#2: TOP INTERNATIONAL MALE 2019 – VYBZ KARTEL
His sound is imprinted in the DNA of all dancehall fans worldwide-fair to say, unless it’s a retro event, a dancehall event in Canada or Jamaica would not be complete without Vybz Kartel’s music being pumped through the loud speakers, especially if the aim is for the DJ to get the ladies on the floor. I am a partisan Vybz Kartel fan. I sincerely believe that dancehall needs his sound, his patter, and his tone, and that the industry overall would lag behind in both creativity and world appeal if it wasn’t for the fresh set of tunes released weekly by Adija Azim Palmer AKA Vybz Kartel AKA ‘Worl’ Boss’.
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For almost two decades, Vybz Kartel, historically dancehall’s most skilled and influential lyricist, has continued his stranglehold on the industry, he is still dominant and extremely popular world-wide. Despite his 2011 arrest and 2014 conviction for two separate murder charges, and despite being locked inside Kingston prison ever since, this prolific Jamaican artist-entrepreneur has mysteriously continued to voice and release timely and up-to-date music on an almost daily basis. Currently, his ‘Any Weather‘ track, produced by Shab Don Records, is currently his biggest release still running things in 2020, so far receiving over 25 million views on YouTube.
For him to pull off recording Jamaica’s hottest songs while in prison, and to do it speedily, consistently, and in such a timely fashion, likely means that Kartel is controlling things from behind bars. People within the facility, and the senior officials above them, are systematically paid off in exchange for turning a blind eye to Kartel’s mischief. Kartel’s got his network set up and it’s in full flight, since musically, Adi continues to bless his fans with refreshing new music voiced on amazing riddims, proving once again that he’s way ahead of the pack.
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It hurts some people that Vybz Kartel has successfully adapted to his incarcerated environment, making the most out of his prison time by operating a virtual recording studio inside. For them, it is offensive, unfair and unjust, that, due to the nature of the crimes for which ‘Adi’ was convicted, he’s had the privilege of being able to continue recording and likely profiting while behind bars.
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Exactly how he does what he does is still one of the most baffling mysteries, especially for those who live by a police state mentality, those who believe that nobody should be above the law, and that people who ‘do the crime’, when proven guilty, should ‘do the time’. For those who have bought into the Babylonian system, this freedom for Vybz Kartel to reign, while convicted, is flabbergasting and extremely unjust. For partisan Vybz Kartel fans like myself, we say-free ‘Worl Boss‘!
Personally, I remain cold and dispassionate, despite being a highly moralized person of clean conscience. Despite the nature of the crime, I chose to continue to listen non-judgmentally to the music and lyrics of Vybz Kartel, even if that means temporarily burying my head in the sand, covering my eyes, or plugging my ears so I can separate the artist from man and from the ‘scene of the crime’.
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The debate continues as to whether Vybz Kartel was set up, and many partisan Vybz Kartel fans, still in disbelief that Adija Azim Palmer could be guilty as charged for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, remain optimistic about the chances for his release. It’s stunning to me how Jamaicans, specifically, and many other dancehall fans throughout the world, continue to turn a blind eye to the situation, and, because of their ‘love’ for ‘Worl’ Boss‘, have overlooked or forgotten the nature of the heinous crimes for which Vybz Kartel was convicted and imprisoned.
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The movement to free ‘Worl’ Boss‘ may be a classic case of ‘dancehall over justice’. Maybe our marginalized dancehall culture is making nuff of us lose our heads – after all, people used to have a mind of their own. But the extremely loyal Vybz Kartel fan base is so powerful, it’s not kosher for anyone to speak disrespectfully about Jamaica’s best lyricist, unless they don’t mind getting their house burned down.
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For Vybz Kartel fans like myself, the sad reality is, it is unlikely we will ever see our star dee-jay escape incarceration during our lifetime. Unless some miracle happens, it is unlikely that Adija Azim Palmer will ever win an appeal and be released from prison during our lifetime. He must serve 35 years before he’s even eligible for parole.
In the mean time, Vybz Kartel continues to fight for his innocence and almost on a weekly basis, he is teased and tantalized with failed hopes of being released. While he waits for that day to come, Vybz Kartel fans can still stay in touch with this artist via his social media networks and various YouTube channels.
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Congratulations to Vybz Kartel, capturing our ReggaeMania.com Award’s #2 position for ‘Top (2) International Male Artist of 2019’.
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