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.
Addi Truth
Vybz Kartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shi seh the guy naw left around I
Shi seh a bay dry food him a buy
And mi know seh shi naw tell lie
(1)
This yah one yah a the truth
Mi no matter if mi done talk and them waan shoot
Eat a whole heap a vegetable
Eat a whole heap a fruit
Stop down a the man wid the doctor fish soup
Check out the man weh a boil the good root
Gyal them a come in a bundle and group
Come a hop off mi bed and tear off mi noop
And cry fi the d**K if you give them a truth
If a 12 furlong yo know seh a soup
Working up the line and strengthen up loop
48, 14, a time fi the doe
Under steam fish and good ucro soup
Any gyal weh mi get haffi give mi gun salute
And a talk seh how shi waan couple youth
And a talk seh how the youth them cute
And a talk seh how shi love mi fi true
()
Mi never, mi never yet short a breath
Mi never, mi never yet short a breath
Mi never, mi never yet short a breath
Shi seh mi badder than a pack a cigarette
Wa yo seh? Badder than a pack a cigarette
Shi seh mi badder than a pack a cigarette
Mi never, mi never yet short a breath
Shi seh mi badder than a
(2)
This yah one yah a the fact
Gyal seh Addi not even sun so hot
Not even fire weh yo put pon the pot
Not even that cyaa follow weh yo got
Wi a play cricket and a mi have the bat
You a the rabbit and a me have carrot
Kim si the snake and a bwal out wa that?
Are head get busy shi a si pulcadot
All you a bwal you waan fi get that
Supn haffi fly weh like a rat bat
All if you waan fly weh like parrot
Baby yo maga but yo skin fat
Attitude up deh girl yo thing shot
All Tony a bleach yo know the thing black
Tic it and toc yo bruk alarm clock
Climb pon the mountain gyal you naw drop
You fi pull up the love mi want it from top
(Repeat)
(Repeat 1)
(Repeat)
The first verse of Vybz Kartel's "Addi Truth" is about a woman who is upset with her partner because he is always buying dry food, indicating that he might be struggling to make money. Kartel emphasizes that this particular verse is the truth, and he is not afraid of speaking his mind even if it means facing criticism. The rest of the song focuses on Kartel's confidence and prowess with women. He emphasizes his sexual prowess, claiming that he never runs out of energy and using the metaphor of a pack of cigarettes to indicate his bad-boy swag. The song oscillates between moments of braggadocio and those of vulnerability, Kartel proving that he is not just a caricature of a misogynistic entertainer.
The lyrics of "Addi Truth," while on its surface seems like a standard boasting song, the underlying theme is centered around wisdom, survival and vulnerability. Through clever metaphors and witty wordplay, Vybz Kartel manages to speak out on his struggles, challenges, and triumphs; whether it’s about his own self-doubt or overcoming the odds that the world has placed in front of him. The song ultimately showcases a complex individual who is human after all, with fears and insecurities like the rest of us.
Line by Line Meaning
Di bwoy gyal walk out and a cry
The boy's girlfriend left him and is crying. She says that the guy has no money and is buying only dry food, and I know she's not lying.
This yah one yah a the truth
This is the real truth, even if I speak and people want to shoot me for it. I work hard and am with many women who consume a lot of fruits and vegetables. I have advertised for the man who sells doctor fish soup and the one who boils the good root. Women come to me in groups and I am always busy in bed. If a girl cries for my c**k, I give it to her, but I always prioritize my business dealings like purchasing and selling soup and vegetables.
Mi never, mi never yet short a breath
I have never become breathless in my life.
Shi seh mi badder than a pack a cigarette
She says I am better than a pack of cigarettes.
This yah one yah a the fact
This is the absolute truth. Women say that I'm not even as hot as the sun or fire, as nothing can compare to me. I play cricket and I have the bat while women are like rabbits dying for my carrot; even Kim is saying she can see spots while watching me. If a woman wants my attention, she has to compete with other women who are always vying for my attention, and she must be special if she wants me to make her feel good.
Repeat
The song is to be repeated.
Repeat 1
The first part of the song is to be repeated.
Writer(s): Adidja Azim Palmer, Jheneal Andre Witter
Contributed by Ella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bubak Janneh
on Life We Living
life we living so hard
Bubak Janneh
on Ghetto Youth
some body send me this nonsese