Vybz Kartel Gets Life in Prison, Sons to Continue Music

Vybz Kartel, the internationally-famous Jamaican dancehall musician, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of an associate. In March, Kartel was convicted of beating Clive “Lizard” Williams to death in 2011, according to the Independent.

Vybz, whose real name is Adidja Azim Palmer, will not be eligible for parole until he is 73 years old.

While Kartel spends the next 35 years behind bars, two of his young sons are on track to follow in the musical footsteps of their father. The Jamaican Observer is reporting that Vybz’s two young sons, Jaheim and Raheim, have a single that will be released on April 15.

Jaheim, also known as Little Vybz, and Raheim, also known as Little Addi, completed their first single ‘PG13 Gimme di Money,’ and announced its release just minutes before their Vybz Kartel was sentenced.

Tanesha ‘Shorty’ Johnson, the common law wife of Kartel, produced the single under the label Short Boss Musik. The label was launched this year, and all three of Kartel’s sons with Johnson are already signed to the label.

Three Kartel associates were convicted alongside the musician in the 65-day trial, the longest in Jamaica’s history. One of the most condemning pieces of evidence was a text message police said they retrieved from Vybz’s phone with details related to the murder.

Police said during the trial that Vybz wrote in the message that the victim’s body had been chopped up into “mincemeat” and would never be found. The body of Williams has yet to be recovered.

It was not the first time Kartel had been accused of murder. In 2011, Vybz and two associates were accused of the murder of businessman Barrington “Bossy” Burton, but police failed to produce enough evidence.

Kartel was arrested by police in September 2011 and charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and illegally possessing a firearm, according to Hype Life Magazine.

Vybz has been held in remand since 2011, according to the BBC. Kartel’s music has continued to be popular in Jamaica, and he has collaborated with American artists such as Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, and Rihanna.

Part of the time Kartel spent in prison so far was used to write the book The Voice of The Jamaican Ghetto: Incarcerated but not Silenced. The book, published in 2012, was co-written with a business associate of Vybz, Michael Dawson.

It is not clear if Vybz Kartel will continue to record music from his jail cell while serving his life term in prison.