Cue P salutes ‘Lisa Hanna’ on new single

Dancehall artiste Cue P's latest single Lisa Hanna (My Story) shows homage to the former Jamaican beauty queen while comparing her beauty to the hardships of his childhood.

"She is so pretty and my life never pretty like that, so mi say my life never pretty like a Lisa Hanna. So I could pay homage while drawing contrast," the up-and-coming artiste explained. The Manchester said that growing up, Hanna was the first Jamaican 'world champion' he saw.

"I was in grade one at Porus Primary when she won (Miss World 1993) and that was a big deal for Jamaica. Even though I was young, I remember that being a big deal. She was like the prettiest woman in the world and she's Jamaican. She was so iconic to me and motivated me," he reasoned.

He explained that even though he does not know Hanna personally, she is the 'X' factor in his story.

"I cannot tell my story without her, and another thing too, she is such an icon in the country and I have never heard of a recording artiste paying homage to her. I've never heard it or if it exists. She won when she was 18 years old bro. You know how most 18-year-olds are light-headed, she did it at 18. If that's not greatness, I don't know what is," he added.

As fate would have it, he met her while he was a student at The University of The West Indies, Mona campus.

"My mother got sick and had to retire prematurely so the money mi use to get from her, mi never a get tha money deh again. So mi literally did haffi a start sell mi CDs inna the street and mi sell har [Hanna] one but mi never know a she, mi just need the $100 inna her pocket," he said. "A after that the security a tell me say that a Lisa Hanna and mi go back to har and ask her if she is Lisa Hanna and me tell her say she haffi gimme a hug. From me a likkle boy coming up and how Lisa Hanna inspire me, mi just say mi ago use one stone kill two birds and tell my story and include Lisa Hanna."

Cue P insists that the single is not a political song and he is not associated with any political party. The single will be included on his upcoming EP Prime Minister.