After being one of two acts at the recent staging of Jamaica Moves Reloaded, dancehall artiste and Prime Minister Youth Awardee Kareem “QQ” Dawkins says he is honoured to have been part of the initiative.

“It was a big deal, simply because the whole theme is ‘Jamaica Moves’ and I’m one that believes in the upward social mobility of Jamaica on every front and the fact that this is a government initiative to improve the physical well-being of our citizens, which I believe is very critical also into how one thinks and react in society,” he told the Jamaica Observer‘s Splash.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness resumed the face-to-face campaign on August 25 at Turtle River Park in Ocho Rios, St Ann. The other performer was Tyreke Dirt.

Jamaica has for many years been challenged by the scourge of lifestyle or non-communicable diseases (NCDs), among them hypertension, diabetes and cancers.

According to the latest Jamaica Health & Lifestyle Survey, seven out of 10 Jamaicans die from a NCD each year, while one in three has hypertension and one in eight has diabetes.

As part of the response, Jamaica Moves will, in the coming months, see activities in communities, schools and workplaces, bolstered by a multi-platform public education campaign, as the ministry moves to reduce the burden of preventable morbidity and disability and avoid premature mortality due to NCDs and injuries by 25 per cent by 2025.

In the meantime, QQ, who delivered a high-energy set of some of his well known songs, including One Drop, Stukie, Rum Ram and Triple Touch, said he had several high points throughout his performance.

“The highlight of my performance would have definitely been me being in the crowd interacting with the fans and seeing how happy they were. I was also excited about T and A Twins joining me on stage. This was their first time joining me on any stage, so that was a big deal for me. Also seeing Jenny Jenny just shower herself in love with One Drop. She’s always been a vibe,” he said.

QQ has been an entertainer for almost two decades. The 28-year-old says he has no formula to his longevity.

“I don’t think I even try to stay relevant. I just do music and I have a lot of faith that it will work. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but I wouldn’t say there’s a strategy or there’s anything that I’ve done to stay relevant,” he said.

The Calabar High School old boy is also using the opportunity to encourage the students as they start a fresh school year.

“Embrace the opportunity. The pandemic took so much from us. It is a great privilege and opportunity that they have that our ancestors had to fight for for them to have it. They need to embrace it because education is the only tool and the only vehicle that is going to put us on equal footing and give more of the masses an opportunity in life,” he added.