“Is this World Boss? OMG, what happened to him? Is he sick? He looks like a clone of Kartel!” These are just a few of the comments from fans worldwide after seeing Vybz Kartel for the first time following his release from prison.
Adidja Azim Palmer, known globally as Vybz Kartel, is arguably one of the greatest dancehall artists of all time. Palmer began his career as a teenager in 1993 with his first recording, “Love Fat Woman,” released under Alvin Reid’s label “One Heart.” Using the moniker “Adi Banton,” as an homage to Buju Banton, Palmer later joined a three-member group called “Vybz Kartel,” eventually adopting the name for himself after the group disbanded. While still with the group, he claimed to have written nearly 30 songs, including “Gal Clown.”
By 2003, Kartel had already made a name for himself with a string of hit songs. However, his music often became associated with violence. This culminated in a notorious on-stage clash with Ninjaman at the annual dancehall festival Sting, held in Kartel’s hometown of Portmore. The clash turned violent when Kartel’s crew members, as well as Kartel himself, assaulted Ninjaman onstage. While Kartel’s manager initially blamed Ninjaman, Kartel quickly apologized to Ninjaman and the festival organizers for the fracas. Four days after the incident, the two artists appeared before the press to announce a settlement of their differences and to end any animosity.
Kartel’s recent appearance has sparked widespread concern among fans, leading many to question his health and well-being. The dramatic change in his appearance has left fans wondering what might have happened to their beloved “World Boss.”
Controversy Surrounding Vybz Kartel
1. Sexual Content:
Vybz Kartel’s music videos are infamous for their explicit sexual content, making them uncomfortable to watch in the presence of elders. The artist’s liberal use of obscenities in his videos has stirred significant controversy. While it’s commonly believed that sexual content boosts viewership, Kartel’s experiences show that it comes at a cost. In 2004, his UK MOBO Award nomination was rescinded due to homophobic lyrics in his songs. Rolling Stone noted that Kartel played a role in breaking Jamaica’s longstanding taboo against oral sex by singing about it openly. In September 2011, Guyana’s National Communications Network banned Vybz Kartel from the airwaves, citing his “obscene lyrics” and the negative influence they had on the entertainment industry. This marked the first time the network took such a drastic step against an individual artist. The network also announced that it would review and possibly ban other artists’ music with similar content.
2. Beef with Fellow Artists:
The adage “more money, more problems” rings true for Vybz Kartel, whose fame has often led to trouble. In 2006, he left the dancehall group The Alliance, causing a rift with many, including former collaborator Mavado. Their feud spawned numerous diss tracks, with each artist attacking the other and their associates over popular dancehall rhythms. In March 2007, under police supervision, both artists publicly declared an end to their hostilities and apologized to their fans. However, by the summer of 2008, the feud reignited with more diss tracks and a lyrical clash at Sting 2008, which left fans divided over who won. Throughout 2009, the feud continued to dominate Jamaican media and culture, with Kartel’s “Gaza” faction and Mavado’s “Gully” faction inciting street violence among Jamaican youth. On December 8, 2009, Kartel and Mavado met with Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding to broker peace, as their feud had incited mob attacks in Kingston’s inner-city neighborhoods. They performed together at the West Kingston Jamboree as a goodwill gesture. Following the truce, they planned a unity concert in March 2010 in Barbados, but Barbadian Prime Minister David Thompson canceled it.
3. Conviction of Murder:
Vybz Kartel’s Dramatic Downfall
The year 2011 will forever be etched in the memories of Vybz Kartel and his fans. That year, he landed a groundbreaking reality TV show on CVM Jamaica, the first of its kind hosted by a dancehall artist in Jamaica. The show featured 20 women living in a Kingston house, competing for Kartel’s affection. However, its lascivious content drew widespread condemnation, including from its sponsor, telecommunications company LIME. The controversy escalated quickly, and the show was halted when Kartel was accused of cannabis possession and murder.
Jamaica’s Major Investigation Taskforce (MIT) charged Kartel with the murder of Jamaican businessman Barrington Burton, along with conspiracy and illegal possession of a firearm. Although Kartel was granted bail for the Burton murder on 23 March 2012, he remained imprisoned due to a second murder charge—this time for Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams of Waterford, St. Catherine. Kartel, along with two others, including Vanessa “Gaza Slim” Saddler, was charged with perverting the course of justice after Saddler allegedly claimed Williams had robbed her, an attempt to mislead the police into believing Williams was still alive.
Kartel’s trial for Burton’s murder was initially set for 21 January 2013 but was postponed due to a lack of jurors, rescheduled to 11 July 2013. On 24 July, a jury found Kartel not guilty of Burton’s murder. However, he remained in custody awaiting trial for the murder of Clive Williams.
The trial for Williams’ murder began on 18 November 2013. On 13 March 2014, an eleven-member jury found Kartel guilty (10-1) of the murder of 27-year-old Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
The 65-day trial was said to be the longest in Jamaica’s history. On April 3, 2014, Vybz Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment, with Justice Lennox Campbell stating he would be eligible for parole after serving 35 years.
While in prison, Vybz Kartel continued to release new music prolifically. Despite Jamaican prison officials denying him recording privileges, Kartel refused to disclose the exact source of the recordings, even though his lyrics included references to current events.
However, Kartel’s health began to deteriorate while in prison. In September 2017, he was hospitalized with a kidney infection and subsequently diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, an immune system disorder affecting the thyroid gland. This condition, more common in women under 40, causes the thyroid to overproduce hormones. Kartel was also diagnosed with a heart condition.
In exclusive interviews, his attorney claimed that inhumane prison conditions were putting Kartel’s life at risk. A medical report obtained by Plug TV detailed a seven-year battle with Graves’ Disease, resulting in abnormal protrusion of his eyes, an enlarged thyroid, and other health issues.
On March 14, 2024, Kartel’s conviction was quashed by the UK Privy Council due to juror misconduct, leaving the Jamaica Court of Appeal to decide on a retrial. On July 31, 2024, after spending 13 years behind bars, Kartel, along with Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, were freed. The Jamaica Court of Appeal declined to retry the case, citing the expense, passage of time, and Kartel’s worsening health. His lawyer argued that keeping someone in such conditions would be “inhumane.” The legal team highlighted the poor air circulation and inadequate water supply in Kartel’s cell, which they claimed exacerbated his health issues.
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