How Did Vybz Kartel Get His Stage Name? He Wanted To Be Different

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Vybz Kartel

Dancehall deejay Vybz Kartel, who was born Adidja Palmer, broke out on the Jamaican music scene two decades ago and has remained consistently relevant ever since, despite being convicted for murder seven years ago this week.

But, how did the GAZA chief get the name Vybz Kartel?

The wordsmith, who was initially a part of a trio, is highly regarded as one of Jamaica’s finest lyricists; some would even venture to say he is the best. The deejay who hails from Portmore, St Catherine has compiled an elite discography which boasts over a dozen albums, and not one, or two, but three Clarks homages; a trilogy of revered musical pieces, considering Clarks is among Jamaica’s best-loved footwear.

Some 17 years ago, the Ramping Shop maverick – in an interview with Winford Williams – told the tale of how his famous moniker came to be. And, in recognition of the anniversary of his physical absence from the music industry sphere, we’ll now explore how the name Vybz Kartel was born.

The Picture Dis artist shared that name Vybz Kartel was inspired by a film about Pablo Escobar and his infamous cartel. Kartel further explained that, at a time when other Dancehall acts were forming ‘crews,’ he decided to set himself apart, and adopt intricate details to distinguish himself from the sameness of the local music industry players. The deejay wanted to set himself apart.

The Dancehall music mainstay recalled making a deliberate decision to endorse the term “cartel” in lieu of “crew” for himself and the other two members of the group, Mr Lee and Escobar, that became known as Vibes Cartel.

“We just seek out a name that was different, but it has the same meaning,” Kartel told Williams in a 2003 interview, adding that the word cartel is simply a group of persons who joined forces to best their competition.

After the Vibes Cartel trio disbanded, the ‘Worl’ Boss’ traded in “Cartel” for “Kartel” to become the solo act we now know as Vybz Kartel.

His musical “father” Bounty Killer took full credit for the change in a nostalgic Instagram post in 2019, which honored Dancehall producer and Kartel’s former manager, Rohan Butler. “His name was spelled VIBES CARTEL, bcuz other persons was using the name Cartel too I decided he should spell his different to VYBZ KARTEL,” Killer proudly wrote.

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Vybz Kartel, Bounty Killer

Kartel also used to go by Addi Banton in the 90s. The Portmore-bred artist, in another interview, described how Grammy-winning deejay Buju Banton impacted him as a youth attending Calabar High School. Kartel recounted being so transformed by Banton’s presence and delivery that he hurriedly made his way, from school, to purchase the single.  Ironically, Banton’s moniker was inspired by veteran Boom Wah Dis deejay, Burro Banton.

It was seven years ago this week that Vybz Kartel was handed a life sentence, which requires the deejay to serve a minimum of 32 years and 6 months, down from the initial 35 years, before he can be considered for parole. Since that day in April 2014, the deejay has become a published author, released dozens of singles and multiple albums. Kartel also continues to gain streams and radio airplay, sell gold records as well as chart prominently.

In the vain of a list of recognizable artists – both locally and internationally based – who have taken on alter egos, the deejay also briefly took on a second moniker, Addi Innocent.

There are numerous explanations for any artist to default to an alter ego. While there have been acts that incorporate the use of a secondary moniker to circumvent and or protest record label legalese, Kartel’s reason was slightly different. According to a representative, he took on the alter ego as a form of protest against the sentence that was handed down to him.

This article is the first in a series published in recognition of the anniversary of Vybz Kartel’s physical absence from, and continued influence over Dancehall. See Also: