Vybz Kartel’s Best Songs, Ranked
Imagine going to an all-you-can-eat buffet with all your favorite food choices after a week of fasting and being told you can only pick one thing. That’s precisely how it feels trying to pick the top five songs from Vybz Kartel, one of my favorite artists and who I’d consider a lyrical genius, who has written over 900 songs—and I’m sure he’s cooking up more as we speak! He effortlessly captures the art of passion, relatability, storytelling, melodies and a poetic tongue in every tune he releases. This was a hard decision, but after weighing my options, here are the reigning tracks:
How can one even imagine summer without hearing this theme song? Every note of this song radiates joy! Everything about this tune exudes happiness. The sound of it feels like a form of serotonin; like it could just lift all the seasonal depression out of one’s body. School is over, work is done and you’re just in Jamaica on the beach with a coconut freshly sliced open. It provides listeners with an immediate feeling of vacation and freedom.
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You hear this classic at every Caribbean party in New York City. It’s a staple that every DJ knows to schedule in their set. It encapsulates the duality of being Jamaican and growing up in Brooklyn, but beyond that, it’s a huge ‘big up’ to the whole Brooklyn posse regardless of their background. It’s a timeless and generational tune that everyone anticipated for his live performance at Barclays.
Image Credit: Michael Schmelling
“Clarks” is a global hit; a global sensation; a song that gets people dancing and kicking their feet even when they’re not wearing Clarks. Kartel dropped this song featuring Popcaan and Gaza Slim 13 years ago and to this day Jamaicans do not play about their Clarks. Some will even argue it is the national shoe of Jamaica. Fun fact: Did you know there are three parts to Clarks? If you didn't, now's the perfect time to tune in.
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Now this is the song we were all singing while young when we had absolutely no business doing so. The song where you listen closely to the instrumental of the intro, praying, fingers crossed that it's not Neyo (sorry brother man). And once you hear “Adi Teacha and ah Spice. Every mon grab a gyal and every gyal grab a mon,” you know exactly what time it is. Romping Shop cemented Kartel and Spice as the king and queen of dancehall and I can’t wait to tell my kids they were Obama and Michelle.
Image Credit: Jamstone Sound
This one goes crazy because of all of the raw passion you hear in Kartel’s voice. Not to mention the riddim is just insane. Rent was definitely due for his producer, TJ Records. Kartel eases into the track smoothly, he starts the beginning just flowing and as he continues singing “mi tun up di scheme” repetitively in the song, he raises his vocals and sings the line with more and more power. Playing this song on the drive to an event with friends is a guaranteed mood booster! Then when he slows it down? WHEW! This song will be played at my wedding reception for sure. Crowning this track number one.
Image Credit: Spotify