Vybz Kartel, Jamaica's once-feared dancehall king, has been left with more than just a rap career to revive - he's struggling to overcome the psychological scars of his 9-year prison stint.
During an interview at London's Four Seasons hotel, Kartel opens up about how life behind bars affected him, revealing that simple sounds still send him into a panic: "If I hear a key shake, it traumatise me," he confesses. The noise reminds him of the daily head counts his captors would make.
Just 15 years ago, Kartel was at the height of his fame - a global dancehall sensation with hits like Fever and Romping Shop under his belt. But in 2011, he found himself accused of murdering an associate, Clive "Lizard" Williams, and ended up serving time for the crime. His subsequent acquittal only led to more prison time.
Kartel attributes his rise to fame largely to his ability to tap into the anger and frustrations felt by many Jamaican youth - a sound known as "slackness." At the time, this aggressive style of music was blamed for fuelling an epidemic of violence in Jamaica. Kartel acknowledges that, but maintains he is innocent of murder charges.
Released from prison last year after nearly a decade behind bars, Kartel says his time inside left him mentally scarred - struggling to sleep and plagued by anxiety over even the smallest sounds, like the clanging of keys during headcounts.
The former dancehall king now finds himself at odds with Jamaica's justice system. He is a vocal critic of the country's government, believing it to be "too corrupt" and that his experience of the prison system only served to further entrench this sentiment.
Despite still struggling with sickness and the trauma he experienced behind bars, Kartel remains optimistic about his future - he has just released an album titled Heart & Soul and is planning a world tour.
During an interview at London's Four Seasons hotel, Kartel opens up about how life behind bars affected him, revealing that simple sounds still send him into a panic: "If I hear a key shake, it traumatise me," he confesses. The noise reminds him of the daily head counts his captors would make.
Just 15 years ago, Kartel was at the height of his fame - a global dancehall sensation with hits like Fever and Romping Shop under his belt. But in 2011, he found himself accused of murdering an associate, Clive "Lizard" Williams, and ended up serving time for the crime. His subsequent acquittal only led to more prison time.
Kartel attributes his rise to fame largely to his ability to tap into the anger and frustrations felt by many Jamaican youth - a sound known as "slackness." At the time, this aggressive style of music was blamed for fuelling an epidemic of violence in Jamaica. Kartel acknowledges that, but maintains he is innocent of murder charges.
Released from prison last year after nearly a decade behind bars, Kartel says his time inside left him mentally scarred - struggling to sleep and plagued by anxiety over even the smallest sounds, like the clanging of keys during headcounts.
The former dancehall king now finds himself at odds with Jamaica's justice system. He is a vocal critic of the country's government, believing it to be "too corrupt" and that his experience of the prison system only served to further entrench this sentiment.
Despite still struggling with sickness and the trauma he experienced behind bars, Kartel remains optimistic about his future - he has just released an album titled Heart & Soul and is planning a world tour.
I feel so bad for Vybz Kartel, like he's been through hell and back and still trying to recover from the trauma of being in prison for 9 years. The thought of him having panic attacks just because he hears a key shake is heartbreaking 
... how can something as simple as a sound trigger that kind of fear? It's not just about his music career, it's about his mental health and well-being. And now he's got to deal with the whole corrupt justice system thing 
... I'm glad he's still optimistic about his future though, releasing an album and planning a world tour is a great way to get back out there and share his message 
. We should all be supporting him on this journey and raising awareness about mental health issues 
.
Poor Vybz... I can imagine how tough it must've been for him to go through what he did. 9 years in prison is way too long, you feel? 
The noise thing is so sad - sounds that were meant to be energizing and celebratory became triggers for him. 
he tapped into somethin deep in Jamaican culture, but now hes just tryna cope with the trauma & find his peace... I hope he gets thru dis, he deserves it 
ugh its so wild how Vybz Kartel went from being super famous to basically living in trauma mode 
like who hasn't had a nightmare about clanging keys or something 
anyway im glad he's trying to come back and make music again 
and it's crazy how much he's been affected by the prison system 
and i'm hoping he can find some peace of mind 
, but it's also concerning that he's still speaking out against the jamaican government 
. Like, come on, dude's been in prison for 9 years, serve your time already! You're gonna sit there and tell us that you can't even deal with some basic noises from the past? That just sounds like weak sauce to me 
. He was a big-time rapper, sure, but now he's just another guy trying to get his life back on track. Newsflash: it ain't all sunshine and rainbows, and if he wants to be successful again, he needs to stop whining about the past 
.
But at the same time, I feel bad for him - he was just trying to make a living and express himself through music.
He's still got it 
. Can't wait to see what the future holds for this talented artist 
.
. But for him, it's not just about the music - it's about healing and finding his place in the world again.
. On the other hand, his music was definitely a reflection of the struggles and frustrations in Jamaican youth culture... like, did he really cause all that violence? 
his heart & soul album sounds like a good start 
hope he gets da healing n closure he needs 
Hearing simple sounds like keys shaking still freaks him out. That's some serious PTSD stuff right there 
, it's crazy how the sound of keys clanking can trigger PTSD in someone who was once at the top of their game! Interesting 
9 years is a looong time, fam... it's crazy how sounds from back home can trigger anxiety lol imagine hearing keys clinking during headcounts 
. i feel him tho, corruption in the justice system is whack and needs to be addressed ASAP 
, wish him all the best as he navigates this next chapter 
. i'm glad he's still optimistic though, releasing an album and planning a tour is a big step towards getting back on track