In an apparent jab at incarcerated Dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel, Jamaican international singer, Diana King, has blasted Jamaica’s correctional services for allowing convicts to record and release music whilst in prison.
“The fact that a convicted artist/prisoner serving time b it for murder/rape can still record and release music from prison in Jamaica. How do u all do it? Is it because it wasn’t u who was raped or ur luved one killed?” King posted on her Instagram page on Saturday.
Her comments came in the wake of Vybz Kartel’s newest album, dubbed To Tanesha, which was released last week. Kartel had dedicated the production, which also featured collabs with Jada Kingdom, Slimatic, Jesse Royal, and Sikka Rymes, to his common-law wife.
However, as soon as “Shy Guy” singer Diana King made the post, the Gazanation rushed to the defense of the World Boss, who was convicted of murder in 2014 and sentenced to serve 35 years without parole for the murder of his friend, Clive’ Lizard’ Williams.
Some Gaza fans accused King of deliberately using Kartel’s name to attract attention and to gain followers. In contrast, others said she was trying to use the post as bait as she probably was planning to release a new song, while others simply used the opportunity to hurl abuses at her and degrade her in the worst way.
“This nobody… just wants a little fame. From the day u exist only 12k followers. Gyal gwaan go tek a hundred seats back; can’t even r*ss spell,” one irate man said, while one woman declared: “Come out a we business. You sound hurt. If it wasn’t this post going around I wouldn’t even view your page.”
Other upset followers decried King’s statements, which they said implied that their hero was also convicted for rape, which was untrue. Others said Kartel was already suffering in prison and should be thanked for putting Dancehall music back onto the international charts instead of being further penalized via Kings comments. One man even declared that: “Going against the Gaza Boss is death!”
“Do you ever hear that man sing and glorify rapist? That man always bun out rapist. Leave the man alone and go get a hit song!” one Gaza fan said.
The Ministry of National Security has constantly denied giving Kartel, whose real name is Adijah Palmer special privileges to record music in the St. Catherine District Prison where he is spending his life sentence, even though since his conviction he has released a slew of singles songs and still dominates the Jamaican music space.
Diana King is best known for her hit single “Shy Guy,” which was a soundtrack for the movie Bad Boys. The song was also featured on King’s debut studio album Tougher Than Love in 1995 and was described by many music critics as one of the best Reggae fusion songs of all time.
