Granting The Voice’s Life & Style in a recent interview, Kartel said dancehall has suffered a huge decline since he’s been behind bars and insists that there is no artiste in the market at present that can take his throne.
“Dancehall is in jail,” Kartel firmly insists.
“And although the fact remains that if I die tomorrow, dancehall will continue, it’s also a fact that the next artiste to bring the energy, panache, and ‘vybz’ to dancehall, isn’t here yet.”
Clearly unimpressed by any of the current deejays that have followed in his wake, the star, dubbed dancehall’s ‘worl’ boss’, feels the genre’s demise is clear for all to see.
“Look for yourself. Since I’ve been in jail, reggae has taken over because it’s a refreshing alternative to dancehall for the young kids who realise the artistes of dancehall are just recycling Kartel lyrics and flow. It’s pathetic.”
Proving that incarceration hasn’t dented his passion for his art, Kartel recently released the new album Kartel Forever: Trilogy; a three-disc, 60-track collection of both new and classic hits.
“I’m in the highest spirit, thank you. In here, everything is a repetition wake, bathe, lock down again. Eat, sleep, repeat. I feel like a robot. But in my cell, I have countless books to read and I also write, too. That’s how I pass my days, occasionally watching TV. I am always occupied, so that kinda keeps me focused.” Despite his seemingly positive outlook, Kartel is by no means happy about his current situation.
Kartel’s lengthy incarceration has sparked outrage among many in the dancehall fraternity who believe it is unjust that the entertainer has remained imprisoned for over two years without trial.
Still, the deejay is optimistic when looking to the future.
Asked what he intends to do first when he is released from prison, Kartel says: “Well, that goes without saying: Spend time with my family. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I put family over everything. Then after that, music!”
Kartel Forever: Trilogy is out now on Tad’s Records.