Gaza Kim, Sheba Share Thoughts On Vybz Kartel’s Possible Prison Release
Former Portmore Empire signees Sheba and Gaza Kim aren’t exactly in tune regarding Vybz Kartel’s possible prison release.
Attorneys for the Portmore Empire principal argued his final appeal at the UK’s Judicial Committee of the Privy Council this week.
Sheba showed her support for his release in an Instagram Story. “Fingers and prayers up peeps,” she wrote while reposting an article about the appeal hearing.
Formerly going by Gaza Sheba, the singer rose to prominence as the deep voice behind Kartel collabs like Gaza Mi Name, You and Him Deh and Like Christmas.
On the flipside, Gaza Kim, the songstress behind tunes like Teenage Pregnancy and Twice My Age with Kartel, is indifferent to Kartel’s desired freedom. She left his defunct camp in 2010 after an alleged beating by his cronies.
The Amen singer appeared on Teatime with Shelly-Ann Curran this week, where she was probed about his possible release.
“Him a come out?” was her initial response before continuing, “Whether him a come out, yes or no, honestly, mi nuh have no feelings towards him.”
The Worl’ Boss was handed down a life sentence in 2014 for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, which also saw deejay Shawn Storm indicted and incarcerated. He, too, is appealing the murder conviction.
Should Kartel win his appeal, Gaza Kim hopes he will be “a new man”.
“If him come out, thanks be to God, and mi hope him deh behind bars and I hope him a pray to God and a pray for forgiveness or whatever, and know seh when him come back out, him can be like a new man, so, mi nuh really have no hard feelings towards him.”
Gaza Kim previously spoke about releasing animosity towards her former label head, and focusing on rebuilding her career.
“Instead of fi a go hate him or the guys dem weh do weh dem do, mi decide seh January 1, 2016 is a new chapter for Kim,” she said. “Mi a go just clear out all of dah hatred deh out of my heart and know seh alright, now it’s just a time for music, a time fi love, mi family and a time fi love myself.”
But it’s been an uphill battle for the singer who, like former teammate Blak Ryno, described her camp exit as a curse.
“At first, I was happy with the family, and then after leaving the family, that’s the curse.”
The disbanded collective featured artists like Deva Bratt, Popcaan, Jah Vinci, Vanessa Bling (Gaza Slim), Gaza Indu, Lisa Hyper, Merrital Family and producer Notnice.
Gaza Kim’s fading into the background was also attributed to depression and navigating pervy producers.
“Mi never stop record. Mi go through depression and all of dem things deh because music a something weh mi love… Fi know seh, yow, mi have all of dah talent yah siddung and nobody nuh waan pay mi nuh mind because of something weh happen inna the past, and then dem a go tell mi bout sex before work? No, mi nuh deh pon that.”
She’s getting a break thanks to the viral nature of social media, with her Under the Sea contribution on Rvssian’s Dutty Money riddim picking up steam on TikTok.
Gaza Kim formed part of the original Go Go Club riddim with Lisa Hyper on Bills. She’s made a follow-up of the latter to the delight of fans.