Vybz Kartel underperforming
In the year when the gods of the Orishas met, I Kwoth begged Olorun mercy for the dancehall griot Addie the teacher, the Vybz in Kartel. Olorun was much displeased with Addie the teacher, the leader of the Gaza, one side of the disunity in dancehall.
For Olorun fumed and regretted about the day he ever gave Addie such talent and cementing his place in history as one of dancehall’s best lyricists.
“Why does Addie waste his talent and confine himself solely to music for the Jamaican market? Although it is important to have home support one must always prepare himself to win over audiences from faraway lands. Instead, he has relegated himself to doing music which only appeals to local audiences. And now, he has decided to lead a pack of people where only one has talent called Portmore Empire or Gaza. This is really a waste of talent,” Olorun said.
And I Kwoth the omnipresent god replied: “ye he has talent. But his pushing of this Gaza agenda is a real disappointment. I Kwoth smiled when he collaborated with Wayne the son of the Marshall in the early days to do New Millennium. I Kwoth also smiled when he was touted as the next big thing from our shores. And you great Olorun was also pleased when scribes and kings likened him to a wordsmith, a ‘lyrics factory’ and the best griot since Spragga of the brand called Benz, and Sizzla who took on the name Kalonji. But alas, oh Olorun, it is involvement with this Gaza agenda that has brought me here to plead forgiveness on his behalf because he knows not what he may have done.”
And Olorun replied; “for sure he knows what he has done because almost all walls in Jamaica bears graffiti marked Gaza. Only the narcissistic, enigmatic, dimwit, L.A. the Lewis has more markings on walls. Even the world’s fastest man Usain the son of Bolt and the pencil thin one who has appointed himself King of the dancehall – Moses the Beenie Man doth proclaim allegiance to Gaza. It is so bad that to be anything else may get one attacked. For sure, even the Twin jesters have made mention of it as they entertained the Orishas. This Gaza Gully division must stop now or someone will ultimately be killed.”
I Kwoth answered and said: “Addie does not encourage violence from his fans to anyone who does not follow him or his music. Ye, he has said this many times. He has said Gaza means strong and that his music give strength to all. But, his fans have misinterpreted this meaning and have taken it to mean physical strength. I pray Olorun punish not this griot as he maybe suffering from youthful exuberance. “
But Olorun was still displeased and replied: “He has given exposure to other acts who would not have got attention otherwise. Although some of the members of his Gaza empire are talent free and have names that are more comical than cartoon characters, he has blessed us with Jah Vinci. Although he has denounced violence, that is not enough because such actions have never been put in songs and poems. This is why I shall judge him because he has failed to live up to his abilities. Because of his actions, at a time convenient to me, I will take away his creative ability and he shall be confined to shows of the vintage kind. And all his fans will abandon him and some will deny him even as the Americans have denied him. At that time, although his place in dancehall history will be guaranteed he shall be seen as one who underachieved on a global level. ”
Next Week : Mavado’s judgement
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16 Responses to “Vybz Kartel underperforming”
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Oh Great Kwoth,
I pray thee, come post haste that we may be filled with the knowledge to turn things around, less more blood be upon the heads of the poor Gully and Gaza youths that are sent into battle by the careless lyrics of misguided DJ’s who insist that they are doing good for the youths who idolize them. Oh great Kwoth, intercede on the side of the youths, that they will no more eat the bread of sorrow offered them by the musical gods of war.
I agree with your piece here that Kartel is underperforming and I may add was never performing. Give him his props he has some good songs but has made himself into a mediocre artiste. His previous songs have made him popular in the Jamaican market because we have accepted garbage as music. Locally if an artiste wants to be the ‘top performer’ HINT HINT – release more than five songs per week around the topics of women, weed and impregnating young girls.
Kartel has the potential to be a huge dancehall artiste in the world but he prefers to fight a Gully Gaza War that profits himself and has ignorant dancehall listeners at war with each other.
You know, I have to say how greatfull I am to Kwoth for this mini serial. Reggae Dancehall music is unquestionably a key part of who we are as a people still searching for ways to define ourselves. Where as “art” generally mimics “life”, it can not be that our lives should now be made to mimic the art (the art of war).
It confuses me that anyone as poetically talented as many of these gun gargons on the microphones would ever want to waste their talent promoting bad-man-ism. This whole idea that your music is promoting “REALITY” is nothing but pure high grade @#!@#%$&@!!.
The reality is that the audience is listening to you telling them to kill police “informers”, and kill “battyman”, and kill a guy if he sleeps with your woman, and kill anyone who disrespect you, and kill this and kill that. Use your micro phone and your CD’s to spread as much positive and wholesome vibes as you can before you’re over-exposed and stop selling. You know someone else is going to replce you soon. Why limit yourself to “GUTTER MUSIC”. Build a healthy vibes man.
With all this violence and hateful behaviour in our ‘Don Gargons’ the foreign market does not want to reward such behaviour. This in term only limits how far our little misguided fellows can grow. So they they remain stuck in the GUTTER, believing that they are big. What’s the use being a ‘big fish in a little pond’? Yassah Arafat was confined to the little strip of land called Gaza and could not grow. And the Gully is no paradise in of itself either.
Hence the mass or should I say massless people gad said no to gaza but only buying 8 copies of his latest collection of mediocutasy “pon di gaza”
pay attention 2d amount of songs on album got sold. The album was released digitally. in 1wk 8 copies sold yes but 7000 individual songs moved. so much dat rampin shop was re-entered on the billboard. the man is smart, he knows ppl most times jus want several songs off an album and he gave d option of dat.
vybes kartel is pure evil i mean he said it himself in most of his songs where he reffers to himself as the devil and frankly it looks like he dosent even care,right now if kartel reads what im writing he woulding even try to say no to anything that ive write
In response to Amilli. You are evidently misinformed, please go and do a simple google search on teh Album you speak of. You are proporting lies to the nation and readers. Only 593 singles were “downloaded” from the album, and up to this present moment, still only 8 copies have been sold. No one wants the albums. No one is willing to spend their money on a Vybz Kartel Local Album. To be precise, the only reason 8 copies were sold, was because the other memebers of the Gaza were forced to buy it.
Secondly to Kwoth – You are obviously one who knows not much abou the dancehall culture and the true happening s that take place. You are simply being fooled by what Kartel puts to the general public as his “intelligence”. This man is an actual menace to society. Their is a reason he was a person of interest in the murder of a very notorious wanted gunman. You people really need to stop being fooled. There is much truth to the fact that his head is wanted in Portmore by other rival factions (not the musical ones). The Gaza is the one that is bringing literal violence into the music, the news reports show it.
This is not a Gully Gaza War, its a Gaza vs Jamaica war.
The dancehall seen has been soo bouring…so far only a handful of artise are holding down the forth..AND KARTEL IS NOT 1..I cant wait for when we are going to say (Kartel who..) he is trying to put out back to back songs and not concentrating on putting out good songs. We are looking for good role models in JA. His genre of music is NOT dancehall.It’s more playboy mansion ie(everthing but the norm), dancehall music is; rebellious and fight against injustice and his music is NOT.
saw this blog late but I wish I could buy kartel songs and “tun it up real high” but alas I can’t because of the amount of bad words – Is it really necessary, such a talented singer needs to start marketing himself like an international artiste as he is so talented – He lights up the dancehall as far as I am concerned. With his intelligence he could go far. I blame his Management for not advising him better
I agree, I do not understand he chooses to hinder himself from being a dollar millionaire and rather stay in this Gaza community restricting himself from true financial stability. Maybe he feels like he needs to help his Gaza people but you can not truly help people if you don’t setup you character meaning yourself properly. I think he doesn’t take his capabilities serious as a talented person that he can be he wants to be a ghetto war lord.
We as a NATION deserve this FILTH we get too demeaning and degrading. When women can sing to songs that calls them GAL or they sing songs and call themselves Gals then we cant expect nothing better. We even have a Previous Prime Minister calls us Gals ” man have more gals” But it is great to see that we are all awakeing from our SLUMBER position and beleiving in ourselves. JAMAICANS God is to be FEARD we need INTEGRITY we all must HELP RESTORE JAMAICA as soon as Possible it belongs to all of us no one grouping of persons. Women BAN the songs that calls you GALS, Girls is more approaite or Lady, ” remember the song “Lady in RED? not Gal in red”
AS CLEAR AS I CAN SEE DANCEHALL MUSIC AS BECOME A QUARRELLING MATCH. IF YOU MENTION TO A FOREINGER ABOUT DANCEHALL MUSIC THE FIRST PLACE HE WOULD MENTION IS JAMAICA. (RESPECT FOR THAT)! KNOWING THAT JAMAICANS ARE CRITISED FOR EVERYTHING THATS BAD EVEN WHEN THATS NOT THE CASE WE NEED TO LET OUR DANCEHALL MUSIC SHINE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME CLASS AND TALENT THAT WILL ALWAYS UPLIFT PEOPLE IN GOOD AND SAD TIMES. OLDER ARTISTE SHOULD BE AN EXMAPLE FOR THE YOUNGER HEADS. SOME OF YOU NEED TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WHETHER PRON OR DANCEHALL BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT THEY DON’T GO TOGETHER AT ALL. IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO CLEAN UP YOUR ACT. (IF YOU KNOW BETTER PROVE IT TO THE PUBLIC YOU ALL OWE US THAT BECAUSE WE PUT YOU THERE)!
Have you ever considered adding more videos to your blog posts to keep the readers more entertained? I mean I just read via the whole article of yours and it was quite fine but since I’m more of a visual learner,I found that to be more helpful well let me know how it turns out! I love what you guys are frequently up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the wonderful works guys I’ve added you guys to my blogroll. This is a great article thanks for sharing that informative information.. I will visit your blog frequently for a number of latest post.
Now THAT’S what I’d call an interesting position on things. What I would suggest perhaps is speaking to other people involved in the scene and bring to day any conflicting points of view and then update or create a new post for us to . Hopefully you’ll take my ideas, I’m looking forward to it! Try to cover off on some graffiti characters as well if you can, they’re quite popular at the moment.
I think some of what you are saying is relevant,but if you where traveling the worl you would notice that vybes kartel is one of the most popular dance hall artiste right now.i am living in Costa Rica which is a Spanish country and it is like here is where vybes kartel is from.
Addi and jah cure is the most anticipated artiste in Costa Rica here and its neighboring countries.
so you need to get more facts before you write,because is definitely the teacher not only for tatoos and bleaching class.
vybes cartel tell me how you feel now that you know say that is you is one of the so call dance hall artist that mash up dsnce hall,i dont think you care you have no talent,your music is wack the style you use dont make any sense I beleve id because you go down to them little stupid island like barbadoes and learn them stupid style of music,the music you play is inferior than previous dance hall music ,your lyrics is no good the rhythim is one of the most confusing concoction that I ever hesr comming out of jamasica,the beat is not right the drum beat sit right in the middle without no swing or flair ,no uniformity the bace is weak,the music dont come out nothing is balance dance hallmusic is a regal and bold it come out and when you hear it ,it sound good ,I would like to know what in the world is that garbage you playing is called the first i hear that new foolish rhythim I thought is was a joke I cound not beleve that rggae artis could make more than one giant step about 50 year behing every other idiot sound in the world.