Yes, Vybz Kartel is free. The question “is Vybz Kartel free” has dominated dancehall conversations since July 31, 2024, when the Jamaican Court of Appeal ordered his release after 13 years of incarceration.
Since walking out of Tower Street Adult Correctional Facility, Kartel has mounted one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of Caribbean music: a sold-out stadium concert, consecutive Grammy nominations, a MOBO Impact Award, a new album, and a rum brand to his name. This is the complete, updated timeline of everything that has happened.
The Case That Put Vybz Kartel Behind Bars
To understand why so many people searched “is Vybz Kartel free,” it helps to understand the weight of the conviction he was fighting.
Vybz Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, along with Shawn “Shawn Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, were convicted of the September 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendants had lured Williams to Kartel’s home, then attacked and killed him over some missing guns. The house burned down days later and Williams’ body has never been found.
Prosecutors had relied on cellphone records and testimony from Lamar “Wee” Chow, the sole eyewitness, who said that Williams was killed at Kartel’s home in Havendale, St. Andrew, in August 2011.
After a 64-day trial in the Kingston Home Circuit Court, the longest in Jamaica’s history, the men were sentenced to life in prison in April 2014.
Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 35 years, later reduced on appeal to 32 and a half years.
The Long Road Through the Courts: 2014 to 2024
2020: First Appeal Fails
Their initial appeal to the local Court of Appeal in 2020 upheld their convictions. The Court of Appeal did, however, allow appeals against sentences to the extent of taking account of time spent in custody awaiting trial, reducing the period to be served before parole eligibility by two years and six months.
September 2020: The Privy Council Route Opens
In September 2020, Vybz Kartel and his co-accused were granted conditional leave to go to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom to challenge their murder conviction.
February-March 2024: The Privy Council Overturns Everything
The appeal was heard by the Privy Council on February 14 and 15, 2024. On March 14, 2024, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled that the appellants’ convictions should be quashed on the grounds of juror misconduct, and that the case should be remitted to the Court of Appeal of Jamaica to decide whether to order a retrial.
The central issue was a juror accused of bribery. Kartel’s defense argued that a juror had offered other jurors 500,000 Jamaican dollars (about $3,200) for an acquittal, a claim the trial judge did not properly address.
According to the Privy Council, the court should have removed that juror, and allowing his continued service was “fatal to the safety of the convictions which followed.”
The council also ruled that it constituted “an infringement of the defendants’ fundamental right to a fair hearing by an independent and impartial court.”
May 2024: Kartel Remains Jailed Pending Retrial Decision
On May 30, 2024, Vybz Kartel was ordered to remain in jail alongside his co-accused after judges rejected their initial application for release. The question of whether prosecutors would pursue a retrial kept his freedom in the balance for several more weeks.
July 31, 2024: Vybz Kartel Is Free
The Court of Appeal’s decision was delivered by a three-judge panel comprising Justices Marva McDonald-Bishop, Paulette Williams, and David Fraser.
The judges ruled unanimously against retrying Vybz Kartel and his co-accused for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop explained the decision, citing the “egregious nature and seriousness of the offence,” the elapsed time, insufficient witnesses and evidence, and the significant cost of a retrial. She also noted Kartel’s declining health, stating: “We conclude that the interests of justice do not require a new trial.”
After 13 years behind bars, Vybz, born Adidja Azim Palmer, was released from prison on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Kartel was seen leaving Tower Street Adult Correctional Facility wearing all white with an orange bandanna around his head and face alongside his fiancee.
Kartel, who had maintained his innocence since his arrest in 2011, celebrated his freedom by sharing a photo on Instagram of himself on the streets of Jamaica.
The Health Toll of 13 Years Inside
The court’s reference to Kartel’s declining health was not rhetorical. During his time in prison, Kartel’s health deteriorated rapidly. He was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, a serious thyroid condition. His health issues also included severe thyroid problems and heart complications.
With no access to basic necessities, including no air conditioning, no private bathroom, and at times no running water, Kartel described the physical and emotional toll as immense. “Most of my sentence I was in a cell that didn’t even have a toilet,” he said.
In a post-release interview with FOX 5 New York, he recalled how dire his final months had become, saying the doctor had told him he was “literally fading away.”
The Comeback Timeline: August 2024 to Now
August 2024: First Steps and First Music
Within weeks of his release, Kartel began rebuilding his public life at a pace that surprised even close observers.
Having already released two projects that year in the Party With Me EP and the compilation First Week Out, he announced a new rum brand called STR8 VYBZ and plans to return to the stage.
His rum, STR8 VYBZ, is a partnership with TJ Records and The House of Angostura bitters and is available in a white overproof named Fever, a spiced version named Ramping Shop, a white flavor called Electric, and a dark rum entitled Unstoppable.
Late 2024: A Grammy Nomination and a Global Award
Dancehall may never again see an artist as popular and as polarizing as Vybz Kartel, who was nominated in the Best Reggae Album category for Party With Me at the 2025 GRAMMYs.
The nomination was his first ever, and it arrived less than six months after his release from prison. The Party With Me EP had been released while he was still incarcerated.
He attended the 2025 Grammys in Los Angeles and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards in London.
February 2025: MOBO Impact Award in Newcastle
Vybz Kartel accepted the prestigious MOBO Impact Award at the 2025 MOBO Awards, held at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on February 18, marking a remarkable turnaround.
Fellow dancehall artist Spice presented the Impact Award with high praise for Kartel, declaring him “the King of Dancehall” and acknowledging his role as “a true pioneer” who has “redefined the genre with his fearless lyrics, infectious energy and groundbreaking sound.”
The ceremony concluded with spectacular performances from both Spice and Kartel, with the latter delivering an electrifying medley that brought the Newcastle crowd to their feet.
New Year’s Eve 2024/2025: The Freedom Street Concert
Dancehall star Vybz Kartel made a triumphant return to the stage on New Year’s Eve, with a sold-out show marking his first live appearance in over a decade.
The Jamaican artist was joined at the Freedom Street event by a host of artists, including Busta Rhymes, Popcaan, Spice, and Shatta Wale.
The December 31 concert, held at the 35,000-person capacity National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, was Kartel’s first show in 13 years.
The Freedom Street concert, produced by Downsound Entertainment in collaboration with STR8 VYBZ Rum, drew attendees from various parts of the world, including Jamaica, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Likkle Addi and Likkle Vybz, the sons of Kartel, celebrated their father’s return with their own songs of pride as the offspring of the King of Dancehall.
Hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes and dancehall legend Bounty Killer supported with their own medley of hits. Vybz Kartel sang Jamaica’s national anthem, signaling a new beginning for his life of freedom.
January 2025: Viking Anniversary Deluxe
Kartel dropped his latest album at the time, Viking (Vybz Is King) 10th Year Anniversary, on January 31. The deluxe edition of 2015’s Viking features four of the album’s original cuts alongside seven new tracks, all recorded after his release from prison.
August 2025: Heart and Soul
Kartel’s 11-track Heart and Soul, released on August 29, 2025, via Greedy Lion/Vybz Kartel Muzik, features “I Know” and “Bad Bad Bad” with Ishawna. Reviews noted a deliberate shift in tone.
The album highlights a gentler, more introspective aspect of Kartel, exploring themes of heartbreak, vulnerability, and romantic tension. While the music retains a distinct dancehall sound, it prioritizes emotion over pure party anthems.
November 2025: A Second Grammy Nomination
The Recording Academy announced nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on November 7, 2025. This marks the second nomination for Vybz Kartel, who was previously nominated at the 2025 Awards for his Party With Me album.
The nominees for Best Reggae Album at the 2026 Grammys are Lila Ike’s Treasure Self Love, Vybz Kartel’s Heart and Soul, Keznamdi’s BLXXD and FYAH, Mortimer’s From Within, and Jesse Royal’s No Place Like Home.
March 2026: MOBO Win
Kartel’s winning streak at the MOBOs continued in 2026. In 2025, he received the MOBO Impact Award in recognition of his global influence on dancehall music, and at the 2026 ceremony he won Best Caribbean Music Act.
Where Vybz Kartel Lives Now
Following his release, Kartel relocated outside of Jamaica. The Grammy-nominated artist, who served 13 years in prison in Jamaica, confirmed he has no intention of returning to live in the country anytime soon, in an appearance on The Breakfast Club. He confirmed a move, citing easier global access as a reason for choosing Florida as his new base.
What’s Coming Next: Collaborations on the Horizon
Kartel has not been shy about his ambitions for further international crossover. As of early 2025, Vybz Kartel already had plans for new music, including a collaboration with Cardi B, which he discussed with Billboard for a cover story chronicling the days leading up to his Freedom Street concert. He has previously collaborated with Rihanna, Missy Elliott, and Major Lazer.
Whether the Cardi B collaboration has since materialized has not been publicly confirmed as of the publication of this article.
The Bottom Line: Is Vybz Kartel Free?
Yes. As of 2026, Vybz Kartel is fully free. On March 14, 2024, the UK-based Privy Council, Jamaica’s final court of appeal, overturned the convictions of Kartel and co-accused Shawn “Shawn Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John.
Jamaica’s Court of Appeal then declined to order a retrial, and after 13 years behind bars, Vybz, born Adidja Azim Palmer, was released from prison on July 31, 2024.
Since then he has amassed two Grammy nominations, a MOBO Impact Award, a MOBO Best Caribbean Music Act win, one of the most attended concerts in recent Jamaican history, a rum brand, and a second full album recorded entirely as a free man. The Worl’ Boss’s return to the top of dancehall has been as swift as it has been undeniable.
