Dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel, is denying accusations that he shot at Mavado and his entourage, in Cassava Piece on Sunday night. The artiste, who confirmed hearing the alleged rumours, says he was not even in the area at the time of the incident, as he was at a surprise birthday party held for him in Waterford, Portmore.

"I was at my surprise birthday party along with about 400 people when dem seh dat me, a popular artiste, in my popular three series Bima (BMW), at a popular place, fire shot afta dem...dem neva seh is a popular gun too?" laughed Kartel, real name Adijah Palmer, who says he is now accustomed to the attempts of the Alliance to sabotage his career.

"Mi neva even surprise when mi hear dem a call mi name caa a fi dem (Alliance) style dat. Big man ting, me nu have no problem with lyrical feud, but when man a gu slander, an propagate dem f.... deh pon u, dat gone beyond di realms of music," said Kartel, in response to what he describes as the Alliance's flawed 'plot' to destroy him.

But dancehall artiste Mavado, real name David Brooks, has a completely different story. He is accusing Vybz Kartel of direct involvement in the shooting which resulted in the injury of one person.

"Patricia (Adijah) Palmer come drive pass mi community... Him a fire shot fi look stripe an a graze leg, tell him top shotta nuh miss," said Mavado, referring to the incident which occurred in Cassava Piece, St. Andrew.

Police confirm that about 8:30 p.m., a group of men associated with a popular artiste were standing along an area known as 'Gully Bank' in Cassava Piece, when a black motor car drove up. It is alleged that the men in the car brandished guns and fired several shots at the group, hitting one man in the leg. The man was taken to hospital, where he was treated and released.

"MI SEE DI BLEACH FACE"

Police say investigations into the incident are premature, but intelligence points toward an artiste feud. They are yet to identify the gunmen in the incident, unlike residents, who say they spotted what they described as the 'bleached face of Kartel' in his black BMW motor car.

"Everybody see him. Mi memba when him pass, an mi see him bleach face an seh a nuh Kartel dat. A di same tired BMW whe him caa change all now...?" asked an alleged eyewitness to the event.

Mavado, believes that the incident was fuelled by a counteraction song that he recently released, and has taken the incident as an outright attack on himself and his community.

"Mi did tink it deh pon a musical level, but a different level it deh pon now. Bleach face Patricia Palmer a fire shot fi stripe tru him career a fall. Tell him two shot caa get him stripe, is a rum head a walk pon di road di man shot...a dat him afi do fi get pon STAR front page," said Mavado.

BOUNTY 'BAD MIND'

But Kartel, who celebrated his 32nd birthday on Sunday, says he was at the surprise party from in the evening, as the hosts had invited him to a football event, in order to lure him to the party. He reiterates that everything stems from the 'bad mind' intentions of the Alliance leader, Bounty Killer.

"It's a plot by Bounty and the Alliance who stated that my career is gonna be destroyed by him....but their plan's not gonna work. Dem dis too many people, so they don't know where their judgement coming from," said Kartel.

Regardless of being called a bleacher, female, and informer by Mavado, Kartel says he still has high opinions of the musical talents of his rival.

"He is talented an has a bright future, but when he comes out of the role of trying to live gangster life, he'll be a real star like me," said Kartel.