Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Azim Palmer and who was born on January 7, 1976, is a well-known Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist, songwriter, record producer, and businessman who was formerly incarcerated. He is also known by his stage name, Vybz Kartel.
He is known throughout the Jamaican dancehall scene as a veritable titan thanks to his controversial lyrical content and larger-than-life personality. He was formerly incarcerated. Vybz Kartel, who is also known as the World Boss, has released a large number of albums that have been commercially successful over the years. His most recent album, titled Born Fi Dis (Prelude), was released in the year 2021.
His first single, “Love Fat Woman,” was released in 1993, which marked the beginning of Vybz Kartel‘s career in the public eye. Since then, he has established himself as an important figure in the reggae and dancehall communities. His troubled personal life, on the other hand, has frequently overshadowed the accomplishments he has made in music.
Vybz Kartel was found guilty of murder in 2014 and is currently serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole every 35 years. Despite this, his legacy as a contributor to the genre will live on forever.
Early Life & Education
Born on January 7, 1976, in Kingston, Jamaica, Adidja Azim Palmer, better known to the world as Vybz Kartel, was destined for greatness from an early age. Raised by Jamaican parents, with a mother named Teresa Palmer and a sister named Maureen Palmer-Nelson, Vybz Kartel was exposed to music at a young age, thanks to his uncles, who were also musicians.
Despite being expelled from Calabar High School at 16, Vybz Kartel persevered and eventually graduated from a technical tutoring school with top marks in subjects like arithmetic, geography, literature, and English.
His passion for music grew stronger during this time, with artists like Will Smith, Charlie Chaplin, Papa San, Ninja Man, and KRS-1 serving as his main sources of inspiration. By the time he was 11, Vybz Kartel was already composing his own lyrics. Today, he is known as one of the most influential and controversial dancehall artists of the 21st century.
Personal Life
In April 2003, Vybz Kartel, then 27 years old, was blessed with the arrival of his first child. The product of his longstanding relationship with Tanesha “Shorty” Johnson, this child was just the beginning of a veritable brood for the dancehall artist. Over the years, he has sired four offspring with six different partners.
In May 2020, a momentous event occurred within Vybz Kartel‘s extended family: his 15-year-old son was expecting a child with an 18-year-old woman, making him a grandfather for the first time.
Marriage has also played a role in Vybz Kartel‘s personal life. He has been wed twice, first to Stacy Elliott from 2006 to 2008 and currently to Tanesha Johnson. His progeny include Little Addi, World Boss Jr, Adi’Anna Ashanti Palmer, and Little Vybz.
Career
Vybz Kartel began his illustrious career as a teenager in 1993 with the release of Love Fat Woman on Alvin Reid‘s label One Heart. At the time, he was known as Adi Banton, a pseudonym inspired by the legendary Buju Banton.
After joining the group Vybz Cartel, he continued to use the name even after the group disbanded and was taken under the tutelage of Bounty Killer. He boasts a prolific catalog of nearly 30 songs written with this group, including the fan-favorite Gal Clown.
In 2009, Vybz Kartel experienced a breakthrough with the release of Ramping Shop featuring Spice, which debuted on the Billboard Top 100 Singles chart. This was followed by the successful single Dollar Sign, which received regular airplay on urban radio stations in the US. However, his 2010 hit Clarks truly solidified his place in the international reggae scene, spending 40 weeks in the top three reggae singles and receiving heavy radio play in North America.
In 2010, Vybz Kartel‘s singles Clarks, Clarks 2 (Clarks Again), and Clarks 3 (Wear Weh Yuh Have) were met with widespread acclaim and heavy demand in Jamaica. The popularity of these tracks led to them being featured on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance Canada and in a CNN segment about dancehall dance.
In 2011, Vybz Kartel debuted his own line of footwear, dubbed Addi’s, as well as a line of cake soap, which is typically used to clean clothes rather than treat skin conditions such as acne. However, his brand of cake soap was formulated specifically to lighten or bleach the skin.
Despite being incarcerated since 2011, Vybz Kartel has continued to release new music, much to the chagrin of Jamaican prison officials who claim that he is not permitted to record. The source of these recordings remains shrouded in mystery.
In 2016, while still behind bars, Vybz Kartel released his most successful album to date, King of the Dancehall, which reached the lofty heights of number 2 on the US Billboard Reggae Charts. The album included the hit single Fever, which topped various local music charts and became his most successful song on streaming websites.
| PROFILE SUMMARY | |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Adidja Azim Palmer |
| Stage Name: | Vybz Kartel |
| Born: | 7 January 1976 (age 46 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Nationality: | Jamaican |
| Height: | 1.83 m |
| Parents: | Teresa Palmer |
| Siblings: | Maureen Palmer-Nelson |
| Wife • Spouse: | Stacy Elliott (m. 2006–2008), Tanesha Johnson |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | N/A |
| Children: | Little Addi, World Boss Jr, Adi’Anna Ashanti Palmer, Little Vybz |
| Occupation: | Musician • Businessman |
| Net Worth: | $5.5 million |
Net Worth
With an estimated net worth of $5.5 million, Vybz Kartel stands as one of the most accomplished and financially successful reggae artists hailing from Jamaica. His unique style of music has captured the hearts and ears of fans around the world, leading to the release of numerous hit songs and albums over the years.
Vybz Kartel‘s music has also been featured in films and television shows, and his talents have been recognized with various awards and accolades. In short, he is a veritable titan of the Jamaican music scene and a shining example of the island’s rich cultural heritage.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @Vybzkartel
- Twitter handle: @Vybz_official
Discography
- Teak Buddy
- Picture This
- Ramping Shop
- Sex & The City
- Tell You Say
- Slew Dem Like David
- Yuh Love
- Summertime
- Step Up Inna Life
- Life Sweet
- Last Man Standing
- Go Go Wine
- Street Vybz Girl
- Good Father/Mi, Sorry
- Lip Gloss
- Reparation
- Party Me Say
- Daddy Devil
- Look Pon Me
- Bubble Hard
- Me A Pree
- Fever
- Dancehall Hero
- Wickedest Ride
- Makeup
Leave a Reply