Incarcerated Jamaican dancehall star, Vybz Kartel, is alleging that his imprisonment had nothing to do with anything he is supposed to have done, but more to do with his influence on Jamaica’s youth.
In Part One of an exclusive jailhouse interview on Wednesday night with Lisa Evers of American television station, Fox 5, Kartel, birth name Adidja Palmer, said the Jamaican system wanted him thrown away.
“It was never about me charged for murder, it was about getting rid of Vybz Kartel, not Adidja Palmer, the person,” he said.
“They told us, they say we have too much influence. If you remember when Mavado (another Jamaican dancehall star) and I had that little feud a few years ago, we went to King’s House (Jamaica House), which is like the home of the prime minister, and they told us we are leading the kids astray and if we don’t stop what we are doing, we are not going to get permission to do shows. It has always been about the influence we have,” he alleged.
Kartel has been serving a life sentence on a murder conviction for the death of a former associate of his, Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
His attorney, Isat Buchanan, recently filed a fresh evidence motion based on the findings of a British digital expert who reportedly found that Kartel’s cell phone had been tampered with between its seizure and his trial.
Kartel’s case is now before the Privy Council in the United Kingdom, Jamaica’s final Court of Appeal.
The World Boss, in the Fox 5 interview, expressed optimism that he will soon be free.
“Yes, God save the Queen because she’s the only one that (who) can save me now,” he told Evers with a laugh.
Kartel gave some insights into the conditions at the prison facilities where he has been for the last decade.
“It’s dark, it’s hot, it has like three or four bunk beds, It’s got a toilet in the corner, and it has a huge grill, lots of metal. It is like a dungeon, but instead of being in the cellar, it’s in the attic. I am actually in the roof,” he said, citing that he has been sick for a few years and is now recovering physically.
He said mentally, however, he has always been in a good place because he knows he is innocent.
Kartel also said he spends his time reading, listening to music and writing a lot.
Since his incarceration, he has released three full-length albums. His 2016 release, ‘Fever’, was certified Gold by RIAA in June of 2020.
Kartel recently released his 16th album titled ‘Born Fi Dis’.
Asked how many songs he has written over the last decade, he said thousands.
“At one point I was sending out like three/four books a month because when I write the songs, I usually send the books out when I get visits... I keep writing and writing, it makes me get better,” he said.
Part Two of Evers’ interview is to be aired on Thursday night.
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