Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976),[2][3][4] better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.[5] Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as Worl’ Boss or Teacha.[6] As summarized by Rolling Stone, he “attained folk-hero status in Jamaica with provocative lyrics, and a mischievous public persona”, and “few have captivated [the dancehall] audience – or offended the sensibilities of its detractors – as consistently and thoroughly as Kartel.”[6]
Kartel’s singles include “Romping Shop” (2009), “Dancehall Hero” (2010), and “Summer Time” (2011). He has collaborated with a number of hip hop and R&B artists such as Major Lazer, Rihanna, Missy Elliot, and Alison Hinds.[7] He has also been credited as an inspiration for the dancehall-infused work of a number of Western artists, including Drake, who has cited Kartel as being one of his “biggest inspirations”
In 2014, Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive “Lizard” Williams. Kartel often released new music despite his imprisonment, having released over 50 new songs in 2016 alone.[6] His conviction was quashed in March 2024 by the UK Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, who cited juror misconduct and declared that the Jamaican Court of Appeal had to decide if a retrial would take place.[9][10][11] On 31 July 2024, Kartel was released from prison after the court of appeals declined to retry the Williams case.
