Feuds have long been a part of Jamaican music, from the ska era to the dancehall. However, in recent times they have reached unprecedented levels of violence, often with personal vendettas on and off stage.

In music, competition occurs across genres. In rap music there was Kanye West versus 50 Cent and Eminem versus Jermaine Dupri (and almost all the rap community). In rock, there are British rock bands versus American rock bands, in pop Britney Spears versus Christina Aguilera, and the list goes on.

While most stopped at word throwing, there have been instances of violence, such as the infamous feud and resulting death of rap stars Tupac Shakur and the Notorious BIG. In the dancehall, probably the most explosive feud has been between David Brooks, aka Mavado, and Adidjah Palmer, aka Vybz Kartel.