Vybz Kartel says Alkaline is not a friend nor a foe.
The Worl’Boss is gearing up for his first post-prison show in Kingston on New Year’s Eve. The concert, dubbed Freedom Street, will see Vybz Kartel performing a marathon 3-hour set to ring in the new year and a new era for his career as he gets back to live performances. The dancehall legend shared at a press conference this week that there will be some special guests at the show, including Popcaan, Tommy Lee Sparta, Spice, and former members of his Portmore Empire outfit.
In a new interview with Anthony Mill of ER, Vybz Karel opened up about his rivalry with Alkaline, a dancehall beef that reached its peak while the veteran deejay was incarcerated. However, now that he is a free man, Kartel has no interest in any beef with other artists, including the Vendetta deejay.
“A mean it’s a good water that’s it… big up Mavado,” Kartel said in response to Miller’s question about leveling “the Vybz with Alkaline.”
The “Fever” deejay also stated that he doesn’t want Alkaline to admit that he was an influence on his career, saying he doesn’t have any problem, admitting that other artists who came before had a big impact on his career. “Not his career, every career, the same way how I’m not afraid to say, Buju Banton a mi biggest inspiration, Ninja Man,” Kartel said.
Anthony Miller then asked Kartel if “there is no way there can be a kind of accommodation” for Alkaline on his show. The Jamaican legend said, “There is no bad blood either, i’m a grown man, i’m a changed man… we don’t hold grudges.”
Vybz Kartel shares his feelings about Alkaline pic.twitter.com/w1dpaksvtr
— Urban Islandz (@urbanislandz) November 9, 2024
Perhaps there is still room for Vybz Kartel and Alkaline to officially make peace. After all, the Gaza boss and his biggest rival in dancehall, Mavado, have buried the hatchet from before his release from prison over the summer. Mavado was one of the dancehall artists who showed Kartel a lot of support during his fight for freedom, and now both artists have shown each other love and united their fan bases, Gully and Gaza.
