For anyone looking up the meaning of “Clarks,” Vybz Kartel’s 2010 song is a tribute to the British shoe brand, which Jamaicans have worn for generations.
Kartel recorded it with Popcaan and Gaza Slim. Popcaan’s Wikipedia page describes the record as his breakthrough international hit “Clarks” with Kartel, an ode to the shoe brand.
When the single came out, Kartel said the song was not a paid endorsement. In an April 2010 Jamaica Observer interview he said, “I was just paying tribute to my Clarks collection,” explained Palmer, who noted that he owned over 40 pairs of it.
Release and Production
Most sources date the song to 2010. The Jamaica Observer reported on April 13, 2010 that Kartel had dropped his hit single Clarks a few weeks ago. A 2020 DancehallMag feature puts the date at March 2010.
Spotify’s artist biography gives a different year, saying that in 2009, the single “Clarks” became a huge hit for Kartel, but the contemporary reporting points to early 2010.
The song is on the Mad Collab Riddim. According to Discogs, the vinyl release’s A-Side is on the “Mad Callab / Mad Collab” riddim, with Executive-Producer, Tad A. Dawkins, Tad A. Dawkins Jnr. A 2025 Kaboom Mag report credits the compilation to ZJ Chrome’s Mad Collab Riddim.
The Lyrics Explained
The song opens with Popcaan asking Kartel where he bought his new Clarks and what colour they are. He tells Kartel that nobody else has his style.
In the chorus, Kartel says people always ask him where he got his Clarks. He also describes the hard leather and soft suede and explains how he keeps the shoes clean.
In his verse, Kartel says he prefers Clarks to other brands in every season and names the Wallabee as the current favourite. He also says he has copied his father’s style since he was a boy.
The Guardian’s 2010 coverage, republished by Jamaican View, noted that the single’s cover carried pictures of his favourite Clarks shoes, the Wallabees, Desert Boots and Desert Trek shoes of the Original “heritage” range.
Gaza Slim, who now records as Vanessa Bling, takes a more comic angle. A Singles Jukebox review said her verse makes the case for Clarks on the grounds of good hygiene, arguing that other shoes cause foot problems.
Cultural Context: Clarks in Jamaica
The song drew on a long tradition. DancehallMag has reported that the brand has been an accent on album covers and uttered in over 200 songs by Dancehall and Reggae artists dating back to the 1970s.
The same 2021 article notes that in the 1970s, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Michael Manley banned all imported shoes, Clarks included.
Clarks itself says on its website that the police even used the shoes to identify the ‘rude’ boys of Kingston when raiding the dancehalls.
For Kartel, the brand was part of Jamaican identity. He told the Observer in 2010 that “Clarks is a part of our Jamaican culture… It’s as Jamaican as ackee and saltfish and roast breadfruit.
Impact on Clarks Sales
Shops noticed the effect almost immediately. In April 2010, the Observer reported that shoe stores say sales of Clarks has multiplied since the single was released.
Test Pressing reported that the police report that thieves stole GBP15,000 of the shoes from two local stores last week.
The same piece described a new street trend of cutting off the bottom of your jeans to reveal your wallabees or desert boots in their full glory.
Kartel followed up with two more songs about the brand. DancehallMag describes the full set as the 2010 trilogy by Vybz Kartel: Clarks featuring Popcaan and Gaza Slim, Clarks Again, and Clarks 3.
Some later reports have linked the craze to company profits passing the 100 million pound mark, citing Vogue. DancehallMag has repeated this figure, but it is secondhand.
Charts, Awards and Legacy
A 2010 product listing for Kartel’s Clarks de Mix Tape stated that ‘Clarks’ remains among the top reggae singles with the most radio plays for some 40+ weeks.
Popcaan’s Wikipedia page notes that in 2011 he received the Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) Award for Best New Artist, Male and Collaboration of the Year for “Clarks.
The song still draws listeners. In October 2025, Kaboom Mag reported that “Clarks” has surpassed the 50 million Spotify streams milestone, which made it Kartel’s third most-streamed single on the platform, following “Summertime” and “Fever.
The same report said Kartel shared the stage with Popcaan to perform the anthem during the Wireless Festival in July.
The link between the song and the brand has occasionally caused friction. In 2021, Clarks Originals was criticised online when a “Clarks and Jamaica” campaign teaser left Kartel out.
According to DancehallMag, some fans also said even if Kartel could not be reached because is incarcerated, then Popcaan, who featured on his iconic Clarks song, ought to have been contacted and featured. In August 2023, the brand released “The Dancehall Collection” to pay homage to the genre and Jamaica.
