Vybz Kartel’s associate and businessman, Cordel “Skatta” Burrell, has fired back—albeit subtly—at renewed chatter about whether the Dancehall icon should take the stage with a live band. The conversation was reignited by Nigel Staff of the legendary Ruff Kutt Band, who, in a recent interview with The Fix Podcast, bluntly declared, “Vybz Kartel could never manage a band,” before stressing that “it takes talent to perform with a band.”
Skatta appeared to address those remarks in a post shared to social media, uploading a slide of Kartel and his team standing beside a private jet. His caption read, “Band of Brothers & Sista is the only Band We need,” punctuated with hashtags including #FrenchGuyana, #DancehallKing, #DancehallCinderella, and #TeamGrinch. The statement, though brief, was interpreted by fans as a sharp dismissal of calls for Kartel to follow the traditional reggae and dancehall band format.
Despite foregoing live musicians, Kartel continues to dominate stages worldwide with track-based performances. His shows have sold out venues across the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, proving that his magnetic presence and catalogue of hits can draw massive crowds without the backing of live instruments.
The exchange highlights a larger debate within Jamaican music: authenticity versus modernity. While bands like Ruff Kutt symbolise the roots-driven performance tradition of reggae and classic dancehall, Kartel’s success underscores the evolving landscape, where digital production and track-based sets are increasingly the norm. As the Dancehall King prepares to headline in French Guyana tonight (Friday, August 15), his camp seems unbothered by the critique—signalling that Kartel’s formula, band or no band, is still striking the right chord with fans worldwide.
View this post on Instagram
