According to his lawyer, Vybz Kartel has received one shot of the AstraZeneca and is among a small fraction of prisoners who were willing to get the jab.
While the suggestion to use Kartel to reach the masses with the message to get vaccinated has been received well by the government, Kartel is speaking for the first time as he bashes other entertainers who are sharing misleading information.
In a story shared on his official Instagram account, the “Fever” artist noted that many uneducated artists are giving medical advice to their followers.
“Entertainers are among the least educated in society (some a we dunce like bat!) and therefore are among the least qualified people on earth to give medical advice FOR anything or AGAINST anything!” he began.
Vybz Kartel advised his fans to only involve him when it comes to music, but they should otherwise seek out information for themselves, not just rely on what some entertainers are telling them.
“So do YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF [WHAT’S] BEST FOR YOU…come to me when you wanna ‘whine your waist’ and ‘bruk out’ in a Party! That’s where I’M THE EXPERT,” Kartel said.
@vybzkartel
Many of Vybz Kartel’s fans online interpreted his latest public statement as a subliminal jab at none other than Buju Banton. Banton has been posting information online that the virus is fake and that the vaccine is a ploy by governments to suppress people.
Among his many posts on Instagram are those which state that the virus was created by the United States government, including the many variants. Lately, he has been posting erroneous information that claims that the U.S has patents for many of the viruses the world has experienced in the last few decades, including Hiv/AIDS, Swine Flu, Zika virus, among others.
On Tuesday, Buju Banton posted a list of the so-called patents with the basic caption “FAKE.”
However, he was quickly checked by many of his own followers who pointed out that the patents aren’t for the virus itself but for treatments, including vaccines being developed, and the reason governments apply for patents is to ensure that private pharmaceutical companies do not get it otherwise the costs for treatment will be too much to afford.
However, the artist still had a large number of people showing their support and thanking him for standing up to the government.
Meanwhile, among those who co-signed Vybz Kartel’s message was Skatta Burrell, executive producer for Downsound Records who was an anti-vaxxer himself until he became sick with the virus and said he went home to recover rather than going to the hospital because if he was going to die, he wanted to be at home with his family.
Burrell has since been encouraging people to take the virus seriously and protect themselves.
Music Producer Dale Virgo who has produced music for the likes of Rihanna, Drake, Chronixx, and others, also shared his approval for Kartel’s message with him, posting several clapping emojis in the comments section.
Skillibeng has been enjoying his time in the limelight this past year as he revels in his successful career. This year, he has released several new singles, including “Soso Badniss” and “Sloppy Queen.” His new album, Crocodile Teeth, is also on its way on October 15th. The remix of his track, “Crocodile Teeth,” featuring Nicki Minaj, has also gained a spot on the Billboard 100 Charts. Johnny Wonder, overflowing with joy for his accomplishment, even went so far as to publish a photo of himself holding the plaque with the comment “Billboard b**ches” on Instagram.
Johnny Wonder told The Gleaner the time of the remix’s release that “Crocodile Teeth’ had “already blown up before they (Nicki’s crew) wanted to get on it,” and based on his popularity in January, he was correct.
With over 7.26 million views over the previous 28 days in January 2021, the deejay took the #1 place on YouTube’s Music Charts and Insights for Jamaica, with ‘Crocodile Teeth’ being one of the top five most played songs in 2020.
Amongst all his accolades, he has remained humble in the eyes of the music world and his fans. The young deejay even earned the admiration of one of the biggest names in dancehall, Vybz Kartel.
He also mentioned one of his major sources of inspiration. “Vybz Kartel, in terms of his music means a lot to me. And I mean him go as far as fi inspire mi fi do music,” Skilli said.
The legendary Dancehall artiste, Kartel, had something to say about the young artiste. “Me proud a Skillibeng yow! Man humble and nah fumble!” says Kartel, praising his abilities. He also had congratulations for the producer, Johnny Wonder and hail him as a pioneer in the dancehall world.
Johnny Wonder IG
Skillibeng responded to Vybz Kartel’s praise with a sense of pride for the acknowledgment from one of his role models. “@vybzkartel Mi Teacha,” the Eastsyde deejay wrote.
Fans will have exciting weeks ahead with the new album just on the horizon. Crocodile Teeth album will feature 12 tracks with many big names such as Bobby Shmurda, Rich the Kid, Lil Zack, English rapper Stefflon Don, and Jamaican dancehall stars Popcaan, Spice, and Davianah.
Vybz Kartel is a proud father and now grandfather with his sights set on generational wealth for his children and grandchildren.
Despite the fact that he has been incarcerated for a decade, the patriarch is devoted to diversifying the financial portfolio of the Palmer family. Many people in his position would be too burdened by their circumstances to solemnly ruminate on this important part of their legacy, but for Vybz Kartel, it is a priority.
Too often, we see artists, athletes, and other stars squander their wealth on short-lived indulgences and neglect to make way for the generations they spawn. The dancehall mogul is giving his fans and followers some insight on why his story will be different by sharing some of his latest moves to empower his family with non-current assets. Alongside a photo of himself – arms crossed and all smiles – accessorized by the soothing sounds of Lila Iké’s inspirational ballad “Where I’m Coming From,” Di Teacha began to spill lessons in Boss Moves 101.
“Just buy a Bigger house fi me Parents pon di Hill since month,” he wrote, “Transfer Two properties inna me son’s name fi him 18th birthday & buy him 8.9 acres a land fi celebrate the birth of him son this month as well ( me Grandson ) me Daughter ( get shy & say ‘daddy please take out my part till the results come’) , i’m so proud of her cause she just 14 years old!”
The post may have surprised naysayers who used the most recently surfaced photos of the deejay in prison to speculate about his health. In a previous interview with Fox 5 NY, his first exclusive since his incarceration, Vybz Kartel spoke well of his mental health and talked about recovering physically as well. The deejay was sure to reinforce this in his latest message to the masses.
Vybz Kartel son Likkle Vybz and his pregnant girlfriend
“Me stronger dan ever mentally and physically after dem did think me a go mashup,” he continued with a smirk. “Celebrating Vanity? No! A Blessing me a count! Bigup me Supporters & a #SpecialBigup to my haters, Both of you doing a Great job to motivate Unstoppable Me. From Humble beginnings, but the Legacy continues.. when i look at where i’m coming from -Lila ike.”
The inspiring post garnered more than half a million views and interactions with fans and celebrity friends of the deejay, congratulating him on his intelligent financial decisions and for expanding his wealth to his family. “Doing it From behind the bloooodcl***t BARS #GOAT,” commented Spice. Rvssian also chimed in with “Blessings bro. U set the ting” while Raheem Sterling said, “generational,” and Usain Bolt simply wrote, “GW.” The post also garnered reactions from Busta Rhymes, Sean Kingston, DJ Akademiks, Lila Iké, and more.
One particularly touched stan took to the comments to say, “Dawg, who can stop this man? The system a try sink e dawg fi fullfil narratives y’all are blind to and him still a set him legacy and generation fi prosper and kick down doors the same system nuh wah we share like how to properly set up for and pass down wealth,” he wrote.
Back in August, during Vybz Kartel’s interview with Lisa Evers of Fox 5 NY, the incarcerated deejay spoke candidly about the impression that the “system” was conspiring against him. In spite of that, the dancehall mogul maintained his confidence in his imminent freedom as his case is slated to appear in front of the Privy Council next. In the meantime, the deejay is clearly not shirking his duties as the patriarch of the Palmer family as he continues to carve out an affluent future for his children and grandchildren at just 45 years old.
Judging by the comments on Kartel’s Instagram post, many young artists and fans alike are taking tips on asset management and wealth prosperity from him. That being said, Vybz Kartel is not only empowering his own family but his extended family at large by educating them and leading by example. A true King he is.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says that Vybz Kartel may have a key role in the government’s continued efforts to vaccinate the majority of Jamaica’s population by 2022.
So far, just about seven percent (7%) of the island’s people are fully vaccinated. While the government has been trying to vaccinate persons, there has been a high number of people against taking the shot, which is said to help persons from either getting the virus or having minimal reactions.
A recent study showed that anti-vaccination rhetoric and conspiracies were rife among the population, with the majority of people against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination.
However, the Prime Minister believes that Vybz Kartel, who is one of the most influential entertainers on the island, might be able to assist in getting more persons on board.
“In a national emergency such as a pandemic, we in the Government of Jamaica would enlist the support of all well-thinking citizens in encouraging persons to take the vaccine,” Holness said.
The incarcerated Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, recently took his first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and is said to be doing well after taking the shot.
“There is no doubt that Vybz Kartel is an influencer, with many fans throughout the country. … If he can influence others to take it that would be good. I would be willing to work with the penal system to explore how it could be done,” Tufton said recently.
However, the prime minister noted that all hands should be on deck to assist the country with coping with the pandemic.
“In terms of how the government structures its programmes, the existence of a pandemic, of an emergency, does not always justify the dispensing of rules and regulations and laws and policies and principles. So, we make a general call for every citizen of Jamaica to support and use their influence,” Holness said.
He added that the government has tried to get the support of influential groups in the pro-vaccination campaign but that not everyone has responded.
The Prime Minister added that the help of everyone is needed if the island is to successfully control the effects of the pandemic in Jamaica.
“We have a national programme and that programme has to follow all the laws and guidelines and procedures. So that will prescribe how we engage. So my short answer to you is, we encourage everyone from all walks of life, wherever you are, whatever your status, whatever your station, if you can support and add your voice, please go ahead and do so,” said Holness.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said that for anyone to help, there was no need to sign on with a state-supported program, but instead, they can use their platforms to share organic support.
It seems that Vybz Kartel might be trying to show his support to the government and his efforts at rehabilitation even as his appeal at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is pending.
Vybz Kartel might’ve been vaccinated but his fans are now asking for proof because they don’t believe he took the jab.
The dancehall artist was among a group of inmates who received the vaccine on Friday as Jamaica’s Ministry of Health continued its drive to have the island’s population fully vaccinated. According to news reports, Vybz Kartel was among a group of 30 inmates from the Horizon Adult Correctional Centre to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The inmates had opted to receive the shot, which is their first, followed by a second shot six weeks from now before they are regarded as fully inoculated.
“They took the AstraZeneca vaccine with the second dose scheduled as usual,” news sources said.
According to the Jamaica Observer, all inmates are offered the vaccine, but the acceptance rate is low, with only about 10 percent of inmates in the correctional services opting to have the vaccine. The newspaper further reported that the remainder of inmates, about 70 percent, has indicated they have vaccine hesitancy.
Meanwhile, Vybz Kartel’s lawyer believed that if the artist received the vaccine and was allowed to participate in the government’s vaccine drive, the rate of vaccination might improve as many looks up to the artist.
A week ago, Attorney Isat Buchanan had said incarcerated deejay was ready for the jab and that he had expressed his desire to take the vaccine.
“They (prisoners) too are a class which are fragile and don’t have the ability to say let me be vaccinated and so of course it is of concern because they are persons who are ready and willing… in conversations with him he is ready and willing to take the vaccine if it is offered,” Buchanan had said in a TVJ interview.
Meanwhile, the dancehall community remains among those with high vaccine hesitancy. Many artists like Buju Banton and some Jamaican DJs are bashing the vaccine while promoting various conspiracy theories. This has resulted in a lot of fans of these artistes believing these conspiracies and help further the issue of hesitancy.
One Gaza fan told Urban Islandz on Wednesday, “No I don’t believe Worl’Boss [Vybz Kartel] took any vaccine they just using his name to mek we take it but we naan take it and we know he didn’t take it.”
Some fans insist that they need proof of Vybz Kartel getting the vaccine before believing the reports in the media. “So where is the proof Kartel take the vaccine, no video, no photo no nuttem. Fool them take we fah,” one fan reiterates.
Vybz Kartel previously confirmed through his attorney that he is ready to take the jab. It’s up to the government or his attorney to share proof he did follow through.
Skillibeng has, no doubt, continued to aim high and make moves in the entertainment industry. But talks about the artiste’s declining song quality are once again popping up.
Veteran selector Boom Boom recently expressed that while he believes Skillibeng is the “big name in Jamaica right now,” the deejay should steer clear of the same flows he has been using repetitively on many of his songs.
The “Billboard Selector” made an appearance on TVJ’s Entertainment Report, which took place on Friday (April 30).
Boom Boom, whose real name is Marlon Wizard, also recommended that the “Crocodile Teeth” deejay also reduce the number of tracks he has been releasing progressively.
“Me caan hide him glory. A Skilli a the man right now,” Boom Boom said. But when E.R. host Anthony Miller asked if he believed all his songs were making sense, the selector responded, “Him have couple song weh him release, me see the people them start bash it, say a nursery rhyme, him need fi do better.”
The Alliance selector said he agreed with the criticisms but still could not deny that Skillibeng is “the man” at the moment, as the young deejay has been releasing songs that have hit international markets, specifically, his single “Crocodile Teeth.”
But, with the criticisms, Boom Boom was perhaps referring to Skillibeng’s recent single “Yo,” which had received a number of negative comments, critiques, and jeers upon its release.
Boom agreed with Miller that his “failed” songs were due to the fact that the artiste had been releasing too many songs at one point. Notably, other artists such as Vybz Kartel are known for his hurried song-releasing streak without being an epic fail. But, Boom Boom argued that Skillibeng should not be compared to an artiste like Vybz Kartel, who has been in the industry for a while and has established himself as one of Jamaica’s prolific artists.
“No. Kartel will always be Kartel. Kartel inna a class himself. A di teacher dat,” he declared.
The Esyde artiste has been under scrutiny for some time, as some fans had expressed concern that his new music releases were not as good as previous songs.
While it is well known that the 24-year-old deejay is immensely talented, some fans have been speculating that he may not be taking his music very seriously.
However, the “Coke” deejay has a bright future ahead, and fans are hoping that he will use his talent to the best of his ability to make the best of opportunities to come.
Vybz Kartel proclaims his love for Shorty in a new track dedicated to the mother of three of his children.
The dancehall hitmaker is showing love to the mother of his kids in a major way with the release of the official audio for his single “Love Ya Babymom.” The track was uploaded to his YouTube channel on April 29. The dedication to Tanesha is also a “Message to all real man,” as per the song’s lyrics.
Ironically, the song is produced by Short Boss Muzik, which is operated by the leading lady in question. In typical Vybz Kartel fashion, the song opens with him singing Tanesha’s name, he then goes into the chorus, which reflects on the couple’s time together.
Kartel sings, “Love Yah Baby Mom / Look how far me and Shorty coming from? / And I would do it all again with no regret.”
This is not the first time that the artist has dedicated a song to Shorty (Tanesha). In fact, he dedicated an entire album to her last year. The album “To Tanesha” was released on January 24, 2020, and peaked at #87 on the Billboard chart. It featured singles such as “Delusional” and “Fell Apart.”
Vybz Kartel and Tanesha have been together for approximately two decades and have three children together. Two of these children, Likkle Addi and Likkle Vybz, have also pursued music and have put out several singles of their own.
Despite several ups and downs, including the singer having several kids outside the relationship, Tanesha has stuck by his side. She has also held him down while he has been incarcerated. Kartel has already served more than 10 years in prison on a murder charge. His lawyers appealed the case in Jamaica’s Supreme Court but were unsuccessful. The entertainer is currently preparing to take his appeal to Jamaica’s highest court, which is the Privy Council in England.
Despite being incarcerated for the past decade, Kartel has produced several albums and dozens of singles. Melodically, “Love Ya Babymom” is a great production, even though it may not rank among some of Kartel’s best lyrical outputs.
The song has a great message as Teacha instructs men to cherish what they have while acknowledging that social media has painted a fake perception of what a relationship is truly like.
Vybz Kartel was crowned the current King of Dancehall overwhelming by fans in a new survey, beating out Alkaline and Popcaan.
For the past decade, The Worl’Boss has maintained that he is the King of Dancehall. Many have come and gone since that time trying to lay claim to the crown, but Vybz Kartel has always stood his ground. He has the backing of his fans for sure. This was made even more evident after Television Jamaica conducted a poll to find out what the fans thought. The result was an unassailable victory for Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer.
The poll by TVJ asked a simple question, “Who do you think is the current King of Dancehall.” The contenders for the title were Popcaan, Vybz Kartel, Dexta Daps, Masicka, and Alkaline. Vybz Kartel blew the competition away, winning 64.7 percent of the vote. The closest competitor was Alkaline with 14 percent of the vote, and Popcaan came in third with 13 percent. The “Popular” deejay was quick to thank his loyal Gaza fans for their faith.
“NUFF THANKS AND RESPECT TO THE #GAZANATION & THE DANCEHALL FANS WHO CONTINUE FI SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT! FROM 2000 TILL NOW! DONT EVER THINK MI TAKE UNUH RATINGS LIGHTLY OR FOR GRANTED!!! NO, ME EVER A WORK HARD FI PLEASE DANCEHALL AND ME PUT ME ALL INNA DIS. NUFF LOVE & RESPECT!!!!????? AND TO ALL WHO NUH VOTE FIMME, UNUH VOTE FI DANCEHALL SEDSPEED, MI GOOD WID DAT!!… #DANCEHALLCYAASTALL!!!!!!” he said on Instagram late around midnight on April 28.
His friends and fans were quick to celebrate with him. Busta Rhymes said: “UP UP UP MI G!!!”, while this fan chimed in, “this shouldn’t have been a question, this answer toooo easy,” and this one added: “Dem a pamphlet & want fi test di great encyclopedia.”
Kartel is one of those people who seemed destined for a certain path and is one of the most influential names in the genre to date. He began writing at just 11-years-old and released his first single at just 17-years-old. That track was called “Love Fat Woman” and was released under the stage name Adi Banton some 24 years ago. He didn’t look back from there and soon became respected for his whimsical lyric generating. His unique play on words helped propel his career to the top of the pack, and he eventually claimed the title King of Dancehall.
He’s been able to accomplish quite a bit through his career, considering the fact that he was expelled from Calabar High School when he was 16. His career would probably not be the same without the “Champions in Action” stage show held in his hometown, Portmore. That’s where he was noticed by Bounty Killer, who would groom him for the big stage. The rest is history. Vybz Kartel kept delivering hits, and he released his debut album ‘Up 2 Di Time’ in 2003. He’s gone on to release 15 albums and has been featured on about 900 riddims. Kartel has probably become the most sought out artist for collaborations over the span of his career.
In 2011, his flight to ascendancy was cut short after he was arrested on September 29 for cannabis possession. He was eventually charged with the murder of Clive Williams. That case started on November 18, 2013, and on March 13, 2014, he was found guilty of the offense. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Lennox Campbell, who said he would be eligible for parole after serving 35 years.
His murder conviction was appealed last year, April 3, 2020, and his parole eligibility was reduced to 32 years and six months because of Justice Campbell’s failure to consider the time the singer had spent in jail while awaiting trial in 2014. Kartel is still hoping for freedom as his lawyers have taken the matter up with the Privy Council. Even from behind bars, he continues to dominate airwaves and has consistently produced music that remains loved by the masses.
Jesse Royal says his sophomore album is on the way and his new single with Vybz Kartel, “Rich Forever,” is now out.
It’s not a collaboration you’d expect, but it’s one that has been forged to show true unity and a message of hope. That’s how reggae star Jesse Royal has explained his latest single, Rich Forever featuring Vybz Kartel. The song comes from his anticipated sophomore album Royal, which is expected to drop on June 11th, 2021, by Easy Star Records. The single dropped on April 16. This single is the third release from Jesse Royal‘s upcoming album.
The other two previously released singles are Lion Order featuring Protoje and Natty Pablo. In a statement, Royal explained that the collaboration was created to try and unify both artists and people across both genres in an effort to help listeners understand how to be “forever royal.”
“Rich Forever is a divergence from identifying with the degradation dispersed for generations by them and those who oppose reality and simply put, it is a conversation about restoration of our royalty and reclaiming dignity,” he further explained.
The beat for the track was produced by rising star iotosh, who also produced the beats for Protoje’s “Deliverance” and “Self Defense” as well as Jaz Elise’s “After 3” featuring Mortimer. The second album follows along the same line as Sean Paul’s recent delivery, Live N Livin, and focuses heavily on collaborations in the industry. Among those who appear on the album include Protoje, Kumar, and Ghanaian afrobeats artiste Stonebwoy. It’s been four years since his first album was released which was called Lily Of Da Valley.
The “Finally” singer also spoke with the Jamaica Observer about the concept behind his upcoming album.
“Royal is a lot different from my previous project, Lily of Da Valley, in the sense that there were a lot more experiences that happened over the time. There was a lot of lessons that were learnt, a lot of blessings and lessons that we definitely imparted on the project,” he said.
He went on to describe the album as one of his most “most vulnerable” and added that he was incredibly proud of his team for the way it all came together. He also explained to Observer the inspiration behind the Dancehall infused track “Rich Forever.”
“So one of the main inspirations behind Rich Forever was reclaiming the glory days, understanding our history stretches far beyond the Middle Passage. We have to remind our youths that we don’t really have to chase things that already belong to us,” he said.
He further explained that the song is also meant to inspire youth to want to achieve more and to realize that achieving wealth is part of their birthright. “Check places like Africa that has given the world so much and still have more to offer. So Rich Forever is a reminder to the youths of where to start looking, which is inside – when they’re gonna deal with their journey,” he continued.
This album will focus on his personal and professional growth over the years since dropping his last album, he added.
“The growth I experienced was entrusting myself a bit more; trusting my ideas, my experiences, and feeling like there’s people out there who would be able to relate with it,” he said. Part of his growth has been learning to take advice from others in the genre as he moved away from solo projects where he wrote and composed most of his work alone.
“There was also a lot of growth in a sense of most of the projects before were solely written and generally composed by myself, along with a few others. So, for this project I definitely invited some people in terms of producers, writers, to knock heads and see what more we can come up with outside of my box,” he explained.
Usain Bolt is releasing a new dancehall riddim featuring tracks from some top artists.
The Jamaican legend wears many hats from businessman to track star and footballer to music producer. Usain Bolt often invests in multiple ventures, and most recently, he has been setting his sights on making dancehall bangers. The Olympic champion announced his newest undertaking on social media this week, and fans were excited to see the artists that joined him for the project.
The “Clockwork Riddim,” which is slated to arrive this Friday (April 9), has a star-studded lineup. Bolt shared a preview of the funky dancehall beat on Instagram, revealing that it will have guest appearances from the likes of Teejay, Shaneil Muir, ZJ Liquid, and even dancehall mogul Vybz Kartel.
While Usain Bolt came under fire after his single release for his artist and friend NJ, which was criticized for being mediocre, the producer ignored the backlash, and the song went on to garner over half a million views. NJ was brought back for a track on the upcoming project, which will also feature Christopher Martin, Lia Caribe, gold and diamond-selling dancehall star Charly Black, and even more.
The “Clockwork Riddim” presented by Usain Bolt was produced by A-Team Lifestyle. Look out for new tracks from Vybz Kartel, Teejay, and more this Friday. Listen a preview below.
Vybz Kartel drops off his new visual, “Stress Out, Stress Out,” for a single that’s gaining traction.
Fans of Vybz Kartel were in for a treat late Friday night when the artist released his latest single, “Stress Out.” Produced by Short Boss Muzik/Vybz Kartel Muzik, the single is being distributed by Zojak World Wide. True to his raunchy and irreverent style, “Stress Out” is a song for the ladies, full of sexual innuendos and explicit lyrics.
With a catchy and fast-paced beat, the lyrics are well-matched to the rhythm. Vybz Kartel dials down on the usual punch and keen wordplay that the “Fever” singer is known for.
The opening lines of the song leave little to the imagination. In the intro, Vybz Kartel sings, “Tight yuh tight me gyal… Pat yuh good hole… Underneath yuh nah freeze, a nuh snow.” The remaining lyrics are just as sexual, with various descriptions of his bedroom shenanigans.
The video is the perfect complement to the words he delivers. It features several scenes of scantily clad females who make it their duty to shake what their mama provided. In one of the opening scenes, the dancer is captured in a one piece bikini gyrating on a bed while performing numerous acrobatic moves. Vybz Kartel remains incarcerated for murder, and as such, he does not appear in his music videos. However, that has not stopped him from giving his fans a show.
The video and song is a hit with fans, one of whom commented on YouTube that, “Vybz Kartel knows how to make women feel special.. No other artiste does that.” Another fan commented, “A weh u find da thickazz ya me g? No regret watching this video at all.”
Judging from the responses, “Stress Out, Stress Out” is already on its way to becoming a favorite for the Gaza Boss’ fans. Despite the artiste complaining that YouTube has been ‘freezing his views’ in his latest Instagram promotional video, the song’s video has already racked up more than 270,000 views in two days. You can check it out on his YouTube channel.
Vybz Kartel is praising his former mentor Bounty Killer for his charitable endeavors as he assisted three senior members of the Porus village in Manchester with cash and kind donations to assist their everyday life.
Vybz Kartel posted a clip of one of the recipients who appeared to be blind and said that in spite of his loud and boisterous personality, Bounty has a soft side that cares about people. “He said a longtime the general kind and helping people!!!!! Don’t mek the #warord persona trick yuh @ggrunggaadzilla is di original & only #poorpeoplegovernor,” Kartel began.
“Nuff millionaire yuh create bout yah mi don…mi love yuh as a fada,” Kartel said.
The two men have become closer over the last few years, and it was Bounty Killer who introduced Vybz Kartel to the world when he brought him on stage in 2002 during one of his own performances, something veteran artists did back in the day. Kartel was part of the Alliance group founded by Bounty Killer that has undoubtedly coached and released more talent than any other figure known in Dancehall history.
Vybz Kartel and Mavado were both proteges of the veteran artiste. However, their relationship became rocky around 2006 when Kartel collaborated with D’Angel in the heights of the Bounty and Beenie Man feud.
At the turn of the decade in 2010, as Vybz Kartel reinvented his look- going from black Kartel to bleached Kartel- Bounty Killer had many critical things to say about the practices which became widely influential to Kartel’s vast cult-like base. However, in recent times, the two have accepted the olive branches as they celebrate each other.
Meanwhile, the charitable endeavor by Bounty Killer by his Bounty Foundation said that the group traveled to Porus, Manchester, to handover three wheelchairs and $50k each to three disabled persons. Bounty Killer posting on his page said, “…it was all smiles and joy today it pleased my heart to see the splendor of sharing. Thanks for granting me this wonderful opportunity almighty god,” he posted on Instagram.
Since the beginning of his career, Bounty Killer has lived up to his self-proclaimed moniker, ‘Poor People Governor,’ as he lyrically advocated the plight of those underprivileged in society. His advocacy has moved from just lyrics to donations and other such gestures as he helps the poor and needy.
Tommy Lee Sparta joins a handful of incarcerated dancehall stars in prison, including Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman.
Tommy Lee Sparta‘s day of reckoning is finally here, and as the law would have it, the “Blessings” deejay has been hit with a 3-year sentence behind bars. The seriousness of the situation, which will see the deejay not being able to spend time with his family, has seemingly been lost on Jamaican Twitter, who have been pumping out clever memes to address how they feel about the situation the Sparta Boss and other local entertainers have found themselves in.
One Twitter user joked that the proclaimed King Of The Dancehall Vybz Kartel had called Court. As such, the likes of Laden, past members of Portmore Empire Tommy Lee Sparta and Shawn Storm, and one-time sparring partner Ninjaman, have all found themselves in the big house(prison).
“Kartel file fi everybody,” came the hilarious tweet. “Sting can keep a prison this Christmas,” came another clever suggestion.
Sting, which is considered the Greatest One Night Show On Earth, built its reputation on the back of high-profile clashes against the hottest acts in Jamaica.
Ninjaman has dominated the Sting stage for many years, leaving lesser opponents gasping for air and lyrics. A Vybz Kartel vs Ninjaman battle would definitely turn heads, and with both men more mature, the fist thumping of 2004 Sting should be a thing of the past. Vybz Kartel is also pretty famous for his Sting 2008 battle against Mavado. With the Gully Gad spending much time in the States, it would be left to his son Dante Brooks to relive the legacy, especially with a life sentencing to consider.
Kartel was the first to be incarcerated for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. His trial of 65 days is said to have been the longest in Jamaica’s history. In 2014, the popular and beloved artiste was sentenced to life in prison.
Vybz Kartel
Vybz Kartel is still making music to this day, releasing albums such as To Tanesha, Dancehall Royalty, X-rated, Of Dons & Divas, as well as a slew of singles and music videos. Since his incarceration in 2011, Kartel has shown no signs of slowing down and is still perhaps the most consistent dancehall artiste when it comes to releasing new music.
Not only did he released several albums, but also hundreds of singles, both solo and collaborative efforts with a plethora of local and overseas artists. Let’s not forget that he also released a book.
Shawn Storm
Shawn Campbell, famously known as Shawn Storm, is considered Vybz Kartel’s right hand. He was sentenced in the same murder trial to 25 years which was later reduced to 22 years and 6 months.
Shawn Storm is known for his songs such as “My Life” and “Loyalty,” which would definitely be sing alongs if he was to grace to Live From Prison version of Sting.
Ninjaman
The great Desmond Ballentine, famously known as Ninja Man, followed suit in 2017. He was found guilty of the murder of Ricardo Johnson and was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
Dancehall artiste Laden was sentenced to four years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and 18 months for illegal possession of ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently. His popular tracks include “Time to Shine,” “Me Same One,” and “Really Like You.”
Tommy Lee Sparta
Tommy Lee Sparta has been in and out of police custody a number of times. He recently pleaded guilty to the offenses of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, for which he was sentenced. He was found with a firearm along Holborn Road, New Kingston, last December and was subsequently arrested and charged.
The Montego Bay deejay was sentenced to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of an illegal firearm. His attorney Donahue Martin says his sentence was drastically reduced because he pled guilty and had no prior conviction.
Rytikal – case pending.
Rytikal, another promising entertainer, appeared before the gun court to answer charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. His place on this hypothetical version of Sting still hangs in the balance. Yesterday he was offered a 1 million dollar bail and will go to trial on April 28.
“Prison Splash line up is looking outstanding,” concluded another fan on Twitter.
Vybz Kartel and his fans are today on a high after the dancehall artiste got a shout-out from rapper Young M.A. in her latest release. The song “Ooouuuvie (Whoopty Freestyle)” was released yesterday and is already trending at number 5 on YouTube.
In the portion of the freestyle reposted by Vybz Kartel, Young M.A sings, “Smoking that Zaza, got yack in the mata.. I’m in Jamaica speaking that patois.. Big up to the Gaza.”
The Gaza boss captioned the post saying, “BigUp @Youngma (fist pump emojis) #RealRecReal… 1 Don #GazaBadness.” Vybz Kartel’s fans were excited about the big up from the international performer who has Jamaican heritage by way of her mother. One comment under the World Boss’ post said, “Big up Young M.A (clapping emojis)… She knows the Vibes!”
Another Instagram user said, “She a real one,” “See it deh! Gaza international”, while several left some fire emojis to show their approval.
Not everyone was here for Vybz Kartel’s repost. One user commented, “I remember a time when fire use too bun pan some people. Everybody cool now ehh.” Another disgruntled fan commented, “How unuh against homosexuals but still big dem up… fraud! Gudly a fish unda style to how mi seet.”
The comments were in reference to Young M.A’s sexuality and the fact that she identifies as a part of the LGBTQ community. Such persons are generally met with disdain from those in the Dancehall arena.
Despite the negative comments from a few fans, Jamaicans love the homage to the island and the Gaza in Young M.A’s new freestyle. Many showed out in the comment section of Young M.A’s promotional post, commenting with Jamaican flags and fire emojis.
Some users highlighted that the rapper has always shown love to Jamaica, having visited the island several times and even performing there. Her last visit was in 2017, when she performed at the popular Brit Jam concert.
The rapper has also featured patois in her musical lineup, including on her 2020 song “Tunn Up.” The song features lines such as “Bad gal turn up (Wah gwaan)… Spliff mi ah burn up, pull her skirt up… Toes, dem a kill out… Mi fr**ky, make them girls wet like Fiji.”
Stonebwoy says the goal is to not end incarcerated up like Vybz Kartel.
Two of Ghana’s top dancehall artists, Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale, have been locked in a beef for several years. Their rivalry has been described as one similar to the bitter feud between Vybz Kartel and Mavado, which created a huge division among dancehall fans. During a recent interview, Stonebwoy spoke openly about the bad blood between him and Shatta Wale.
The African entertainer stated that he did not want either of them to end up in a similar situation to Vybz Kartel, who has been incarcerated since 2011 for murder.
Stonebwoy and Etana sat down for a virtual interview with journalist Sharon L Carpenter where they discussed their recent track “Proppa,” while touching on other interesting aspects of his career.
Stonebwoy said, “It’s not my prayers that one of us end up like Kartel cause we still need our freedom in the end.”
He continued, “I don’t know the situation with Kartel, honestly speaking, but what I do know is that he is not out in the world. He is in a confinement. That’s not what I wish for either of us and you know we have to continue to preach peace.”
Stonebwoy then went on to detail what caused the issues between him and Shatta Wale over the years. Both have always seemed to be at odds, with their fanbase supporting their every move. Things took a turn for the worse in 2019 during the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards when physical violence erupted between both men on the stage after Stonebwoy was announced as the winner of the Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year, a title he won for the fifth time. As a result of that altercation, both artists were banned from the Awards and were even placed before the court. The ban was lifted this year after both men issued apologies.
This was reportedly the first physical fight between the two that was caught on camera, and it saw them both facing some jail time. Despite all that has gone down, Stonebwoy did say the animosity between them is more of a “sibling rivalry.” Preaching a message of peace and unity, he noted, “When there’s no beef, no fight that’s where you can see real hard work to get to the top.”
Etana also spoke about a new track, “My Love,” that will be released soon that features Vybz Kartel. This is the second single from her new album “Pamoja.”
Lauryn Hill and Vybz Kartel are among the guest list on Machel Montano’s “The Wedding Album.”
The coronavirus pandemic has turned many worlds upside down, leaving people with very little to celebrate. But when news emerged that the renowned Trinidadian soca kingpin, who usually imparts much merriment in his music, would be producing and dedicating an album to his wife, many people were happy to celebrate with him.
Machel Montano informed the public, “This album is a dedication to my wife and the wonderful partnership we share and which we celebrate physically, spiritually, and culturally. These songs translate the feelings we experience when we meet, the love when we dance and share space, as well as the joy we find when we are together.”
The album, titled “The Wedding Album,” consists of 17 tracks with the consistent theme; love. Montano and his wife, Renee Butcher, are celebrating their first anniversary, as the two had their wedding in February last year.
Apart from the obvious joy one would feel in seeing a husband dedicating an album to his wife in such times, Jamaicans are celebrating the inclusion of dancehall deejay, Vybz Kartel in the album. Vybz Kartel is featured on Montano’s song “Super Soca.”
The album, since its release three days ago, has received 29 thousand views on youtube. Fans also flooded the comments section with compliments and some positive feedback for the album.
XTOCRACY Media Ltd commented, “I dear say, This is Machel’s best work. I love this f***king album, Long live de King.”
Janice small also left a review, saying, “Blessings on this amazing album of your chosen collaborated artists, LOVE is always in the air. May your continuous hardwork reward you with the 1st ever Soca grammy.”
Other artists featured on the album include Lauryn Hill, Teddy Riley, Afro B, Lu City, J-Stylz, Stacy Barthe, Bankulli, DJ Tunez, and Hey Choppi.
Montano said, “These songs venture from dancehall to R&B to Afrobeat, all infused with that sweet soca. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the artistes I’ve collaborated with and it’s an honour to sing side by side with such highly rated creatives whom I look up to and I’m a big fan of.”
A look at the best dancehall songs in 2021, so far.
From Yaksta’s “acres over Mark X” to Skillibeng’s “Di plane just crash wid e coke,” it’s safe to say that Jamaica’s musical engine has been pumping out the hits since the start of the new year. The industry giants such as Vybz Kartel continue to provide quality in quantity. However, not on the level that he did in 2020 when he had the airwaves buzzing with tracks from his album, To Tanesha. Nonetheless, 2021 promises to be a very musical year, with numerous entertainers either queuing to release an album, a mixtape, or an EP. Vershon dropped his 6-track EP title Only One a few days ago, while Sean Paul released his feature-laden project Live N Livin, which is one of two albums the superstar will be providing to his fans this year. The wealth of music brewing over the past three months has made us feel super privileged to be able to compile a list of the hottest dancehall/reggae singles we have received so far.
To select the songs for this list, we look at the numbers across DSPs and real world impact to see which singles are playing in dancehall sessions, parties, clubs, and on radio stations locally and overseas. The list also comprised of only songs that are released in 2021, so yes there are music from last year still in heavy rotation now, but so are music from three decades ago.
So which dancehall songs are the top tracks so far this year?
Chronixx – “Safe N Sound”
Ironically, no form of oppression was safe and sound after Chronixx dropped his latest nearly a week ago. The visuals portray a warzone-like atmosphere where smoked skulls and travesty indicate the order of the day. The lyrical stepper acts as the lone vigilante in the warzone, using his words, sounds, and power to hit back at the government, among other controlling subsets. How ironic that just a few months ago, Prime Minister Andrew Holness hailed Chronixx’s catalog as the face of what Jamaica’s music should look like, based on his profanity-less lyrics. Chronixx recently offered a surprise when he chanted a classic Jamaican expletive over the odd but infectious dancehall beat. The “Behind Curtains” singer has been delivering his vocals over beats of this nature for the past couple of years, with many of these cuts reportedly making it to his upcoming album. Excitement galore if you ask us!
Alkaline “Top Prize”
Whether you love him or hate him, it’s pretty hard to deny the fact that Alkaline is one of the world’s hottest entertainers with a Jamaican passport. While fans are still trying to figure out just how the entertainer got his name, they now have other questions, such as when will his new album be hitting shelves. The deejay announced both the release of what will be his sophomore album and its lead single back in February. The lanky figure who is known for flashing his bright smile on national television while participating in Jamaica’s Junior Schools Challenge Quiz has come of age and is promising fans a more mature dose of Alkaline on the new project. The title track was everything his Vendetta fans needed to quench their overactive musical appetite while getting their daily dose of motivation. The smooth cut is best listened to while wiping that mist from your bathroom mirror while getting ready to tackle the day ahead.
Popcaan – “Win”
Basketball is one of the most demanding sporting disciplines in the world, period. While the United States is seen as the Mecca when it comes to hooping, other countries also boast a pretty solid basketball program. Jamaica is slowly upping its ranks as far as b-ball is concerned, and with the help of the Unruly Boss, Popcaan, at least one fictitious team was balling after coming out victors against a Neville Bell coached offensive. The music video shines some light on basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who perished in a helicopter crash last year. Whether purposely or coincidentally, Popcaan dropped the visuals only a few days after the 1 year anniversary of the sportsman’s death. Popcaan’s most comfortable spots are his kitchen, the river, on stage, and next to his mom Miss Rhona. However, in the most ironic of fashions, he seemed pretty comfortable on the sidelines of the court in “Win.”
Popcaan – “Relevant”
Popcaan picks up a double on our list when he teamed up with Droptop Records and kicked started the year with the soulful and inspirational ballad, which is still very much ‘relevant’ three(3) months down the road. The power of the track is compacted in simple but powerful lines which aim to stimulate even the youngest listener.
“Ghetto yutes go fi di goal, wi been ah win (Mhmm)
Failure nuh inna?my?ting,?no (Weh! Weh!?Ting, no)
If yuh?live inna board house, yuh still ah queen
Yuh still ah king (Yeah)
Failure nuh inna my ting, no”
Is failure a part of your daily mantra? We hope not. As for Popcaan, his positive winning streak continues.
Beenie Man Feat. Popcaan, Dre Island – “Fun In The Sun”
Fact check/History lesson: 2006 was the year we lost loved ‘Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin to a stingray. It was also during this year that 12 miners died during the Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia. It was also the year when Google acquired YouTube for US$1.65 billion. Who could forget the Whale who decided to venture into the River Thames? As for music, 2006 saw Daniel Porter ruling Billboard Hot 100 with “Bad Day,” and Sean Paul coming in just behind him with “Temperature.” Another Jamaican who had the place in a frenzy in 2006 was Beenie Man when he released two albums, Concept of Life and Undisputed. The latter was Beenie’s last album in almost 20 years. The dancehall artiste should definitely have the word legendary etched somewhere on his body for his ability to stay relevant all these years without a body of work.
Beenie Man and his one-time enemy Bounty Killer revived beliefs in good entertainment last year when they performed side by side on Verzuz. The two men did the next best thing shortly after they announced they would be releasing albums. After much delay, it seems 2021 is the year fans will be getting both projects. The Zagga Zow pioneer recently had some ‘Fun In The Sun” as he and co-writers and performers Dre Island and Popcaan sent their prayers up to the lord from the grounds of Hope Garden. The song has a special place in the heart of Beenie Man, who expressed that he wrote the song while sitting by the grave of his mom, who passed away in 2020.
“That’s why we must, yeah, yeah
We must live as one (yeah)
Divided we fall
Together we’re strong.”
Masicka, Tarrus Riley, Dunw3ll – “CORNER”
From one triple threat to another! Genasyde, Singy Singy, and Dunw3ll find friendship around the “Corner.” The Masicka, Tarrus Riley, and Dunw3ll collab provides a wonderful brace to everyone who is facing tough times, a commodity that is seemingly in never-ending surplus these days. From Covid-19 to exorbitant food prices and a crime monster that is on the loose, everyone needs a bit of positivity in their corner of the ring. Crank up the music, lace up your boxing gloves and let’s get ready to rumble.
TeeJay, Tommy Lee Sparta – “Power Struggle”
Known for its white sandy beaches, resorts, and once active nightlife, Montego Bay is a haven for many of Jamaica’s visitors. In recent years, the parish of St. James has proved that its musical talents are not only reserved for the walls of fancy resorts. The likes of Teejay, Tommy Lee Sparta, Rygin King, Squash, Daddy1, and a host of other newcomers have kicked the notion that good musical vibrations are only felt in the East of the island.
The Damage Musiq-produced song “Power Struggle” is just one such example of this. The track saw Teejay and Tommy Lee Sparta team up for the first time, causing quite a rumble in the dancehall jungle and since its release in January, bringing over 3,000,000 Youtube views. Free Tommy Lee Sparta is the general chant from adoring fans below the Youtube upload. Lee remains in lockup following an incident in which he was held with an illegal firearm during a police operation during the latter part of last year. “Power Struggle” captures the pain the deejay has faced at the hands of law enforcement.
TeeJay, Vybz Kartel – “Pressure”
Vybz Kartel addressed the hardships being faced by the common man in Jamaican approximately five years ago when he released his track “Pressure.” On the new track, also titled “Pressure,” the deejay is still questioning the constant uphill battle being faced by the people of the land. This time around, he brings Teejay, a man with whom he has found amazing musical chemistry, to tag along for a story that is all too real. Poverty, ruthless murders, and the deaths of the innocent are all topics discussed by both Kartel and Teejay. It’s a familiar topic covers by musicians from the genre known for speaking on the struggles and plights of the people.
Yaksta (Bush Lawd) – “Ambition”
Do you remember that bet you made about not being able to find any sound financial advice in today’s music? Think again, as newcomer Yaksta shows just how it’s done. The deejay is quickly emerging as the one to watch for the title of breakout artiste of the year, and his new track “Ambition” seems set to make that a reality. Bush Lawd is asking those questions that many are simply scare to ask, firmly standing on the pyramid of what’s right and not what’s hype.
“Why own a Farrari (Why why)
With no where to park it? (Wooiie)
Why shop at Louise V when there is a Target?
Now me hype and me feisty (Feisty)
True mines me a save it (Save it)
Dem guh fendy fi Trendy (Trend wah?)
Bank account cyah empty (Bruck!)”
The official video that was released nearly a month ago is nearing 1 million views, making it the entertainer’s biggest song to date.
Check it out and let us know if you caught all of the financial gems he offloaded.
Shaneil Muir, Daddy1 – “Toxic”
“Love a nuh something wha we practice but the two a we together too toxic…” Sings Shaneil Muir. The singer had a phenomenon in 2020, picking up speed in the early part of the year through her track “3D,” before finding her monster breakout hit “Yamabella.” Since then, Muir has worked with Vybz Kartel, among others, blessings tracks with her magnificent vocal range, raw power, and female prowess. No wonder she overpowered her dad when he tried to turn her away from her “Custom” singer boyfriend Daddy1. Daddy1 runs his usual game on Muir and his fans with a pretty familiar flow that is worth a minute or two of your attention. Check it out.
Shenseea – “Upset”
Chimney Record’s Style A Style Riddim forms the base for this bit of gold from Shenseea, which arrived weeks after the official release of the “juggling compilation.” As the saying goes, it’s never too late for some good lyrics hitting out at anyone looking to bring across any bad energy. Interestingly, the track was released around the same time that Spice and Shenseea were allegedly contesting the “Queen of Dancehall” status. Shenseea has been making her presence felts on the international circuit for some time now. She seemingly got a boost in ratings earlier this year as she made numerous appearances on the walls of the popular urban blog, The Shade Room. There have been talks of an album arriving sometime soon, fingers and toes crossed that it works out.
Prince Swanny – “Tell Me”
Did someone say Trinibad? If you are still unsure about one of the fastest rising sub-genres of dancehall, stay tuned. One of the frontrunners for the movement, which was born in Jamaica, shipped to Trinidad, and is now being redistributed around the world, is Prince Swanny. The deejay has managed to amass a huge following on social media, including Youtube, where you can find the music video for “Tell Me.” There were no mistakes in the naming of this track as Swanny shares the intimate details of what he loves to do, which include caressing his ladies and his firearms. Slow and steady wins the race for “Tell Me” as Swanny effortlessly flows over the beat.
“Tell mi if they really want it we mek di
Money when we outside we strap up
With di 45 dawg none a dem nuh bad
Like we yeee yeah an every fat p*ssy
Gyal dem waah we dem waah fi sit”
Vybz Kartel, Likkle Addi – “Popular”
The master tactician Vybz Kartel is already planning his exit from music, leaving the business in the hands of his three boys, Likkle Addi, Likkle Vybz, and Aikodon. Both Likkle Addi and Vybz have conducted interviews with Winford Williams, where they spoke of focusing on the business aspect of music and all that it entails. They have no plans to step from outside of the booth, though, and “Popular” by Vybz Kartel featuring Likkle Addi is proof that the youngsters have a lot to offer musically. The official music video is inching closer to the 2 million views mark on Youtube. Many would desire to take away the stalker element expressed in the following line. However, there is a strange feeling that it’s one that actually contributes to the mystique of the track.
“I wanna meet you so much it hurts”
Sean Paul, Intence – “Real Steel”
Dutty Paul and Dutty Yeng have enough steel to frame a skyscraper but rest assured that every inch will be going to the female(s) they both desire. “Real Steel” is possibly one of the “duttiest” tracks fans have heard from Sean Paul in a while. The rudeboy persona is on full display, something the ladies simply cannot resist. Sexual favors are plenty, with both Intence and Paul sharing the same girl. Wild! The song is from Paul’s brand new album Live N’ Living, which is packed with many other collaborations, fulfilling Paul’s mission to spread dancehall talents far and wide. The track’s Youtube numbers have been a bit stagnant, but the song is picking up heavy rotation on international radio stations such as Hot 97.
Intence – “Pickachu”
“Pickachu” is a solid track from Intence, which is delivered with clarity and at a moderate pace, making it one which his fans should be able to jam to. Yet, the 1,000,000 and more views on Youtube may actually be a result of a clever but out-of-the-box move from the director of the video. “Ashtray Browning” makes a 3 seconds cameo and steals the spotlight from Intence in the visuals. The clip starts out with the deejay beginning his descent down a flight of stairs but stops to ash his cigarette into the properly placed mouth of a browning, who’s sitting close by. The incident caused quite a stir on social media, with pundits giving their approval or disapproval of the move.
Skillibeng – “Coke”
Skillibeng became the plug for hits in 2020, and that followed in 2021 when he released “Coke.” The track proves that the St. Thomas-based deejay is not only able to craft clever bars but is also able to spot an opportunity. His decision to write his track and shoot his video in and around the mysterious plane landing on the South Coast of Jamaica has proved bountiful. Seven million views since its release on February 02 is pretty astounding, even for SKillibeng. “Brik Pon Brik” was released in December 2019 and is also lingering at the 7 million mark on Youtube. “Crocodile Teeth,” is leading the charge with 15 million views and is set to go even further as a result of cosigns from the likes of Drake and Burna Boy. Still, it’s pretty hard not to love the audio extracted from one of Jamaica’s biggest movies, as well as Skilli’s opening lines, “Di plane just crash wid e coke.”
Mavado – “Not Perfect”
Dancehall artiste Mavado is finding 2021 to be one of his worst years yet, after the conviction and subsequent life sentence handed down to his son Dante Brooks and the recent death of his mother, Elizabeth ‘Ms Pinny’ Gordon. Before it all went downhill, Mavado delivered this track that explained his overwhelming feeling, as he called on his son to stay strong during his trial. Mavado’s words may offer you a bit of solace during your difficult time. You can check the track below.
Lila Iké, Skillibeng – “Thy Will”
Skillibeng gets another entry on our list through the positive collaboration with one of reggae’s hottest acts, Lila Ike’. It’s the remix to “Thy Will,” which was released as a part of her debut EP early last year. The video incorporates religion, protest, among other ways, to fight back at the system and stick it to the man.
Urban Islandz honorable mentions.
1. Popcaan, Beres Hammond – “God Is Love”
2. Spice – “Watch My Life”
3. Intence, Govana – “Public Enemy No. 1”
4. Sean Paul, Busy Signal – “Boom”
5. Jahmiel – “Unbroken”
6. Vershon – “Stick By Me”
7. Christopher Martin – “Rent Free”
Vybz Kartel responds to a female on Instagram who reference his son Likkle Addi to Clive “Lizard” Williams’ death.
Social media is a fair game for everybody, and once a post is made, everyone has the go-ahead to weigh in, including celebrities. Each person is entitled to their unsolicited opinion, and Instagram user @sashiboo1 did just that when she commented on a post made by the Instagram profile representing Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel.
The post highlighted the appearance of Vybz Kartel’s son Likkle Vybz on Winford Williams’ TV show OnStage. IG user sashiboo1 took the opportunity to voice her opinion saying, “I wonder how u would feel if the same faith reach him just like what happened to Clive (lizard) williams, old time people used to say what goes around the University works in mysterious ways!”
A loyal Vybz Kartel supporter offered up a fierce clap back while hinting that the man the dancehall star is accused of killing is in hiding possibly in Cuba.
During the exchange of words, Vybz Kartel landed his response to the IG user who made mention of his son. The comment was delivered and packaged in the form of a gruesome threat in which he questioned, “wonder how u would feel if me send come shot yuh inna face in front u mada.” He continued, “any bwoy even dream dat, everting inna him yaad dead. all di baby weh just born yesterday. Stop mek internet fool yuh gyal.”
Dancehall fans grabbed a screenshot of Vybz Kartel response to the female. While some folks agreed with his strong response, some fans think he went a bit overboard by threatening to female who made the comment. “She is wrong for the comment, but he literally just threatened her and he’s behind bars awaiting an appeal so this is just foolish on his part,” one person wrote.
In 2014, Vybz Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his former associate Clive “Lizard” Williams. Despite being in prison, the former Portmore Empire artist continues to release music and has remained active on social media. He will be eligible for parole once he has served a minimum of 35 years in prison. It is still uncertain if the profile dubbed ‘Vybz Kartel’ is being operated by him, but if not, he has a very active public relations personnel.
Intence has seemingly responds to Vybz Kartel previously calling him out for alleged fake views.
Fans have built up a convincing case against Intence after much speculation that the deejay is buying views. While the evidence is compelling, the controversial dancehall deejay does not appear to have any intention of quitting while ahead. In recent times, incarcerated dancehall mogul Vybz Kartel has admonished the practice of manufacturing artificial viewership. It is believed that his multiple subliminal posts on social media are aimed at Intence, who has answered the accusation in the past.
Though the “Go Hard” deejay previously claimed that he neither buys nor considers buying views, he often stands accused both by fans as well as other artists. Intence has historically done numbers that are simply not proportionate to his far more famous counterparts or indicative of a reasonable gap between them.
YouTube prohibits the act of buying views in their community guidelines, so it’s certain that it is possible. According to their Fake Engagement Policy, the platform doesn’t allow “anything that artificially increases the number of views, likes, comments, or other metric either through the use of automatic systems or by serving up videos to unsuspecting viewers.” The penalty for violating this community guideline is usually a strike to the user’s channel, and it’s a given that the video will be removed.
With that in mind, it is even more suspicious that Intence’s music video for his song “Aids Test” was recently removed from the deejay’s YouTube channel after accumulating over 8 million views. Since it’s been re-uploaded to the producer’s music channel (Country Hype), it has not managed well over five figures. The disparity is one that cannot be ignored, and fans have taken to social media to scrutinize the alleged evidence against Intence.
Twitter erupted with speculation about Intence’s streaming performance after one dancehall fan shared a contrasting view of the deejay’s YouTube analytics and that of other dancehall artists. According to the location insights, some of dancehall’s top artists like Alkaline, Vybz Kartel, Skillibeng, and more attract most of their views from familiar territories for dancehall music i.e. the U.K., the U.S., Jamaica, and other Caribbean islands. Meanwhile, Intence’s largest audience somehow comes from India, and other than a few commonalities like Jamaica and the United States, he has theoretically been garnering views from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, etc.
“Numbers don’t lie neither does location, look at Vybz Kartel, Alkaline and Skillibeng… then look at Intence smh faaakest dancehall artist,” one detective fan wrote on Twitter. While some fans are convinced that the evidence points to Intence himself buying views, it is understood that anyone can pay to have these illegitimate views manufactured through illicit merchants in India and Russia. Therefore, anyone from managers and producers to the artist themselves or even you could buy views for any video.
Others accused Shaneil Muir of employing a similar method to attain her 7-figure view counts. “Idk if it’s the Artists themselves or Management but stop buying views, it doesn’t pay it will only cause damage,” wrote one fan. “Latest Artist who has views being bought ‘Shaneil Muir’ India is number 2 with over 970K views and Indonesia and Vietnam are there as well in the top 10 countries.”
Amidst the growing speculation and onslaught of accusations and backlash, Intence has chosen to ignore the scrutiny and talk about his Spotify numbers instead. The streaming platform recently launched in 85 more territories, including Jamaica granting access to a potential audience of 1 billion people. Intence has since shared that he is averaging almost a quarter-million monthly listeners, and his most popular songs on the platform are “Yeng,” which has over 800K streams, and “Real Steel,” which has just under half a million streams.
Intence’s latest music video for “Aids Test Ep2” has amassed over 1 million views since it arrived around three weeks ago. With everyone now watching his channel so closely, there may be a slight shift in the engagement volume, especially after the first part of the sequel was removed. Intence is slated to drop his debut album aptly titled Public Enemy No. 1 this week. Do you think the end justifies the means for this dancehall Tekashi 6ix9ine?
Teejay and Vybz Kartel drops off their new collaboration, “Pressure,” and so far, the reviews have been good.
Like so many of his recent collaborations, Teejay never disappoints with this one and never gets overshadowed, given he is on the same track with one of the biggest artists in dancehall currently, Vybz Kartel. The Top Braff Music-produced single saw the two hitmakers trading punchline about the hardships ghetto youths face daily.
“Need help, So much pressure to bear, Jah Jah wash away everything, Wash away my fears,” Teejay and Kartel sing over the catchy hook.
The accompanying music video perfectly chronicles life of poverty, poor health, and violence in the ghetto. The Lagikz Supreme-directed cut saw a young boy tending to his sick grandmother by ensuring she gets her medication. After giving her the last pill, he promised to go and buy some refills, but while hanging out with his friends on the street corner, a lone gunman walked up to the group and started firing, hitting him. The teenager ended up passing away from his injuries.
“Thank you Jah, It’s a miracle me still here, Me go through so much in my life, Bare trial and tribulation, Gh?tto youth like we been through so much, Peopl? have a hopeless life, Suicide ‘pon them mind, do you blame them,” Kartel deejay.
Despite being incarcerated for a decade, Vybz Kartel still maintains a firm grip on the dancehall throne. The former Portmore Empire leader’s work ethic has never wavered, considering he cannot record music in prison legally.
Teejay is a dancehall superstar in his own right after steadily building out a solid catalog for himself over the past few years.
Vybz Kartel schooled his son Likkle Vybz about the downsides of marriages in their new video.
“Yea You,” is the latest track sung by Vybz Kartel and his oldest son Likkle Vybz, which arrives with a new visuals. The track is from the Palmer’s recently released EP Dancehall Royalty. The opening of the video features Likkle Vybz in a stretch limo with a bottle of Moet in hand, vibing with a female while he deejays. The song is all about the prominence of the Gaza brand and also explores marriage and what happens after a divorce. The dancehall icon sings, “Married to the money, gold digger? No never When yuh get divorced yuh ah get embezzled. Half ah yuh money when di case done settled.”
Throughout the video, Vybz Kartel questions which song and which studio did the woman record. “Babes mek mi ask yuh a riddle. Which one ah mi song dem yuh write? Yea you. Which b****laat studio yuh voice?”
Likkle Vybz also asks the same question to persons who question his success and money. He sings: “Man ah star not rocket, Work hard, got that profit. Man ah star like Rocky. F*** gyal den block traffic.”
The fans were quick to point out how much the young Palmer looks like his famous father. He also has a similar sound. Earlier this year during an interview it was revealed that Likkle Vybz and his younger brother Likkle Addi would be taking over their father’s business pretty soon. Likkle Vybz will turn 18 in April.
Masicka, Tarrus Riley, and Dunwell team up on a new dancehall banger, “Corner.”
“You can depend on me. Yes you can.” These are the lines that open the lyrics of the newly released song titled “Corner,” sung by Masicka and Tarrus Riley. The incredible mashup also features producer Mario Dunwell. It is not uncommon for Dancehall and Reggae artists to team up, but it is a ‘thing’ when two powerhouses in their respective genres collaborate. Riley, who is an amazing vocalist, opens up the song with the chorus, complementing the stern deejaying style of Masicka throughout the tune.
The video, directed by RD Studio, presents Masicka and Tarrus Riley in an open field occupying a white staircase. The video features two relatable scenarios, the first commencing with a series of gruesome clips inside a motor vehicle. You chillingly witness a team of friends rushing to the ER with an injured acquaintance. Thankfully the person narrowly escapes death by arriving at the hospital in the nick of time, thanks to the efforts of his friends.
The lyrics, “So when I call you my brother I mean it (One) / What’s thicker than blood? A realness (Real) / I’m not leaving share the food mek we feed together / If any we wi’ bleed together,” summarised the scene as it ended.
Following this, the short film took an unexpected turn tackling the topic of domestic violence. This time, the clip highlighted the role of a female friend coming to the rescue of her friend who is being abused by her partner. It is due to the aide of the friend that the female is able to escape her dire situation. Once again, the pre-chorus revised the scene with, “When mi seh ‘love yuh sister’, I mean it (One) / What’s thicker than blood? A realness (Real) / I’m not leaving share the food mek we feed together. / If any we wi’ bleed together.”
As the video wrapped, Jamaican producer Mario Dunwell made famous by Vybz Kartel’s 2016 hit song ‘Fever’, made a cameo during the final chorus of the video. Dunwell was credited as co-author of the track ‘Fever’ and was awarded a gold plaque from the Recording Industry Association of America, for the record reaching approximately 500,000 sales. Now, it appears he very well may receive worldwide recognition for this song, as fans are dubbing it an international hit. It could possibly become the inspirational anthem for 2021, according to fans who were moved to tears by the heartfelt and tender message. Having someone in your corner who sticks by you through thick and thin regardless of blood relation is precious.
The tone of the track is being especially appreciated as many individuals as of late have been calling for more conscious music and are pleading for the halt of gun and violence centered tunes. Masicka and Tarrus certainly knew what they were doing when they chose all-white outfits, as the visuals’ serenity and peace are undeniable.
As one fan suggested, “Not the collab we want, but the collab we needed.”
Vybz Kartel is among many Jamaicans who aren’t thrilled about the Jamaican government’s new COVID-19 curfew.
Addi Di Teacha stepped into a disciplinarian role a few days ago, as he lashed the government of Jamaica and heads of state for what he sees as systematic mismanagement of public offerings and “basic domination of the Masses,” otherwise called “Slavery 2.0.” Vybz Kartel used a recent video clipping from Television Jamaica’s Prime Time News to drive home his point.
In the 20-second clip, which was shared on TikTok, a female is questioned about the effectiveness of the curfew in curtailing the spread of Covid-19. In her response, she stressed that large swarms of people are chugged together in the daytime, which simply defeats the purpose of a nighttime curfew. “So corona no walk a day?” She questioned throughout her brief interview.
The “Imagine” deejay decided to provide an answer to the question so many citizens have been asking after curfews were touted as a measure to curb the rise in Covid cases. “Because the system run by Bakras & Boasty Slaves… Puppets for the western powers…& overall common criminals,” read the caption below the video the deejay shared.
He continued by pinpointing the exact areas in which he believes the government has failed the population over the years, likening the move to one of the cruelest forms of oppression, chattel slavery.
“When is not limiting access to education, employment, basic stuff like roads electricity & running water, or even our pursuit of wealth, its limiting we very physical movement. disrupting the ppls economic lifeline. basic domination of the Masses. Slavery 2.0. A traitor dem!” Vybz Kartel declared.
The sometimes controversial dancehall deejay has been, and perhaps still remains the voice of the masses despite being convicted of murder in 2014. His pre-prison releases such as 2005’s “Emergency,” 2009’s “Dem Nuh Like We,” and 2010’s “Where Is The Love (Black Child)” all contain lyrics hitting out against social injustice. The tracks, coupled with numerous interviews and candid public speeches, have helped to shape his public persona of a modern-day dancehall Robin Hood.
Vybz Kartel scores a top ten debut on the US Reggae Album Chart with his new project, Dancehall Royalty.
It seems nothing can keep the Worl’Boss down. Even from behind bars, the veteran dancehall artiste continues to dominate the genre. His latest work, Dancehall Royalty, which features a five-song set that was released on January 8, has debuted at number two on the sales-driven US Current Reggae Albums chart.
Vybz Kartel’s latest work, which features his son Likkle Vybz, Renee 630, and Sikka Rymes, also entered the streaming-driven Billboard Reggae Albums chart at number 36. The US Current Reggae Albums chart is used to assess the top-selling albums based on data from Nielsen Music/MRC Data. According to the current ranking on the chart, Stick Figure’s World on Fire is the top album.
According to the chart, Dancehall Royalty sold 161 copies in its opening week. This is another chart that Vybz Kartel’s music does well on, as this is his second album to make it. In July 2020, his album Of Of Dons and Divas earned the top place on the charts. He was hoping for a Grammy nomination for that one.
Other notable movements on the chart include Higher Place by Skip Marley, which moved down to the number three position, while Afrikan Blood the album released by various reggae artistes moved up three places to number four on the chart. Buju Banton’s Upside Down 2020 was removed from number three to number five, and another various artistes collaboration, When Jah Shall Come, released by London-based Pressure Sounds Records, claimed the sixth spot.
Coastin by Iration is at number seven while Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: Reggae Collector’s Edition is at eight. While in the other notable chart, the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, Bob Marley and the Wailers record an impressive 54th week in the number one spot with Legend. Shaggy’s Boombastic Collection: The Best of Shaggy by Shaggy comes in second while World on Fire by Stick Figure claimed the third spot.
Mavado drops a perfect dancehall banger called, “Not Perfect.”
The Gully Gad proclaims that he is only taking on ‘wins’ for 2021, and as such, he is professing that his 18-year-old son Dante will be released from juvenile lockup soon. Mavado reveals these and more on his first release for the year, which is a melodic, somber, and meditation like-song titled “Not Perfect.”
United States-based Sponge Music has been cranking out a ton of new releases since the latter part of 2020, and this track adds to the growing list, which includes tracks from Alkaline, Shaneil Muir, Jahmiel, among others. Mavado explains that, like any other man, he is not perfect. He has had a few “run-ins with the cops,” a few broken relationships with former Alliance members, and his high profile beef with Vybz Kartel.
Mavado is confident his son will be a free man any day now. “Just know very soon dat yuh coming home,” he sings. He also explains that many critics do not know exactly how the incident went down, and he’s just “misunderstanded.” He continues through to the chorus where he sings, “Wish me coulda tell yuh seh me perfect but Am Not.”
Mavado may not identify himself as being perfect, but he does have a way of delivering quality tracks that trod the path of musical perfection. The fans are also of that mindset, which is reflected in them pushing “Not Perfect” all the way to the #3 spot on Youtube’s local trending list.
Bounty Killer is giving a shout out to the “pure four” Alliance members, leaving out notable dancehall stars Mavado, Aidonia, and Vybz Kartel.
Bounty Killer is always showing love on social media to both fans and other artists. The dancehall Godfather has never expressed any reservations about acknowledging other industry players regardless of rank. While we are fully aware that there is no bad blood between him and the previous members of his Alliance entourage, Bounty aroused suspicion in the minds of some fans when he posted a throwback photo of the Alliance squad sans Vybz Kartel, Mavado and Aidonia.
In the photo, Bounty Killer is huddled up with Alliance alums Wayne Marshall, Busy Signal, and Bling Dawg, “The pure four one of my favorite Alliance pic the king of Kingston and his king sons Holy Sunday,” he captioned the post. For some people, a compliment to one is not a slight to another, but for others, these things are not mutually exclusive. Fans took to the comments to point out the members of the clan who weren’t in the photo and lauded the ones that were for their loyalty to the camp.
“Di 3 most loyal soldiers,” one fan commented. “‘Pure’ being the main word,” another suggested. Some fans began to question why Vybz Kartel wasn’t in the photo, among others. In one comment, a Mavado stan said the We The Best Music dancehall star was the best product of the group. “Vado was the underdog but he came out on top and on of the best from the group,” they wrote.
Each of the noticeably absent former Alliance deejays went on to form their own factions in the dancehall community. For Vybz Kartel, that was the Portmore Empire, and by extension, the Gaza community, which spawned artists like Popcaan, Lisa Hyper, Jahvinci, and more. Mavado, also known as the Gully Gad, was, of course, the rival leader with the Gullyside entourage, and Aidonia started J.O.P and later 4th Genna. That being said, Bounty Killer acknowledging other Alliance members as the “pure four” is hardly a slight towards these other successful dancehall artists.
Do you think Bounty’s post implies that the absentees were impure?
Vybz Kartel released the “Dirty John Crow” music video in tandem with his new EP Dancehall Royalty.
The first album of 2021 by dancehall mogul Vybz Kartel is available to listen to now. The deejay who has been promoting the project all week, released a music video for one of the tracks from the EP titled “Dirty John Crow”. The Sikka Rymes-assisted track is an upbeat jam with a hardcore delivery of sexually explicit rhymes.
“Mi jus roll down yuh panty so gently / Set yuh pon yuh belly watch yuh p***y looking at me / So mi force up mi c***y till it buck inna yuh belly,” Kartel deejays on the new track.
The music video has a dark undertone with Sikka Rymes appearing as a seemingly devious priest. In the opening scene, the deejay arrives holding a lit candle and accompanied by an eerie group of women who are scantily-clad in full black and fishnet stockings.
The make-up and costume design likened the video vixens to the devil’s spawns and it seems Sikka Rymes is the leader. A hearse serves as a prop in one morbid scene where they mysteriously approach a black casket. Alas, the mood abruptly changes as the women soon begin to gyrate their rumps and perform provocative dances while giving the camera sultry looks – something a bit more typical of Vybz Kartel visuals.
Dancehall Royalty features four other tracks: “Titanium Steel”, “My Own World”, “Popular” and “Yea You”. In addition to Sikka Rymes, Renee 6:30, Likkle Addi, and Likkle Vybz all guest star on the project. As Vybz Kartel announced to fans around midnight when he dropped off the new visuals, the EP is now available in digital stores including Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify and more.
Vybz Kartel celebrates his 45th birthday today (January 7) and judging from his wife Shorty’s recent posts on IG, it will be lit.
Vybz Kartel might be in jail, but he is still receiving love from his baby mother and common-law wife, Tanesha ‘Shorty’ Johnson, who is anticipating the Dancehall icon’s birthday on January 7, 2021. The two have been together for over a decade and share three sons, and while they have shared many wonderful moments in public, the two have also shared their fair share of pain as Shorty had had a stillbirth baby girl. They two have also had several spats over the dancehall artiste cheating on Shorty, including once when she allegedly stabbed him in his side after he brought a woman over to one of their homes.
Nevertheless, the artiste seems to have the loyalty of his lady love in spite of the breakup rumors and an album chronicling Kartel’s pain released in 2020. On Instagram on Wednesday, She posted a photograph of the two kissings with the caption “my husband birthday loading,” along with the 100, heart and party emojis.
She also posted immediately for Vybz Kartel’s birthday, a throwback photo of the couple in happier times where a dark skinned Kartel, before the skin bleaching, is seen smiling while hugging Tanesha from behind. She captioned the post, “@vybzkartel happy birthday to the king of my heart, the man of my dream, and the love of my life.” Kartel also responded in the comments section, “me lifeline thank you and love you.” Meanwhile, her second son, Likkle Addi, joked in the comments section, “it aint even 12 yet.”
Among those also sharing in wishing the ‘Worl Boss’ were also his co-accused Shawn Storm, who posted three IG feed posts in tribute to his friend as he promised a festive birthday. One of the posts, a side profile image of Kartel with caption read “uhyuh mean a mi g Suh one more Post @VybzKartel More Life and blessings and a nuff nuff nuff nuff nuff more fi fwd mi boss.”
[Intro]
You’re no good for me
But the way you movin at me, oh it might be
You want a Jamaican one
[Verse 1]
She say she love me and I’m nice
Love inna di daytime, Love inna the night
She say if loving me is wrong
No time at all, she don’t wanna be right
She touch me, it all become nice
She love me, for the rest of her life
D drop it down, round kiss on mi spine
Touch and make a sweet song, on top of all things
My uh uh uh uh uh
My ee ee ee ee ee
My uh uh uh uh uh (my baby)
My ee ee ee ee ee
[Hook]
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
I know you’ll come back around
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
You want a Jamaican one
I know you’ll come back around
[Verse 2]
If I had you back
I’ll never let you go another way
Not for the life of me
How could you imagine that?
Well my mistake that send you on your way
Well nothing I can say
To you like drops of water
Don’t ask me what went wrong
Can’t turn back the damage I’ve done
Can’t take em back after I’m gone
A fool to keep on trying
Can’t make me walk away
‘Cause baby I’m back and as I’m getting strung that you’ll be back one day
[Hook]
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
I know you’ll come back around
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
You want a Jamaican one
I know you’ll come back around
[Verse 3]
Gyal, gyal you a me baby
And you know so mi love you my lady
Dis annuh 50 dis annuh Slim Shady
Go Shawty, it’s yo birthday
No if and no maybe
Tic it an a toc it, everytime you deh near me
Me a you duffle bag a money come save me
Me and you’re tinking me, come with me
Show me say di love sure
When you whine pan di floor,whine pan di floor
And if you want to get closer to me
Jirate, likkle more, likkle more
Mi nuh pretend say me a fool
So no one kill how I ever want
Any time teacha go pan di floor
Man rest assured, pan the girl next door
Wah you say baby
[Hook]
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
I know you’ll come back around
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
You want a Jamaican one
I know you’ll come back around
[Bridge]
You’re no good for me
But the way you movin at me, oh it might be
No one ever made me feel so sweet
Now you got me begging on my knees
Baby get it for me
[Pre-Hook] x2
It’s for your eyes only, living for you solely
It’s for your eyes only, living for you solely
It’s for your eyes only, living for you solely
It’s for your eyes only, living for you solely
[Hook] x2
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
I know you’ll come back around
My aa aa aa aa me
My melodea
My L L L LSD
You want a Jamaican one
I know you’ll come back around
Ninjaman is weighing his options to appeal but seems its heavily dependent on the outcome of Vybz Kartel appeal.
The dancehall icon is two months into his life sentence and already he is considering filing an appeal for a new trial. Sources told Urban Islandz that Ninjaman felt like he was never given a fair trial and the prosecution used a witness who he feels wasn’t credible. Additionally, he thinks that his murder conviction was the authority’s way of sending a message amidst the rapid rise in crime rate across the island.
“They set an example out of him purely because he is a famous entertainer, it was almost like they used his old sins against him,” a rep for Ninjaman told us. “Was that fair for him, of course not. It’s like getting convicted even before the trial started.”
Now that Ninjaman and his attorney are weighing his appeal options, one of the things that they discussed is Vybz Kartel upcoming appeal trial which is set for July this year after being pushed by from February. Ninja’s lawyer, Valerie Neita-Robertson is also one of the lawyers on Vybz Kartel’s case.
“Being that they are two high profile artists, the system will want to keep them locked up to send a message,” sources said. “Although both cases are totally different, the fact that they’re two big-name entertainers, the system will treat them different, they will have a tougher trial because of the added press around their cases. The government will not want to look bad on the world stage. Remember these two cases made headlines around the world, so think about how bad they will look if both of them walk free on appeal.”
Vybz Kartel’s attorneys were the ones who asked the appeal court judge for more time to prepare for the case. We’re told that Ninjaman trial also played a role in that decision, the lawyers felt like that case was too close to the appeal trial and would be too fresh in the judges minds.
The lawyers know that they will have to present a near-perfect case and even then, they still have an uphill battle to prove Vybz Kartel’s innocence. “Kartel is at a disadvantage any way you look at it but yet still he has a stronger case than Ninjaman so it makes perfect sense that he would want to wait on the outcome of that case to make his next move,” his rep added. “The worst case scenario is they both spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was sentenced to prison for life for murdering his friend Clive “Lizard” Williams. His protege Shawn Storm, and friends Kahira Jones and Andre St John were also convicted and sent to prison for life. The aced dancehall star will have to serve 35 years before being eligible for parole. In contract, Ninjaman, real name Desmond Ballentine, will have to serve 25 years before getting a parole hearing. By then both artists will be in their 70s.
@vybzkartel
Johnny Wonder IG
Vybz Kartel son Likkle Vybz and his pregnant girlfriend
Vybz Kartel leaving court 2014 | Urban Islandz
