International dancehall artist Vybz Kartel is wasting away in a Jamaican prison and his attorney fears he will die behind bars.
Vybz’s attorney says his health is declining in prison.
For the last week he’s been in 23-hour solitary lockdown for a cellphone infraction. Human rights attorney Isat Buchanan says Vybz is locked in a jail cell that’s like a “brick oven” with no air ventilation, no water and a bucket for a toilet.
According to Buchanan, the 47-year-old reggae, hip-hop star was diagnosed with Graves’ disease and a heart condition. His health is getting progressively worse and he needs specialized surgery soon, or he could die behind bars.
In March 2014 Vybz, real name Adidja Palmer, was found guilty of murdering his associate Clive Williams. In April 2014 he was sentenced to life in prison.
On April 3, 2020, a Jamaican appeals court reduced Vybz’s life sentence to 32 years and 6 months. He will be eligible for parole in 2046.
Vybz has since written a book and released 50 songs from behind bars in 2016 alone.
His 2016 album, King of the Dancehall, peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Reggae Chart.
In January 2020, the father-of-9 released a 10 track album, titled To Tanesha, dedicated to his ex-girlfriend and mother of his three eldest children, Tanesha “Shorty” Johnson.
In 2020, Vybz released his 15th studio album, Of Dons & Divas. He also appeared on Busta Rhymes’ 2020 album Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God.
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