When asked where he was most excited to perform after finally regaining his freedom following a 13-year prison stint, Vybz Kartel responded, “The entire Caribbean and New York — that’s Jamaica outside of Jamaica!”
In the eight months since he walked out of prison, the King of Dancehall has barely taken a minute to sit down. To ring in the new year, Kartel mounted Freedom Street on Dec. 31, 2024, marking Jamaica’s largest live music event in almost 50 years. The stadium-sized event featured appearances by dancehall giants like Skeng and Popcaan, as well as Kartel’s sons — both recording artists in their own right — Likkle Vybz and Likke Addi. Freedom Street kicked off a global comeback tour for Kartel that has since included an appearance at February’s Grammy Awards (where he enjoyed his first nomination for best reggae album, thanks to his 2024 Party With Me EP), a performance at the U.K.’s MOBO Awards (where he was honored with the impact award), and the announcement of a set at Wireless in support of Drake‘s three-night takeover of the Finsbury Park festival.
In 2025, any Worl’ Boss performance is a special one, but the Billboard cover star wasn’t joking when he called New York “Jamaica outside of Jamaica.” On Friday (April 11), Kartel played his first of two sold-out shows at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center — his first Stateside headlining concert in over 20 years, organized by Reggae Fest. Brooklyn, which has an incredibly high population of first, second and even third-generation Caribbean-Americans, was the perfect host borough for Kartel’s return. For every BK neighborhood the DJ shouted out (Flatbush, Canarsie and Utica rightfully got a lot of love), a different island got the same amount of shine (Grenada, Trinidad, St. Vincent and, of course, Jamaica were among the most mentioned isles of the night). Kartel didn’t hit the stage until shortly after 10 p.m. E.T., but DJ Milan primed the crowd with over two hours’ worths of reggae and dancehall classics, spinning anthems by everyone from Buju Banton and Shenseea to Elephant Man and Teejay.
Kartel made his triumphant return to the stage with his legendary remix of Akon‘s “Locked Up.” “Look! 13 years inna prison, and mi come out a general!” he declared, sauntering across the stage and soaking up the rabid screams from the 19,000-capacity arena.
Worl’ Boss then launched into his litany of hits, tearing through “Dumpa Truck,” “Benz Punany,” “It Bend Like Banana,” “You and Him Deh,” “Street Vybz,” “Come Breed Me” and “Turn Up the F–k.” Kartel, who is currently dealing with Graves’ disease and a heart condition, smartly split up his set with cameos from several surprise guests, allowing him ample time to catch his breath and pace himself throughout the show.
Early in the night, Kartel brought out two former Portmore Empire affiliates, Jah Vinci and Black Ryno, both of whom helped amp the energy in the room. In fact, Black Ryno had so much energy, he got a little ahead of himself and wiped out while walking down the stage’s catwalk. Other special guests throughout the night included Latin Grammy-nominated producer Rvssian, Queen of Dancehall Spice and rap legend Busta Rhymes (who effortlessly rapped his entire “Look at Me Now” verse). Almost more impressive than Kartel’s stamina was just how much power he held over the crowd. If anyone sat down during his two-hour set, it was only for a brief minute to find their bearings after a particularly wicked wine. Kartel’s catalog isn’t littered with Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits or U.S. radio smashes, but none of that mattered on Friday night. When a catalog is so beloved that fans are rapping deep cuts that dropped before they were even born, there’s something very special taking place.
To close out his set, Kartel fired off his biggest crossover smashes, including “Summertime,” “Clarks,” “Fever” and, of course, “Brooklyn Anthem,” gifting Kings County one of the most memorable nights of live music in the borough’s storied history.
Here are the five best moments from Vybz Kartel’s first U.S. headlining show in over 20 years.
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Rvssian Hits the Stage for ‘Straight Jeans & Fitted’
“Straight Jeans & Fitted” was one of Kartel’s earliest crossover hits back in the late ’00s, so it was especially nostalgic to hear the dancehall legend play the tune on Friday night. The only way to make the moment sweeter was to bring out Rvssian, the Billboard Hot 100-charting producer who crafted the riddim and featured on the track.
Since his release, Kartel has taken extra care to share his stages with the collaborators who helped him reach the dancehall’s apex and kept him such a domineering force in the game throughout his incarceration. Rvssian and Kartel owned the stage like lifelong brothers, their camaraderie and mutual appreciation radiating across the arena. Coming near the end of the night, Rvssian’s appearance gave one last unexpected jolt of energy and reminded us to always big up the talents behind the boards.
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‘Brooklyn Anthem’ Shuts Down BK
Brooklyn, BK, the Thoroughest Borough, Kings County — whatever you want to call it, Brooklyn cleared up any and all confusion around which NYC borough is the best on Friday night.
Released in 2005, “Brooklyn Anthem” easily sits among the greatest musical tributes to the borough, and Kartel’s show-closing rendition absolutely shut the arena down. Before he launched into the track, he put on a Brooklyn Nets jersey — which only further delayed the beginning of the song because he accidentally put it on backward — and when he began spitting, “Diss man from Nineties/ Makaveli mek yuh know what ah hollowpoint is/ Bwoy neva mind him bomboclaat business/ Rev rev out yuh life like seven series,” Barclays Center exploded.
It’s nearly impossible to describe the feeling of hearing “Brooklyn Anthem” in a Brooklyn arena surrounded by BK-repping Caribbeans, but it’s likely the most patriotic anyone in that room had felt in quite some time. Many assumed Kartel would end the night with a smash like “Clarks” or “Fever,” but Worl’ Boss understood both his audience and the gravity of the moment. It was Brooklyn’s time to shine.
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Teresa Palmer Receives Special Spotlight
The first place Kartel went after leaving prison was his mother’s house, where he had a tearful reunion with her over a plate of steamed fish and okra. On Friday night, both Kartel’s mother, Teresa Palmer, and the tears returned for an especially poignant moment near the end of the show.
In the back half of the show, Kartel brought his mother on stage and dropped down on bended knee to dedicate a heartfelt rendition of “Mama” to her. As the hook — “Mama mama (my mummy)/ Mama, mama, mama, mama (a mi mother that)/ My madda (she loves me)/ My madda (me love her!) — reverberated across the arena, Kartel’s mother gently caressed his head as he sang to her.
Not often do fans get to see such an unabashed display of humility and love from artists who have achieved mind-boggling heights and near-mythical status, but Friday night’s crowd an up-close view at what that looks like from Kartel.
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The King Holds Space for the Queen
As the names of rumored surprised guests swirled throughout the arena (Popcaan? Drake? Cardi B?), one name kept popping up: Spice. After all, how would the King of Dancehall execute a proper comeback show without the Queen of Dancehall by his side?
Clearly, Kartel agreed, bringing out Spice — in her trademark all-blue hair and wardrobe ensemble — for a show-stopping medley of their (and her) biggest hits. The Grammy-nominated Queen of Dancehall gave Kartel a steamy lapdance as they traded verses on “Romping Shop,” which reached No. 76 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 2009, marking both artists’ Billboard chart debut. Soon enough, Kartel requested a second throne be brought out (this one was blue) for the Queen, but Spice only ever sat down long enough to take off her shoes, ensuring maximum flexibility for the rest of her set. During spirited renditions of “Back Way” and “Conjugal Visit,” Spice hit leg lifts and splits, and gave a masterclass in twerking as she challenged Worl’ Boss to keep up with her. To his credit, Kartel did match her freak, dropping behind her in slow motion to hit the doggystyle sex position during “Visit.”
Like any great king, Kartel gave Spice some time to play her own hit songs. She led her “besties” in impassioned singalongs to “So Mi Like It” and “Fight Over Man,” even finding time to plug her new “Eleven” single. Back like they never left, Barclays saw the King and Queen of Dancehall remind the world why they own those titles — even in the face of Kartel’s fiancée, Sidem Öztürk.
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‘God Is Greatest’ Soundtracks a Moment of Gratitude
At the top of the year (Jan. 31), Kartel re-issued his 2015 Viking (Vybz Is King) LP with seven new songs in honor of the record’s 10-year anniversary. Among those new additions was “God Is the Greatest,” which soundtracked one of the night’s most emotionally charged moments.
Midway through his performance of the track, even Kartel’s jet-black sunglasses couldn’t hide his emotion as Brooklyn’s embrace of the dancehall legend brought him to tears. At this point in the show, it likely hit Kartel in real time that he was back performing in one of his most beloved cities. He briefly cut the music as a few of his team members and protégés consoled him onstage before finishing the song strong, its pure-hearted chorus rising to Barclays’ rafters. Nobody’s tomorrow is promised, and for Kartel that tomorrow meant the rest of his life and career. But Friday night was proof positive that God has many more tomorrows in store for Worl’ Boss.
“And the Lord is around us/ Him blessing surround us/ Mi nuh care who like mi, mi just a gwaan show love,” he and the crown scream-sang in unison.
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