Meaning
A bold outlaw or fugitive — a notorious tough guy 'on the run' who moves fast and lives outside the law. Worn in dancehall as a badge of danger and defiance, the 'hotsteppa' is the fearless rude-boy figure dodging the law and answering to no one, celebrated for his nerve and his refusal to be caught. The word, made famous well beyond Jamaica by the music, blends menace with a certain swaggering glamour.
Examples
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Him a di hotsteppa, always one step ahead a di law.
He's the outlaw, always one step ahead of the law.
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Di song mek di hotsteppa famous.
The song made the 'hotstepper' famous.
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A hotsteppa nuh stay inna one place.
An outlaw doesn't stay in one place.
Origin
From 'step hot' — to move quickly and notoriously; made internationally famous by Ini Kamoze's 'Here Comes the Hotstepper'.
How it’s used
Romanticised in dancehall as the daring rebel or fugitive. Carries an outlaw glamour more than a plain insult.