What Does The Word "Kimbo" Mean In Reggie Stepper's Jamaican Dancehall Song "Kimbo King"?

Reggie Stepper - Kimbo King

May 15, 2025, @1ninjaford - Kimbo King

TV Show | Yardstyle Live

Host | @MusicPhill. Co-Host | @Premium_Purple

Official DJ | @dj.spoogy 

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series about Reggie Stepper's 1990 now classic Jamaican dancehal song "Kimbo King" (also given as "Kim-bo King"). 

This post showcases one 2025 YouTube video of Reggie Stepper performing his composition "Kimbo King". The second 2025 YouTube video showcases Reggie Stepper performing "Kimbo King" and a few other examples of his hit dancehall songs.

This post also presents my speculations about the meanings of the word "kimbo" in Reggie Stepper's 1990 dancehall song "Kimbo King". 

Click __ for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post presents selected comments from the discussion thread of two YouTube video of Reggie Stepper's song "Kimbo King".  

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Reggie Stepper for his musical legacy. Thanks to the publisher of this sound file and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. 
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This pancocojams series is an update of a 2023 pancocojams post that is still available on this pancocojams blog: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/07/reggie-stepper-kimbo-king-what-are.html. That 2023 post has seven discussion thread comments as of Feb. 24, 2026

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WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE WORD "KIMBO" IN REGGIE STEPPER'S 1990 JAMAICAN DANCEHALL SONG "KIMBO KING"?

I believe that the referents "Kimbo king" and "kimbo queen" in Reggie Stepper's 1990 hit dancehall record "Kimbo King" comes from the English word "akimbo".

Here are some definitions of the word "akimbo" from two online sources: 

Source #1
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/akimbo

with hand on hip and elbow bent outward.

to stand with arms akimbo.

(of limbs) splayed out in an awkward or ungainly manner.

After the strenuous hike, she sat on the floor with her legs akimbo.

(of limbs) fully extended in opposite directions.

The dancer warmed up with his arms and legs stretched akimbo"...

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Source #2
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedullclub/posts/2930777230460710/ "Dull Men's Club: Meaning Of Akimbo"

Bruce McMicking, 2024,
"The word "akimbo" comes from the Middle English phrase in kenebowe, which means "at a sharp angle". The word is pronounced "uh-KIM-bo".

The phrase was originally used to describe a bent arm with the hand on the hip, but it can now be used to describe any bent position. For example, you might describe someone's legs as akimbo if they are far apart or bent outwards in an awkward way.

The word's meaning has changed over time, and it can now imply a posture that conveys defiance, confidence, aggressiveness, or arrogance.

The earliest known use of the word "akimbo" is in the Tale of Beryn from around 1460".

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THE SPECIFIC MEANINGS OF THE WORD "KIMBO" IN THE SONG "KIMBO KING"
I believe that the word "kimbo" in the song "Kimbo King" refers to men and women who don't have any job or don't consistently go to work, but instead hang out in the streets, hustling, and socializing and acting like they are kings and queens of those domains.

Furthermore, I believe that the word "kimbo" may have two meanings in the song "Kimbo King"
1. describes how these men and women sprawl or stand casually or haphazardly on street corners

lyrics = "They wanna laze around sittin uuhhhh

they want to do nothing uuuhhhazing around"

2. describes how these men and women may strike a deviant or aggressive pose when confronted [standing with both of their hands on their hips with their elbows pointed out].

lyrics: "and they pon de corner ah pure posing"

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The singer gives both of these descriptions as criticisms. 

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AN EXCERPT FROM THE DANCEHALL SONG "KIMBO KING" THAT REFRS TO THIS MEANINGS OF "AKIMBO"

[Pancocojams Editor's note- These lyrics are from my partial draft transcription of Reggie Stepper's 1990 Dancehall song "Kimbo King".

 Additions and corrections are welcome.]

"Original kimbo king uuuuhhhhhh

Kimbo queen and a king uuuuhhhh
Original kimbo king uuuuhhhhhh
Kimbo queen and a king uuuuhhhh
They wanna laze around sittin uuhhhh
they want to do nothing uuuhhh
they’re fond of money making uuuhhh
And fond of kimbo watchin uuuhhh
and they pon de corner ah pure posing. uuuhhh.
And in the mix of every ting uuuhhh
Nuff people business watching  uuuhhh"

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WAS THE AKIMBO (HANDS ON THE HIPS WITH ELBOWS OUT) STANCE PART OF THE DANCE THAT WAS PERFORMED FOR THIS SONG?
This post showcases a 2025 YouTube video of Reggie Stepper singing his song "Kimbo King" and a few of his other hit dancehall songs.

Notice that at various times when Reggie Stepper is singing "Kimbo King", the man in the 2025 YouTube video that is given immediately below dances with his hands akimbo.

Also, in that video, and in the video given at the top of this pancocojams post, Reggie Stepper hold one hand on his hip (i.e. has one arm akimbo) while he sings this song.

i'm curious about whether the akimbo stance was part of the dance that was done in Jamaica and/or elsewhere (such as in Brooklyn, New York) for this 1990s dancehall song. 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2- Reggie Stepper | Episode | Yardstyle Live Presents ‪@MusicPhillreggaeshow

YardstyleLiveshow, Premiered Jul 9, 2025

Host | Music Phil @musicphil

Co - Hosts | Purple @Premium_Purple

Official Dj | DJ Spoogy @dj.spoogy
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"Kimbo King" is found at 7:00 – 8:49 in this video.

This video has no comments as of February 24, 2026

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This concludes Part II of this three part pancocojams series.

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