Diana King takes aim at Vybz Kartel but more so the Jamaican justice system for allowing him to record music in prison.
Diana King is lashing out against the Jamaican prison system, permitting inmates to record music while serving their sentences. Vybz Kartel is just one example of a Jamaican music artiste who was able to produce hit songs from behind bars. The deejay has been successfully dishing out fire tracks for almost a decade of incarceration. While the issue has come up in the past, with parliament ministers like Lisa Hanna calling foul on the special treatment these artistes tend to receive, it seems the conversation has resurfaced and this time from Jamaican reggae icon Diana King.
Taking to social media in a fit of rage, King admonished the prison system and expressed how discombobulated she continues to be about reggae and dancehall artistes being able to thrive in their music careers while imprisoned. Even though she never name-dropped any of the artistes who have lucked out with this, it is quite obvious who she was aiming her shots at.
“I’ll never be able to ignore the fact that a convicted artist/prisoner serving time, be it for murder/rape, can still record and release music from prison in Jamaica,” a disgruntled Diana King said. “How do you all do it? Is it because it wasnt you who was raped or your luved one killed???” she wrote.
The tweet was sent out shortly after Vybz Kartel’s new album was released and started charting phenomenally well. The album titled To Tanesha debuted at number 3 on the iTunes Hip-Hop albums chart and number 17 on the iTunes New Releases chart. “Kartel” was even trending in the US, which could have influenced Diana King’s subsequent tweet.
While a lot of fans were demonstrably perturbed by Diana’s statement, some were furious, writing back to the singer to advise her to mind her business. Others were bemused by her mention of the word “rape” as Vybz Kartel’s rap sheet is certainly devoid of that crime. However, it became clear that Diana’s tweet though not completely obvious, was referencing acts like Jah Cure as well. The reggae artiste was convicted of rape in 1999 and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Cure’s mega hit single “Reflections” was recorded and released from prison.
It’s interesting how Diana’s rant came in the wake of Kartel’s success. There’s a word for that in Jamaica. When Lisa Hanna made the same argument Vybz Kartel released his song “Poco Man Skank,” which was a clear response. Do you think he will address Diana King’s statement as well?
I’LL NEVER B ABLBE TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT A CONVICTED ARTIST/ PRISONER SERVING TIME, B IT FOR MURDER / RAPE, CAN STILL RECORD & RELEASE MUSIC FROM PRISON IN JAMAICA ?? ?????? HOW DO U ALL DO IT? IS IT BECAUSE IT WASNT U WHO WAS RAPED OR YOUR LUVED ONE KILLED??
— KING DIANA (@DIANAKINGDOM) January 10, 2020
U CANNOT LIVE AN AUTHENTIC LIFE WITHOUT DISAPPOINTING PISSING OFF OR OFFENDING SUM PPL — AND I DONT MIND DOING ALL 3. I’M NOT FOR EVERYONE AN MI GOOD WID DAT??? https://t.co/CaYK4Z6vhE
— KING DIANA (@DIANAKINGDOM) January 11, 2020
