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Warm sunlight over a Jamaican town with colorful buildings and lush green hills in the background
Music Video Travel Guide

Toast by Koffee
Spanish Town, Jamaica

In 2019, a teenager from Spanish Town released a song of pure gratitude — and won a Grammy. This is a travel guide to the overlooked Jamaican city that raised Koffee and inspired Toast.

Read the Guide FAQ

Toast by Koffee was filmed in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica — the artist's hometown and Jamaica's former capital. Released in 2019, the song became a global anthem of gratitude and earned Koffee a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album as part of the Rapture EP, making her the youngest person and first woman to receive the honor. Spanish Town, located approximately 20 kilometers west of Kingston, was Jamaica's capital for over 300 years under both Spanish and British rule. It is a city of deep historical significance — home to the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Western Hemisphere, Georgian-era colonial architecture, and a music legacy that stretches from mento to dancehall. Yet Spanish Town remains largely absent from tourist itineraries, overshadowed by Kingston and the resort towns. This guide takes you through the song, the artist, and the city, offering a framework for visiting Spanish Town with the cultural awareness it deserves.

The Music

The Song: Toast (2019)

A celebration of life, gratitude, and survival from a place the world too often overlooks.

Gratitude as Revolution

Toast is, at its core, a song about being grateful. Its opening lines — "Gratitude is a must" — set the tone for a track that celebrates simply being alive, having people to love, and finding joy despite circumstance. In a musical landscape often dominated by confrontation and bravado, Koffee chose thankfulness. This was not naive optimism. It was a deliberate philosophical statement from a young woman who grew up in a community where survival itself is an achievement worth celebrating.

The production blends reggae's one-drop rhythm with dancehall energy and hints of hip-hop, creating a sound that feels simultaneously rooted in Jamaican tradition and utterly contemporary. The song was produced by Izy Beats and released in 2019 as the opening track on the Rapture EP. Within months, it had become one of the most-streamed reggae songs in the world, received a Grammy nomination, and introduced millions of listeners to both Koffee and the broader landscape of modern Jamaican music.

What the Video Shows

The Toast music video is essentially a love letter to Spanish Town. There are no exotic locations, no manufactured glamour, no cinematic distance from everyday life. Instead, the video shows Koffee in her community — riding through streets, engaging with neighbors, dancing in yards and on sidewalks, playing football with children. The camera captures Spanish Town's reality without apology or aestheticization: concrete block walls, zinc fences, bustling marketplaces, and above all, the people who make up the community.

What makes the video powerful is its refusal to frame Spanish Town through the lens of either poverty or tourism. The town is presented as a place where people live full, vibrant, complex lives. Children laugh, elders watch from verandas, young people gather and socialize. The video's visual language mirrors the song's message: this is enough, this is worthy of celebration, this is worth a toast. For visitors approaching Spanish Town, the video serves as a corrective to the deficit narratives that too often define how Jamaica's urban communities are perceived from outside.

Cultural Context: Why Toast Matters

Toast arrived at a moment when Jamaican music was experiencing a quiet renaissance. The Reggae Revival movement of the 2010s — led by artists like Chronixx, Protoje, and Jesse Royal — had already demonstrated that a new generation of Jamaican musicians could honor roots reggae while pushing the genre forward. Koffee took this further by blending genres with an ease that felt completely natural rather than calculated. She was not performing rootsiness for a foreign audience. She was simply being a young Jamaican woman who grew up on both reggae and dancehall, on Chronixx and Vybz Kartel, on gospel and hip-hop.

The Grammy win in 2020 was historic not only because of Koffee's age (she was 19) but because it signaled international recognition that Jamaican music was not trapped in the Bob Marley era. Reggae was alive, evolving, and producing artists of extraordinary talent in places like Spanish Town — places that the international music industry had never bothered to look. Toast put Spanish Town on the global cultural map in a way that no tourism campaign ever had.

The Location

Where It Was Filmed: Spanish Town, St. Catherine

Jamaica's forgotten capital — 300 years of history, a living city that rarely appears on tourist maps.

A City Older Than Kingston

Spanish Town was founded in 1534 by the Spanish as Villa de la Vega — the Town on the Plain. It was the capital of Jamaica for over three centuries: first under Spanish colonial rule from 1534 to 1655, and then under British rule from 1655 until 1872, when the colonial government transferred the capital to Kingston. This makes Spanish Town one of the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded settlements in the Americas, predating many of the cities that later became famous across the Caribbean.

The Spanish established the town as their administrative center on the island, building churches, government buildings, and fortifications. When the British captured Jamaica in 1655 during Oliver Cromwell's Western Design military expedition, they retained Spanish Town as the capital rather than relocating governance to the coastal port of Kingston. For over two centuries, the laws governing Jamaica — including the laws that maintained the institution of slavery and, later, the proclamation of emancipation — were made in Spanish Town. The town's central square witnessed the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1838, an event of profound significance in Caribbean and world history.

The Georgian Square and Colonial Architecture

The heart of Spanish Town is Emancipation Square, formerly known as the Parade. This Georgian-era civic space is surrounded by some of the most historically significant buildings in the Caribbean. The Old King's House, which served as the residence of Jamaica's colonial governors, was built in 1762 and partially destroyed by fire in 1925 — its facade remains one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the Americas. The Rodney Memorial, an elaborate monument to British Admiral George Rodney erected in 1792, stands in the center of the square. The Old House of Assembly, where Jamaica's colonial legislature met, flanks another side.

These buildings represent a complex and often painful history. They were built with the wealth generated by enslaved labor on sugar plantations. The laws passed in the Assembly maintained a brutal system of exploitation for over a century and a half. Visiting these sites requires holding multiple truths simultaneously: acknowledging the architectural achievement while understanding the human cost that made it possible. Spanish Town's Georgian square is not a celebration of colonialism — it is evidence of it, and understanding it honestly is essential to any meaningful visit.

The Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega

The Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega is the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. Originally a Spanish chapel dedicated to St. James (Santiago) of the Plain (de la Vega), it was rebuilt by the British after 1655 and has been in continuous use for worship since the 17th century. The current structure dates primarily from the early 19th century, though elements of earlier buildings survive within the walls.

The cathedral's interior contains memorials and plaques spanning centuries of Jamaican history, from colonial officials and military officers to community leaders and religious figures. The churchyard holds graves dating back to the 1600s. For visitors interested in the full arc of Jamaican history — from Spanish colonization through British rule, emancipation, independence, and the present — the cathedral is an essential site. It is a working church, so visitors should check service times and behave respectfully.

The Iron Bridge

The Iron Bridge spanning the Rio Cobre is one of Spanish Town's lesser-known treasures. Cast in England and assembled in Jamaica in 1801, it is one of the oldest cast-iron bridges in the Western Hemisphere. It represents the engineering ambitions of the colonial period and the trade networks that connected Jamaica to industrial Britain. The bridge remains structurally intact and is a significant industrial heritage site, though it is not always well-maintained or easy to access. If you visit, be respectful of the surrounding neighborhood and consider hiring a local guide who can provide context.

The Artist

Koffee: Spanish Town's Global Voice

Born Mikayla Simpson in 2000, raised in Spanish Town, carrying Jamaica's music forward.

Growing Up in Spanish Town

Mikayla Simpson was born on February 16, 2000, and raised in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. She grew up in a single-parent household, raised by her mother, Jo-Anne Williams. Her musical education came from the community as much as from any formal instruction — she absorbed reggae, dancehall, gospel, and hip-hop from the environment around her. She taught herself guitar as a teenager and began writing songs that blended these influences with a natural ease that would later become her signature.

Spanish Town shaped Koffee in ways that are audible in her music. The town's energy — its pace, its humor, its resilience — runs through her lyrics and delivery. She does not romanticize Spanish Town, nor does she reduce it to hardship narratives. Instead, she presents it as a place of genuine community, creativity, and love. This is not marketing; it is authenticity. When Koffee celebrates Spanish Town in Toast, she is celebrating the place that made her, with all its complexity intact.

From Viral Moment to Global Stage

Koffee's rise began with a tribute song to Usain Bolt posted to Instagram in 2017. The clip went viral within Jamaica, catching the attention of established artists and producers. Her 2018 single "Burning" announced her as a serious artistic voice, with lyrics addressing violence in her community with both grief and hope. But it was Toast in 2019 that transformed her from a promising newcomer into an international phenomenon.

The Rapture EP, released in 2019, contained five tracks that showcased Koffee's range: from the meditative "Throne" to the high-energy "Ragamuffin" to the gratitude anthem "Toast." When the EP won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in January 2020, Koffee became the youngest person ever to receive the award and the first woman to win it as a solo artist. She was 19 years old. Her debut full-length album, "Gifted," followed in 2022, further establishing her as one of the most important voices in contemporary Caribbean music.

What Koffee Represents

Koffee represents a generation of Jamaican artists who refuse the false choice between roots consciousness and contemporary relevance. She can perform at Reggae Sumfest and at Coachella, collaborate with Gunna and record with roots producers, wear her locks and her snapback with equal authenticity. She represents Spanish Town's contribution to Jamaican culture — a contribution that has historically been overshadowed by Kingston's dominance of the music industry narrative.

For the traveler, understanding Koffee means understanding that Jamaica's musical genius is not confined to Kingston or to the past. It is alive in communities like Spanish Town, produced by young people whose talent is shaped by environments that global tourism has largely ignored. Visiting Spanish Town is, in part, an act of recognizing this — of expanding the map of where Jamaican music comes from and who makes it.

Travel Guide

Visiting Spanish Town

Practical advice for exploring Jamaica's former capital with respect and curiosity.

Getting There

Spanish Town is located approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Kingston and is accessible by public transport, taxi, or private vehicle. From Kingston, the journey takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic — the route follows the main highway through the St. Catherine corridor. Public buses and minibuses (known locally as "robots" or route taxis) run frequently between Half Way Tree or Parade in Kingston and Spanish Town's central bus park. A private taxi from Kingston will cost between $20-40 USD depending on your starting point and negotiation.

Spanish Town is also accessible from the north coast resort areas — from Ocho Rios, the drive is approximately two hours via the T3 highway through Fern Gully and the Junction. From Montego Bay, expect three to four hours by road. If you are based in Kingston, Spanish Town makes an excellent day trip. If you are coming from the north coast, consider combining a Spanish Town visit with a Kingston itinerary rather than making a separate trip.

What to See

Emancipation Square: Start at the central square to orient yourself. The Old King's House facade, the Rodney Memorial, and the Old House of Assembly are all here. The square is walkable and interpretive signs provide some historical context, though a knowledgeable guide will add considerably more depth.

Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega: Visit the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. Check whether services are scheduled and plan accordingly. The interior memorials and churchyard are worth spending time with.

The Iron Bridge: Walk to the cast-iron bridge over the Rio Cobre, one of the oldest of its kind in the Americas. The bridge is a short walk from the town center.

The Market: Spanish Town's market area is vibrant and authentic — this is where residents shop, not a tourist attraction. If you visit, do so as a customer, not a spectator. Purchase fruit, prepared food, or goods. Engage with vendors as you would at any market — with courtesy and fair payment.

Community Areas: The neighborhoods shown in the Toast video are residential communities. Do not treat them as locations to tour or photograph. If you want to understand the community context, hire a local guide who can facilitate appropriate introductions and interactions.

How to Engage Respectfully

Spanish Town is not a tourist destination in the conventional sense, and this is precisely what makes visiting it meaningful. The town does not have a developed tourism infrastructure — there are no visitor centers, audio guides, or organized tours waiting for you. This means you need to approach your visit with more preparation and more humility than you might bring to a packaged tourist experience.

Hire a local guide if possible. Ask at your Kingston accommodation for recommendations, or inquire at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust about guided visits to Spanish Town's historical sites. A knowledgeable local guide will transform a walk past old buildings into a journey through centuries of Jamaican history. They will also ensure that you navigate the town appropriately and that your visit contributes economically to the community.

Do not photograph people — especially children — without explicit permission. Do not enter residential areas uninvited. Do not treat the town as a backdrop for social media content. Spend money locally: eat at a cookshop, buy from market vendors, hire local services. Your visit should leave an economic footprint that benefits residents, not just a digital footprint that benefits your Instagram.

Cultural Context

Why Spanish Town Matters Beyond Kingston

Jamaica's former capital tells a story that Kingston alone cannot.

The Overlooked Capital

Spanish Town's marginalization in Jamaican tourism is itself a story worth understanding. When the capital moved to Kingston in 1872, Spanish Town began a slow decline in official importance. Government investment shifted east, commercial activity followed, and Spanish Town gradually transitioned from the center of Jamaican governance to a commuter town serving Kingston's economy. The historical sites that should have been preserved as national treasures were allowed to deteriorate. The communities that grew up in and around the old town received less attention and fewer resources than their Kingston counterparts.

This pattern is familiar across the Caribbean and the Global South: colonial-era towns that fall from administrative prominence are left to manage their historical legacy with minimal support. Spanish Town's Georgian architecture, which would be lavished with preservation funding in Europe, has been neglected for decades. The Old King's House, which should be one of Jamaica's premier heritage sites, is a partial ruin. The situation has improved somewhat in recent years — the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and local advocates have pushed for greater recognition — but Spanish Town still does not receive the attention that its historical significance warrants.

Music Legacy of St. Catherine

Spanish Town and the wider St. Catherine parish have contributed enormously to Jamaican music, though this contribution is often attributed to Kingston because that is where the recording studios are located. Artists from Spanish Town and surrounding communities have historically traveled to Kingston to record, meaning their music is associated with Kingston rather than with the communities that produced them.

Koffee is the most visible contemporary example, but the list extends much further. Super Cat, one of dancehall's most influential early stars, came from the Spanish Town area. Numerous other dancehall, reggae, and gospel artists have roots in St. Catherine. The parish's proximity to Kingston — close enough to access studios and sound systems, far enough to have its own distinct community identity — has made it a quietly prolific source of musical talent for decades.

Understanding this geography matters for the culturally aware traveler. Jamaica's music industry has always been more geographically dispersed than its marketing suggests. Kingston is the hub, but the talent comes from across the island — from Spanish Town, from St. Ann, from Clarendon, from Westmoreland. Visiting Spanish Town is an acknowledgment of this broader geography and a step away from the Kingston-centric narrative that dominates reggae tourism.

Spanish Town Today: Complexity and Resilience

Modern Spanish Town is a city of approximately 160,000 people, making it Jamaica's second-largest urban area. It faces challenges common to Caribbean cities: inadequate infrastructure, unemployment, periodic violence in some neighborhoods, and the pressures of rapid urbanization without proportional investment in services. These realities coexist with genuine community strength, cultural richness, and historical pride.

The city is working to reclaim its heritage as an asset for community development. Local advocates have pushed for the restoration of historical sites, the development of heritage tourism, and greater recognition of Spanish Town's role in Jamaican history. Koffee's global success has given the city a new kind of visibility — one rooted in cultural achievement rather than deficit narratives. When you visit Spanish Town, you are participating in this reclamation, provided you do so with awareness and respect.

There is a broader lesson here for anyone interested in music tourism. The places that produce the most significant music are often not the places that benefit from its commercial success. Spanish Town raised Koffee, but the economic value of Toast flowed overwhelmingly to recording studios, streaming platforms, and concert venues elsewhere. Visiting the source — spending money in the community, learning its history, recognizing its contribution — is a small but meaningful act of redistribution.

Common Questions

Toast by Koffee: Visitor FAQ

Answers to the most common questions about visiting Spanish Town and the Toast filming locations.

Toast was filmed in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica — Koffee's hometown. The music video captures everyday life in Spanish Town, featuring local community members, street scenes, and the vibrant energy of Jamaica's former capital. Spanish Town is located approximately 20 kilometers west of Kingston and is accessible by public transport, taxi, or private car. The video does not feature specific tourist landmarks but rather presents the authentic community life of the town.

Yes. Spanish Town has significant historical sites that are open to visitors, including Emancipation Square with its Georgian-era buildings, the Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega (the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Western Hemisphere), and the Iron Bridge over the Rio Cobre. Visit during daylight hours, hire a local guide when possible, and approach the town with respect. Spanish Town is a living community, not a tourist attraction — the historical sites are real and significant, but the residential neighborhoods should not be treated as destinations for photography or sightseeing.

Spanish Town was founded in 1534 by the Spanish as Villa de la Vega and served as Jamaica's capital for over 300 years — under Spanish rule until 1655 and under British rule until 1872. It was the seat of colonial government, the site where emancipation was proclaimed in 1838, and the administrative heart of Jamaica throughout the slavery and post-emancipation periods. The capital was relocated to Kingston in 1872, after which Spanish Town gradually declined in official importance despite its profound historical significance.

Koffee (Mikayla Simpson, born 2000) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, rapper, and guitarist from Spanish Town, St. Catherine. She became the youngest person and first woman to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2020 for her EP Rapture, which included the breakout single Toast. Her music blends reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, and R&B. She represents a new generation of Jamaican artists who honor roots traditions while pushing the music forward into contemporary global relevance.

The historic center of Spanish Town — Emancipation Square, the Cathedral, and the main commercial area — is generally safe for visitors during daylight hours. As with any urban area, exercise common-sense awareness. Stick to well-trafficked areas, visit during the day, avoid displaying expensive equipment unnecessarily, and consider hiring a local guide. Spanish Town is a real city with real neighborhoods, not a curated tourist environment, so approach it with the same awareness you would bring to any unfamiliar urban setting.

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