Singer Irie Releases His Latest Song "Kartel"

There has been a frenetic buzz about Vybz Kartel since he was released from a Jamaican prison in July. Every step the controversial dancehall deejay takes seems to make news.

Singer IrieSinger Irie, a New Jersey-based Jamaican artist, is among the fascinated. Kartel, his latest song, was released in late September.

Kartel is produced by Norman Owen, a Jamaican who lives in New York.

“I have known DJ Kartel from long time, I am the person who sold him his first house. I think he has great influence on young people in the dancehall, so I think if he uses his lyrical influence to lead the young people in the right direction, he can be the next icon like Bob Marley or Marcus Garvey,” said Singer Irie.

Vybz Kartel was released after spending 13 years in prison for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, a former associate. His co-accused, Shawn “Shawn Storm” Campbell, Andre St. John and Kahira Jones, were also freed by Jamaica’s Court of Appeal.

Jones is still behind bars for separate charges.

In February, the Privy Council in Britain ruled that juror misconduct had compromised the accused’s 2014 murder conviction and quashed that sentence. The British court, Jamaica’s last forum for legal appeals, ordered the Court of Appeal to decide whether Kartel and his colleagues should be retried.

The Jamaican court ruled against a retrial, resulting in Kartel’s freedom.

Singer Irie was not surprised when Vybz Kartel walked out of the General Penitentiary in Kingston to cheering fans. He plans to attend the deejay’s Freedom Street concert at the National Stadium on December 31.

“I will be there to support him, I would love to perform if possible. But just to be at the show is okay with me ‘cause it’s going to be a good show,” he said.