CARNIVAL is special for many different reasons.
The colour and splendour of pretty mas under golden sunshine on Carnival Tuesday is something to behold.
But for soca artiste Sherwin "M1" Jeremiah, aka Menace, J'Ouvert is the ultimate experience and "the Carnival before the Carnival."
For 2023, the Sangre Grande singer is again paying homage to the early-morning revelry with his song Dutty Business, on the Dutty Truck Riddim.
Known for J'Ouvert hits such as Trouble When De Sun Rise, released in 2015, M1 told Newsday this part of the annual festival holds special significance to him.
[caption id="attachment_999812" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Soca artiste M1 enjoys mud and paint during the video shoot for Dutty Business at Majestic Gardens, Sangre Grande. Photo courtesy M1[/caption]
"To see how people just come together – it's a kinda doh-care vibe. We doh have no shame and no pride, like ah put in the song. It is not pretty mas. It's powder and mud and all kinda thing," he said.
M1 recently released a video for the song, filmed at Majestic Gardens, Sangre Grande.
In an opening monologue, M1 declares, "J'Ouvert is culture, J'Ouvert is art, and when yuh hear the J'Ouvert bell ring yuh know de Carnival start. So lemme take yuh on ah journey, come and witness. It eh no stush thing yuh know. Is J'Ouvert. Is Dutty Business."
He said the video shoot brought people from all over the country in a J'Ouvert party from midday to midnight.
"It was real fun. We bring rhythm section.We went by the mud volcano down south side and get we mud."
M1 credited his deceased aunt for his love of J'Ouvert.
"J'Ouvert always been something special to me. My aunt, RIP, she passed away a couple years ago, she used to take me from by my mom, who never really liked Carnival, for the full weekend to go and sell (in Grande). She had a cart and used to sell orange, pholourie, sugar cake for Carnival.
"She bring meh out to help them and I get a chance to experience it first hand. They will be out from Carnival Sunday straight to Ash Wednesday. We used to be hustling, pick up bottle around the town for them to sell and that kinda vibe."
He said being around the J'Ouvert culture from nine years old gave him a deep appreciation for the celebration and the freedom associated with it.
"I never really play big mas but I always play J'Ouvert. Yuh does see how it does build. It's like the first Carnival before the Carnival. People coming out in their lil groups. By 2am yuh seeing more crowd. By 3am people coming out with their lil (customised) T-shirts – that really special to me. It was my experience and it always stay with me."
Dutty Business was produced by Chainlinxxx Production, led by Sharde "Spec" Homer and Richie "Bones" Nelson. M1 said he decided to be an ambassador and reached out to his friends. Bunji Garlin, Swappi, Dloxx, Mr Bessor all have songs on the riddim.
Another of M1's six Carnival 2023 songs that has been getting good reviews is All Yours, on the Port of Spain riddim. The groovy hit, which showcas
