Dancehall is an uptempo style of dance music originating in Jamaica and derived from reggae, in which a DJ improvises lyrics over a recorded instrumental backing track or to the accompaniment of live musicians. There are many dancehall artists in Jamaica such as Spice, Alkaline, Popcaan, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Konshens, RDX, Vanessa Bling, Aidonia, Lisa Hype, Black Ryno, Ninjaman,Masicka,Gage and Tommy Lee, just to name a few. However, the man that is the most successful and legendary in dancehall is Vybz Kartel. The King of Dancehall was originally Beenie Man, but as of late 2000s, Vybz Kartel took his title and soon obtained the name "Wurl Boss".
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Adidja Azim Palmer better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican recording artist, record producer and entrepreneur. Some of his singles include "Clarks", "Romping Shop", "Summertime", "Dancehall Hero" and "Fever". Vybz Kartel has collaborated with a number of prominent artists, such as Major Lazer, Rihanna and Jay Z. A controversial figure and a superstar in his homeland of Jamaica, Vybz Kartel was hailed as one of the leading new artists to emerge from the dancehall scene following the release of his 2003 debut album, Up 2 Di Time. Born and raised in the Waterford district of Jamaica, Kartel was only 12 when he released his first single, "Fat Women," under the name Adi Banton. In 1996, he formed Vibes Cartel with his friends Mr. Lee and Escobar, but the group quickly dissolved. Vybz would keep the group's name in altered form and became a solo artist; he soon became the protégé of popular dancehall singer Bounty Killer. Kartel began writing for artists on Bounty's Alliance management roster, including the Killer himself, along with the Scare Dem Crew featuring Elephant Man.
Vybz broke out on his own in 2002 with a string of solo hits including "Guns Like Mine," "Badman," and "Most High," along with some collaborative hits with reggae singer Wayne Marshall. Being crowned 2002 deejay of the year at the Stone Love Sound System's 30th anniversary party meant the singer had officially arrived amongst the Jamaican dancehall community, but a year later he would break on a worldwide level, releasing his debut Up 2 Di Time to wide acclaim while making headlines thanks to an on-stage clash with Ninjaman during the Sting festival in Kartel's hometown of Portmore.
More Up 2 Di Time would land in 2004, the same year that Vybz was nominated for a MOBO award in the U.K., although that was quickly withdrawn along with those of Beenie Man and Sizzla over concerns with lyrics representing homophobia. He then released a series of diss tracks aimed at Bounty Killer's new protégé, Mavado, and it only took a moment before the Jamaican media were entranced. The next few years would be filled with diss tracks and gossip as young dancehall fans chose sides, declaring themselves Gaza if their allegiance was with Kartel, and Gully if they sided with Mavado. A truce was announced in late 2007, but things escalated during 2008, and in 2009 Vybz released his "Live We Living" single as a call for peace. He also stepped outside his usual genre that year, and partnered with electro producer Diplo for a track on the Major Lazer album Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do. Back home, fans had become so divided into Gaza and Gully camps that gang violence had come into play, prompting Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding to call both artists to the capital for a peace meeting. A peace concert featuring the two artists and promoted by Christopher Coke -- aka "Dudus," the drug lord whose capture later in 2010 would make headlines worldwide thanks to a three-day police standoff -- was planned for early that next year, but was canceled by the country's Minister of Culture. That year's "Clarks" single became a huge hit for Kartel, spawning two more follow-up singles about the shoe brand that would also climb the charts, while the 2010 album Pon Di Gaza 2.0 produced the hits "Ramping Shop" and "Life Sweet." In 2011 Vybz would release the Kingston Story album with Brooklyn house music producer Dre Skull handling the beats. Kartel was arrested in September of that year and charged with the murder of Barrington "Bosie" Burton, a music promoter based in the St. Catherine suburb of Portmore. In America, the Vice label issued a deluxe version of Kingston Story in 2012, and even though Vybz made bail on the Burton murder charge, he remained jailed based on new charges in connection with the murder of alleged gang member Clive "Lizard" Williams. In early 2014 he was sentenced to life imprisonment, yet new music, including the 2016 album King of the Dancehall, continued to hit the streets.
| P-O-P-U-L-A-R M-U-S-I-C | |
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| Year | Name |
| 2009 | Life Sweet, Romping Shop, Ghetto Youth, Come Breed Me, Mr. Officer, Thank You Jah, Gaza Love, Pon de Floor, Get Wild, You a My Baby, Life We Living, Something Ah Go Happen, Kill Dem, Rise Di K, Broken Cry, Can't Frame Me, Without My Own, Bail For Me, Yeah Though I Walk, Best Baby Daddy, Whine Up You Body, Hustle The Money, Love Of Money, Herbs Promotion, Like A Movie, Money Over War, Bicycle, Versislity, The World Turns, Dollar Sign, Want My Weed, Hop Off, Dem A No Gangster, Never Turn A Raper, Street Pharmacist, Gunshot Make Them Dead, Inna The War, Beat'n Beat'n, Weh Dem A Go |
| 2010 | Marijuana, Yuh Love, Dancehall Hero, Clarks Again, Cake Soap, Straight Jeans & Fitted, Nuh Fraid A Nobody/ Neva Scared, Wear Weh You Have, Million Dollar By Morning, Dumpa Truck, Turn & Wine, Go Go Club, Nah Let Go, Whine (Whine) Touch A Button, Free Style, Get Gal Easy, Tic Toc, Gwaan So, Can't Get Over Me, Gal A Weh Do You, Not A Love Song, Love Dem/ Gallis Anthem, She Holding On, Wah Some Grades, Like Xmas, Clarks, Street Vybz, Foot Pon Shoulder, Money Tree, Dollar Sign/ Hustle The Money, Stuck/ Better Can Wuk, Inna Yuh, You Me Need, People's Cry, Know Bout Me, Love Dem, Walking ATM, Wine Up, Tell Him A Lie, Gal A Weh Me Do You, Gaza Man Me Name |
| 2011 | Go Go Wine, Look Pan We, You And Him Deh, Worl Boss (Y Pree), Love You Baby, Nymphomaniac, Stronger We Get, Love You Enuh, Poor People Land, We Never Fear Dem, Come Yah Nuh Me Gal, It Bend Like Banana, Coloring Book/Tattoo Time Come, Jah Love We, Sickhead Sickhead, Tun Up Di Scheme, Benz, The lyricist, Ghetto Life, Good Father, Summer Time, Bike Back, Duppy Know, Barbie Baby Doll, Nuh More Dan Mi, Defend Mi Self, No Lie, My Senorita |
| 2012 | Party Me Seh, Me A Pree, Ever Blessed, Street Vybz Girl, Put It On Hard, Love Yuh To Mi Heart, Freaky Gal Pt. 2, Betray The Gaza Boss, U.F.O Medz, Gal Dem, Bubble Hard, The Best Of Them, Wine & Go Down, Back To Life, The Cure, Get You Owner Lighter, Money Why You Never Stay (Money Love Song), Party Vibes, Love Don't Lie, Galapoly, Dem Bwoy, Rifle Shot, Baby Daddy, Swear To Jah, Real Friend, Slow Wine Pon It |
| 2013 | Mr. Bleachin, Addi Truth, Freaky Gal Pt. 3, Stop Gwaan Like Yuh Tuff, Married and Done,So Much Woman, Drop Top, You're No Good, Hi, No Games, Peanut Shell, So Much Gal, Dead Already, Money Isn't All, Badman Sittin, Mother's Love, Jah Jah Watch Over Me, Something Aguh Happen, Hold Me, Bad Reputation, Children Are Our Future, Talk To Dem, Nuh Manny Manny, Get GAL Anywhere |
| 2014 | School, Credit Alone Done, Money Can't Buy Fren, Can't Call This A Love Song, Bare Vybz, Miami Vice Episode, Happy Pum Pum, Conjugal Visit, Mamacita, Gal A Get More, Pretty Popsition, Do Di Maths,Rambo Kanambo, Downstairs Kingston, Anythign Love Can Do, Without Money, Speedometer Bunup, 6 Missed Calls, Champagne Bubble, Kill Or Die, A-Bay,Bubble Up Yuh Body, Me Mek Yuh Feel Sure, Prre Dem, Love Mummy, No Regret, Jamaica Land We Love, Yellow Yellow, Let Me Out, Mi A Get Some Later, It Hot, Ordinary Servant, Drink Up, My Rainbow, New Jordans, Dark Shades |
| 2015 | Bicycle Ride, Who Trick Him, Money Pon Mi Brain, Gon' Get Better, Pound of Rice, In Love With You, Bay Bay, Fix Up, Mile High Club, Dancehall, Ungrateful, Boss Lady, Stop Follow Me Up, Money Me A Look, Which League, Everyday Is Christmas, Party, Pressure, Money Talk, Straight and Narrow, My Heaven My Hell, Keystone, How Me Grow, Think Bout Me, Fire Nation, Anabella, Di House A Bun Dung, Unstoppable, Chain, One |
| 2016 | Coloring This Life, Who Trouble Dem, Round Corna, Likkle More, Training Wheel, Bet Mi Money, Half Way Tree, Hey Addi, You Make Me Cry, I'll Take You There, Catch A Fire, Move Yuh Hand, Fever, One Phone Call, Enemy Zone, White Line, Real Youth, XXXMas, Open Up Di Door, Gone Too Soon, Sorry Babe, Every Girl, Can't Say, Summer 16, Armed & Dangerous, Success Story, Deadly Alliance, Your Little Shorts, Western Union, Couldn't, Last One, Loodi, Best Place Pon Earth, Strong Legend, Pretty Little House, Forever, Rapapampam, 9x, Gully Fried Chicken, Number One, Step, Tell Me If You Like It, Fall Inna Love |
So far, Vybz Kartel remains a prolific legend with almost 800 songs in total. Many believe that he is a dangerous man due to some of his music, his strong power and his latest conviction, but this is debatable. He has made many positive songs to motivate teenagers and he has many ambitious goals in life. Vybz Kartel is truly versatile and is the Greatest Of All Times in the Dancehall Industry.