The top flight of Jamaican dancehall keeps on making headlines in the local press.
Beenie Man announced on 13 December his departure from Patrick Roberts's legendary Shocking Vibes label, his manager for almost 20 years. The "Doctor" apparently wants to go it alone and devote himself fully to his new outfit, Mafia House. Beenie nonetheless keeps an eye on his colleagues and has launched into a controversy, carried out through tracks, with the young star Mavado.
Mavado, for his part, will remember his "birthday bash" held on 3 December in Portmore. The private show, which featured the full Alliance crew (Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal, Mavado and Aidonia among others), ended in a brawl involving the artists and their entourages. Knives were reportedly even drawn. A few days later, Vybz Kartel opened up to the press about a dispute with his mentor Bounty Killer. Although the two artists have since reconciled, Vybz Kartel will not be rejoining the Alliance.
Whether through Christmas spirit or pragmatism, Vybz Kartel has also made up with Greensleeves (see news of 13 December), even if his name change is still on the cards. Addi the Techa has also denied a possible signing to Beenie Man's Mafia House label. Full circle.
A few hours before the opening of a Sting with an almost "laid-back" slogan, it has to be said that this year again the dancehall artists will have plenty to chew on to fight it out verbally on the stage of the great reggae festival.