Vybz Kartel

Vybz Kartel
Palmer in 2010
Palmer in 2010
Background information
Birth nameAdidja Azim Palmer
Born (1976-01-07) 7 January 1976 (age 48)[1]
Portmore, Jamaica
Genres
Occupations
  • Deejay
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • entrepreneur
Years active1993–present
Labels

Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976),[2][3][4] better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.[5] Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as Worl' Boss or Teacha.[6] As summarized by Rolling Stone, he "attained folk-hero status in Jamaica with provocative lyrics, and a mischievous public persona", and "few have captivated [the dancehall] audience – or offended the sensibilities of its detractors – as consistently and thoroughly as Kartel."[6]

Kartel's singles include "Romping Shop" (2009), "Dancehall Hero" (2010), and "Summer Time" (2011). He has collaborated with a number of hip hop and R&B artists such as Major Lazer, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, and Alison Hinds.[7] He has also been credited as an inspiration for the dancehall-infused work of a number of Western artists, including Drake, who has cited Kartel as being one of his "biggest inspirations".[6][8]

In 2014, Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams. Kartel often released new music despite his imprisonment, having released over 50 new songs in 2016 alone.[6] His conviction was quashed in March 2024 by the UK Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, who cited juror misconduct and declared that the Jamaican Court of Appeal had to decide if a retrial would take place.[9][10][11] On 31 July 2024, Kartel was released from prison after the Jamaican Court of Appeals declined to retry the Williams case.

  1. ^ "Defence accuses cop of misleading court in Cartel case". JamaicaObserver.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Vybz Kartel - Biography - Discography - Dancehall - DJ - Jamaica". Archived from the original on 1 July 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.. RRRMusic.com; retrieved 26 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Vybz Kartel Biography, Biografia de Vybz Kartel, Vybz Kartel Bio, Vybz Kartel Trivia|6Lyrics". Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2010.. 6lyrics.com; retrieved 27 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Vybz Kartel Biography - Musictory". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.. Musictory.com; retrieved 26 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Jamaican music star Vybz Kartel gets life for murder". Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d "Vybz Kartel Speaks: After Five Years in Prison, He Still Rules Dancehall". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  7. ^ Alison Hinds Ft. Vybz Kartel - Wine To The Top Friday October 14th 2011 via YouTube
  8. ^ "Drake: 'Vybz Kartel Is One Of My Biggest Inspirations'". Hype Life Magazine. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Kartel retrial hearing set for June 10 - Jamaica Observer". www.jamaicaobserver.com. 12 April 2024. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.