Vybz Kartel
- Type
- Solo artist
- Styles
- reggae, hip-hop, pop, dancehall, reggae fusion
Next date in London
The Lighthouse Club - Shoreditch Hip Hop, Bashment, Afrobeats Party (FREE TICKETS)
See all 2 datesVybz Kartel is a Jamaican singer whose music blends reggae, hip-hop and pop. Born in Kingston in 1976, he has been active since 2000 and released his first album, Up 2 Di Time, in 2003.
Next date in London: 13 November at The Lighthouse Bar & Club.
Upcoming dates
5 upcoming dates
Upcoming concerts
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Profile
- Latest album
- Remember Me (2017)
- Born
- 1976 · Kingston
- Origin
- Jamaica
- Active since
- 2000
About — The artist
Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as Worl' Boss, Teacha and King of Dancehall. 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." 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".
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, Travis Scott and Alison Hinds.
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. 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. On 31 July 2024, Kartel was released from prison after the Court of Appeal declined to retry the Williams case.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Vybz Kartel” (en), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Discography
- Up 2 Di Time 2003
- Timeless 2004
- More Up 2 Di Time 2004
- J.M.T. 2005
- The Teacher's Back 2008
- Most Wanted 2009
- Pon Di Gaza 2009
- Pon di Gaza 2.0 2010
- Dancehall Hero Raw 2011
- Gaza Slim 2011
- The Gaza Don 2011
- Kingston Story 2011
- Stronger We Get 2012
- Mentally Free 2012
- Gaza Man Crazy 2012
- Gaza 4 Life 2012
- Kartel Forever: Trilogy 2013
- Unstoppable 2013
- Rvssian Presents Free Worl Boss 2013
- The Voice of the Jamaican Ghetto - Incarcerated But Not Silenced (Roots & Culture) 2013
- The Trend Setterz Vol. 1 2013
- John John Presents 2014
- Duet 2014
- Reggae Love Songs 2014
- Reggae Greats, Vol. 2 2015
- Viking (Vybz Is King) 2015
- Dancehall Hero Raw (Deluxe) 2016
- King of the Dancehall 2016
- Black & White 2017
- Remember Me 2017