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Tru Honey Fyah Wire Mic Chik
     
     
     
"How would you describe yourself in a word?" Kartel answers without hesitation, "Brilliant." There is obviously no shortage of confidence here. And while self praise is no recommendation, you get the feeling that he knows he can live up to his claims sufficiently.

The Waterhouse born Adidja Palmer a.k.a. Vybz Kartel remembers being surrounded by music from an early age. This was due largely to his two uncles' interest in the art. His own calling to music did not go unanswered. He had been honing his skills for about 10 years before gaining considerable recognition and street 'cred' two years ago. "I was born into this," Kartel states." I have no interest in doing any thing else but music, ever since school days. I was never the 9-5 type, not a desk job person. I have the potential and capability but dat ain't me." Thankfully, his family has been very supportive of his career choice. His uncles were also musicians, and though, "They were nobody really famous, me a come change di pace," he declares.

Being expelled from Kingston's Calabar High School as a teen didn't deter Kartel from completing his studies at a tutorial college. "Education is key," says the deejay. His is reflected in his lyrics "When I write songs down, is no simple ABC, mother goose, go-go wining lyrics. Lyrics are well put together, I have to take time out to build my songs."

Perhaps most surprising is the support and respect that Kartel has already managed to garner from both artists and fans of dancehall music. His birthday bash, held recently at La Roose in his hometown, saw thousands of well-wishers coming out to celebrate Kartel's 24th birthday. Some of the industry's biggest names shared the stage in performances with the deejay while enjoying the festivities.

Some would say he has already upped the ante in the past years in the form of 2 collaborations with Bounty Killer, ("Girls like Mine" & "Gyal Clown") and in dominating the stage in several performances last year including Sting. "I love performing live" says Kartel. "People can always bootleg your records but from you can perform you'll always be in the fore front. Check Ninja Man. Him hardly do voice recording not even dub plates, but when it's show time him get prime time- more time him usually close the show. From me a likkle yute me a deejay in front a people so the more people I see is a joy to me. The adrenaline pump faster."

Ask anyone who knows what's going on in dancehall to tell you which young deejay is most capable of receiving the torch passed by a force like Bounty Killer, and the answer will undoubtedly be Vybz Kartel. Maybe it's his supreme lyrical skills, or his effortless command of the stage or his confidence which may be mistaken for hubris at times, that make many readily compare him to the industry's HNIC.

Whatever it is, the fact remains that in 2003 Vybz Kartel is poised for success. All he has to do is maintain. He must not fall short of hits like New Millennium (feat Marshall), Most High, or Sleep to the Belly, his recent show stopper now out on the Egyptian riddim. The truth is, he has set a precedent with his current catalogue and to lose momentum in today's industry will make the attention of bored audiences shift to the next act with a quickness.

 
 
 
above: The Crowning of Vybz Kartel at LaRoose, December 8th

With all systems set to go, from all angles it appears as if he intends to be around for the long haul. "The longevity of Beenie and Bounty has been achieved by perseverance. They will always be in that position until someone else comes with the same mentality." Over the years they have maintained... "if a man is travelling at 100 (mph), you cyaan do 60 and waan go round him! Two artists can't run Jamaica. From yuh dedicated, it's not hard because there are others out there that are sensational" he says.

"You have to apply the same principles to the music business that you would to any other business if you want to succeed," advises Kartel. "Hard work, determination, dedication and a love for it- a passion for the music- not just for what you can get out of it. You should be able to write a tune and when you look back at it, it brings joy to your heart."


"Marshall and Kartel a come create a storm"
"(Wayne) Marshall is the easiest to work with. He knows what to do. I do the verses and he comes up with the punch line and it is always something that I like. Most of the time when we record we are never in the studio at the same time but it's like we correspond spiritually- he knows what I want to hear and vice versa."

"Big Man a big man"
"(Bounty Killer's) voice is much stronger and at the time when we did our collaboration it was kind of hard for me to come up to par in (vocal ability)- key, timing, precision, etc. It is difficult to establish your technique. You have to be in tune, in sync with a riddim. It's hard work."

"Save the music"
"Reggae is lacking proper promotion from larger recording companies. There is a wide spread lack of promotion in foreign markets. There are a lot of Jamaicans in the larger cities in America so the culture is there and other people willing fi learn 'bout it. You don't have to cross over- it isn't necessary. Sean Paul (Gimme the Light) don't have one ounce of cross over appeal. (That) is the wrong way to go about getting a deal. There is a thin line between representing or respecting a music and pirating it. Deejays sing over the raps line by line, waiting for the latest melody from BET or MTV. That is a felony and disrespect to the music. People want the real hardcore dancehall music, no watered down culture, whether or not it is raw, it has to be real. Production is the key. Jamaican music needs to be packaged better... producers claim to be more experienced so they need to do a better job."

"Rock mics from here to overseas"
So far Kartel has done several shows in the US, UK, the Caribbean, and Japan. "Japan is a 13 hour flight, half way around the world. When you see people in the crowd singing your songs it makes you proud. You feel patriotic."

"Slanguistics"
(Kartel's signature phrase) "Up to the time can be anything you want it to mean- a greeting, sign of approval- anything"

"When the east is in the house"
"I love east coast rap- more lyrical. That's all it boils down to- lyrics. It's like reading a book, opening up the people dem imagination. You haffi mek dem see actually see wah yuh a deejay. Dat mi did rate bout Biggie. I listen to a lot of hip-hop. Tupac, Biggie, Eminem- Eminem bad eeh? Styles, Jadakiss-deep inna rhyming."

"Brand New"
"I'm working an album for the summer with Don Corleone from Vendetta, the trendsetta. Mostly fresh, new tracks. A lot of albums are filled with played out singles. (Mine will have) crazy new tracks. The only (old tracks) will be Most High, New Millennium, and Big Man a Big Man, my personal favourites."

CHOOSE ONE

Cats/Dogs: Dogs
Godfather/Scarface: Scarface
Pacino/Deniro: Pacino of course
Osbournes/Sopranos: Sopranos
Bounty/Beenie: That answers itself
Cricket/Football: Most definitely football
Weed/Alcohol: Straight weed
CD/Vinyl: CD
Fame/Money: More Money
Life/Death/Life after death: Life over death
Music/Movies: Music definitely
India Arie/Halle Berry: Halle Berry. Big up India Arie, but definitely Halle Berry
Sneakers/ Shoes? Sneakers AND shoes- Nikes and Clarks

FULL 'UNDRED

Favourite producers? Don "Corleone" Bennett, Trevor "Baby G" James.

What kind of car do you drive? I don't drive

Fave food? Ackee and Saltfish

Sign? Capricorn (Jan.7th)

Favourite designer? I used to wear alot of Diesel before it became so common. Now I wear crazy Levi's, t-shirts, do-rags. I'll wear a jersey inna di hours

Do you have a girlfriend? I have crazy girls... nuff gyal inna we catalogue

Any kids? One, due April. The doctor did an ultra sound and they said that it will be a girl.

Favourite movie? I love gangster movies like Menace to Society. I love comedies... Jim Carrey is the craziest.

What do you do when you're not working? I like to chill and meditate music, roll to a party, chill wid my thugs.

Favourite hang out spot? I jus chill in Kingston. Mi nuh inna di country ting wid cool breeze and bush, I can't go to the country to cool out. I do it concrete jungle- straight.

Who gave you the name Adidja? My grandmother gave me that name... I think it is an African name. She travel go all bout... mi nuh know weh she get it. When I was a yute I never really liked the name still... so I didn't seek to find out the meaning but as I get older I can see the depth and the spirituality behind a name.

Do your friends call you Adidja? Mi fren dem call mi 'deejay'. Mi girl dem call me Addy... dat name nuh reserve fi no man.

Any brushes with overzealous fans or groupies yet? My fans are straight gangsta. When we roll we roll deep. If yuh a go come with off-key movements, just stay far

What kind of woman appeals to you? Beauty a di first ting weh draw a man to a woman still everybody know dat but what really keeps me there is she haffi be intelligent and understand me, my language. By language I don't mean my slang, I mean she has to understand me, how I reason, mi mentality. She haffi nice, funny and know how to deal with people.

Are you a hard person to deal with? VERY. People always approach me the wrong way. Dem premeditate me and approach me in the wrong way so my reflexes jus' counteract anything weh dem a come wid.


 
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