Witness the Birth of a Dancehall Legend
Thirteen years ago today, Vybz Kartel (or as the videographer spelled it Vibes Cartel) celebrated his 25th birthday with an action-packed session at Club La Roose on Port Henderson Road in Portmore. Judging by the massive turnout of artists on the stage and the reaction of the ram-jam crowd inside the venue—not to mention the ridiculously futuristic flows emanating from his microphone—it’s clear that Kartel is a young champion on the rise. Having graduated from street mixtapes to writing hits for the likes of Bounty Killer, Kartel now had a major hit on Don Corleon’s Mad Ants riddim, “New Millennim” featuring Wayne Marshall. His debut album for Greensleeves Records, Up 2 Di Time, was still a year away, but anybody in La Roose that night knew something big was happening. Much has changed since that time: for one thing, when’s the last time you saw Kartel rocking a Nets jersey and a durag? Moreover, Kartel’s name is now known all around the planet, although much of the world is more familiar with his controversial exploits than his cutting-edge music. But one thing has stayed the same from that time until this : even as Kartel marks his third consecutive birthday behind bars, the Werlboss still has the streets on lock, and despite his predicament Kartel remains the most influential dancehall artist in the game, period. In honor of Adidja Azim Palmer’s earthstrong, let’s take it back to 2002, and bear witness to the birth of a legend. Video After The Jump… (more…)
