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.
Go Fi Dem
Vybz Kartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Teacha, see him yah
Yo, carry him ova yassuh
Yo, don't kill me fada, don't (shut up)
Cool down, sorry, fada (eeh?)
My bad, fada don't
No, no, please
Yo, let him go (yuh mad?)
Gunshot run you down like Beverly McDonald
Kick weh yuh foot inna di canal
Me badda than Bush to di George, Reagan to di Ronald
See nozzle yah, suck it like mammal
Mi gun dem dark and dunce and wah go a Jamal
Dem sing like Christmas carol
Ask Madden who response fi di most funeral and memorial, hey
All inna dem house, we a go fi dem
Under di bed, we a go fi dem
You diss Kartel, we a go fi dem
Copper shot inna dem nose we a stuff it then
All up a station, we a go fi dem
(Di bwoy a party freak) we a go fi dem
All inna dance, we a go fi dem
DJ, him live deh suh
Hey, Roach (Timeless)
Gunshot pull di door and tell dem welcome
Rifle nozzle big like ten drum
And it speak French and German but it mek inna Belgium
And it spit like spectrum
If you protect by Brinks, me shoot Brinks at random
Dem boots yuh, yuh protect by condom
Me HK wussa than HIV, hollowpoint Gonorrhea di Magnum
All inna dem house, we a go fi dem
Under di bed, we a go fi dem
You diss Kartel, we a go fi dem
Copper shot inna dem nose we a stuff it then
All up a station, we a go fi dem
(Di bwoy a party freak) we a go fi dem
All inna dance, we a go fi dem
DJ, him live deh suh
Gunshot come a yuh funeral and yuh memorial
Fi pay tribute but no floral
Di head a di bullet sharper than all di reef weh coral
We crime dem fall from moral
So we shoot up casket like a sum'n weh legal
Boom, di alter kill three gyal
Cah we haffi mek sure seh you nuh build up like Carib
You stay fucked up like Regal
All inna dem house, we a go fi dem
Under di bed, we a go fi dem
You diss Kartel, we a go fi dem
Copper shot inna dem nose we a stuff it then
All up a station, we a go fi dem
(Di bwoy a party freak) we a go fi dem
All inna dance, we a go fi dem
DJ, him live deh suh
Gunshot run you down like Beverly McDonald
Kick weh yuh foot inna di canal
Me badda than Bush to di George, Reagan to di Ronald
See nozzle yah, suck it like mammal
Mi gun dem dark and dunce and wah go a Jamal
Dem sing like Christmas carol
Ask Madden who response fi di most funeral and memorial, hey
All inna dem house, we a go fi dem
Under di bed, we a go fi dem
You diss Kartel, we a go fi dem
Copper shot inna dem nose we a stuff it then
All up a station, we a go fi dem
(Di bwoy a party freak) we a go fi dem
All inna dance, we a go fi dem
DJ, him live deh suh
All inna dem house, we a go fi dem
Under di bed, we a go fi dem
You diss Kartel, we a go fi dem
Copper shot inna dem nose we a stuff it then
All up a station, we a go fi dem
(Di bwoy a party freak) we a go fi dem
All inna dance, we a go fi dem
DJ, him live deh suh
The song "Go Fi Dem" by Vybz Kartel is a confrontational and aggressive track that suggests the artist is ready for anyone who crosses his path. The opening lines of "Gi dem some Pampers, Dem waan fi start it but mi know dem a baby," liken his opponents to children who require diapers, indicating they are not equipped to handle the confrontation. He goes on to assert himself with lines like "Mi ah come fi yuh weh yuh eat and sleep, And mi nuh come fi do meet and greet, Somebody teeth haffi meet concrete," suggesting that he will come and get them where it hurts, and they will feel the consequences. Throughout the song, Vybz Kartel makes it clear that he is not afraid of confrontation, and anyone who dares to challenge him should be prepared for an all-out war.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the fear that his opponents have of him: "Dem know seh mi know seh dem fraid a mi," indicating that they know he is a force to be reckoned with. He also makes references to violence, with lines like "Yuh coulda hide like Saddam inna di cave," which suggests he will hunt down his opponents wherever they try to hide. The song ends with the artist reiterating that he is ready for anyone who wants to challenge him, stating "Start it if yuh wah start it," which implies he is eager for the confrontation.
Line by Line Meaning
Gi dem some Pampers
Laugh at them and treat them like babies
Dem waan fi start it but mi know dem a baby
They want to start trouble, but in reality they are just childish
Tell dem mi deh yah pon di Gaza mi ready
Let them know that I am here on the Gaza and I am ready for whatever they bring
Yuh coulda even bring di whole military
Even if they bring the entire military, I am not afraid
Start it if yuh wah start it
If they really want to start trouble, go ahead and start it
But mi nuh dweet pon street
But I do not engage in violence on the street
Mi ah come fi yuh weh yuh eat and sleep
I am coming for everything that is important to them, their food and rest
And mi nuh come fi do meet and greet
I am not here to make friendly introductions
Somebody teeth haffi meet concrete
Someone is going to get knocked out and meet the ground, hard
Yuh run already like real athlete
You have already run away, like a true athlete
But yuh never fast like di steel dat beat
But you were not as fast as the steel that hit you
It shine like Popcaan jesus piece
My jewelry shines bright, like Popcaan's Jesus piece
Popcaan wid di piece yuh seh jesus please
When Popcaan shows his gun, you pray to Jesus for mercy
Mi go fi dem any weh
I will go after them anywhere
Gaza mi go fi dem any weh
I will go after them on the Gaza, or anywhere else
Action over word mi seh
I choose action over words
Sumting ah go fly like bird mi seh
Something is going to fly, like a bird
Dem know seh mi know seh dem fraid a mi
They know that I know that they are afraid of me
And all dem ah bend up dem ugly face
And they all contort their ugly faces
Dem ah baby fi wear chemise
They are acting like babies, fit to wear a diaper
None a dem nuh bad like gary knees
None of them are truly bad, like Gary Knees
Big yard have a scary beast
The Big Yard has a dangerous beast
Fi left yuh holy like yuh name the priest
It will leave you holy, like your name is the priest
Pimpin shoes mek thunder roll
My shoes make loud noise, like thunder
So yuh know seh dat shoes deh yah tear dibris
So you know that those shoes are tearing up everything in their path
Di fire melt dem like dairy cheese
The fire will melt them like dairy cheese
And mi never beg a bwoy seh fi fear me please
And I never ask anyone to be afraid of me
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Shane Connery Brown, Adidja Azim Palmer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Alapahauk
Started di flow and start it
Mi nah dweet pon street
mi ah come fi yuh where yuh eat an' sleep
And mi nah come fi di meet an' greet
Somebody teet haffi meet concrete
Yuh run already like a real athlethe
But yuh never fast, like di steal dat beat
It shine like Popcaan Jesus Piece
Popcaan wid di Piece,
Mi sey Jesus peace, YO!
PULL IT, PULL IT,. PULL IT, PULL IT
@Stephanie-mx7yg
Happy gaza international day to all loyal fans and happy birthday to our king 👑 ❤❤❤❤❤
@pineappleonpizza395
Straight 💯
@6ixboss623
Just imagine now people hearing this tune..
Old but Gold
Kartel is timeless 🔥
@pineappleonpizza395
Gaza mi ready 2024
@Chardo_lk
2023 still a hit
@yaniquehines9616
2023 song still bad....no other 💯❌✅
@user-Karan000
2023 still uprising ❤
One love from Guyana 🇬🇾
@trishornasmith2781
"Stand up deh like u brave, like say u get a vision n sight u grave" 2020 n i will forever rate kartel, dem man yah legend
@madindiantourja7826
Mek sure seh yuh life insure tek di 15% weh guico save!!🔥🔥💯💯
@abbeygaleblake5258
Still littttt🔥🔥🔥 who listening in 2019?