He was born at Kingston's Victoria Jubilee Hospital, and was one of six children. Originally from Waterhouse, Kingston, he was raised in the Waterford district in the community Portmore, Jamaica. Adidja attended Calabar High School in Kingston but was expelled as a teenager. Determined to continue his education, he completed his studies at a tutorial technical school.
He was exposed to a wide variety of music from a tender age by two uncles who were themselves aspiring musicians. Every weekend he was treated to new musical offerings, on his uncle's old component set, ranging from Sam Cooke to country and western ballads to Ninja Man, who became one of his musical heroes.
At 10 his favorites included artists as diverse as Ninja Man, Papa San, Charlie Chaplin, Will Smith and KRS-1, all of whose lyrics he would study word-for-word, performing them later for friends.
He decided he wanted to be a deejay and began writing his own lyrics when he was 11. Eager to flaunt his skills, Adidja and his friends frequented the weekly Gong Talent Show at the Coney Amusement Park on the outskirts of Kingston. To their chagrin, they were always gonged off when they got a chance to perform.
Undeterred by his weekly failure to impress the talent show audience, Adidja decided to hone his skills and concentrate on winning over his own community of Waterford until he was ready for bigger things. With that goal in mind, on weekends he would practise on neighborhood sound systems Soul Signal and Electric Force.
In 1993, Adidja recorded his first single, "Love Fat Woman," for Alvin Reid's One Heart Label under the name Adi Banton, a name he chose in tribute to a role model, Buju Banton. He recorded several more tracks for local producers, perfecting his craft.
In 1996 he and two friends, Mr. Lee and a singer called Escobar, decided to form a group. One night, after watching a movie about Pablo Escobar and his infamous cartel, Adidja came up with a name for his trio: Vibes Cartel.
Vybz Kartel's new role as Killer's protege caught the attention of the public and led to a meteoric career rise, first as a ghost-writer for Bounty, Elephant Man and other members of the Scare Dem Crew, followed by collaborations with Bounty Killer, such as "Gal Clown" and "Girls Like Mine (Liquid Riddim)."
He came into his own with early hits like "Gun Clown," "Guns Like Mine (Trafalga Riddim)," "Badman (Panty Raid Riddim)," "Bus Mi Gun Like Nuttn," "Most High (Mexican Riddim)" and "War Organizer (Clappas Riddim)." He also had a string of successful collaborations with Wayne Marshall, including "New Millennium (Mad Antz Riddim)," "Why (Krazy Riddim)" and "Why Again (Good To Go Riddim)." This unprecedented debut led to Vybz Kartel being crowned 2002 Deejay of the Year at Stone Love's 30th anniversary, a feat unmatched by any new artist in dancehall.
Kartel has--aside from incredible rhymes and subtle, clever pop culture references--a unique lyrical flow all his own. It is to be noted that Kartel rarely does dance "chunes" along the lines of Elephant man or Beenie Man. Nevertheless, he has already had several high-profile collaborations with international hip-hop and pop stars, and is being touted as the next big thing in dancehall.
In terms of singles sold, he has had the second-best year on the 2003 reggae charts, outsold only by Elephant Man, and has released two albums this year for UK label Greensleeves. He was featured twice on the Def Jamaica project, and nominated for Source, VIBE and UK MOBO awards. His MOBO nominations, along with those of Beenie Man, Elephant Man and Sizzla, were subsequently withdrawn over concerns of homophobia, a common issue with dancehall reggae in general.
His video for "New Millennium/Why," with Wayne Marshall, though decidedly low-budget, has seen play on MTV. His underground following is so large that a bootleg version of, in his own words, "a very, very low budget film" made in 2001 has begun circulating. He has two albums, several mixtapes and a prolific library of singles.
In 2005, Vybz and Bountkiller fell out after Vybz preformed a song with Di Angel, Beenie's former girl, "Yuh Know Yuh Baby Father." Vybz walked out of the Alliance. Aidonia also left, because he took Vybz side, falling out with Busy Signal and making the song "Adid A Mi Daddy Who Wa Vex Wan Vex." It was said Vybz took side with Beenie by showing up at his wedding. Vybz said Beenie was his artist and would not and that's as far as it went. Afterwards, he and Movado which led to throwing of words through songs like "Movado di Failla," "Them Start War and Dead" and "Them a Pu@#* Pon di Battle." But this mis happas only made Mr.Palmer express his war side.
Vybz is the head of the territorial gangland in Portmore known as the Gaza and Mavado is the same for the Gully. Due to their feud a physical war arose between people in the two areas. Fans loyal to each artist have taken part as well. Their fan base in the youths has been seen, as entire schools claiming to be Gully or Gaza supporters have been known not just in Jamaica but in other Caribbean countries such as Trinidad to break out into physical war resulting in stabbings and street fights.
Following the 2009 Summit of the Americas the Jamaican government called a meetings between Vybz Kartel and Mavado calling on them to end the war. Since its conclusion both artists have turned away from war songs and focused on different topics, Kartel on women and Mavado on uplifting the people, although both still make songs of all types.
Following differences with record label Greensleeves, Vybz Kartel changed his name to Addi Di Teacha near the end of 2006. All new material he produces will be released under this name. Greensleeves will continue to release his older, unreleased material under the name Vybz Kartel.
He now owns the label Portmore Empire, founded in 2007, on which releases new deejays' music. To clear up why this was done he had an interview with Antony Miller. "If I had join Moffia House, I would be taking side which I said I would not do," he said.
He owns a rum called STREET VYBZ as well as a condom line called DAGGERING.
Recently, he collaborated with artists like D.I. aka Daniel and Di Angel--Beenie man's former wife. But that's another story...
In 2011 Kartel has recently come under fire for bleaching his skin, something that is frowned upon in Jamaican culture and even Kartel spoken against it in past songs. He has come under even more fire for his rumored involvement in devil worship with a satanic group known as the Illuminati, which is known to have other popular musicains such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna.
A.K.A.
Vybz Kartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ha, you know
See me a seh, Up 2 Di time
I told them it's Kartel (Timeless)
Buss di bomboclaat Askell
Then bwoy blood run red like Pascal (right away)
See me a seh, down to di hour
Singer blinger, ha (what you sayin'?)
And kotch 12 o'clock middle day and beat it (pain mi heart)
But you know when cell block rise it
We rise it any rassclaat time a di day and buss it (long time)
How we buss it? (Me nuh know)
Me buss mi gun like nothin'
Bwoy blood a run like nothin'
Police a come like nothin'
Gun shot a beat like nothin'
Spend shell inna di streets like nothin'
No streetlight, nothin'
Dead body inna di morning like nothin'
Family members bawlin' like nothin'
Drancrow engulfin' like nothin'
Informers been callin' like nothin'
Police been swarmin' like nothin'
Nuh tell me nothin', me have mi gun and it a buss
Mi gun nuh stick, nuh bodda rush me wid no stick
You think me n'ave it, you get trick cah di metric
Di bwoy shock like electric when him see it
Him did believe seh me leave mi gun, me have it up mi sleeve (nuh tell nothin')
Then me a pree fi kill yuh family fi free
Rape and murder yuh aunty free, buss di french cut, panty free
Shot him like a shotty free, no, nuh vigilante fee
Nuff a dem yah buss di gun, a fail, a try fi follow me
Me buss mi gun like nothin', zeen?
Copper shot a sew you like a button, zeen?
Homicide a our somethin', zeen?
Like a door, head open, zeen?
Marrow jump out while di ground a favor raw mutton, zeen?
Me buss mi gun like nothin'
Bwoy blood a run like nothin'
Police a come like nothin'
Gun shot a beat like nothin'
Spend shell inna di streets like nothin'
No streetlight, nothin'
Dead body inna di morning like nothin'
Family members bawlin' like nothin'
Drancrow engulfin' like nothin'
Informers been callin' like nothin'
Police been swarmin' like nothin'
Nuh tell me nothin', if a lend, him just get hang, bug up to Skeng
If a Addams me have di guns, me have di bombs, nuh change di plan
Bigger Ford, slaughter code, ban him from Waterford
From him wheel off a load and him seal off a road
Him lock me down but have di last laugh cah meal off a road
Fi lose a gun inna shoot-out that me can't afford
So as me breeze cock mi gun, me want a load
Back it like a plane, lock it all aboard
Touch e road gun inna clothes, pon mi toes
Look out fi feds, look out fi foes, dem say, "Freeze," me nuh froze
Gun a rose and it a beat inna face, bruk a nose
Ask mi God seh, but supposed, "nuh but supposed"
Me but supposed, uh-huh
Me buss mi gun like nothin'
Bwoy blood a run like nothin'
Police a come like nothin'
Gun shot a beat like nothin'
Spend shell inna di streets like nothin'
No streetlight, nothin'
Dead body inna di morning like nothin'
Family members bawlin' like nothin'
Drancrow engulfin' like nothin'
Informers been callin' like nothin'
Police been swarmin' like nothin'
Another thing, nuh bodda slick 'cause if you slick you a go slide
Up under mi gun you go up a go lie
You wan' run and cyaan' run, you wan' hide
Now you finish like South African Apartheid
When me walk, make a SLR ride
Skin bun like nothin'
Waterford got shots inna drum like nothin'
Waterhouse gun shipment a come like nothin'
Fi bun soldier boy and police we a drink rum like nothin' (uh-huh)
Me buss mi gun like nothin'
Bwoy blood a run like nothin'
Police a come like nothin'
Gun shot a beat like nothin'
Spend shell inna di streets like nothin'
No streetlight, nothin'
In this song, Vybz Kartel is showcasing his skills and reputation as a gangster and DJ, and how he and his crew operate in the ghetto. The confidence in his voice, particularly when he says "what's my name, it's Vybz Kartel," is a testament to his influence and power in the community. The line "Rifle wid tripod handle boy bad" implies that he and his crew have access to high-powered weaponry, and are not afraid to use it on their enemies. Later in the song, he mentions his grandfather giving him a gun but he refused to fire it, perhaps indicating some sense of morality or restraint.
Despite the violent imagery in the song, the repeated line "we don't play" can be interpreted to mean that they are serious about their business, and not to be taken lightly. Kartel also references smoking and playing music, which are ways that he and his crew find enjoyment and relaxation amidst the danger and tension of their lifestyle. Overall, the song speaks to the intersection of music and violence in Jamaican culture, and how these forces can coexist in a complex and unpredictable way.
Line by Line Meaning
A.K.A. we don't play
Vybz Kartel's team doesn't mess around
Fuck all night
Having sex all night
Smoke all day
Smoking weed all day
Claat AK
Shooting with the AK-47
Still DJ
He is still a DJ despite also being involved in harmful activities
We play music we don't play
Vybz Kartel had to clarify that he is not involved in violent activities solely because he plays music
When mi drop inna di scheme
When he arrives in the ghetto
Ghetto limousine, Mi rims a seventeen
He has modest possessions despite what he says in his lyrics
Mi and mi Mac II team, Mi fresh mi never green
His team has a Mac II computer and they use it to produce music
Mi trees evergreen
The weed he smokes is always fresh
Mi badda dan Joshua Samson and di Phillistine
He is more ruthless than biblical figures from the Old Testament
When di sixpence clean
When things go well for him
Alarm go off but mi nuh si nuh response team
When the police come, he never sees a team come to help him
Man dash weh dem license guns and clips and scream
People with legal firearms abandon them when they face Kartel
Reporter seh it no real a muss a sick man's dream
The media believes that Kartel's violent activities are just a dream of a crazy person
But mi nuh response feeim
He does not respond to what the media says about him
Mi crime dem real dem don't play play
His crimes are not fake, they are real
Mi smoke my trees blen wid Craven 'A'
He mixes his weed with cigarettes called Craven 'A'
And what's my game it's war start well
Kartel is playing a serious game and it starts with a good strategy
And what's my name it's Vybz Kartel
He identifies himself by his stage name and not his birth name.
Rifle wid tripod handle boy bad
He is talking about his gun, which has a stabilizing tripod for accuracy
While a go you sen yuh bab
He may have sent someone's baby to die
Tell mi suck mi Mom and Dad
Someone may have insulted his family
Now you deh pon 'Jesus Christ oh my God'
The person who disrespected him is now begging for mercy
Boy a run, Cell Block bruk him back like a crab
Someone tried to run away, but the prison guards broke their back like a crab
A nuh Bush, a we drop bombs over Bagdhad
He isn't talking about bombing a city, but rather his music being successful globally
Weh day mi could a get a gun from mi Grandad
He could've gotten a gun from his grandfather
When him seh 'hold dis mi son'
His grandfather asked him to hold the gun for him
Mi seh 'Pappy mi nuh fire people gun'
Kartel refused to shoot the gun his grandfather gave him
Him seh 'weh yuh claim'
His grandfather asked him what he was doing
Mi seh 'you nuh hear mi name'
He expected his grandfather to have heard of him through his music.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Adidja Palmer, Donovan Keith Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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