear?)

Dis ya Rastaman him nuh licky dreadlocks
Dis ya Rastaman him nuh licky licky dreadlocks
Den can't catch me wid no rice and peas and meat, sir
When me come me come, de Rasta cook him ital





Dem cyaan't boast, say dem capture Rasta
Dem cannot boast, say dem capture Rasta

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Capture Rasta" by Culture speak about the history of colonization and its impact on Jamaica and its people. The song begins by referring to Christopher Columbus, who is credited with discovering Jamaica but, in reality, the land was inhabited by the indigenous people of the island. However, Columbus returned and captured Africans forcing them into slavery, killing their crops and taking over the land.


The lyrics also refer to the common practice of colonizers boasting about capturing the local people, including Rastafarians, who became the target of ridicule and discrimination even after they had been freed from slavery. The song also touches on issues of unity and the struggle among black people to come together and build a community, despite colonization's effects.


The song concludes with a strong message of resistance and self-reliance, rejecting the stereotypes and expectations of the colonizers. The artist refuses to be caught by their traps and instead asserts their independence and pride in their culture.


Overall, "Capture Rasta" is a powerful commentary on the impact of colonization on Jamaica and its people, as well as a reminder of the importance of unity and self-determination in the face of oppression.


Line by Line Meaning

Christopher Columbus, him come from Spain, sir
Christopher Columbus was a Spanish explorer


When him sail him ship, then him come ah Jamaica
He sailed his ship to Jamaica


Send go tell de Queen say him come-come discover
He informed the queen that he discovered a new land


But when mi tek a stock, there was Red Indian
But upon further examination, there were Indigenous people living there already


Him ah boooast - say him capture Rasta
He bragged about capturing Rastafarians


Him gone-gone boooast - say him capture Rasta
He continued to brag about capturing Rastafarians


Afterward mi check it out, him turn back ah Africa
Later on, it was discovered that Columbus went back to Africa


Load the ship with human cargo
He loaded the ship with enslaved people


Come back and start to work up the cane field
He returned and began to work on sugar cane plantations


Kill out the cassava and potato
He destroyed crops like cassava and potato


An' ah boooast - say him capture Rasta (wha' im seh?)
And he continued to brag about capturing Rastafarians


The next time they see him, them send fi the barber
The next time they saw him, they called for a barber


Say that them come fi trim up the Rasta
They came to cut the hair of the Rastafarians


Trim first and then them ask question
They cut their hair first and asked questions later


But when me tek a stock, ah Armageddon
But when they looked deeper, it was a disaster


Dem a boooast - say dem capture Rasta
They were bragging about capturing Rastafarians


An' start to boooast - say dem capture Rasta
And they continued to brag about capturing Rastafarians


When mi tek a stock him come inna the land, sir
Upon closer inspection, Columbus arrived on the land


See mi ah Negril, grandfather Rasta
The singer identifies themselves as a Rastafarian from Negril


With mi grey beard and mi challwah
The artist has a grey beard and is wise


Him mash up the kutchie and him gon' ah Campion
Columbus destroyed their belongings and went to a new place called Campion


Gone boooast, say him capture Rasta (what a sinting!)
He's gone and is still bragging about capturing Rastafarians, which is ridiculous!


The first semi-aircraft gun was made by
The first semi-automatic rifle was made by


Carlton?? was a black American
Carlton?? was an African-American


And them tek it weh and gone mek M16
And someone took the idea and made it into the M16 rifle


Give it to black man fi shoot one another
And they gave it to black people to use to kill each other


An' a boast, say dem capture Rasta
And they are still bragging about capturing Rastafarians


Dem a boast, say dem capture Rasta
They are boasting about capturing Rastafarians


If ah piece of cloth, why dem call it rattan?
If it's just a piece of cloth, why is it given such a derogatory name?


Dolly an' lick-shot an' water pumpy
These are all terms for guns


When mi tek a stock, that's not our unity
Upon closer inspection, these terms don't represent unity within their community


Among the children in our community
These terms are affecting the children in their community


Dem a boast, say dem capture Rasta
They're bragging about capturing Rastafarians


Dem boast, say dem capture Rasta
They keep boasting about capturing Rastafarians


Some black man say them drop off ah Trinidad
Some black men say they were forcibly brought to Trinidad


The other black man drop ah Antigua
Others were brought to Antigua


The big stake them drop ah Jamaica
The largest number of enslaved people were forcibly brought to Jamaica


Because I and I, we come fi conquer
Rastafarians came to conquer oppression and reclaim their identity


Dem cyann't boooast - say dem capture Rasta
They cannot boast about capturing Rastafarians


Dem cannot boooast - say dem capture Rasta (yuh ah hear?)
They are not allowed to boast about capturing Rastafarians (do you hear me?)


Dis ya Rastaman him nuh licky dreadlocks
This Rastafarian doesn't have neat dreadlocks


Dis ya Rastaman him nuh licky licky dreadlocks
This Rastafarian doesn't have perfectly maintained dreadlocks


Den can't catch me wid no rice and peas and meat, sir
They can't fool me with plain, unseasoned food


When me come me come, de Rasta cook him ital
I come prepared, the Rastafarian will cook their vegan food


Dem cyaan't boast, say dem capture Rasta
They cannot boast about capturing Rastafarians


Dem cannot boast, say dem capture Rasta
They are not allowed to boast about capturing Rastafarians




Writer(s): Joseph Hill Copyright: Happy Valley Music O.B.O. Tafari Music/Joseph Hill

Contributed by Grayson E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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dawu

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