Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel says his relentless work ethic remains unchanged at age 50, revealing that he recently recorded eight songs in a single day while also confirming that a biopic about his life is in development.
Speaking during an interview with DJ Akademiks, Kartel makes it clear that he has no plans to slow down.
“Even now, at 50 years old, you see me still working. I’m in the studio. The night before last, I recorded eight songs. Really? I swear to God.”
The “Fever” deejay says he never doubted his global appeal, insisting that his international success was always part of the plan.
“That’s what I work for. I am never the one to be like, ‘Oh, I’m so shocked.’ No, this is what I work for. Why would I be shocked?”
Kartel also reveals an ambitious slate of upcoming projects, including new products, another reality series and a feature film based on his life.
“I always try to upgrade myself to be the better version of myself. That’s why we came back with the rum, we’re doing the vodka, we have the Vybz Cruise, we’re doing another reality show. It’s just like, yeah, I’m doing my biopic. I stay working hard. I have no time to waste.”
Reflecting on his influence, the ‘Unstoppable’ dancehall star says he has always respected the pioneers who came before him while recognizing the legacy he has now built.
“That’s why my fans used to say, ‘Dancehall is in jail.’ It’s no disrespect to dancehall because Vybz Kartel is one of the guys that always pay homage to the people that came before me. I stand on the shoulders of giants. So now I am a giant and I’ve proven it.”
Kartel returned to the U.S. stage last year after his murder conviction was overturned in 2024 and his visa was reinstated at the start of 2025, going on to complete more than 22 arena dates, including six in the United States and sold-out shows across Canada, London and Paris.
That success, he says, comes as no surprise because it is exactly what he has worked toward.
“People ask me that, even my manager TJ. I was like, ‘Bro, it’s a normal day. This is what I work for.'”
Reflecting on the businesses he built before serving 13 years in prison, noting that he has had to rebuild many of those ventures since his release, he says,
“Before I went to prison, I used to sell Street Vybz Rum. We used to run the club. We had condoms. We had signed artists. Went to prison for 13 years. Nobody else did it in dancehall. No one came with a product. No one owned the club. No one was doing it. I had to come back out and do it again. So now I’m selling the Street Vybz Rum.”
The Grammy-nominated deejay attributes his longevity to staying creative rather than believing his own hype.
“It’s just the work. It’s being innovative, being creative, and not just believing the hype that people give to you. Living off the hype is good, but you, the person believing it—that’s crazy work.”
Kartel also discusses his efforts to expand his brand beyond music, pointing to the Vybz Experience, his liquor brands, and other ventures as examples of constantly reinventing himself.
Asked how he continues to innovate after decades in the business, Kartel says his motivation is simple.
“Someone has to do it.”
Watch full interview on YouTube.
