Gospel Spotlight: Stitchie still performs ‘Wear Yu Size’ - Artiste has not shunned dancehall colleagues

Stitchie said that when he performs, some people come to hear 'Wear Yu Size', his humorous late-1980s tale on the Cat Paw rhythm about a woman who asks for a new pair of shoes to wear on a date and deliberately chooses one that is too small.

And Stitchie, who publicly accepted Christianity in the 1990s, still performs it as "mi no see nutten sinful about that".

Plus, he said it shows some younger performers the benefit of using humour in their lyrics.

"I am the sum total of the experiences I have had to this date," Stitchie said. Musically, he is adding to them, including with performers who have not yet got to the stage of spiritual development he has.

"I have been doing some singles, which I have released, but I am currently in the final stages of a new album. We have not yet settled on the title and the release date and so on," Stitchie said. "That has kept me busy."

Some of the singles he has done recently are Not Necessary, Undisputed (for which there is also a video), Warpath (plus video), Tun Up and Hush Yu Mout.

He is clear about the direction and intention of the project, saying, "I want to bring back the dancehall into dancehall in a way everyone can understand and not lock it in the four walls of religion."

Similarly, he has not locked himself away from his dancehall colleagues. Stitchie revealed that he recently did a BBC 1Xtra programme in Jamaica with Beenie Man, Bunny General and Josey Wales at King Jammy's studio in Waterhouse, St Andrew.

Plus, Stitchie said he is doing work with Swedish dancehall artiste Million Stylez, as well as Agent Sasco, Fantan Mojah, Lukie D and Ricky Stereo.

Tonight, Stitchie performs on Black River Day 2018 on High Street in the St Elizabeth capital, and he has a packed calendar for the rest of the year, including performances in Comfort, Manchester, two days after the Black River date.

A New York date on August 5 will include Canadian gospel reggae act Claudelle Clarke.

Then, there are appearances in Atlanta, St Croix, Barbados and New Jersey.

An event especially dear to his heart is an October ceremony in New York where the Tivoli Gardens High School Alumni Track Corporation, of which Stitchie is president, will honour persons who have contributed to the school, among them former Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

Stitchie will also be heading to Uganda after an England run that will include stops in London and Birmingham.