When you see it on TV, Jamaica looks like an idyllic place, but that’s not really the case. Calling it by its nickname, Proto shows love for his homeland, but hesitates not to paint the picture of its grim underbelly. From his website:
JA, I like to call this one the new anthem…or at least another...
[Intro]
(Just try!)
They never gonna love you (T-T! T-T-Try!)
They never gonna love you (T-T-Try!)
They never gonna love you (T-T T-T-Try! Try)
Protoje ay ay ay (Try! T-T! Corleon T-T-Try!)
Protoje ay ay ay (T-T! T-T-T-Try!)
(T-T! T-T-Try!)
[Bridge]
They never gonna love you JA like I love you JA-ay-ay-ay
They never gonna need you like I need you
That's why I'll be stay-ay-ay-aying
And no me naa go leff you for another land
That's not my plan
Not my plan
[Chorus]
(Try!)
Even though the times get hard
And the mindset hard, no mi can't lef' yard (Me a try!)
Even though the body dem a pile and the gun dem a oil
Can't leff offa me soil (Just try!)
Even though the times get rough now and life get snuff out
Dem things we a tough out (Try!)
Tell them say no matter what a talk and no matter what a spark
Yow a yah so a me heart
[Verse 1]
I never been a shotta but I seen a shotta
Meet a meaner shotta and get shot up by a senior shotta
Seen a mother seen her son, dead a ground, Glock around
Nuh know say that a come
She need a shot a rum
No need no doctor come pronounce him gone
Him done seem calm, the shotta shift him ounce and gone
And if him touch the route again
The dead yute him have a group o' friends
Weh buss it like a JUTA man
And them a (Try!)
[Chorus]
Even though the times get hard
And the mindset hard, no mi can't lef' yard (Me a try!)
Even though the body dem a pile and the gun dem a oil
Can't leff offa me soil (Just try!)
Even though the times get rough now and life get snuff out
Dem things we a tough out (Try!)
Tell them say no matter what a talk and no matter what a spark
Yow a yah so a me heart
[Verse 2]
I never been a fedi but I seen a fedi
Take a piece o' evidence and plant it pon di scene already
Me see them kill seven youth out deh
Never shoot out deh
Execution, a so them do it out deh
A that me hear a echo round the ghetto
Hear it from a distant hill, response still
Get an instant chill when infants die
When them drive by in an instance I
And things start fly and them a (Try!)
[Chorus]
Even though the times get hard
And the mindset hard, no mi can't lef' yard (Me a try!)
Even though the body dem a pile and the gun dem a oil
Can't leff offa me soil (Just try!)
Even though the times get rough now and life get snuff out
Dem things we a tough out (Try!)
Tell them say no matter what a talk and no matter what a spark
Yow a yah so a me heart
[Bridge]
They never gonna love you JA like I love you JA-ay-ay-ay
They never gonna need you like I need you
That's why I'll be stay-ay-ay-aying
And no me naa go leff you for another land
That's not my plan
Not my plan
[Chorus]
(Try!)
Even though the times get hard
And the mindset hard, no mi can't lef' yard (Me a try!)
Even though the body dem a pile and the gun dem a oil
Can't leff offa me soil (Just try!)
Even though the times get rough now and life get snuff out
Dem things we a tough out (Try!)
Tell them say no matter what a talk and no matter what a spark
Yow a yah so a me heart
[Repeat Verse 1]
I never been a shotta but I seen a shotta
Meet a meaner shotta and get shot up by a senior shotta
Seen a mother seen her son, dead a ground, Glock around
Nuh know say that a come
She need a shot a rum
No need no doctor come pronounce him gone
Him done seem calm, the shotta shift him ounce and gone
And if him touch the route again
The dead yute him have a group o' friends
Weh buss it like a JUTA man
And them a (Try!)
[Chorus]
Even though the times get hard
And the mindset hard, no mi can't lef' yard (Me a try!)
Even though the body dem a pile and the gun dem a oil
Can't leff offa me soil (Just try!)
Even though the times get rough now and life get snuff out
Dem things we a tough out (Try!)
Tell them say no matter what a talk and no matter what a spark
Yow a yah so a me heart