Jamaican dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel has had a whirlwind 15 months.
After spending nearly 13 years behind bars in Jamaica, he was freed from prison in July 2024. By November he was nominated for a Grammy Award for best reggae album, and this spring he embarked on a record-breaking world tour, selling out stadium venues across North America and Europe.
Now, he’s becoming the first Jamaican artist to perform three sold-out shows at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, on his first visit to Canada. Tickets for the first two shows, on Oct. 26 and 27, sold out so quickly that a third date was added on Oct. 30.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that you just can’t pass up,” said Brampton fan Tamaine Fearon, 38, who waded into the resale marketplace to try to buy his tickets, eventually securing a pair for $1,600 on StubHub. “It’s something to talk about, and go down in history, to say, ‘I saw Vybz Kartel in Toronto for the first time.’”
The Toronto shows are presented by Drake’s company OVO. In an Instagram Stories post in early October, Drake said that Kartel’s tour stop in Toronto is “a moment I am so proud to be a part of and enjoy with the city.” Drake, who turned 39 on Oct. 24, also hinted he would join Kartel onstage as part of his birthday festivities.
This show of support came as no surprise. Drizzy has hailed the ‘Worl’ Boss,’ one of Kartel’s many monikers, one of his musical inspirations, and invited him to perform onstage with him at the Wireless Festival in London in July. Drake also gave Kartel a diamond-studded OVO chain as a gift, to commemorate his release from jail.
In 2014, Adidja “Vybz Kartel” Palmer, now 49 years old, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 35 years for the murder of an associate, Clive Williams. His conviction was overturned in March 2024 on the grounds of juror misconduct, in a ruling by the U.K. Privy Council in London, which still serves as Jamaica’s highest court of appeal in some cases. The case was remitted back to Jamaica’s court of appeal, which decided not to seek a new trial.
Since his release last July, Kartel has released an onslaught of new music, including a feature appearance on American rapper Travis Scott’s track “PBT.”
The controversy surrounding the reigning king of the dancehall’s more than two-decade-long career has always been central to Kartel’s allure and mystique, said three-time Juno award-winning Canadian reggae artist Kirk Diamond.
“I think he has, next to Bob Marley, the greatest story in music,” Diamond told the Star. “These are things that people write books and create movies about.”
Kartel’s lyrical prowess, melodic flows and ability to release a steady stream of anthems have made him the standard-bearer for the genre, and a gateway to the culture for people intrigued by the Jamaican music scene. “He has the Drake effect in dancehall,” Diamond said.
Ahead of his first Toronto show, Kartel spoke to the Star via video call from his home in Miami — while wearing that OVO diamond chain.
“The journey has been a long and a very tedious one. For me to be in Canada, creating history with three shows, never been done before in the dancehall arena, is an amazing feeling, and it’s very humbling as well. What I know I’m going to receive is total high energy. Because I’ve been watching these dancehall shows on the Toronto scene, and I must say that Toronto is very much in tune with dancehall, with the Caribbean culture. I literally have two-and-a-half decades of just hits that have never been performed in Canada.”
After being incarcerated for 13 years, you’ve spent the past 10 months on tour. What has that transition and experience been like for you?
“It’s been like a whirlwind moment. It’s been an amazing experience because, in addition to having to readjust into society, I’ve been thrust into this world where it’s just non-stop shows, non-stop touring. I’m still nursing an illness [Graves disease]. That’s why I have to say, ‘God is the greatest,’ because sometimes I wonder how I even do it.”
How did the partnership with OVO come about, and could we see it continue with more Canadian shows?
“The partnership came about when I was at the Wireless show [in London in July], because Drake literally took over Wireless and brought me out. We were talking backstage and he was like, ‘I’m going to see what I can make happen.’ I was like, ‘Hey, I’m ready.’ And trust me, it was so quick. Big up to Drake. He doesn’t waste time. What I saw from [the reaction to] these first three shows, I know I’ll be back there again next year. [Regarding future OVO partnerships] I mean, if it’s not broken, why fix it?”
What was it like sharing a stage with Drake for the first time?
“When you get to experience the power which is Drake live on stage, and you get to see how the fans react to him, you see how he’s loved. He’s so iconic. I’m looking in amazement, like, ‘Oh, wow.’ I’ll never forget that.”
Many of your fans have been waiting for a collaboration. Is a Drake and Vybz Kartel record in the works?
“Yes, definitely. And it’s going to be crazy when you guys hear it. It’s three people on the track.”
Some of your most successful records, including 2016’s “Fever,” were recorded and released while you were incarcerated. How did you go about doing that?
“I had to be innovative. The innovation, that was the tricky part. I had two phones: One to play the beat and one to record my voice [a cappella]. I used the mattress [in my cell for soundproofing]. I wrote the songs in the days and recorded in the evenings when it was quiet. We had our post set up with various lookout points [to spot patrolling prison guards]. So a song that would take maybe 40 minutes to record, would now take two hours. Once I created the opportunity to record, I knew the songs were going to be hits. I gotta big up the fans. They’re the ones that make us who we are.”
What impact did those 13 years in prison have on you?
“Prison is a very traumatic experience. And a lot of people [in prison] don’t get the proper treatment that they need. The infrastructure is lacking because it’s a third-world country. I had no choice but to be my own therapist. When it got to a point where I couldn’t do it because I saw where I was spiralling, out of control internally, then I had to turn to a greater source. That’s when I got more in tune with my spirituality. As a real man, you want to make sure your kids are cared for and protected. That also weighed heavily on my psyche. I don’t feel sorry for myself because the journey is the journey. I have to just deal with it. Things like change, forgiveness and hard work — I’m the result of that, and that’s why the story is so appealing to people.”
What would you say to those who question if you deserve a second chance to be in the spotlight, considering the legal trouble and controversy earlier in your career?
“I have nothing to say to them. Where are those skeptics? When my case was appealed to the Privy Council, I was freed. When I came out, I applied to get an American visa, I got it. How can you look at God’s work and doubt that? How can you look at change and doubt that? How can you look at purpose and doubt that? How can you look at forgiveness and doubt that?”
What do you want people to know about you, then versus now?
“What I want people to know about me is what I want them to know about themselves: Once you believe and put the work in, anything is possible. Never let no one project their feelings or their limitations on you. If I could put one thing on my tombstone, it would be: change is inevitable.”
London and New York have always been seen as a strong markets for reggae and dance hall. Where does Toronto rank in terms of demand for your music?
“My top five biggest markets in terms of streaming/record sales is America, England, Canada, Kenya and Costa Rica. Based on how I saw the tickets move, I think Toronto is right there with New York, and right there with London in terms of the consumption of the music.”
You launched a limited-edition collection of apparel in collaboration with Drake’s brand Nocta and Nike, which sold out in the summer. Will more be coming?
“It should have come for these series of shows in Toronto, but I don’t want to say anything yet and then disappoint the fans, so we’ll see what’s up.”
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
