The renowned artiste opened up about his skin-bleaching history during a recent appearance on the Hot 97 radio show with American presenter Ebro Darden.

Reflecting on that chapter of his life, Kartel said, “I mean, in hindsight it definitely had to do with self-love, but on the other hand, while I was doing it, my mind wasn’t telling me that. My mind was telling me, ‘I am doing this to show my tattoos’… I got a lot of tattoos. But looking back, it was just as a Black man, sometimes we have those issues. But I would never bleach again though.”

Kartel also revealed that he has reduced his alcohol and smoking habits and is now focused on building a future with his fiancée, Sidem Öztürk.

“I analyse myself a lot of times, and I think the heavy drinking and smoking when I came out was just my crutch. You got to try to cope. I’ve been in prison for 13 years; I’m out now. The world is bigger — it’s a lot,” he said.

Looking ahead, Kartel expressed excitement about starting a family with Öztürk. “I want some Turkish children,” he added, highlighting his desire to marry her and build a life together.

Vybz Kartel says he still respects his wife despite her cheating on him while he was serving 13 years in prison 👀

pic.twitter.com/jK4uJ75Ju6

— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) February 25, 2025

Bullgod expressed his excitement not only about the invite but also praised Shatta Wale for delivering an outstanding performance while representing the country.

According to Shatta Wale’s former manager, it was a dream come true for the ‘On God’ hitmaker, as Vybz Kartel had been his idol for many years, and Shatta Wale had always aspired to meet the Jamaican artist.

Bullgod shared his thoughts on Shatta Wale’s performance during an appearance on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show.

“It was part of the dream. Shatta has always admired Vybz Kartel, and even before I met him, I saw what he was doing; I’m a big reggae and dancehall fan. When you look at where he’s going with his craft, you can see the inspiration behind it,” he said.

When Bullgod began working with the musician, he encouraged his team to aim for a Vybz Kartel-like trajectory, something they worked towards until their sudden departure.

However, Bullgod expressed pride in Shatta Wale’s current team for helping him achieve the goal, even though he (Bullgod) is no longer working with the artist.

“We saw the dream at the time and recognised where the influence and inspiration were coming from. So, to witness this full circle moment in our lifetime, we are proud of the team Shatta Wale is with now, who made sure this dream became a reality. Everyone is happy, trust me. Whether we are with him or not, it’s a dream we started, and we’re glad it happened,” he remarked.

Bullgod also expressed his happiness in being part of the historic return of Vybz Kartel, especially considering the artist’s survival through his thirteen years of imprisonment.

He further revealed that Sarkodie’s Rapperholic concert was an idea initially conceived by himself, Kendrick Yehowada, and Vybz Kartel, until the unfortunate arrest of the Jamaican artiste.

The emotional moment unfolded in a hotel room, where Öztürk was left stunned as Kartel presented an engagement ring, marking a significant step in their unconventional love story.

Kartel shared his joy with fans, flashing the engagement ring before the proposal, and later took to Instagram to reflect on their relationship.

“You were there when I needed you most and I’ll never leave you, baby,” he wrote, expressing deep appreciation for Öztürk’s consistent support, both through his legal battles and emotional struggles.

Kartel recalled how her visits and calls kept him grounded, adding, “We laughed together, we cried together, and now we celebrate together.”

Öztürk and Kartel first connected in 2015 when, as she admits, she went to great lengths to reach him by tracking down his social media presence.

She was drawn to Kartel not only for his music but also for the allure he held in her life. “I found him very handsome… an obsession,” she shared, describing him as her “perfect match.”

Despite Kartel’s incarceration, the couple’s love has endured, and now with an engagement ring symbolizing their bond, they look toward a future together.

The two continue to defy the odds, driven by a deep affection that Kartel describes as friendship, companionship, and love.

Video below;

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by KING OF DANCEHALL (@vybzkartel)

In a recently uploaded vlog, the couple documented their day out, which included a trip to Devon House for drinks and soup after visiting the dentist and an eyelash technician.

The highlight of their day was when they decided to ink each other’s names on their arms.

Sidem was the first to get “KARTEL” tattooed in all caps on her right arm, while Kartel reciprocated by getting “SIDEM” tattooed on his left arm.

The couple shared a lighthearted moment afterward, joking about the size of Sidem’s tattoo.

In addition to the matching tattoos, Vybz Kartel also showed off some new ink on his face, including the words “Love God” and his mother’s name, which have become standout features of his evolving tattoo collection.

The video showcasing their matching tattoos and the day’s events has since captured the attention of fans, who are following the couple’s journey with great interest.

The 48-year-old artiste was freed by a Jamaican Court of Appeal judgment, and a widely shared video shows him leaving the jail yard.

Shortly after emerging from the confines of his jail yard, Vybz Kartel—formerly known as Adidja Palmer—advised the young person to “stay out of crime, as time spent in prison is a waste of life”.

He was seen in the video being led to a car by his pals, where he delivered the sage advice.

“Tell di youth ‘em fi stay outta crime, it nuh worth it, a waste a life, a waste a time Breda,” he stated.

Dancehall artistes from Ghana, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy, have since praised Vybz Kartel’s success and plan to feature the rapper shortly.

Since their arrests in 2011 and subsequent 2014 conviction for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, whose body was never located, Vybz Kartel, then known as Adidja Palmer, and his three co-defendants have been imprisoned in a Jamaican prison.

A largely circumstantial case supported by a discredited witness and phone and video records from his BlackBerry Torch led to the conviction.

Shatta Wale, known for his strong support of Kartel throughout his incarceration, took to social media to celebrate the momentous occasion.

It is worthy to note that Shatta was the only artiste from Africa who boldly campaigned for Kartel’s freedom through the #FreeVybzKartel movement.

He recorded a song, ‘Free Up Di Gaza’ to advocate for a reduced sentence and ultimate release of Vybz Kartel.

Since the announcement of his release, Shatta had been eagerly counting down the hours in anticipation of the D-day.He shared his joy with his followers, posting, “Gaza Freedom is a must, I knew this day would come, welcome home fada for all.”

In series of celebratory posts, Shatta Wale declared that he can now freely travel in and out of Jamaica since his mentor is now available to give him a grand welcome.

Shatta Wale was glued to a live broadcast when Vybz Kartel was led out of the prison gates and officially declared free.

Additionally, Shatta Wale revealed that he has recorded a victory song to commemorate the release of his musical inspiration.

Just over a decade ago in March of 2014, the musician was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.

In March of this year, the convictions were overturned due to juror misconduct.

It was decided earlier this afternoon that Kartel, along with the co-accused Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John, would not face retrial.

“Having regard to all considerations the court has taken into account, we conclude that the interest of justice do not require a new trial to be ordered for the appellants” said Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop.

“We therefore make the following order: judgments and verdicts of acquittal are entered in relation to the appellants.”

Poetically, this comes just a day before Jamaican Emancipation Day, a week-long celebration which culminates with Jamaican Independence Day.

It’ll be a sight to see when he performs for the first time, or starts collaborating with big names who have been campaigning for his freedom all of these years.

The 48-year-old was given a life sentence in 2014 for the killing of Clive “Lizard” Williams on the Caribbean island.

His successful appeal, heard by the Privy Council in London, argued that a juror accused of trying to bribe others should have been thrown off his trial.

Authorities in Jamaica will decide whether the case should be retried.

The musician, real name Adidja Palmer, is one of the country’s most popular artists and has collaborated with performers such as Jay-Z and Rihanna.

His 64-day trial was one of the longest in Jamaican history, and ended with Kartel being ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years in jail.

This was later reduced to 32-and-a-half years.

The trial heard that victim Clive Williams and another man, Lamar Chow, were given two unlicensed firearms belonging to Kartel for safekeeping.

When they failed to return them at an agreed time, prosecutors said, they were summoned to Kartel’s house in August 2011.

Chow told the trial they were attacked and the last thing he saw was Clive Williams – who was never seen alive again – lying motionless on the ground.

The house burned down days later and a body was never recovered.

Kartel and his co-accused Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John had maintained their innocence since the original trial.

Their appeal hearing last month before The Privy Council, which serves as the highest court of appeal in Jamaica and other Commonwealth countries, was their last chance to reverse the verdict.

Delivering the council’s ruling, a panel of justices said that a juror accused of attempting to bribe fellow jury members was not removed.
The judge let them remain on the case and have a say in the final verdicts.

Allowing this juror to stay, the council said, was “fatal to the safety of the convictions which followed” and “an infringement of the [defendants’] fundamental right to a fair hearing”.
The men had also argued that jurors were sent to reach a verdict late in the day, putting them under “undue pressure” to do so.

They had also argued that a key piece of mobile phone evidence – a text message allegedly sent from Kartel’s phone – presented in court had been obtained in breach of guidelines.

However, the panel did not rule on these matters, finding that the allegations of bribery alone were serious enough to dismiss the guilty verdicts.

Vybz Kartel is known worldwide for hits including Clarks, Ramping Shop and Summer Time, and his success led to him launching lines of shoes, alcohol and condoms.

The singer also became the first dancehall artist to star in his own reality TV show, Teacha’s Pet.

According to his lawyer, the musician is battling a life-threatening autoimmune disease called Graves’ Disease and two heart conditions.

The lawyer expressed concern about Vybz Kartel’s deteriorating physical condition, which he attributed to being held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day for an alleged offence involving a mobile phone.

Describing the artiste’s condition, the lawyer told Fox News:

“His neck was swollen to the point where you couldn’t even close the collar of a shirt with an 18.5-inch neck. That’s the severity of his condition right now. His face is also visibly swollen. Also, he normally wears glasses, but in his current condition, his eyes are protruding.

Vybz is serving a life sentence for the murder of a colleague, following his arrest in Kingston 11 years ago, Vybz Kartel has spent over a decade behind bars.

The dancehall artiste faced two murder charges in the months following his arrest. While he was acquitted of the murder of Barrington ‘Bossie’ Burton, he was found guilty of the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2014.

Vybz Kartel’s prison sentence includes a provision that he will be eligible for parole after serving at least 35 years.

In October 2022, Vybz reportedly hired a Turkish social worker, Sidem Öztürk.

Öztürk said she and Kartel became engaged during an authorised prison visit in the summer of 2022.

The two had been talking for seven years.

“He’s smart, I love his heart, he’s got an amazing heart and it’s so giving, it’s so loving, I like to call him my angel” – Sidem Öztürk.

A curious fan asked, “Did he actually propose to you, did he have a song to propose to you, can you share some of that with us?”

Sidem explained, “It happened like this, we were just calling each other hubby and wifey and he was like, ‘Well, we’re heading towards marriage, so calling you wifey or you calling me hubby is not serious enough,’ so he was like, ‘You’re my fiancé, we’re going to get married.”

According to him, he is the true dancehall king because he sparked the career of many dancehall musicians including the popular Vybz Kartel, who is currently serving time in prison for the murder of Clive Williams, whose body was never found in 2011.

During the interview, pundit Mr Logic asked Beenie Man to cement his position as the dancehall king since there existed many who were perceived to be the dancehall Lords such as Shaba Ranking and Ninjaman among others who equally chalked success in the dancehall music sphere.

Beenie Man, answering Mr Logic’s query said:

I went and found him. They didn’t want to do anything with him then I did a song with him… We went number one and we did another song that took him to the billboard. These are the songs that made him. That’s why we have one king and not two…, Beenie Man said.

Meanwhile, Beenie Man is set to perform with Stonebwoy tonight at The Grand Arena at Stonebwoy’s annual Bhim Concert show.

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According to him, he would do whatever possible to have a one-on-one chat with Jamaica’s dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel.

Naming him as his alter ego, Shatta Wale said he cannot wait for the Summer Time hitmaker to lay his hands on his head.

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My dream is to see Vybz Kartel freed from prison. That is my biggest dream because I need to meet him personally so he can just touch me.

Shout out to you dada, you are the finest man. I have this connection with him, he said.

Additionally, Shatta Wale said he will release his Mansa Musa song with Vybz Kartel in 2021.

Nonetheless, in 2014, Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive “Lizard” Williams.

He will be eligible for parole once he has served a minimum of 35 years in prison.

Despite being imprisoned, Kartel continues to release new music prolifically, releasing over 50 new songs in 2016 alone.

Dancehall musician, Shatta Wale, says he has been in touch with A-list celebrities such as Meek Mill, Nicki Minaj, Vybz Kartel and Cardi B in recent times.

According to him, he has already cemented his name in Ghana’s music space, hence the need to focus more on international collaborations with these major pop stars.

He made this assertion in an interview on Hitz FM’s Yaad Settingz show last weekend while talking about his forthcoming album and stars he might feature both home and abroad.

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There is an adage that goes like ‘dance a yard’ before ‘you dance abroad’. That’s what I go by so I wanted my community to love me and feel me for my career and talent.

And I think this is the best time for me to go out there because I’m talking to a whole lot of celebrities out there; talk about Meek Mill, Nicki Minaj, Vybz, Cardi B, and other people… I have people I am linking to get me those steps and its basically one of those things.

It’s going to be an international album. In Ghana I will feature a couple, surprise acts that people might not think I will feature them, he noted.

After a long wait, Shatta has confirmed the birth of the feature, Mansa Musa, with a snippet of the video he posted on his official twitter page.

Quoting the book of Luke, the Dancehall King said he and Vybz Kartel are set to lecture students on African history, citing the case of Mali’s emperor, Mansa Musa.

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To him, his rulership is comparable to Mansa Musa who was widely recognised as the wealthiest of all to have lived in his era.

Meanwhile, the release of his official artwork has sparked fire on Twitter as Shatta Movement loyal fans went on a retweeting spree.

Mansa Musa tops the chart of twitter trends  today, February 26 as efforts are being made to generate international recognition for the artiste.