Photos by Andre C.Y. Choo Quan

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Pure Lime presents another event during the Notting Hill Carnival season entitled 'Chocolate Mas'. Man, it is just that ... we jumping up and down, we wining, we flexxxing, we getting on wassy and sexy, we meeting new people, old friends, drinking out of the largest possible bottle of alcohol one can purchase and basically just coming out to enjoy ourselves BUT we are bathing in CHOCOLATE - yeah - you know that Cadbury, Hershey's, Toblerone ...... all melted ..... Charlie and The Chocolate Factory kinda business … yeah THAT !!! CHOCOLATE !!!!! All Over ! All Under ! In Yuh Eye ! Yuh Hair ! We Bathing In It !!!! Nobody clean is the motive!!!! If you want to really read the story about Chocolate Mas and it's origin check out Pure Lime's website http://www.purelime.co.uk/pure_lime_story.php.

Starting at midday at Ladbroke Grove in London we meet up the truck and band as usual - you know how you do it Carnival Monday and Tuesday in Trinidad. "We Ready... We Ready!" .... and out comes the chocolate in pails. Why is it always the grimiest of all people have to be carrying and distributing the chocolate (or in Trinidad the paint or mud). There were even some people with powder spraying all over .... powder and chocolate? Nice combination?? Ah!!!

TnT's Red 96.7FM apparently did some sponsoring for the band and they even had a simple little costume or basically it was a jersey and you were entitled to free drinks from the drinks van. A little all inclusive jump up in chocolate ... cool idea really; I enjoyed it immensely. Horrible thing about London is that you really cannot urinate anywhere and there were not enough open shops where you can purchase a bottle of water or something to eat while you are chipping on the road. That sucked, but it was cool nevertheless ... must have its disadvantages.

The DJ's for the day were Che, Foreign Bass and Hypa Hoppa (Radioactive, RED 96.7FM) playing all different versions of all the Soca hits that we know and love to jump and wine on the road for Carnival. As usual Machel Montano's "Jumbie" has to be the most played song for the day in many different versions as possible. Mr. Vegas - "Hot Wuk" was also a present factor however it was remixed on what seems to be a Soca beat. There is a famous "Trini corner" and approaching and passing the corner - David Rudder & Carl Jacobs - "Trini to de Bone" was a spectacular hit.

People were really enjoying themselves - literally bathing each other in chocolate, wining on any and everybody, on the walls of buildings, on lamp poles, on the hard surface they call the road and even on the trucks. There was even a wooden pot spoon exclusively passing around to give certain misbehaving ladies a lil' spanking (in an enjoyable fashion of course).... even TJJ end up with the pot spoon in hand at one point!! Oh beeeeeeehave! (photo) Many women were being elevated off of the ground as well to songs such as General Grant's "Rev De Engine", Machel's "Big Truck" and Denise Belfon's "De Jammette". Music was really sweet and energetic - ah must commend Che, must!

There was something fishy coming down to end of the day - the driver of the truck began to drive faster than usual and masqueraders were literally running behind the truck just to catch up. Not Cool! Maybe the driver was tired who knows? There was also a little smirk about London having too many corners ... quite interesting and entertaining for the DJ always was on call to tell the crowds please go behind the truck, your safety is our primary concern.

Who say our Soca Warriors don't play Chocolate Mas? Stern John and Brent Sancho (photo) were in the mix and jirating just as they used to when they were teenagers I am sure, enjoying life to the fullest. As the TJJ crew enjoyed some corn soup (with pig tail - a UK ting perhaps).... yes, no matter where we go we like we corn soup.... there Hoppie was with a piece of chicken in one hand and a piece of bread in de other (photo) saying what more ah man really need after a good jump up??!! We mean, de jump was sooooo sweet, dat one fren of the Jungle litterly partied her shoes off (photo)!

Great first experience, Great Day, Great People, All Fun, All Entertainment and All on Trini Jungle Juice.

Amiel for the TJJ fam
Always Forward Never Backward
(Chooks aka Daddy Juice contributed to this review)

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2007 Notting Hill Carnival Coverage