Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about making music whilst in prison, feuding with Movado, collaborating with Buju Banton and more

Vybz Kartel sits down with Ebro Darden to discuss performing in America for the first time in twenty years, recording music whilst incarcerated, the impact and influence of Caribbean culture on music and more.

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Video | Vybz Kartel: Freedom, Faith & Viking (Vybz Is King): 10th Year Anniversary | The Ebro Show

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Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about being diagnosed with Graves Disease

Ebro: Was that [Graves Disease] something that you always known you had? Did you learn that you had this when you were locked away?

Vybz Kartel: I didn’t know I had it, but apparently it’s genetic. So, when I was diagnosed with Graves Disease in 2014, whilst I was incarcerated, the doctor said to me, these illnesses are hereditary, “Has anyone in your family ever suffered from it?” I didn’t know. So, I asked my dad and he was like, “Yes, your aunt”, which would be his sister. And I was like, “Oh, I didn’t know that.” So, yeah. Yeah, apparently it’s hereditary.

Ebro: And now that you’re aware of this, I know you have children, other brothers and sisters and family, is this something that now everyone is making sure that they’re getting checked about? Is that something that, because being proactive, I’m sure is a key here, right?

Vybz Kartel: I teach it to my kids, especially my daughter, because they say it affects women more than men, slightly more than men. So, I talk to her about her eating habits and what to eat, what not to eat. So, I mean, stuck up upon that good salt.

Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about song ‘God Is The Greatest’

Ebro: Bringing more spirituality into some of your songs at this stage of your careers is very important to you.

Vybz Kartel: It is very important to me. But I mean, I’ve always been doing songs like this. But now I take it more personally. For me, this part of my life and me singing about God and singing about positivity and it’s blessing. There ain’t no capping in this. I’m doing it for real. I always had songs like, “Thank you Jah”, classics and dance, so on and so on. But yeah, man, God is the greatest for me. That’s my mantra right now. That’s what I’m living by. So, it means a lot. And the fans, they accepted because it’s actually the biggest of the new songs of the album in terms of views, in terms of streaming and so.

Ebro: I think people obviously saw what you went through, right? And locked away in Jamaica, 14 years and maintaining your innocence, even though the world was accusing you and everybody was accusing you of things that you said, “No, that’s not what I did. That’s not what happened.” So, I think to some regard, people like yourself see how much God has brought you through.

Vybz Kartel: Because if it was left up to mankind, I wouldn’t even be here. I mean, I think divine intervention took place. Even when the case went back to England and the British Privy Council said, “Okay, we squash the conviction, but we’re sending it back to Jamaica to let them decide.” So, you can imagine how nerve wracking that is, not just for me, but for my family and everyone involved, because closure is a part of being a human being. So, regardless of how it was going to go, we didn’t want to drag it out for another two years, three years. And I was so blessed that it took two months, I think less than three months. Yeah. And I got out…God is the greatest man.

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Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about most requested songs from fans and his popularity with the new generation

Vybz Kartel: Summertime, those classics, the Clarks, the Romping Shop, I mean, the Fever and all those songs, they liked the songs that I did in the era with me and Movado when we were feuding, the original Vybz Kartel fans, that’s what they request. Now, the kids, they’re logging onto it basically because of social media. TikTok, a lot of them have been introduced to Kartel over the last decade, and they love it. So, they have their own special requests that they want as well. So, it’s a blessing. I always tell my manager, I have the biggest youngest catalogue in Dancehall because my catalogue is like 23 years old and it’s huge. You know what I mean? So, it is crazy, man. It’s a blessing to just be here at the right time when all of that has manifested itself.

Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about his old conflict with Movado and how it contributed to the culture of Dancehall

Ebro: So, as long as I’ve known you throughout the years, you’ve always been a positive person. You’ve always been about having a good time, cracking jokes, talking shit…but then you and Movado–did that start as more of a competition? Or were there street politics that unless you were really, really in it, you would know? Was it more competitive at first?

Vybz Kartel: Movado as a young artist at the time, was defending Bounty Killer. Because remember, we were in the Alliance with Bounty Killer, the great Rodney Price. So, when me and Bounty Killer had that altercation over the Beenie Man situation, going to the wedding, I left the alliance…Movado, you know how Dancehall is. I left the alliance, turned around, fired some shots and F that. So, he was young and upcoming, ego and energy, and he replied to me, so that’s when it started, man. But I always respected the fact that he was brave though. You know what I mean? So, especially then, not many people would want to feud with Kartel then. He was brave. And I mean, I liked it for Dancehall. Now looking back in hindsight, I think it was good for the culture of Dancehall, that hardcore culture. But on the flip side of it, the feud was so big. That’s when we even found out we had so many fans in Africa, because remember we’re talking about 2005, 2006. So when the little internet that we were getting off the YouTube and the MySpace and so on, it was like, whoa, Africa, they love us. You know what I mean? So for me, on the musical side of it and the cultural side of it, I think it was a good thing.

Ebro: I’m sure there’s some business ramifications though, because when you talk about not having a Visa and these things now you see these fans around the world, the Jamaican government and Visas and all that. They seeing the streets activate. And that’s not enabling you guys to go touch the fans.

Vybz Kartel: The feud was so big that even the government got involved. Twice. Even they actually thought Movado and I were selling the buttons. Because in those days, even Masicka said it, he had his Vybz Kartel button because at the time he was going to school. And it was a big thing. They were graffitiing all over the country. Gaza or Gully on the walls, on the road, on the pavement. So, it was crazy, man.

Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about the Beenie and Bounty Verzuz

Ebro: Beenie and Bounty Verzuz. Did you see that?

Vybz Kartel: Yes, sir. Which is, to us in Jamaica, that’s the biggest Verzuz. Yeah, I watched it.

Ebro: How did that feel for you, knowing everything you know from them and coming up and everything you went through? How did that feel to see them two having fun together?

Vybz Kartel: I mean, it was like, oh, it’s a good thing. When they were in their feud, I didn’t act a fool because you see now they friends. You understand? So, I did the right thing is what I’m saying. But yeah, for me to see that is amazing. It actually gave me flashbacks on the me and the Movado situation because we had our moment like that too. Not so big, but in a more personal setting. When we went to King’s House where the politicians are and we was talking, I was like, “Oh, look where our music brought us. These people have to talk to us now.”

Ebro: That’s right.

Vybz Kartel: You know what I mean? So, we had that moment and after that, that was the second time. The second and the last time they had to call us in because after that we started, you know what, let’s plan this now. You know what I mean? So, he would do a song and then I would do it. So, we did it on a more organised level. So, that’s why that organisation culminated with us being on the West Kingston show. That’s when the public saw now that we was like, oh, these guys cool. So it was crazy. But yeah, that moment of Bounty and Beenie on that big world stage, it was amazing.

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Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about song ‘AmOut’ and teaches Ebro Jamaican slang

Ebro: Now what is amout? How do you use amout?

Vybz Kartel: ‘AmOut’, this is also another slang. In Jamaica, we speak broken English. So, sometimes we would disregard certain letters. So, we would say for our mouth, we would say it’s amout. But also if you’re leaving, you can say, yo, I’m out. So, I always say, “What is under me nose?”

Ebro: Amout.

Vybz Kartel: Thank you. And everybody was like, they love it. You know what I mean? Because the vibes, the energy.

Ebro: Well, you’re Vybz Kartel.

Vybz Kartel: Exactly. So anywhere we go, we like to light up the room and I mean, hold the vibe. So that slang actually became more popular than the, it’s a tape, but I mean their both crazy. The people vibe off the stuff I do. You know what I mean? Even people tell me, going on your Instagram, it’s like my daily bread. I mean, yeah, because we bring that vibe and that energy.

Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about potentially collaborating with Buju Banton

Ebro: Do you see yourself collaborating with any of other legends or where is it at in the music that’s being planned and recorded from Vybz Kartel? What can we expect to see?

Vybz Kartel: I would like to collaborate with Madonna.

Ebro: Musically, we speak.

Vybz Kartel: Oh, I mean like legends in Dancehall or just legends, period.

Ebro: Dancehall, whatever you want to do for Jamaica, music…

Vybz Kartel: You know Buju Banton is my favorite DJ of all time.

Ebro: Many of us. Well, because he took it to another place.

Vybz Kartel: Yes. He literally took it to another place. Because remember before Ninjaman, he 
had the Super Cat, the Josey Wales…Nice music. But then this kid called Ninjaman came and he was like…Mind-blowing to us as kids. We were like, bro, who is that? And then Buju Banton came out, blew my mind again, because I’m like, what?

Ebro: It sounded like a tuba.

Vybz Kartel: Bro. I’m telling you.

Ebro: He coming through.

Vybz Kartel: Coming through and when you see him. Because like I said, those days in the nineties, Jamaica, not much. No internet stuff.

Ebro: Not a lot of cameras.

Vybz Kartel: So when you heard the artist first, you had to imagine how they look by how they sound. Boy was waiting for a trick because Buju Banton sounded like a giant, but he was just a tall, skinny kid. And he could move too. Yeah. I love Buju Banton. Right? We were talking about this yesterday.

Ebro: Yeah. Still get them knees up.

Vybz Kartel: Man, that’s my all time favorite DJ, Mark Myrie.

Ebro: Yeah.

Vybz Kartel: Yeah, man. Buju. Influencing.

Ebro: And even his spiritual journey as well. I mean, obviously from what he was doing when he was young to becoming Rasta to, you know what I mean? His spiritual journey has been there.

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Vybz Kartel: Well, hold on. That’s crazy because think about this. Now that you brought that up, he was in prison.

Ebro: That’s right.

Vybz Kartel: I was in prison. Ninjaman is still in prison. That’s crazy. Those are my guys I looked up to, maybe I looked up to them too much. I’m joking.

Ebro: Yeah. Trying to follow in their footstep.

Vybz Kartel: Yeah, trying to follow, a little too much, is what I’m saying. Yeah. But it’s crazy, man. Yeah. But big up Buju Banton. Free Ninjaman. Yes.

Ebro: Is there a collab with you Buju?

Vybz Kartel: I’m not at liberty to say.

Ebro: Okay. I like that answer. Can’t confirm nor deny.

Vybz Kartel: I cannot confirm nor deny these allegations, sir. Yes.

Vybz Kartel tells Apple Music about being incarcerated and how making music helped him survive

Ebro: I’ve heard you talk about being incarcerated and how much privilege you had because of who you are when you were incarcerated and you said the one thing I could not do was walk out the door. Did that give you any perspective of having access to so much whilst incarcerated, but still not having your freedom? What did that do to how you perceive freedom and things that money can’t buy?

Vybz Kartel: Exactly. That was, I was going to say, there are certain things that money really can’t buy because even people with no money still could have access to certain things because they weren’t famous. So it wouldn’t be an issue with the society. But if Vybz Kartel were to get those privileges, it would look like, oh, he’s only getting it because his Vybz Kartel. You know what I mean? Because remember back in the day too, they also had those programs back in the day where prisoners could go out for a weekend. Fully monitored and everything.

Ebro: Weekend passed.

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Vybz Kartel: Yeah, weekend pass. Especially if you were married or you had a common law relationship. But so certain things I couldn’t get simply because I was me. But everything else I got because I was me. So, it was bittersweet.

Ebro: How did that hit right here though? How did that feel?

Vybz Kartel: I never gave it much thought, because from the moment I got locked up, I was scheming on how to get out. I mean, during that time, yes, I had to, I wouldn’t say survive, but I had to, my version of surviving is being able to do music and I figured out how to do that. So, I was halfway chill. So, now I’m like, the next thing I’m working on getting out. But whilst I’m working on getting out, I’m going to drop these bangers. The Viking album was done in prison…I mean the album with King of the Dancehall with ‘Fever’ on it. It’s also done in Prison… The album that’s nominated for a GRAMMY was done in prison…The To Tanesha album was done in prison. That’s the album that dedicated to my baby mom’s, my kid’s mom. So, yeah, I was putting in that work still. So, I didn’t give much thought to what you said. I’m focused man. I was sick as hell too, recording these songs. I was sick. Literally suffering from a life-threatening illness. But what am I going to do? Yeah, man. Man up. So, that’s it.

Vybz Kartel and Ebro talk about the influence of Caribbean culture on music globally

Ebro: Well, and I also too, while I have you, you’ve expressed to me how important Dancehall, reggae music, and Jamaican culture is to you. And we all know, I think this tiny island in the Caribbean has impacted the globe.

Vybz Kartel: True.

Ebro: Bob Marley.

Vybz Kartel: Immensely. Right?

Ebro: Like you said, Super Cat, Buju.

Vybz Kartel: Jimmy Cliff… And even outside of music, because we’re still talking about the culture. We gave the world Marcus Garvey. Man, that’s one of the greatest Pan-Africanists ever.

Ebro: That’s right.

Vybz Kartel: Like Mao Zedong spoke highly of Marcus Garvey.

Ebro: That’s right.

Vybz Kartel: Patrice Lumumba in the Congo. All these guys.

Ebro: They read all his teaching.

Vybz Kartel: Exactly. So, the culture is big man. We gave the world five world-class genres. Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dancehall. Still had a hand in Hip-Hop.

Ebro: Kool Herc, yes.

Vybz Kartel: Still had a hand in Reggaeton.

Ebro: That’s right.

Vybz Kartel: Hence the name Reggae at the front.

Ebro: That’s right.

Vybz Kartel: And influenced Afrobeat, like come on. And then, next door in Trinidad, we got the Calypso.

Ebro: That’s right. The Soca.

Vybz Kartel: Yeah, the Soca. So man, trust me, the Caribbean culture is powerful.