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.
Look Pon We
Vybz Kartel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A big up Nellie Enuh
(Uheh Uheh!) Tell dem doh thief dah laugh deh!
Russian, We nuh love man!
(Uptown Seh!) If a nuh Eve an Adam, We doh give a damn!
(Awoah!) From di gyal dem look pon me!
Dem tell me dem love me!
All when some boy hate me!
Dem gyal wah date me!
Di gyal dem love off mi brown cute face!
Di gyal dem love off mi bleach out face!
(Uheh Uheh!) dog u nuh play Ennuh!
Mi nuh response fi man, mi nuh gay Ennuh!
You nuh like mi but you gyal seh mi a di bunna man!
She seh you cyah do it good you fi run along!
Plus you mom an you auntie you sister an all a you female cousin dem come a long!
Him inna di benz an me inna di hummer van!
Gyal a ask if mi a american citizen!
An she tell mi fi dash weh di condom because she tell mi she wah get a pretty son!
Everywhere we going!
Gyal dem hitch up pon we!
Gyal weh pretty so!
Gyal weh fava duppy story!
Nuff boy seh dem hate me!
But dem haffi rate mi!
Cause dem wah fi be a gyallis like me!
From di gyal dem look pon me!
Dem tell me dem love me!
Girl come kiss come hug me!
All when some boy hate me!
Dem gyal wah date me!
Di gyal dem love off mi brown cute face!
Di gyal dem love off mi bleach out face!
(Uheh Uheh!) dog u nuh play Ennuh!
Mi nuh response fi man, mi nuh gay innuh!
Gyal a gammble!
Ask john watson!
Gyal dem wid dem body an di benz annuh datson!
Gaza dem wah spin dem like a axil!
Gyal dem seh russian fava angle saxon!
Me, micheal "cake soap" jackson!
Gyal a bawl ramson an cancel dem tonsil!
Fi me Russian tarri jonstan!
Gyal seh mi smoother than johnson and johnson!
Everywhere we going!
Gyal dem hitch up pon we!
Gyal weh pretty so!
Gyal weh fava duppy story!
Nuff boy seh dem hate me!
But dem haffi rate mi!
Cause dem wah fi be a gyallis like me!
From di gyal dem look pon me!
Dem tell me dem love me!
Girl come kiss come hug me!
All when some boy hate me!
Dem gyal wah date me!
Di gyal dem love off mi brown cute face!
Di gyal dem love off mi bleach out face!
[Laugh] dog u nuh play Ennuh!
Mi nuh response fi man, mi nuh gay Ennuh!
The song "Look Pon We" by Vybz Kartel and Russian is a dancehall track about their popularity with women, despite the hate they receive from some men. The lyrics celebrate their ability to attract beautiful women, who love their looks and charisma. They emphasize that they are not interested in men or their opinions, and that they stand out as successful and desirable individuals.
In the first verse, the singers acknowledge their status as teachers and preachers, but proclaim their loyalty only to Nellie. They then boast about their appeal to women, despite the jealousy of some men. They make it clear that they are not gay and do not respond to men's advances. The chorus repeats the theme of women adoring them, even when some men hate them.
The second verse continues the celebration of their attractiveness and success with women. They mention the luxury cars they drive and the fact that women ask them if they are American citizens. The verse also includes references to other popular figures, such as Michael Jackson, to further emphasize their stardom. The chorus is repeated, emphasizing that women are their main focus and that they do not entertain men.
Line by Line Meaning
A d teacha not the preacher enuh
I am a teacher, not a preacher, you know.
A big up Nellie Enuh
I'm giving a shoutout to Nellie, you know.
(Uheh Uheh!) Tell dem doh thief dah laugh deh!
That laugh shouldn't be stolen, you know.
Russian, We nuh love man!
Russian and I are not attracted to men, you know.
(Uptown Seh!) If a nuh Eve an Adam, We doh give a damn!
We don't care if it's not Adam and Eve, you know.
(Awoah!) From di gyal dem look pon me!
All the girls are staring at me, you know.
Dem tell me dem love me!
They tell me they love me, you know.
Girl come kiss come hug me!
Girls come kiss and hug me, you know.
All when some boy hate me!
Even if some boys hate me, you know.
Dem gyal wah date me!
The girls want to date me, you know.
Di gyal dem love off mi brown cute face!
The girls love my cute brown face, you know.
Di gyal dem love off mi bleach out face!
The girls also love my bleached face, you know.
(Uheh Uheh!) dog u nuh play Ennuh!
Don't joke around, you know.
Mi nuh response fi man, mi nuh gay Ennuh!
I'm not responsible for men, I'm not gay, you know.
You nuh like mi but you gyal seh mi a di bunna man!
You don't like me but your girl says I'm the man, you know.
She seh you cyah do it good you fi run along!
She says you can't do it well, you should leave, you know.
Plus you mom an you auntie you sister an all a you female cousin dem come a long!
You brought your mom, aunt, sister, and female cousins, you know.
Him inna di benz an me inna di hummer van!
He's in a Benz and I'm in a Hummer van, you know.
Gyal a ask if mi a american citizen!
A girl is asking if I'm an American citizen, you know.
An she tell mi fi dash weh di condom because she tell mi she wah get a pretty son!
She tells me to throw away the condom because she wants a pretty son, you know.
Gyal dem hitch up pon we!
Girls are hanging around us, you know.
Gyal weh pretty so!
The girls are so pretty, you know.
Gyal weh fava duppy story!
Girls that look like ghost stories, you know.
Nuff boy seh dem hate me!
Many boys say they hate me, you know.
But dem haffi rate mi!
But they have to respect me, you know.
Cause dem wah fi be a gyallis like me!
Because they want to be players like me, you know.
Gyal a gambol!
Girls are gambling, you know.
Ask john watson!
Ask John Watson, you know.
Gyal dem wid dem body an di benz annuh datson!
Girls with their bodies in Benz, not Datson, you know.
Gaza dem wah spin dem like a axil!
Gaza wants to spin girls like axles, you know.
Gyal dem seh russian fava angle saxon!
Girls say Russian looks like an Angel Saxon, you know.
Me, micheal 'cake soap' jackson!
I'm like Michael 'cake soap' Jackson, you know.
Gyal a bawl ramson an cancel dem tonsil!
Girls are screaming and canceling their appointments, you know.
Fi me Russian tarri jonstan!
For me, Russian, Terry Jonstan, you know.
Gyal seh mi smoother than johnson and johnson!
Girls say I'm smoother than Johnson and Johnson, you know.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADIDJA PALMER, TARIK LUKE JOHNSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cayarudegal
Still love this song almost 10 years later for meβ¦. Mi love you mad Vybz Kartel, lyrical genius β€οΈπ―π²π₯π₯°
@363samanta
I LOVE THIS SONG FOR REAL
@wwatersounds
still
@600gthang4
When Russian link up wid world boss it's alwaysa hit :big up from somaliaπΈπ΄π·
@kingob8343
2022 still listening @FULLY GAZA βΌοΈππ―π²π―π²
@wwatersounds
iβm not even jamaican and itβs bout to be 2023
@gemstar816
Old but Gold #freeworlboss Β
@oshanepatterson2930
Oldies are the best!
@lakeich
Regardless of his physical appearance he's making hits and loved by manyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
@Tesco71
Russian and Vybz they are a good combination