Vybz Kartel has identified what he believes is the biggest problem facing Dancehall today, and it is not a lack of talent or opportunity. The Dancehall superstar says “bad mind” and disunity are holding the genre back, arguing that too many people are focused on being “the man” instead of recognising that there is room for everyone to succeed.
Asked by Anthony Miller about Dancehall’s biggest challenge during an interview on Entertainment Report (ER), Kartel gave a blunt response: “Bad mind. Just a lack of unity. Everybody wants to be the man.” He expanded on his point by promoting what he described as an abundance mindset, insisting, “There is cake for everyone.” The self-proclaimed King of the Dancehall argued that the problem extends beyond music and can emerge in other areas of Black social life as well.
According to Kartel, change must begin with leadership. Asked how the issue could be addressed, he replied, “Lead by example,” before pointing to his own track record of sharing major stages with other Jamaican artistes. Kartel said he had brought artistes such as Shenseea, Skillibeng and Jada Kingdom to arenas he headlined, while more recently incorporating acts including Skeng and Tommy Lee Sparta into his shows.
Kartel said he continues to use his platform to create opportunities for other Dancehall artistes, including through his Freedom Street events. “Everywhere I go, I always try to incorporate Jamaican dancehall acts on my show,” he said. “So we lead by the example.” His comments are likely to fuel fresh debate about whether Dancehall’s biggest obstacle is truly its internal divisions, and whether greater unity could unlock an even bigger future for the genre.
