Mr. Lexx No Longer Retiring

Dancehall artist Mr. Lexx, who called time on his career in 2022 after three decades in the dancehall industry, has changed his mind about retiring.

The Cook artist told DancehallMag that he is putting the finishing touches on a new album, which is still untitled but will feature collaborations with new and established artists.

“Over last year mi did record 23 songs but mi pick 12 outta them but mi still feel like mi ago add another two songs still but I guess mi ago jus go back inna the studio because mi did get some ideas for at least two more songs mi think mi ago touch up but I pretty much have the album ready. As far as name is concerned, wah day yah we did a mess around with Kingston’s Finest but we cancel that so we don’t have a name for it yet and we aiming to release in August,” he shared.

“Mi have a collab wid Sizzla still, mi have a collab wid Voicemail and Swashii as a new youth,” he shared. “ And you know say me and Lincoln 3dot and Razor B we inna the middle of putting together a song still .We still a finish that up but me still a anticipate dem fi deh pon the album still,” he added.

He said the project will also include some of his children. “Mi next project had to have mi kids dem pon it, that was one a mi main goals,” he said.

Lexx said another motivating factor that keeps him actively recording music is a friendly rivalry he shares with his children, some of whom are also artists.

“Mi inna a likkle neat competition with my kids dem cause some a mi kids a artiste too and dem say dem ago get a grammy before me,” he said.

His musical offsprings include The Yutes and Tge Truth.

“One name Tge Truth, fi him mada a Freddy McGregor daughter so music inna him blood, Freddy a him grandfather, Chino and Di Genius a him uncle and me a him father, so he was bound to do music,” he shared.

Meanwhile, he said his close friends were also influential in him changing his mind to stay in music. “A just me fren dem convince me still inno inna mi immediate circles and say anno time yet and mi say alright and no bother fight it,” he said.

“Mi never think a did something mi need to consult anybody before mi announce say mi ago retire but dem advice is great and their advice is valuable. Basically wha mi did wah do was pursue some other talents weh mi have so is not like mi did frustrated and fed up and a say mi done with music, mi just did wah pursue some other different talents that I have…my immediate circle was like it’s not time yet, mi still have more work fi do some I;m just going to continue the work,” he shared.

He confessed that he is still interested in pursuing other talents but they are secondary now as he is fully focused on releasing his new music project.

“I was told that I would do pretty well on the screen, I’m good at acting so I wanted to go do that. The next thing I really want todo is to have my own talk show, my own podcast, and stuff like that and dem thing deh ago take time to create so mi just haffi put dem pon the backburner for now,” he said.

“Mi a go California in the coming weeks because mi brethren have a screening down deh, him always have the hook up, a him did mek me get a small role in the movie Out The Gate. It’s a Jamaican movie with Paul Campbell and Oliver Samuels. So I’m going California in the summer to do some readings,” he shared.

He said the love he has received from his fans worldwide since his retirement announcement was another reason he has put talks of retirement on hold.

“The dm dem from fans around the world played a major role too because I was like damn. One a the fan dem say mi no finish God work yet, mi no finish the work weh God send me fi do yet.. I can’t explain it but I could tell exactly what she was trying to say,” he said.

“ A lot of mi artist colleagues dem also told me not to go but I don’t want to name anybody..a lot of dem,” he added.

He identified his nomination for a VMA in 2008 as the highlight of his 30-year career. “Mi and Major Lazer was nominated for best breakthrough video for Hold The Line,” he said.

“I don’t think there have been any low points but there have been disappointments and heartbreaks but as for low moments I don’t think I have any. But disappointments include, you know when certain doors used to open for you when you were the hit artist, after a while, dem same door deh weh usually easy fi open fi you get hard. Ones can understand what I mean when mi say certain doors used to open for you. An example, you find out say promoters naw book you pon shows because some people are not cool with you and dem cool with dem people deh,” he explained.

He added that he knew from early on that music was his calling.

“Mi did work down a Petrojam and deliver gas islandwide,mi did do that fi six months and know say no sah mi cyaah do this star, mi use to get too dutty and smell like gas and mi a say anno me that. Mi used to still did a do mi thing dem time deh but me never tek music seriously until mi stop,” he said.