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25 Facts About Vybz Kartel

1.

In 2014, Vybz Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams.

2.

Vybz Kartel often released new music despite his imprisonment, having released over 50 new songs in 2016 alone.

3.

Vybz Kartel's conviction was quashed in March 2024 by the UK Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, who cited juror misconduct and declared that the Jamaican Court of Appeal had to decide if a retrial would take place.

4.

On 31 July 2024, Vybz Kartel was released from prison after the Court of Appeal declined to retry the Williams case.

5.

Palmer was later part of the three-member group "Vybz Kartel", keeping the name for himself after the group split up.

6.

Vybz Kartel rose to prominence in 2003 after having a string of hit songs in Jamaica.

7.

The relationship between Todd and Vybz Kartel developed into a business partnership.

8.

Vybz Kartel said NCN was reviewing the lyrics of other musicians and could ban them as well.

9.

However, Vybz Kartel's brand was intended for the purpose of skin lightening or bleaching.

10.

Vybz Kartel has hosted his own reality television show "Teacha's Pet" on CVM Jamaica broadcast channel, the first reality television show hosted by a dancehall artist in Jamaica.

11.

On 29 September 2011, Vybz Kartel was arrested by police for cannabis possession.

12.

Vybz Kartel was charged, along with two others, including Vanessa "Gaza Slim" Saddler, as well as perverting the course of justice after Saddler allegedly claimed that Williams had robbed her in order to mislead the police into believing that he was still alive.

13.

Vybz Kartel's trial was scheduled for 21 January 2013, but had to be postponed due to a lack of jurors, and was rescheduled for 11 July.

14.

However, Vybz Kartel remained in custody pending the second murder case.

15.

On 3 April 2014, Vybz Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment.

16.

Jamaican prison officials denied allowing him recording privileges and Vybz Kartel refused to state the exact source of the recordings, despite the lyrical content including current events.

17.

In 2016, while in prison, Vybz Kartel released his most internationally successful album, King of the Dancehall, which peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Reggae Charts.

18.

In January 2020, Vybz Kartel released a 10-track album, To Tanesha, which was dedicated to his ex-wife and mother of his three children, Tanesha Johnson.

19.

On 14 March 2024, Vybz Kartel's conviction was quashed by the UK Privy Council due to juror misconduct, requiring the Jamaica Court of Appeal to decide if a retrial would take place.

20.

Vybz Kartel's first child was born on 18 April 2003, when he was 27 years old.

21.

Vybz Kartel subsequently had two other children with the child's mother, his longtime girlfriend Tanesha 'Shorty' Johnson.

22.

Since 2016, Vybz Kartel has been living with Graves' disease and a heart condition.

23.

Vybz Kartel has faced health problems while in prison, including a thyroid issue.

24.

Vybz Kartel is engaged to his long-time partner, Sidem Ozturk, a social worker from London, England.

25.

The couple first met in 2015 while Vybz Kartel was serving time following a murder conviction.