KINGSTON, Jamaica — What began as a music video shoot in Medellín, Colombia, has become a career-defining experience for Jamaican rapper Jakal, who says the city’s culture and warm embrace of Jamaicans have inspired both his latest release and future musical direction.

Jakal travelled to the Colombian city to film the video for Sicarios, the lead single from his mixtape, Crime Pay$ Vol. 4: The Pilgrimage to Medellín. Released in May, the video was directed by American filmmaker Jason Williams, who recently served in a similar role on the Jamaican movie Squatta.

“It felt surreal while filming in Medellín, it was a dream come true to say the least,” Jakal said. “Prior to going to Colombia, the only thing I knew about Medellín was that that’s where Pablo Escobar was from.”

“After visiting Medellín, I know it’s now my second home. The love they have for black people, for Jamaica, Jamaicans and our culture is unexplainable,” he added.

Once synonymous with the violent drug empire of Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel, the Colombian city has transformed its global image in recent decades. Escobar’s criminal network, which flourished during the late 1970s and 1980s, generated billions of dollars through cocaine trafficking before his death at the hands of Colombian police in 1993.

Jakal, who was born in Montego Bay, said the inspiration for Sicarios came from Carolina Panther by American rapper Sauce Walka.

“When I found out I was going to Medellín, I was listening to that song and it inspired me. So, I downloaded it, ripped the beat and did my version,” he explained.

The experience has also sparked an interest in recording more Latin-influenced music, with hopes of breaking into the thriving reggaeton market across Latin America, particularly in Panama and Puerto Rico.

— Howard Campbell