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.
Bandman Nah
Vybz Kartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dem nuh know vendetta (2K3)
Up to di time (up to the minute)
Timeless (I have the time)
See me a seh (weh y'ah seh?)
I heard some niggas sayin' they tug
And I found out they nothin' but tugboats (easily)
See me a seh (weh y'ah seh then?)
All when dem rise e gun dem get chastised
Dem dead, dem cyaan' resurrect like Jesus Christ
Then badman
Look woman, book woman, ook woman, jook woman
Then fly from room door and foot woman
Fire pon puckuman plus man weh nyam woman
Weh him do man? You ever yet cook woman
Badman buss it up pon a man weh hug up another man
Could a daddy or brother-man
Adam and Eve bond must stand
But Adam and Steve will never inna shotta plan
Know that, mek money, get money, tek money
Stash money inna bank book, cash money
More money, more trouble, more Moët, more bubble
More weed, more juggle, more Feds, more trouble
More gyal, more sex, more car, more flex
More phone, more message inna text
Get more shotta friend, more Uzi and Techs
Vendetta flex and a bwoy get vex but
Badman nah check fi hide (hide)
Badman nah check fi dead (dead)
Badman nah check fi run (run)
Badman nah check fi beg (beg)
Badman nah check fi buss (buss)
Badman nah check fi play (play)
Badman nah check fi laugh
Badman nah check fi play
You know why? (Why?)
Every day man dress inna Gucci and Guess
Crush cotton weh nuh press, grand US nuttin' less
Tell you somethin' else, me nuh wear nuttin' else
Than straight name brand, Costco you pay, man
Gyal love original, but woman a ginal
Clothes can't hold yuh gyal if you nuh sexual
You haffi know how fi love her
Cock her up push her and, shove her, ever deh above her
Dis who? Bwoy dis my crew
Man circle dem ends, mek Teflon nyam two
One, two, three, four, Portmore rise more
.44 than than any other man crew
Vybz Kartel a di war angel
Buss di Haskell, blood run like pastel
Dis man from Boston, head buss like gas pan
Me nuh clash man, we crash man
Badman nah check fi hide (hide)
Badman nah check fi dead (dead)
Badman nah check fi run (run)
Badman nah check fi dead (dead)
Badman nah check fi buss (buss)
Badman nah check fi play (no)
Badman nah check fi laugh
Badman nah check fi play
You know why? (Why?)
You know we roll inna Benz
Wid cruise control pon di ends
R1 and R6 are ready fi go pon gyal patrol every day (true)
How man a live large? Half of it have never been told (why?)
Part of it is that our chump change too big fi hold inna billfold
My yute don't touch that ice, you will catch cold
We nuh wear South Pole, yo, a just (wah?)
Gucci link, Armani Exchange (true)
Hundred grand a chump change, me nuh lame
Me see things through Moschino shades
Fucky fucky gyal soon catch AIDS
Not even di sea create so much waves
Front-row seats fi watch di Cubs and di Braves
Our version bigga than King James
We gyal catalog full of so many names
Some gyal weh dem only dream 'bout a gi' we brain
Dem tongue stick on pon mi cocky like Hanes
Up to di time (pow)
See me a seh, Don
You know you're rated as number one
Badman nah check fi hide (hide)
Badman nah check fi dead (dead)
Badman nah check fi run (run)
Badman nah check fi beg (beg)
Badman nah check fi buss (buss)
Badman nah check fi play (no)
Badman nah check fi laugh
Portmore nah check fi play
Badman
Look woman, book woman, ook woman, jook woman
Then fly from room door and foot woman
Fire pon puckuman plus man weh nyam woman
Weh him do man? You ever yet cook woman (never)
Roach, buss it up pon a man weh hug up another man
Could a daddy or brother-man
Adam and Eve bond must stand
But Adam and Steve will never inna shotta plan
Know that, mek money, get money, tek money
Stash money inna bank book, cash money
More money, more trouble, more Moët, more bubble
More weed, more juggle, more Feds, more trouble
More gyal, more sex, more car, more flex
More phone, more message inna text
Get more shotta friend, more Uzi and Techs
Vendetta flex and a bwoy get vex but
Badman nah check fi hide (hide)
Badman nah check fi dead (dead)
Badman nah check fi run (run)
Badman nah check fi beg (beg)
Badman nah check fi buss (buss)
Badman nah check fi play (no)
Kartel nah check fi laugh
Don, you nah check fi play, don't? (No)
Badman nah check fi hide (hide)
Badman nah check fi dead
Badman nah check fi run
Badman nah check fi beg
Badman nah check fi buss
Badman nah check fi play
Kartel nah check fi laugh
Vendetta nah check fi play
You know I told dem it's Kartel and Vendetta
The Timeless album start well
You know in the stores, on the bootleg CD's
You know where we be, we be also on the TV
I told dem it's Kartel, Timeless
See me a seh, Don
You know you're rated as number one
I'm out
In Vybz Kartel's song "Bandman Nah," the lyrics present a complex array of themes that give the listener a glimpse into the life and mentality of a gangster in the ghetto. The chorus of the song very clearly outlines the rules that a true "bad man" lives by: essentially, he does not beg, hide, run, or play. The verses, however, delve into more specific topics that give the song some real depth. The first verse, for example, touches on the relationships between men and women in the ghetto. In this world, the bad man does not look for a woman to love but instead uses them for his own purposes. He wants to "jook ooman" and "fly from room door" after "foot ooman fi 'pon puckuman" (steal another man's woman). Furthermore, he says that a man who "nyam ooman" should not be trusted, and that any man who cooks for a woman is not a real bad man.
The second verse focuses more on the life of a bad man and how he navigates the various troubles and responsibilities that come with it. Kartel asserts that bad men have to make money and hide it away, that they need to be careful who they associate with, and that they must always have more than everyone else. This verse paints the picture of a life lived in the fast lane, where ideals like friendship and morality take a backseat to more cynical and selfish motives. In essence, "Bandman Nah" is a song about a way of life that is both seductive and dangerous, a life where the only things that matter are power, money, and control.
Line by Line Meaning
Badman nah look ooman
Criminals are not focused on finding a woman.
Book ooman, jook ooman
They do not care about having a relationship, just want to have sex.
Den fly from room door and Foot ooman fi 'pon puckuman
After sex, they will leave without any commitment and would not hesitate to have sex with men in prison.
Plus man weh nyam ooman Weh him do man?
They are not interested in those who eat other women how can they be trusted?
You ever yet cook ooman?!
They don't even care if the woman can cook.
Badman buss it up 'pon a man Weh hug up another man Coulda daddy or brother man Adam and Eve bond must stan But Adam and Steve never inna shotta plan
They will violently attack men who hug other men but they oppose Adam and Steve's relationship.
Ghetto youth mek money Tek money stash money Inna bankbook cash money More money more trouble
People from the ghetto tend to make money and save it, but the more money they gain, the more trouble they find themselves in.
More Moet more bubble More weed more juggle More Feds more trouble
The more alcohol and drugs they consume, the more they struggle, and the more authorities come after them.
More gal more sex More car more flex More phone more message inna tex More shotta frien more Uzi and Tecks Kartel flex mek bwoy get vex
The more women they sleep with, the more they show off their cars, and the more messages they send, the more their friends encourage them to engage in illegal activity. Vybz Kartel is confident in his behavior and makes his enemies angry.
Badman nah check fi hide Badman nah check fi dead Badman nah check fi run Badman nah check fi beg Badman nah check fi buss Badman nah check fi stray Badman nah check fi laugh Badman nah check fi play
Criminals are not focused on hiding, dying, running, begging, fighting or playing, their focus is the opposite.
Everyday man dress Inna Gucci and Guess Crush cotton weh nuh press Grand US nuttin less Mek mi tell you somethin else Mi nuh wear nuttin else Than straight name brand Costco you pain man
Every day, men dress in Gucci and Guess clothing, choosing not to wear anything else. They only wear high-quality clothes that are not from Costco, which they don't like.
Gal love original but ooman a ginal Clothes can't hold you gal If you nuh sexual Yuh haffi know how fi love her Cock her up push her and Shove her ever deh above her, dis who?
Women love authentic men, but a lack of sexual prowess can cause issues. A man needs to know how to please his partner in a variety of ways to make her happy.
Bwoy dis mi crew Man circle dem ends Mek teflon nyam two One, two, three, four Portmore rise more 44 Dan any other man crew
If someone disrespects the crew, the crew will retaliate with violence. They will circle their territory and do whatever is necessary to maintain order. They are the strongest crew around, numbering 44 members.
Vybz Kartel a di War Angel But di hostel blood run like pastel Dis man from Boston head buss Like gas pan wi nuh clash man We crash man
Vybz Kartel is a skilled and dangerous criminal, but he bleeds like anyone else. He has had violent confrontations with a man from Boston which ended explosively.
You know we roll inna Benz Wid cruise control 'pon di ends R1 and R6 are ready Fi go 'pon gal patrol Evidence how man a live large Half of it have never been told Part of it is that our chump change Too big fi hold inna billfold
They drive expensive cars with cruise control, ready to attract women. They live a luxurious life with a lot of secrets. They have so much money that they can't even keep it in their wallets.
My youth don't touch my ice You wi ketch cold Mi nuh wear South Pole Yow a just Gucci link Armani Xchange, 100 gran a chump change Me see things, tru Moschino shades Fuck fucky gal, soon ketch AIDS Not even di sea, create so much waves Front row seats fi watch Di cubs and di braves Our version bigga dan King James Wi gal catalog full of so many names Girls weh dem only dream 'Bout a gimme brains Dem tongue stick on 'pon Mi cocky like Hanes Up to di time
They wear high-priced clothes and do not wear cheap brands. They have expensive accessories and warn others not to steal them. They watch from the front row as their actions create chaos. They believe they are greater than famous people like King James, and they have a lot of women to choose from. Women dream of giving them oral sex, and they find themselves being described as the best by women.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Adidja Palmer, Donovan Keith Bennett, Nigel Staff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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