Recently released dancehall icon Vybz Kartel has issued a warning to wayward youths.
Kartel, in responding to reporters as he made his exit from the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, heading to a limousine with an orange handkerchief partially covering his face likened his time in prison describing it as “hell, hell, hell”.
He encouraged the youth to stay out of crime, saying that it isn’t worth it and would be a waste of their lives and a waste of time.
“Tell di yute dem fi stay outta crime bredrin! It nuh worth it. A waste a life an waste a time bredda!” he urged.
In response to videos that have hit social media since his release from prison, fans noted changes in Kartel’s voice and appearance, while others praised what appeared to be a new, positive outlook on life.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, had been accused, along with Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John, of killing Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2011. The men, who consistently denied involvement, were found guilty in 2014. While the Court of Appeal initially upheld the convictions in 2020, the London-based Privy Council, Jamaica’s highest court, overturned the verdict in March 2024 due to juror misconduct. The Privy Council then directed the case back to the Court of Appeal to determine if a retrial was necessary.
This decision ultimately led to Kartel’s release.
