‘Papi Show’ delivery man finds joy in helping others

In Jamaican slang, the term 'papi show' is used to ridicule someone who has done something idiotic. But Conrod Scott, of Mandeville, Manchester says he has given the term a whole new meaning.

Scott, who is the sideman on a delivery truck, is a philanthropist who highlights his charitable deeds on his 'The Papi Show Lifestyle' social media accounts.

"Last year, when I decided to create the social media pages, I wanted to help more people. So I went to someone I knew had a lot of cash and told him what my intentions were. Him say mi a papi show and if mi know how hard it is fi work money and den wah guh give it away and help people. Right deh so mi just use the name," he said. According to Scott, helping the less fortunate has been therapeutic.

"Sometimes mi feel stress and mi just go pon di road and do sumpn. It makes me happy and make mi feel stress-free. Mi want people feel special and feel like dem is a part of society," he said.

Scott recalled having a philanthropic heart from as early as age seven when he used to accompany his mother to the market to sell.

"Mi would get mi own basket with like escallion, coconut, peas and thyme, and mi would walk around and sell. But, when mi come back to mi mother, three quarters of the basket would be empty and no money because mi give away the tings dem. Mi madda use to tell mi say mi nah go have nutten inna life because mi love give away," he said.

Scott said his generosity continued in primary and high school where he operated a 'sweet business'.

"I used to go to Albert Town High School in Trelawny because my mother had moved to that parish for a while. I used to sell the sweet name Bobbi and 'Busta' and mi always just a give away back the money and just take out what to buy back the goods," he said.

As a sideman, Scott's salary is small and he has five children, all of whom are still in school. The 40-year-old also lives in a one-bedroom dwelling consisting of two beds, one of which his children occupy when they stay with him. Despite his financial challenges, Scott still manages to dig into his pockets to help others. He said his children support his charitable deeds and sometimes accompany him whenever he is doing his handouts.

"Honestly, things like this make me humble and mi always hear people say dem wah get rich to help others. But, what if you never get rich? You have to do what you can when you poor. Change that concept of wanting to be rich before you can stretch your hand and give someone something," he said.

Scott's journeys take him outside of his parish and he is often seen donating clothes to the needy or taking them for medical check-ups in his videos.

"Mi never scorn a soul yet. Mi ago sit beside them and have a conversation or even eat with them. Every time mi offer help and mi see somebody smile, it warm up something inside of me and just push me to do more. Is all over Jamaica mi go and help and feed people. Sometimes mi just google some place and find it," he said.

Scott lamented that he does receive some negative criticism, but he is undeterred.

"If mi live out mi life and nuh build a next room, then that is it. But mi know mi fulfil my purpose in life and that is to bring smiles on the face of others," he said. "Mi get a backlash at times since mi start post the videos and it make mi understand why celebrities turn to drugs sometimes. But all mi stress and anger go towards what mi do. So, if dem criticise mi today, then tomorrow mi just ago help someone else and make a next video."