Minding My Own Jamaican Business.
Minding My Own Jamaican Business is a podcast hosted by Natalee Grant. It features Jamaican stories told from the perspective of a Jamaican woman. The show explores personal experiences, culture, and everyday life connected to Jamaica. Each episode offers an intimate, conversational look at the stories behind the host's perspective.
Episodes
Sun City
It was 1987 Lt.Stitchie's Wear yuh size was dominating the air waves, La Bamba was on the big screen in movie theatres, a loaf of bread in Kingston was $3.25 and my sister Annette was desperate to try to leave Big 9.
Brooklyn
It was 1987 Sis Nancy's Bam Bam was making it's rounds on sound systems in Jamaica. A beef patty was a $1 .50 and two men were jostling for Annette's baby.
Sunset
It was 1987 Steely and Cleve's Duck rhythm was resonating through the dancehall, Dirty Dancing was the number one movie, all the kids were playing street Fighter at the arcade and Big 9 welcomed Annette's baby.
Rukumbine
It was 1987 the Sleng teng rhythm had Jamaican DJs in a chokehold. Gregory Isaac's song "rumors"was playing everywhere , Oliver at large was the number one show on Jamaican TV and I learned the true meaning of rukumbine.
Derby
It was 1987 Red Dragon's ,"Hol a fresh" was playing everywhere, Roy Rayon won the festival song contest with "love Fever" and a baby was born in Big 9.
Charges
It was 1987, Mannequin was at the Carib Theatre, Tiger's song "Mi name Tiger" was playing on every Sound system in Kingston and my sister was labelled an 'informa' in Big 9.
Pineapple
It was 1987, Bob Marley's drummer Carlton Barrett was shot outside his home, Jody Watley's song "Looking for a New Love" was everywhere, Eddie Murphy dominated the box office with Beverly Hills Cop 2, and there was an attempted murder in Big 9.
Raffle
It was 1987 the first Starbucks outside the US opened in Vancouver, Lady saw began her rise in the Jamaican dancehall, Inner circle released the song Bad Boys and Big 9 exploded with news of Baby drama.
Run Down
It was 1987 , Whitney Houston's "I wanna dance with somebody" was playing everywhere.The first installment of Lethal Weapon starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover was in theaters, The JLP retained another term in power , Peter Tosh was murdered in his home and my sister caused a big scandal in Big 9.
Anansi Stories
It was 1987 ,"Under mi sleng teng " rhythm dominates Kingston and Mr.Hopeton's mother moves into Big 9.
Bethlehem
It was 1986, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister in England, the Chernobyl nuclear accident decimated three mile island, sci fi flick The Fly was in movie theaters in Jamaica , Boris Gardner had a hit with "I wanna wake up with you" and there was big trouble in Big nine.
Eulogy
It was 1986 'stand by me' was at the Carib Theatre, Barry G was playing Whitney Houston's 'How will I know' on RJR almost every day , torrential rains caused flooding in Kingston and another tragedy struck in Big 9.
Venus Fly trap
It was 1986, Police Academy 3 was at the Carib Theatre, Janet Jackson's "what have you done for me lately" was everywhere, In Kingston Brigadier Jerry's "Jamaica, Jamaica" was playing on every dancehall sound system, and our cousin Rosie had turned Big 9 upside down.
Samsonite Man
It was 1986 Calabar had just won Boys Champs, Beres Hammond's 'Groovy little thing' was playing on every sound system, 'we are the world'won a Grammy , the Haley's comet made an appearance and my family changed forever.
The Challenger
It was 1986 , Sophia George's hit song Girlie, girlie was playing on all radio stations, Ray Charles was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame and I witnessed The Challenger disaster.
Sookie
It was 1986, Pretty in Pink was in movie theaters, there was a flood that killed over 40 people in Jamaica, Aruba got its independence from Curacao and I found out what the word Lesbian means #Jamaica#Kingston#LGBTQ
Miss Molly
It was 1985 The color Purple was in movie theaters, Sukiyaki was being played by all Jamaican DJs, Jamaica stopped observing daylight savings time and tragedy struck in the Big 9 community yet again.
Kelvinator
It was 1985 and we were the only family in Big 9 who owned a fridge, a beat up old kelvinator. I learned the meaning of community through that old kelvinator.
Monkey Lotion
It was 1985 Tina turner's " what's love got to do with it" was playing on very radio station, Ava had left the community and monkey lotion was the phrase on everyone's lips.
Rock Hudson
It was 1985 , Roy Rayon had won the song contest again, Big 9 was gurgling with the news Ava had her baby and Rock Hudson had died.
Cutlass and Kas Kas
The cutlass has had a long history in Jamaica from the days of the Bucaneers to the days when sugar was king. There are 6 names for cutlass in Jamaica, and in the summer of 1985 in Big 9, I learned everything I needed to know about the cutlass.
Brown Girl in the ring
It was 1985, The Last Dragon was in movie theatres, Big 9 had new tenants, and my best friend wasn't talking to me.
Empty room
It was 1985, six months after Miss Monica left, and Mr Floral was looking for new tenants.
Claudette
My estranged sister comes home.
Chicken merry Hawk deh near
Annette's boyfriend meets his demise.
Waving gallery
745,000 Jamaicans migrated in the 1980s, and in 1985, a few months after the incident with Ava ,it was Miss Monica's turn.
Rain Ball
It was a rainy Sunday evening in 1985. The men on the corner decided to play football in the rain, and fate decided to play a game of its own.
Spanish Fly 2
Spanish Fly is a liquid which is said to be an aphrodisiac. Some men pour the liquid into an unsuspecting female drink and take advantage ...
Spanish Fly
It was 1985 my sister Annette had formed a friendship with Ava across the lane. Until something happened, something involving Spanish fly.
Back at ya!
Hiatus over! New episodes of Minding My Own Jamaicaan Business return this Friday, November 15!
Intermission
We are on a break until September 27, 2024.
TYS Episode 29 Tony Dread
I learned the truth about Tony Dread January in 1985, and other valuable lessons that I have carried with me since then.
TYS Episode 28 Cutie
Don't spare the rod and spoil the child is a saying often repeated by Jamaican parents. I wondered if that was why Cutie's uncle hurt her so badly. Sherry-Ann Moxie and I wondered what we could do to stop it.
TYS Episode 27 Sky Juice
1985 started with roadblocks and protests because of fuel hikes and The city of Kingston was brought to a standstill. I learned a lot from that uprising.
TYS- Episode 26 Bible and key
By Christmas 1984 Fitzroy was back and with him a whole slew of trouble.
TYS- Episode 25 seventy cents
Tragedy struck shortly after September morning in 1984 and Big 9 was shrouded in sadness.
TYS- Episode 24 Reading , writing and arithmetic
It was 1984 and I was starting grade 1, Big 9 was a toxic and turbulent environment, my parents were not on good terms and my sister Annette had swapped one bad boy for the next
TYS EPISODE 23 potpourri
After the police raid Big 9 became a potpourri of unhappiness.
TYS- episode 22 -tears and terror
In 1984, 354 civilians were killed by the police in Jamaica and Annette's actions could have made me casualty 355.
TYS- episode 21 - 38 Special
Annette's love for bad boys is affecting the whole family.
TYS episode 20- Mr, Babsy
Mysterious Mr,Babsy
TYS episode 19 -Coolie
After the their's visit a new tenant comes,: a woman who would prove to be my mother's greatest nemesis.
Tenement yard stories episode 18- ten stones
Why are children taught to listen and obey blindly? Sherry Ann and I find out the hard way to learn to ask questions.
Tenement yard Stories episode 17-Mr. Hopeton
Mr Hopeton always made claims and told stories.
Tenement yard stories Episode 16-Miss Millie
8 family members in one rented room.
Tenement yard stories episode 15_ Miss Marcia
She had two kids in a one room space. And we shared a verandah
Tenement yard stories Episode 14-Big 9
We moved from one tenement yard to another.
Tenement yard stories Episode 13- The move
We finally moved from Wellington Road, but did we go from one tenement yard to the next?
Tenement yard stories - Chinese cemetery
The chins laid to rest
Tenement Yard Stories Episode 11-Dim Sum
"Mr. Chin" in the Jamaican ghetto
Tenement yard stories episode 10-Jherri curls and drive bys
Drive by were common 0lace and politics rife.
Tenement yard stories part 9 - cow cod and chicken back
Our menu in that tenement yard was all throw-away parts, as we strugg.ed with new alliances.
Tenement Yard Stories Season 3 Episode 8- Bandulu
He wanted to leave us and return to The United States by any means necessary.
Tenement yard stories part 7 - Ash Wednesday
Straddling two religions hoping for a miracle
Tenement yard stories part 6- mango seed dolly
It was 1983 my sister Annette was 16 years old, my father was undocumented in New York and my mother struggled with us in a tenement yard in Kingston.
Tenement yard stories part 5- Peenie Wallie
How do you deal with changes?.
Tenement yard stories part 4- regret
Leroy was never the same after that beating...
Tenement yard stories - part 3 Leroy
I stood behind the fridge with a knife in my hands, my mother was in the hospital I didn't know where my father was and then.
Tenement yard stories part 2-Jungle
Four policemen armed with M-16 rifles threw my father into the back of the jeep was it the mad man who called them?
Tenement yard stories part 1
In 1981, we lived in a tenement yard on Wellington Road where my cousin was murdered and a man threatened to stab me in the eyes with an icepick.
Lights, junkanoo and grand market
Season 2 finale
Cerasee tea ramblings
Friendships over 40 and check out our youtube page , instagram and our daily journal on Amazon.
Pum pum
Objectification from birth to death
Jezebel
When women go bad....
Paradise plum
An interesting week for consumers in Jamaica
Rip Van Winkle
Deep issues...sleep issues. Does trauma keep you up at night?
Shield Maidens
Originally published 2/16/2022 Finding your inner strength...
What happens to our underwear when we die?
Death traditions in Jamaica and preparing for death.
Exodus
brain drain...
Gastric balloons and 3am bedtimes
how are you treating yourself?
Currently..
Current events yard and abroad
Orbits and optics
Staying in your lane,
Let them eat cake
Stepping away from upsetting events...
Ides of March
March 15th a date of endings and beginnings
Virago queens
Remembering strong women on International women's day.
Bye daddy
Dealing with loss
Selective memory
Ever wish you had selective memory?
Shhhhh.... don't tell them
Who do you share your dreams and goals with?
Insipid
Rape culture in Jamaica.
Backlash
Misplaced disappointment...
