Vybz Kartel Reclaims His Throne and Shares Secrets to Creating Hits from Behind Bars, Set to Collabo with Cardi B.

In July, Jamaica's most prominent living artist emerged from a Kingston prison after serving 13 years. He headed straight to his mother's home for an emotional reunion over a meal of steamed fish and okra, before diving into preparations for Freedom Street, his first performance since his release and the largest concert the nation has seen in nearly half a century.

Vybz Kartel, who was incarcerated for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, entered prison at 35, at the peak of his career, and was a father to seven children, two of whom made their musical debuts in 2014 bars to Billboardgae Albums.

“Being in prison, you can’t feel sorry for yourself. I didn’t have time to do that. I had kids to feed. I had family to take care of. I had health issues, too,” Kartel tells Billboard in a private room at Downsound Records, the live-entertainment producer behind Freedom Street, in Kingston. “There was no time to be weak. You just fight the case and do the right thing.”

Just days ahead of his highly anticipated New Year’s Eve performance, Freedom Street, which is expected to attract over 35,000 attendees to Kingston’s National Stadium, Kartel shares that he has been dedicating three hours each day to rehearsals. 

His goal is to deliver a show reminiscent of the grand productions by Taylor Swift or Madonna, all while simultaneously working on a new album in various studios, including one that his children constructed for him during his absence.

As I accompany the Teacha through Kingston on a bright December day, fans of all ages eagerly approach him, expressing their admiration and requesting selfies. For those who don’t approach, they can be seen watching him intently, humming along to his songs as they pass by.

“Towards the end of my incarceration, I started connecting more with God. That’s why I tattooed ‘love God’ on my forehead,” Kartel reveals. “Nobody can tell me that God isn’t real. Ten years ago, I would have been saying something else, but God is real.”

 

Source: Billboard 

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