Respect in Jamaica?

My husband and I went to Jamaica in May for our honeymoon - we were in Negril.. .beautiful place! I loved it... we had a good time... but it's crazy $$$$ to do anything off the resort.

All the time walking around our resort & when we did do the excursions - local men would walk up to my husband and say "respect" - he had no clue what to respond to that - why do they do that? I'm not complaining or anything, but we would have loved what to say back and why it was said so much...?! Can someone help? Thanks!