Vybz Kartel says he is still the reigning King of Dancehall, and he does not need to buy views.
That he is one of the most influential men in the music industry is unquestioned, but for Vybz Kartel, he is not satisfied with just being among the greats, but instead proclaims himself THE greatest and the King of Dancehall as he is often imitated but never duplicated. Indeed the “Vocabulary Physicist” was in a mood to get the record straight and clarify his iconic status on Instagram as he shared that his talent is of such high quality that he does not have to stoop to buying views.
The “Ramping Shop” entertainer came out swinging on social media as he addressed the issue of artistes buying views, and he also took his time patting himself on the shoulder for his own musical genius and the phenomenal impact he has had on dancehall over the past two decades. The ‘Teacha,’ as his adoring fans often call him, has attained hero-like status that has not diminished despite being hit with a life sentence and spending more than ten years behind bars.
In fact, the notoriety and controversy have increased his popularity among youths as well as hardcore dancehall enthusiasts for whom he is still a musical role model, albeit an incarcerated one. Such is his influence that one of the most well-established music magazines The Rolling Stone, in their article on him, stated, “he attained folk-hero status in Jamaica with provocative lyrics and a mischievous public persona. Few have captivated the dancehall audience – or offended the sensibilities of its detractors – as consistently and thoroughly as Kartel.”
On Tuesday, Vybz Kartel had a lot to say about the current crop of artistes who are into clout chasing and views buying. Seeing them as really not being on his level, Kartel chimed, “From me buss me a war wid giants pon stage and inna real life. Now, as a bwoy talk and u reply, dem say u badmind dem…bad mind dem fi wah? dem pre-owned vehicle and dem silver chain with cubic zirconia?! Man gweh yah man.”
Vybz Kartel went on further to say, “Buy views? wid who fa money? Gift Card? Who fah birthday? My dancehall trigger finger, their dancehall twitter finger. Unuh nowadays b##ch bwoy diva artistes/fans mussi really think unuh n Kartel/GAZANATION a di same ting. We no do gift card n wi no buy views. A unuh little nowadays internet clown invent dem ting deh. We impact the planet long before www.com.”
The “Summer Time” artiste was far from finished as to lend credibility to his claim of being the king of dancehall and his tremendous impact on the genre. He simply posted some of the many articles written over the years by international and local media, which speaks to how one man singlehandedly changed the face of a genre and re-defined its parameters, reach, and relevance. Indeed, YouTube sensation, disc jockey, and hip-hop/rap podcaster DJ Akademiks said Kartel’s influence has surpassed Bob Marley’s in the new millennium.
The King of Dancehall, he feels, now outshines the king of Reggae on a global level. That statement may have seemed blasphemous to some, but many agree with DJ Akademiks, especially over the past ten years. However, he is locked up but still managed to score numerous number one songs and has consistently been crowned Artiste of the Year.
In addition to dancehall, Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, has worked with several international artistes, lending himself to that crossover appeal. He has collaborated with megastars such as Major Lazer, Rihanna, and Jay Z. Indeed one of the biggest rappers in the game, Drake, has always stated that Kartel is one of his biggest musical inspirations.
