Kartel: ‘Crime doesn’t pay’

Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel’s release from prison after judges decided he should not face a retrial for murder was widely met with jubilation by his legion of fans.

Since his incarceration in Jamaica in 2011 until his liberation last week, such is his popularity millions of adoring fans constantly called for his release. That popularity was helped by a steady release of his tracks throughout Kartel’s 13 years away.

Born and raised in Waterford, Portmore, Kartel’s first single was ‘Fat Women’, aged only 12, under the name Adi Banton. He worked on his craft in early adulthood and his success took many years to arrive.

After collaborations with various other artists, Vybz broke out on his own in 2002 with a string of solo hits including ‘Guns Like Mine’, ‘Badman’, and ‘Most High’, along with some collaborative hits with Wayne Marshall. He became the protégé of dancehall star Bounty Killer. Kartel began writing for artists on Bounty’s Alliance management roster, including the Killer himself, along with the Scare Dem Crew featuring Elephant Man.

Kartel’s 2003 debut album, ‘Up 2 Di Time’ reached a huge appreciative audience. Since then he built up a worldwide fan base with a succession of hits before incarceration. Biggest hits include ‘Live We Living’, ‘Clarks’, ‘Ramping Shop’, ‘Summer Time’ and ‘Life Sweet’.

Before his prison spell there was plenty of feuding with other artists, including Ninjaman and Mavado. Kartel also generated controversy by advocating skin bleaching which he evidently used on himself.

Now 48, Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, was convicted in 2014 but that was overturned by UK judges in March this year.

He appealed first to courts in Jamaica before taking his case to the Privy Council in London, which serves as the highest court of appeal in Jamaica and other Commonwealth countries. His defence team argued that a juror accused of trying to bribe others should have been thrown off his trial. The London court agreed with Kartel’s case and ruled that the decision not to remove the juror made the conviction unsafe.

In addition to the thousands who celebrated his release on the streets of Kingston and around the rest of the island, rapper Drake posted a photo of himself wearing a ‘Free Kartel’ T-shirt.

Kartel, who collaborated with Rihanna and Jay-Z during his career, has long maintained that his treatment in prison was brutal, with no air circulation and being forced to use a bucket as a toilet. Despite this treatment, Kartel released an album from prison, ‘King of the Dancehall’, which got to No.2 in the Billboard Reggae charts in 2016.

At least his time in prison had a positive influence in the sense that Kartel announced on his release that young people should “stay out of crime, as time spent in prison is a waste of life”. One of the reasons the court cited was also because of Kartel’s deteriorating health situation, as he’s been diagnosed with Graves’ Disease and a heart condition. He also reportedly has a thyroid disease, while his lawyers said his prison conditions were “inhumane”.

Already, he has announced plans to hold a show in Kenya. This revelation came as part of his larger plan for a world tour. The announcement was made after a fan’s query on X. Just like Buju Banton, Vybz Kartel is embarking on a new chapter in his eventful life. Like Banton, millions are excited that he will soon be performing again.