Vybz Kartel and Popcaan fallout is perhaps one of the most surprising feuds in dancehall in recent years.
Not only were these artists label mates, they were very close friends and collaborators. Sources close to the incarcerated deejay gave Urban Islandz.com some background on the circumstances that lead to their fallout. We’re told that Vybz Kartel grew angry when Popcaan didn’t visit him behind bars after a year of him getting locked up. “A year after Addi incarceration in 2012 Popcaan was still a no show,” sources said.
Popcaan then later tried to visit his former mentor behind bars but our sources revealed that Vybz Kartel sent a message to Poppy telling him to stay away. “When you find yourself in trouble that’s when you know who your real friends are,” our source added. “The boss never get a visit a phone call or anything. So when it look bad that’s when some man want to step and act but too little too late. It was lack of loyalty from some man why the boss disband Empire because he could have been running Empire from jail, but no loyalty.”
We’re told that Kartel even sends a message to Popcaan telling him to keep his name out of his mouth. But of course Popcaan still regularly shout-out Vybz Kartel on stage. We hope that these two can work out their differences and make more hit songs together again. “Clarks” was not just a mega hit single, it was a game changer in dancehall back in 2009.
In May 2012, Vybz Kartel announced through a statement sent to Urban Islandz that he has disbanded Portmore Empire, blaming it on his legal woes. “Dancehall fans worldwide it with great regret that I, Adidja Palmer, have decided to disband the Portmore Empire,” Kartel said. “These artistes have been under the Adidjahiem leadership for years, where they have honed their craft and made their mark, and as such, are well on their way to becoming major forces in Dancehall. They have reached a level where they are more capable to take on their careers by themselves, and it would be unfair to them, based on the limited resources of Adidjahiem Records, and current legal woes of the Adidjahiem C.E.O. and team members.”
