Vybz Kartel (born Adidja Palmer, Jan. 7, 1976) is a Jamaican dancehall deej… Read Full Bio ↴Vybz Kartel (born Adidja Palmer, Jan. 7, 1976) is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.

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.

Good Inna Clothes
Vybz Kartel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

See me a seh, Up 2 Di Time still enuh, baby (eeh)
Me love you, every iteration (I love you too)
No, you're style is like none other (thank you)
I thank that's why you're loving next to my mother (oh my God)
See me a seh (weh you a seh?)
You know it's Kartel
Seet seh that you all start well
See me a seh, still, you know why? (Why?)

Hey, a your style

Becah you nuh wear frauds, yuh original
Latest come from abroad through Federal
Express yourself you a go hard, dear material girl
Inna material world
Thank the Lord for your serial
Stacey Adams, when you modelling, Steve Maddening
First class when yuh travelling
Dem paddling, she do peanut juggling
You Moët bubbling, you bread buttering
Fendi leave dem stuttering

You good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose
Gyal, you good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose

You see she?
From she born she been suffering
If a no fi MTV, she nuh see nuh foreign, but you go foreign
You have yuh ten year visa link
Yuh Gucci link weh iced out a freezer link
Tell a gyal she's a chink
Guess suit wid di question, sign it
Motorist crash inna pedestrian
Gucci chain caress di neck
Gucci watch caress di hand
And you nuh wear gyal tings
Cah yuh no tief and yuh nuh lesbian

You good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose
Gyal, you good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose

Girlfriend, yuh cuter than Celine Dion
When you walk, people ask you if you mix wid Indian
You nuh just pretty, you pretty from modelling began
Personality and cute face
And tight hole you use win di man
Gyal a tackle you like Zinedine Zidane
Wid grey boot, purple blouse
Black bobbles and green ribbon
Tell a gyal your war wickeder dan Bounty and Beenie Man
Anyhow she diss, she get di Heineken yuh holding between yuh hand

You good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose
Gyal, you good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose

Becah you nuh wear frauds, yuh original
Latest come from abroad through Federal
Express yourself you a go hard, dear material girl
Inna material world
Thank the Lord for your serial
Stacey Adams, when you modelling, Steve Maddening
First class when yuh travelling
Dem paddling, she do peanut juggling
You Moët bubbling, you bread buttering
Fendi leave dem stuttering

You good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose
Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose
Gyal, you good inna yuh clothes, diamond inna yuh nose
Continue mek di doughs, live in a bed of rose

Dem gyal deh life hard, yuh rolling wid di pros
And everybody knows you a di best a nuh suppose

Overall Meaning

Vybz Kartel's song "Good Inna Clothes" is about a woman who takes pride in her appearance and uses fashion to project a certain image of herself. The lyrics highlight the importance of material possessions and fashion in her life. The singer is proud of her originality and prefers to wear designer clothing rather than fraudulent knock-offs. She is self-sufficient and financially stable, thanking the Lord for her serial (likely a reference to a recurring source of income).

The song also portrays the singer as someone who has come a long way from her humble beginnings. She previously had limited opportunities to travel abroad, but now has a ten-year visa and is free to travel the world. She enjoys the finer things in life and is not afraid to show it, with mentions of Stacey Adams shoes, Steve Madden heels, and Fendi clothing. She is also confident in herself and her sexuality, as evidenced by the line "And you nuh wear gal tings, cause yuh no tief and yuh no lesbian."

Overall, "Good Inna Clothes" is a celebration of fashion, material wealth, and upward social mobility.

Line by Line Meaning

You nuh wear fraud, you original
You don't wear fake clothes, you always wear real ones

Latest come from abroad
The latest clothes you wear come from other countries

Through Federal Express
You get your clothes delivered through Federal Express

Yourself go hard dear material girl
You work hard to buy expensive clothes, dear material girl

Inna material world
We live in a world where material possessions are important

Thank the Lord for your serial
Thank God for your success and ability to buy expensive things

Stacey Adams, when you modelling
You wear Stacey Adams shoes when you model

Steve Maddening
You wear Steve Madden shoes

First class, when yuh travelling
You always travel first class

Dem paddling, she do peanut juggling
Other girls struggle to make money, but you are successful

You Moet bubbling, you bread buttering
You drink expensive champagne and are financially successful

Fendi leave dem stuttering
When you wear Fendi, people are amazed by how good you look

You good inna your clothes
You look good in your clothes

Diamond inna you nose
You wear a diamond in your nose

Continue mek di doughs
Keep making money

Live in a bed of rose
You live a luxurious life

Dem gal deh life hard
Other girls struggle in life

You rolling wid di pros
You hang out with successful people

And everybody knows
Everyone knows that you're successful

You a di best a nuh suppose
You are the best and it's not a surprise

From she born she been suffering
You have struggled since birth

If a no fi MTV, she nuh si nuh foreign
If it wasn't for MTV, you wouldn't have seen anything foreign

But u go foreign
But you have traveled abroad

You have you ten year visa link
You have a ten-year visa to travel to other countries

You Gucci link, weh iced out a freezer link
You have a Gucci chain that is covered in diamonds

Tell a gal she's a chink, guess suit
You insult other girls by calling them an Asian racial slur and say they can't afford expensive clothes like you can

Wid di question sign it
You question their ability to buy expensive clothes

Motorist crash inna pedestrian
People crash their cars when they see you

Gucci chain caress di neck
Your Gucci chain rests on your neck

Gucci watch caress di hand
Your Gucci watch rests on your wrist

And you nuh wear gal tings
You don't wear women's clothing

Cause yuh no tief and yuh no lesbian
Because you're not a thief or a lesbian

You cuter Dan Celine Dion
You're prettier than Celine Dion

When you walk people ask you
People stop and ask about you when you walk by

If you mix wid Indian
People ask if you're mixed with Indian

You nuh just pretty
You're not just pretty

You pretty from modelling began
You've been pretty since you started modeling

Personality and cute face
You have both a great personality and a cute face