39-year-old Adidja Azim Palmer, more popularly known as Vybz Kartel or Worl Boss is a true Dancehall hero, at the time of his arrest inside a hotel in New Kingston in 2011, he was at the top of his game and some sources said that he was earning more money than some of Jamaica’s top executives with his music, which ruled the dancehall and the airwaves, Vybz Rum,
This while not being able to ply his trade in the major markets of the United States and Europe.
According to his sister, Maureen Nelson, who is the vice-principal of a high school in Portmore, St Catherine, Adidja Palmer grew up in a home where discipline and education were instilled by his parents.
“They used to call us ‘grille up’ because when other children were outside running up and down we had to look out from behind the grille. Our father knew the importance of education and we grew up sheltered,” Nelson said when she appeared in the Home Circuit Court last month to give character evidence on behalf of her accused brother.
Adidja Palmer was born on January 7, 1976.
He attended Calabar High School but dropped out early because, according to Nelson, he spent most of his time pursuing musical interests and not because of indiscipline, Nelson said.
One of his teachers at Calabar, who asked not to be named, said that Palmer was a bright student.
“He could have become a rocket scientist if he had so desired. He was by no means a slow learner,” the educator said.
A police officer who interacted with him while he was locked up at the Greater Portmore Police Station was also impressed with his intelligence quotient.
“He remembered every police officer by name. Him is a bright youth. It just unfortunate that he made the wrong choices,” the cop said.
His penchant for lyricism could not be contained, and the aspiring Adi Banton, as he called himself then, recorded his first single Love Fat Woman at the tender age of 17.
That signalled the beginning of a career which would see Vybz Kartel growing to become part of the famed ‘Alliance’ which was headed by another enigmatic and controversial dancehall star Bounty Killer.
While he was a member of Alliance, Vybz Kartel’s lyrical prowess came even further to the fore as he penned songs for Bounty Killer and rose through the ranks to eventually become one of the syndicate’s rising stars.
He also linked up and made friends with another rising star Mavado.
But soon, his stint at the Alliance would come to an end and he left in a huff, all the while trading verbal tirades with Bounty Killer and also hurling insults at some of the other artistes in Alliance who thought that his move to become an independent artiste was a mark of ingratitude.
His former friend Mavado became his arch enemy and their differences spilled over in the street and police sources claim that the feud was one of the main causes of a Gaza/Gully war that plagued sections of Mannings Hill Road and was responsible for a number of murders and shootings.
But the Gaza/Gully rivalry would spread nationwide even in schools and caused the Police High Command and, later, former Prime Minister Bruce Golding to summon both artistes and warn them to rein in their rabid followers and put an end to the unwarranted bloodletting.
One police source said that both men were warned that if they did not let up, serious consequences would follow.
“We called in the two of them and made them know that we were very much aware of what they were supporting and warned them that if they did not stop, they would either be taken out or be locked away. It seemed Mavado heeded the warning but Kartel was not ready,” the cop said.
The section of Mannings Hill Road is no longer plagued by infighting and has been peaceful for years.
But like a candle on a hilltop, Vybz Kartel’s talent could not go unnoticed and soon he rose even further to become the top dancehall act.
But, as usual, his rise was not without controversy.
After forming his own label and surrounding himself with upcoming artistes, reports began to emerge that he had a penchant for beating his artistes and female DJ Gaza Kim went public with photos of a battered face, and claiming that she and her brother were beaten by men from the Gaza Empire at the behest of the Gaza ‘boss’
Gaza Kim, whose name is Kim Hamilton, even issued a statement confirming the attack.
“I, Kim Hamilton aka Gaza Kim will like to make it publicly known that I was indeed assaulted over the weekend. I’ve visited the doctor … I’m still traumatised but recuperating through my ordeal. I’ve taken the necessary actions to correct the wrong that was done against me and legal advice has been sought out,” the statement read.
I do not condone violence, especially any attacks against females and children. Gaza Kim is a very young and very talented singer who I hope will reach far in her musical endeavours whether or not she is a part of the Portmore Empire.
“My deepest sentiments go out to her,” Vybz Kartel’s statement said.
There were also reports of run-ins with former Portmore Empire artistes Black Rhyno, Meritol, Jah Vinci and Lisa Hype, all of whom were expelled.
But things would take a turn for the worse, after cops from the Flying Squad stormed a hotel in New Kingston and hauled him and a female companion out of a room.
He was subsequently slapped with two murder charges — the July 2011 shooting death of Barrington ‘Bossie’ Bryan and the August 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams — for whose death Vybz Kartel, Shawn ‘Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones and André St John were found guilty of by an 11-member panel of jurors on Thursday last.
Police had accused the men of beating ‘Lizard’ to death in a house owned by Vybz Kartel at Swallowfield Avenue in Havendale, St Andrew, after two illegal firearms went missing.
The prosecution’s case rested heavily on the testimony of Leonard Chow, who claimed he had to flee the house in order to escape the same fate as he was given one of the guns for safekeeping.
Known for his tattoos and bleached skin, Vybz Kartel made an impassioned plea for his freedom in an unsworn statement during his trial.
“My Lord, I bleach my skin and I am heavily tattooed, also. My Lord, that is merely superficial; that is the persona of Vybz Kartel, not Adidja Palmer. My Lord, I think you will agree, I am a normal man. I even have a family, some of which are here today, including my grandmother, cousin and mother-in-law,” he said.
On March 13, 2014, an 11-member jury sent shock waves throughout the dancehall community when they returned a guilty verdict against the dancehall star, real name Adidja Palmer, as well as, his protege Shawn “Storm” Campbell, and close friends Kahira Jones and André St John.
Another co-accused, Shane Williams, was exonerated of the murder charge.
It’s now over since Vybz Kartel and three others including were convicted of murdering Clive “Lizard” Williams.
The highly publicized trial, which was dubbed the longest murder trial in Jamaica’s history, was not all smooth sailing. The case was marred by controversy including police tampering with evidence, witness intimidation, and juror corruption.
The prosecution, headed by attorney Jeremy Taylor, took 46 days and 24 witnesses to build its case against the four men. The jury took just two hours to return a 10:1 guilty verdict. One member of the jury who voted not guilty was arrested and charged with conspiracy after he was allegedly paid off by the embattled dancehall deejay
Vybz Kartel, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, has maintained his innocence and has filed an appeal to overturn his conviction.
Sources close to the former Portmore Empire deejay told Dre1alliance that he will continue his fight for freedom in the appeal court.
“No we are not giving up and will go to the highest level of the court system to undo this case of injustice,” Dre1alliance sources said.
Our source also told us that the appeal has not yet been mentioned in the court and that could be a lengthy process.
“The appeal court system in Jamaica is a really slow process so we still don’t have an approximate date when the case will be mentioned,” our source said.
A year after his shocking conviction, Vybz Kartel is still dominating dancehall airwaves both locally and overseas.
The deejay’s management is still releasing a slew of new music on a regular basis and even a new album VIKING: Vybz Is King, out now.
Two of the incarcerated deejay’s sons, Little Vybz and Little Addi, have also taken on a career in dancehall music. They two have been releasing new music under Kartel’s wife new label Short Boss Music.
Vybz Kartel and Shawn Storm were also the target of another prison inmate who was plotting the kill the “Dancehall Hero” deejay earlier this year.
Authorities uncovered the murder plot when they found knives and poison in a section of the prison.
A correctional worker was also implicated in the murder plot.