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.
Criminal War
Vybz Kartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yuh know when di war done a we alone stand
Shoot dem like Marlin and garlin dem fallin
Mi nah leff no man fi do no bawlin
No callin police guns rise up like
Di sun in di mornin
Di fuss man mi see mi ago corn him
No warning mi all in
Mek bullet proof look like tarpaulin
Appauling when this gun performin it
Cause global warnin
None a dem bwoy deh no bad aye
When we a war ano gyal war ah criminal war
Similar to Military crash inna Iraq star
Anuh pussy war, shot bwoy wid di Uzi or SLR
Head to di tar, open like cookie Jar
War anuh gyal war a criminal war
Badda dan China, US, USSR
Ano pussy war, shot bwoy wid di Uzi or SLR
Aye you see me
Mi gun dem a dracula
Dracula cause a blood dem drain
So mi slug dem cain, copper flood membrane
Nuh mek me get mi guns dem from hundred lane
Mass murda we study cause we love mek name
Wrap rope round yuh neck like a diamond chain
Till mi hear sumn' pop like mi fly champagne
Bullet high octane, marrow fly pon plane
'Gainst icon name dem a try campaign (wah)
Rise up some rifle wid night scan aim
Black shot hotta than di blue light pon flame
Run dem up, close range, 12
Gauge inna ears like wax, eeh
Lef dem fi di cops see
Mi buss it serious like judge inna di trial
No vial no ring cyaa save you
Magnum barrel start spin like
Old phone weh dial
Di bullet dem shave yuh, mi crave yuh
Di whole a dem a coward and sissy like Missy
One big spliff Miyaki like issi
See di nozzle yah
Kiss it cause mi nuh fissy fissy
Mi like, mi nuh bitch like Krissy
Load up mi gun long like Mississippi
Inna di white 94 tint up Sunny Dusse
Spray endz wid bullet big like Evette titty
Mi give dem neck hickey
Mi done bloodclaat talk
In the song "Criminal War" by Vybz Kartel, the artist describes the reality of gang violence where he comes from. The song is a warning to his enemies that they should not underestimate him or his gang, as they will not hesitate to shoot and kill. Vybz Kartel refers to himself as the "war teacha," suggesting that he is an authority when it comes to gang violence. He states that when the war is over, only his gang will be left standing, and he will not hesitate to kill anyone who tries to challenge his dominance.
The lyrics also emphasize the ruthless nature of the violence, as the artist compares the shootings to hunting, using the imagery of shooting "like Marlin and garlin" to describe the efficiency with which his gang can kill. He talks about how he will not leave anyone alive to call the police or cry for help and describes the AK-47 as his weapon of choice. He paints a picture of a dangerous and violent world where survival is based solely on strength and cunning, and where the only rule is the law of the gun.
Overall, "Criminal War" is a brutal depiction of the harsh reality of gang violence in Jamaica, where survival is a constant struggle and where only the strongest and most ruthless will emerge victorious.
Line by Line Meaning
Yow ah di war teacha
I am the one who teaches how to war.
Yuh know when di war done a we alone stand
We will stand alone once the war is over.
Shoot dem like Marlin and garlin dem fallin
I shoot them with accuracy and they fall like being garlanded.
Mi nah leff no man fi do no bawlin
I won't leave any man to cry or scream.
No callin police guns rise up like
Instead of calling the police, I rise with my guns up.
Di sun in di mornin
Guns are raised like the sun in the morning.
Di fuss man mi see mi ago corn him
The first person I see, I'll get them before they get me.
No warning mi all in
I am all in with no warning.
Di AK weh long like papalin
The AK is long like a papal staff.
Mek bullet-proof look like tarpaulin
The bullet-proof materials are weak like tarpaulin when my guns perform.
Appalling when this gun performin it
The way this gun performs is shocking and distressing.
Cause global warming
The gun causes global warming.
None a dem bwoy deh no bad aye
None of them are truly bad.
When we a war ano gyal war ah criminal war
Our war is not a female fight, it's a criminal war.
Similar to Military crash inna Iraq star
Our war is similar to the military clash in Iraq.
Anuh pussy war, shot bwoy wid di Uzi or SLR
It's not a coward war. We shoot boys with heavy guns like Uzi or SLR.
Head to di tar, open like cookie Jar
Their heads will be opened like a cookie jar.
War anuh gyal war a criminal war
This is not a war fought by females, but a criminal war.
Badda dan China, US, USSR
Our war is more intense than those waged by China, the US, or USSR.
Mi gun dem a dracula
My guns are like vampires.
Dracula cause a blood dem drain
Like Dracula, my guns make the blood drain.
So mi slug dem cain, copper flood membrane
So, I shoot and bullets flood their membranes.
Nuh mek me get mi guns dem from hundred lane
Don't force me to get guns from a different place.
Mass murda we study cause we love mek name
We study mass murder because we want to be famous.
Wrap rope round yuh neck like a diamond chain
We'll wrap a rope around your neck like a diamond chain.
Till mi hear sumn' pop like mi fly champagne
I'll keep tightening the rope until I hear something pop like a Champagne cork.
Bullet high octane, marrow fly pon plane
The bullets are like high-octane fuel and hit with great force.
'Gainst icon name dem a try campaign (wah)
They are trying to campaign against my name, which is impossible.
Rise up some rifle wid night scan aim
Let's take some rifles with night vision scope.
Black shot hotta than di blue light pon flame
Black shots are hotter than blue lights on a flame.
Run dem up, close range, 12
We run towards them and shoot at close range with a 12-gauge gun.
Gauge inna ears like wax, eeh
The 12-gauge bullets are like wax in their ears.
Lef dem fi di cops see
I'll leave their dead bodies for the cops to see.
Mi buss it serious like judge inna di trial
I am as serious as a judge in a trial while executing this.
No vial no ring cyaa save you
There's no protection that can save you, not even a vial or a ring.
Magnum barrel start spin like, old phone weh dial
When the Magnum barrel spins, it sounds like an old dial telephone.
Di bullet dem shave yuh, mi crave yuh
The bullets shave you, and I crave to do that.
Di whole a dem a coward and sissy like Missy
All of them are cowards and sissy like Missy.
One big spliff Miyaki like issi
I smoke a big spliff and pretend to be Miyaki like Issi.
See di nozzle yah, kiss it cause mi nuh fissy fissy
Kiss the gun barrel because I am not a coward.
Mi like, mi nuh bitch like Krissy
I am not like Krissy, I like to fight.
Load up mi gun long like Mississippi
I load my gun long like the Mississippi river.
Inna di white 94 tint up Sunny Dusse
I am riding in a white car with 94 tints and drinking Sunny Dusse.
Spray endz wid bullet big like Evette titty
I spray bullets in the area with such intensity that they're like Evette's big titties.
Mi give dem neck hickey
The impacts of my bullets are like giving them a hickey.
Mi done bloodclaat talk
There isn't anything left to say, we're done talking.
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH
Written by: NEDY JOHN CROSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cortieallen1472
D baddest artiste of all time in Jamaica history
@delonthomas2772
Gaza still the baddest yooow 2018 hmmm lyrically
@DarkAngel-yg9mn
BBC war teacher 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@thatniggafreeze1275
yo Addi ,mi head sick enuh
@MrMassive876
bomboclaaat man ole skool lyrics in overdrive
@kevinmccalpin8259
Free world 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥2019
@ludwinmax18
d man sick
@DancehallTv20
Still bad in 2021
@yamiynyisrael7341
When we ah war it gal war it ah criminal war!
@raiford5082
Yamiyn Yisrael anuh gyal war*