Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel reunited with his former business partner Corey Todd last weekend, officially putting an end to a long-standing rift between two of the genre’s most recognizable figures. The moment was captured in a video that quickly spread across social media, showing Kartel expressing love and a willingness to move forward as both men reflected on their past successes together, including the launch of Street Vybz Rum.
The reunion took place during the same week Kartel celebrated his 50th birthday, adding extra significance to the moment. Before their highly publicized split around 2011, Kartel and Todd collaborated on several successful ventures, including Street Vybz Rum, Daggering condoms, and the popular nightclub The Building. Fans largely welcomed the reconciliation, flooding social media with fire and heart emojis in celebration.
Not everyone reacted quietly, however. Rival dancehall artist Masicka, who was also once managed by Corey Todd, appeared on a livestream from Antigua where he seemingly threw subtle shade, stating that he is “a leader and not a follower.” Meanwhile, Popcaan openly celebrated the reunion with an energetic post, calling it a “lifestyle moment.” Kartel later highlighted Popcaan’s message on his own page, adding a cryptic quote of his own: “Envy shoots at others and wounds itself.”
Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as Worl' Boss or Teacha. 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] 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, 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.
<div class="dynamic-checkout__content" id="dynamic-checkout-cart" data-shopify="dynamic-checkout-cart"> <shopify-accelerated-checkout-cart wallet-configs="[{"supports_subs":true,"supports_def_opts":false,"name":"shop_pay","wallet_params":{"shopId":58870104118,"merchantName":"Dj Martin Dus","personalized":true}},{"supports_subs":false,"supports_def_opts":false,"name":"amazon_pay","wallet_params":{"checkoutLanguage":"en_US","ledgerCurrency":"USD","placement":"Cart","sandbox":false,"merchantId":"A3AJTGAHXW8ZSW","productType":"PayAndShip","design":"C0002"}},{"supports_subs":true,"supports_def_opts":false,"name":"paypal","wallet_params":{"shopId":58870104118,"countryCode":"US","merchantName":"Dj Martin Dus","phoneRequired":false,"companyRequired":false,"shippingType":"shipping","shopifyPaymentsEnabled":true,"hasManagedSellingPlanState":false,"requiresBillingAgreement":false,"merchantId":"PZGQ75X4NSYFW","sdkUrl":"https://www.paypal.com/sdk/js?components=buttons\u0026commit=false\u0026currency=USD\u0026locale=en_US\u0026client-id=AbasDhzlU0HbpiStJiN1KRJ_cNJJ7xYBip7JJoMO0GQpLi8ePNgdbLXkC7_KMeyTg8tnAKW4WKrh9qmf\u0026merchant-id=PZGQ75X4NSYFW\u0026intent=authorize"}}]" access-token="2fac54f58e5b49b1310c42aed042b57a" buyer-country="US" buyer-locale="en" buyer-currency="USD" shop-id="58870104118" cart-id="b139d9e68026bc144934630a45f53a54" enabled-flags="["ae0f5bf6"]" > <div class="wallet-button-wrapper"> <ul class='wallet-cart-grid wallet-cart-grid--skeleton' role="list" data-shopify-buttoncontainer="true"> <li data-testid='grid-cell' class='wallet-cart-button-container'><div class='wallet-cart-button wallet-cart-button__skeleton' role='button' disabled aria-hidden='true'> </div></li><li data-testid='grid-cell' class='wallet-cart-button-container'><div class='wallet-cart-button wallet-cart-button__skeleton' role='button' disabled aria-hidden='true'> </div></li><li data-testid='grid-cell' class='wallet-cart-button-container'><div class='wallet-cart-button wallet-cart-button__skeleton' role='button' disabled aria-hidden='true'> </div></li> </ul> </div> </shopify-accelerated-checkout-cart> <small id="shopify-buyer-consent" class="hidden" aria-hidden="true" data-consent-type="subscription"> One or more of the items in your cart is a recurring or deferred purchase. By continuing, I agree to the <span id="shopify-subscription-policy-button">cancellation policy</span> and authorize you to charge my payment method at the prices, frequency and dates listed on this page until my order is fulfilled or I cancel, if permitted. </small> </div>
