Jamaican dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel has declined to comment on the controversy surrounding his potential performance in Trinidad and Tobago during the upcoming Carnival season.
Instead, the artiste, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, chose to focus on promoting his new rum brand, STR8 VYBZ, during its official Trinidad and Tobago launch at the Angostura Solera Wine and Spirits Retail Store in Port-of-Spain.
Speculation about Kartel performing during Carnival erupted last month after a social media post hinted he was slated to perform on Carnival Friday, sparking a heated debate about its impact on local soca artistes.
The controversy intensified when soca artiste Kevon “Yankey Boy” Heath staged a hunger strike in protest of the news.
Speaking at the event, Kartel sidestepped questions about the performance rumors, saying, “I love Carnival. As a matter of fact, remember Jamaica Carnival is huge,” before briefly singing Destra and Machel Montano’s 2003 hit It’s Carnival. He added, “We love Carnival, but I cannot speak to that right now because we are just promoting STR8 VYBZ to the Trinidad people, to the Caribbean people, because this is a Caribbean effort. It’s a joint collaboration between Jamaica and Trinidad.”
Kartel hailed Trinidad and Tobago as his second home, emphasizing the significance of launching STR8 VYBZ in the country as its first market outside Jamaica. Angostura has been unveiled as the official co-packer and master distributor for the rum, which was first launched in Jamaica on November 5. The company aims to expand the brand’s reach internationally.
Since his release from prison earlier this year, Kartel’s return to the music stage has been highly anticipated. While he confirmed plans to perform in Jamaica on New Year’s Eve, he has yet to announce details of any Trinidad Carnival appearance.
Kartel, no stranger to Trinidad Carnival, previously performed during the season at Licensing Fete in 2010 and has collaborated with top soca artistes, including Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, and KMC.
