JFH News: Reggae Icons CHRISTAFARI Release "Reggae Christmas 2" with Guest Appearances by Michael Tait, Papa San, Citizen Way's Ben Calhoun and More

Reggae Icons CHRISTAFARI Release "Reggae Christmas 2" with Guest Appearances by Michael Tait, Papa San, Citizen Way�s Ben Calhoun and More

NEWS SOURCE: Nashville PR
December 14, 2020

Monday, December 14, 2020 — Chart-topping Reggae pioneers CHRISTAFARI have released their latest studio album, Reggae Christmas 2: Reason for the Season (Lion of Zion Entertainment). The 16-track album features gust appearances by Michael Tait (Newsboys / dcTalk), Papa San, DJ Nicholas, Ben Calhoun (Citizen Way) and many more. The first volume, released in 2013, landed at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart — the first holiday album to do so. Purchase or stream Reggae Christmas 2 here.

"There is something that is already joyful and spirit filled about reggae,” says CHRISTAFARI’s Mark Mohr. “And when you blend it with Christmas music, you get the perfect combination of upbeat songs that can uplift your spirit."

Recorded during a global pandemic, Reggae Christmas 2 was a group effort between the Los Angeles-based group and their guitarist Taimes, who initially wrote and produced the majority of music for the album while quarantined in São Paulo, Brazil.

"Recording this album was therapeutic,” says Mohr. "We began it over a year ago, but didn’t really kick into high gear until we were at least five months into the COVID-19 crisis. At that time, about the only activity that I could do on a daily basis that wasn’t forbidden by the mayor of Los Angeles was go to the beach with my family. So every single day we would listen to Christmas carols while driving to the beach and while surfing each afternoon at sunset in the warmth of the sun’s amber glow. I wrote around 14 songs in 14 days. It was such a prolific time in my life. God really used the lyrics of these songs and many of the original carols that inspired them not just to bring joy to the world, but to bring joy to my soul that was pretty downcast amidst the quarantine. It’s been a challenging year for us, we set out to minister in 30 countries and only were able to minister in three countries and four states. So writing and recording Christmas songs was just what the doctor ordered. It brought me out of a funk and we believe that these tidings of comfort and joy will do the same for every single listener."

CHRISTAFARI is giving back with this new project in a unique way. All the proceeds from the track, “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” will go towards Tunedem — a non-profit organization that the band has helped set up in Kenya. Tunedem is built around people that have come out of the ghetto and have set out to help those that are still stuck in the slums. The goal, as relayed in the song’s music video, is to encourage those in the western world to help make a difference and feed the poorest of the poor in the largest slum in Africa this Christmas. With COVID-19 devastating countries that were already on the brink, the ones that are hit the hardest are the refugees in tenement yards such as Kibera (the largest slum in Africa). CHRISTAFARI's goal and mission is to feed as many families as possible during the holidays through this song. You can learn more or donate at tunedem.org.

CHRISTAFARI has released multiple new music videos for the new album, available on their official YouTube channel which receives 2 million views monthly and growing.

"Do They Know It's Christmas" Music Video (ft. Michael Tait): https://youtu.be/hRNtKSF5e2c
“Deck the Halls" Music Video: https://youtu.be/aoFhlNsOSho
"Go Tell It On the Mountain” Music Video: https://youtu.be/TiBYK1vNgc4

For more information on CHRISTAFARI, visit www.CHRISTAFARI.com.

ABOUT CHRISTAFARI: The band was founded in Los Angeles, CA by Mark Mohr in 1989. Avion Blackman joined as vocalist and bassist in 2003 shortly after she met Mohr in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago. CHRISTAFARI continues to be a dominating force in world music, with six albums debuting at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart since 2012. After three decades, the Reggae pioneers are the all-time top-selling Gospel Reggae act worldwide. The legendary group has performed in 46 states, over 85 nations, at two Olympic Games, and at a Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. The band has performed at most major Reggae and Gospel/CCM festivals with the top artists in the genres, and they’ve had the privilege of performing at many of the country’s most prestigious venues such as L.A.’s Greek Theater, Dodger Stadium, and the steps of the United States Capitol before a crowd of 500,000. The band has been featured on The 700 Club, CNN, MTV, MTV Brazil, ABC, TBN, JUCE TV, BET, TBS, and many more. Their music is even featured in the current curriculum taught at Carnegie Hall. The band's popular YouTube channel receives millions of views monthly and continues to grow.