Power actor Michael Rainey Jr., aka Tariq St. Patrick, is one of Vybz Kartel’s biggest fans and certainly a huge fan of dancehall culture. The American actor, who is of Jamaican descent through his mother, was spotted recently performing one of Kartel’s biggest hits, “Benz Punany,” during a club appearance in Jamaica.
Michael Rainey Jr. is regularly in Jamaica doing charitable work or taking care of business. The actor is the co-owner of Catch 22 Lounge in Kingston, an upscale lounge he started with his Power co-star Gianni Poalo and other business partners. A clip shared by The Jasmine Brand shows the actor getting up on stage in the club to belt out the lyrics to Vybz Kartel’s “Benz Punany.”
“50 man a rev-rev yuh body, Dat mean seh yuh pum pum a taxi,” he deejays. “Me fi mek 51 but mi nuh want it, mi a request di gyal dem wid Benz punany. Yuh p***y good and it nuh wear and it nuh tear, Yuh chassis ready, chassis ready fi mi steer, Di V12 inna yuh underwear.”
Rainey Jr. received thumbs up for even knowing the lyrics to one of Vybz Kartel’s most famous songs. “Benz Punany” was released in 2010, prior to Kartel’s incarceration. The song was produced by NotNice and Kartel’s label, Adidjaheim Records. The track has since received over 40 million views combined on YouTube, making it one of the dancehall legend’s most popular songs on the platform.
Michael Rainey Jr. has never been shy about his love for Vybz Kartel and his music, which goes back to when he was a teenager. In 2021, Kartel gave him a huge birthday shout-out on Instagram, to which he responded with glowing praise of the incarcerated deejay.
“Happy G day to a real G!” Kartel wrote along with a photo of the actor.
Later that same year, the actor received threats from Kartel’s musical rival Alkaline fans after posting a series of posts on his Instagram Story comparing the two artists and questioning why Alkaline is feuding with the incarcerated deejay.
“Kartel Was Running Road When This Pic Was Taken N This N***a Think Him And Kartel A Size,” Rainey wrote.
In response to the death threats, he said, “Nah All Jokes Aside Tho Y’all Really Can’t Deny That Kartel Was Running Road When Alkaline Was In School. Kartel Been Making Music Forever. Literally Forever,” he wrote.
Vybz Kartel also defended Michael Rainey Jr. while lauding him for being a committed GCity fan.
