Jamaican musician, singer, composer, record producer and entrepreneur

Vybz Kartel

Intro
Jamaican musician, singer, composer, record producer and entrepreneur
News

Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall recording artist, composer, record producer and entrepreneur. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as "Worl' Boss". 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."

Kartel's singles include "Romping Shop" (2009), "Dancehall Hero" (2010), and "Summer Time" (2011). Having collaborated with a number of hip hop and R&B artists such as Major Lazer, Rihanna, Jay Z, Digga D, and Unknown T, 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".

In 2014, Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams. He will be eligible for parole once he has served a minimum of 35 years in prison. Despite being imprisoned, Kartel continues to release new music prolifically, releasing over 50 new songs in 2016 alone. His hit song “Fever” was certified Gold in June 2020.