Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Miss Thing- file

'Tis the season once again to be merry and already reggae and dancehall artistes have been writing and recording their Christmas songs, in keeping with the traditions of the festive season.

T.O.K, Alozade, Monster Twinz and Ms. Thing, collectively called D'Link, recently collaborated on a Christmas single called Christmas Time Again. According to Flexx of T.O.K, "It's a fun, energetic song that puts you in that Christmas spirit".

"Every year other artistes change up the Christmas tune dem in a bad man vibes, but we wanted to do something which kept the joy of Christmas while not losing the party/dancehall vibes," he says.

According to Flexx, "It's definitely something to look out for this Christmas."

A section of the song goes:

"It's Christmas time again an wi want yuh fi put down di guns again this Christmas, this Christmas,

It's Christmas time again an let's party and have lots of fun this Christmas, this Christmas.

Let's just, celebrate, celebrate …"

Ms. Thing, who was a part of the collaborative effort, says, "Is a wicked tune and I think the people can say that this is the first Christmas tune where a lot of dancehall artistes have collaborated."

'vibe it up'

She adds that, "It was Flexx idea to come together and wi jus guh inna di studio and vibe it up."

It is the development of an existing bond as Flexx

informed The Sunday Gleaner that "we, Ms. Thing, Alozade and Monster Twins recently been doing a lot of stuff together. Like barbecues or any likkle stage shows weh a keep, wi jus link up an guh perform as friends. Suh tru wi a move dah way deh, wi jus call wi self D'Link. Suh true last year wi did do a Christmas tune called Gyal We A Pre (Dis Christmas), wi jus decide fi collaborate wid everybody wey wi normally link up wid."

The rhythm, Flexx said, was created by Mario 'Super Mario' Lawrence, who also created the popular 'Hillbilly' rhythm, "but wi start work wid him cause him have a energy and a vibe that fits ours".

From the song has grown an event, as Flexx says "because wi do this tune now wid D'Link, wi a guh keep this ting inna Cooreville Gardens (on the netball court) called 'D'Link Christmas' and all of us in D'Link will be there, performing alongside some of our other friends in the business."

musical treat

Another musical treat that fans can look out for this Christmas is a single that has been released by singers, Da'Ville and Marcia Griffiths entitled Every Year, Every Christmas.

The song, which is a cover version of Luther Vandross' original, was recorded by Da'Ville and Marcia Griffiths last year and produced by Da'Ville's Fashozy Records.

According to Da'Ville, "Marcia did kinda link mi before to do something and at the moment I did the song, I felt that it would be good to put a twist to it and have a male/female take. But the song is basically about a man wanting to spend every year, every Christmas with his special individual."

He adds that "the song was referred to me by Ray Alexander and once I heard it I fell in love with it. So far, the reception has been tremendous … Last year we got it out late but this year, without me even re-issuing it, people have been playing it already".

not for monetary gain

Da'Ville says when he did the single he had no intention of monetary gain, as it was just his way of contributing to the whole natural vibes of the festive season.

"It's a special time of year, one of the more joyous times for me, just to look around and see the whole vibe of giving and sharing, opening up to somebody other than yourself. And so I just wanted to put something out there to help represent that. I did not do it for monetary gains. A nuh everything yuh mus do for money," Da'Ville said.

Other artistes have done 'carols' in the past, among them, Carlene Davis who asked Santa Claus Do You Ever Come To The Ghetto, while Elephant Man had one called Gangsta Christmas. The gospel group Katalys Crew released an album entitled, Christmas Inna Jamdown and Kiprich did his Kipmus Carol.