Part one of a five-part series

Dancehall deejay and lyricist Vybz Kartel is, perhaps, one of the most talked about entertainers on the Jamaican music scene. With sharp wits, easy humour and even sharper lyrics, Kartel has carved his way into the business from humble beginnings. Often embroiled in controversial situations, court cases, feuds, visa problems and attacks for his violent and lewd lyrical content, Vybz Kartel is also one of the most elusive entertainers in Jamaica.

How elusive can Vybz Kartel be?

The STAR got a taste when we scheduled to meet Kartel by the studio of producer, Not Nice, to conduct a five-part interview. After waiting for five hours, Kartel remained a no-show. After days of calling and texting, reporter Krista Henry finally spoke to an apologetic Kartel on the telephone. Here is the first of five instalments with Vybz Kartel as he speaks candidly, and often humorously, about his beginnings, influences, religion, women and clashes.

Also known as Adidja Palmer, Kartel was born in Kingston, the third child for his mother and the second for his father. He is originally from the Waterhouse Community, in Kingston, but he has moved to Portmore.

KH: What were you like growing up? Did you grow up in Portmore?

VK: "I grew up in Portmore, Waterford, Gaza. Kartel was an outspoken child, always have sumting to seh, always very energetic."

KH: Was music something you were always interested in?

VK: "Yeah man! We grow up inna music. Mi fadda used to have a likkle juke box wid beer record, mi madda's brothers used to deejay a mi yaad."

KH: On a sound system?

VK: "No man just round di yaad, round di sound."

KH: Where did you go to school?

VK: "Waterford Infant, Waterford Primary, Calabar High and Tutorial College."

KH: Is it true that you got kicked out of school?

VK: "That's why I went to Tutorial, mi get expel, for being unruly. I 'was' unruly. Mi go Technical and get subjects: English, geo, history and literature."

KH: What subject was your favourite?

VK: "Mi love reading and writing history mostly or literature."

KH: OK, what did you do after leaving Tutorial?

VK: "Just lef school and start tek music seriously. Mi just used to deh at every studio, stage show and event. It's not like I lef school and did barbering (laughs)."

KH: What about allegations that you used to be a jerk chicken man?

(In the clash of lyrical swords between deejays Mavado and Kartel, Mavado has accused Kartel of once selling jerk chicken for a living)

VK: "B-t! Ask anyone from Waterhouse. A just di barber seh dat to get back at me."

KH: Where did you record your first song?

VK: "Di first song was at Penthouse Studio for Alvin Reid, a song call Fat Woman. Nobody did know mi then, only mi madda. Afta dat mi start work on mi craft."

(This was in Kartel's early teens under the name Adi Banton, the song was a tribute to Buju Banton, a musical idol of the deejay)

KH: Does anyone know this song?

VK: "No sah! Di song wasn't released 'cause di vocals wasn't all dat at di time."

KH: When did you really start becoming an artiste?

VK: "I was born an artiste, yuh mean when mi start become professional and dats when mi start lock Portmore, dat was even before Vybz Kartel, which was the three of us as a crew. Yuh had Rettis Crew wid Shaun Storm, Dosa Medicine and his crew doing his ting. Portmore is like a country in itself. It's huge and wi lock that long time, so is like mi reach quote and quote stardom from long time."

KH: The early Vybz Kartel was actually three people, what happened to dat? (This consisted of Mr Lee and a singer called Escobar).

VK: "Yuh done know each level you go up and not everyone has di same skill to go to each level, so wi disban di group and mi get di name."

KH: Why did you get to keep the name?

VK: "I invented di name. Like every other name controversy despite what anyone haffi seh."

KH: How did you meet Bounty?

VK: "Mi second manager Rohan Butler introduce me to Bounty in 2000 and mi start write for him."

KH: You started to link from there?

VK: "Yeah! We did a song together Gal Clown and Girls Like Mine."

(Vybz Kartel soon became known as Bounty Killer's musical prodigy, becoming a ghost writer for Bounty Killer, Elephant Man and the Scare Dem Crew.)

KH: Would you say your career started to kick off in Kingston from there?

VK: "Yeah man! In 2000 wi lock down Irie FM."

Look out for Monday's STAR where Kartel discusses Bounty Killer's influence on his career and forming the Portmore Empire.