Much maligned, maybe misunderstood, Vybz Kartel (aka "Addi the Teacha," "Addi the Emperor," or simply "Addi"), if just for his voluminous output and lyrical mastery, is definitely one of the top deejays in the history of dancehall music. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s, after he impressed dancehall icon Bounty Killer with his lyrical ability. Killer took Kartel under his wings and the relationship proved mutually beneficial: Kartel wrote several well-received songs for Killer, while Killer accepted Kartel into the Killer-led Alliance, making Kartel’s ascent in the business possibly easier than it would otherwise have been. Kartel rose rapidly, snagging several Deejay-of-the-Year awards, collaborating with several international hip-hop and pop stars, and recording creditable album sales with several projects for UK-based Greensleeves Records. Along the way, Kartel was earning a reputation as a nonconformist who was not afraid to tackle issues, individuals, and institutions.
In 2006, Kartel eventually split from the Alliance after a much-publicized rift with the Alliance patriarch Bounty Killer. Kartel would spend much of the next two years embroiled in lyrical and legal confrontations with members of the Alliance and other entertainment personalities. The constant feuding made him a target of the media, the politicians, and the church, less appealing to some record companies and sponsors, but elevated his standing in the eyes of many marginalized and rebellious youths who shared his seeming distaste for establishment and tradition. It was during this period that the Portmore Empire with Kartel at the helm was conceived.
Comprising, amongst others, Craig Dennis, Deva Bratt, Shawn Storm, Doza Medicine, Omeil, Babydoll, Earthworm, and Black Ryno, the Empire, with its band of mainly upstarts, positioned itself as a legitimate rival to the Alliance, which constituted far more seasoned deejays. Some of the Empire's best early works were recorded for producer Stephen McGregor and at Father's Romie's Exodus Studios. Addi and the Empire focuses on the tracks recorded out of Father Romie's studio for either Father Romie or Deejay Jayy.
The Empire got off to an auspicious start for Father Romie with the eponymous Portmore Empire riddim, an edgy up-tempo beat that Kartel used to claim his rights to the Empire with the line "Addi the Emperor's empire" in Addi the Emperor. Still, the Portmore Empire riddim will be most remembered for Pre Wi (Craig Dennis) and Skin Fi Burn (Portmore Empire), a searing hot combination featuring most of the initial Portmore Empire cast that threw down the gauntlet to the Alliance and unveiled the potential of the Empire to be a bonafide recording powerhouse; however, the cohesion that we saw on Skin fi Burn would quickly begin to fade. The untimely passing of the talented singjay Craig Dennis in a bike accident, robbed the Empire of its most gifted member, next to Kartel, and its foil for Mavado, the singjay/deejay member of the Alliance who was asserting himself as Kartel's main adversary. The Empire continued to press after Dennis' passing, but it was evident that all was not well in the camp.
At the start of 2008, Father Romie's groundbreaking Resident Evil riddim, provided the Empire with another platform to chase commercial and critical success; however, for the most part the Emperor and his subjects lost the plot as most of the members chose to deliver graphic lyrics that celebrated violence and raunchy behavior. The Empire's offerings on Resident Evil coupled with some of its members frequent run-ins with the police provided fodder for sections of the Jamaican media and wider public that were arguing that violent and lewd lyrics were contributing to Jamaica's high crime rate and breakdown in morality.
After Resident Evil, the discord in the Empire's camp became obvious. Kartel publicly distanced himself from Deva Bratt, who was embattled in a legal controversy that alleged unsavory behavior on his part. Separately, Omeil and Babydoll uneventfully withdrew from the Empire, with some arguing that their departure was tied to Kartel's paying more attention to Lisa Hype. Shawn Storm and Doza Medicine, who promised much with his ingenious delivery on Fire Squeeze, were struggling to remain relevant. Earthworm stuck around for the Ghetto Gospel project; however, after being branded as an informer following another Kartel arrest episode, he "took away himself" to his hometown of Mobay and has not been heard from since in the context of the Empire. With Deva Bratt also raising questions about Kartel's rights to the Portmore Empire name, the Empire appeared to be crumbling.
Just when it appeared all downhill for the Empire, Kartel found a new recruit to bolster the Empire's depleted ranks in what had been its weakest area since Dennis' passing. In an effort to combat some of the negative publicity surrounding the Empire, Father Romie asked the remaining members of the Empire to deliver some positive messages on the Ghetto Gospel project. The result was Born and Raised (Vybz Kartel featuring Stripes) and Stroll (Jahvinci, Black Ryno, and Vybz Kartel), which announced the arrival of Kartel's new singjay recruit: Jahvinci. With Jahvinci's unrefined but soulful vocals on the hook, Stroll struck a resonating chord, as it looked at the dilemma facing youths in the ghetto when from their vantage point they see only two options: crime or poverty. Stroll also confirmed that the next phase in the Empire's evolution would be led by the trio of Kartel, Ryno, and Jahvinci.
Addi and the Empire may not find favor with mainstream audiences, but fans of hardcore dancehall will find this album right up their alley. And, considering that this album represents the first and most likely the last opportunity to acquire an album from the original members of the Portmore Empire, it may give you a chance to own a piece of dancehall history. If just for its place as a collectors’ item, Addi and the Empire is worth adding to your collection.
Mike Lamont
Rooters Press
Grassroots coverage from a higher perspective
Posted on October 15, 2009 13:20
F**k da portmore empire dem su fall because dem nuh affha nuttin postive fi dancehall music n di youth dem a yard...dem betta hope n pray dis sell more dan 8 cd.....alliance fi life
Posted on October 15, 2009 13:36
CLAPP,CLAPP,CLAPP.......LARGE UP UNNUSELF STTRRR88888!
Posted on October 15, 2009 13:55
OUTAROAD WHAT'S YOUR POINT?
A NOW ME CONVINCE SAY KARTEL A PAY ONO FI DO DEM WRITE UP YAH. WID HIM DEVIL POSE A HOPE ONO PRE DAT.
Posted on October 15, 2009 14:30
MAVADO MEK KARTEL START SING FROM WEH DAY. BLACK RYNO IS TRASH. VINCI IS A ONE HIT WONDER. ALLIANCE MI SEH!!
Posted on October 15, 2009 14:40
kartel has done alot, he is talented, but not the most trustworthy person, all and all, he has open the door for some and hopefully alot more, as we need more ghetto youths getting a break. hopefully jahvinchi will get his break as he is probably the most marketable talent in the portmore empire. jus hope his talent is not hidden by envy
Posted on October 15, 2009 14:42
GAZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WI SEH......
Posted on October 15, 2009 14:42
this is straight foolishness
most of the songs that they do together is stupid but their singles are good.
Posted on October 15, 2009 15:09
kartel is one of the best out of jamaica ur glory soon come mi dj gaza rule
Posted on October 15, 2009 15:19
madd madd big up u self kartel str88
Posted on October 15, 2009 15:38
GAZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAA
Posted on October 15, 2009 16:04
8 cd sell is a rise?the man even dj anymore a peer sing him a sing him a the best new singer for the year
Posted on October 15, 2009 16:27
NUH SAY NUTHIN DI BOSS A RUN DI PLACE ...GAZA DI PEOPLE DEM SAY...BUT DIFFERENTLY STILL I ONLY RATE JAH VINCI OUT OF DI EMPIRE STILL DI REST A DEM NEED FI SQUASH OUT...KARTEL NEED FI BRING IN SOME RUFFER ARTIST...BUT WE NAAW COMPLAIN DI BOSS A LOCK DI PLACE...GAZA FI LIFE
Posted on October 15, 2009 16:29
That was nice but still little by little the Empire is falling because no one has full control as a leader.
The auto tune thing in dancehall will not stay to long so i fell sorry for Popcaan and jah Vincin and black rhyno, they all sound alike . If they don't say there name be for a song u would not know which one is singing. Kartel is good in his own rights but he is not marketable so he will always be a a backward artist, If he does not sing more positive tunes he will remain in J/A for ever.
Posted on October 15, 2009 16:33
HAHAHAHH WOIEEEEEEEEEEEEE DEM TIGHT
G A Z A STR88888888888888888888888888
Posted on October 15, 2009 16:41
Gaza we seh!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Posted on October 15, 2009 17:21
UNNO fi stop badmind empire....dem ah do dem ting...altho dem juss start nd ah get dem self 2gether, yuh zeet....alliance neva started on the top...juss wait man....next ah madda ting...GAZA ME SSEH STR88888
Posted on October 15, 2009 19:42
kartel suround himself with all kind a fool fool artist till him all start sound fool to
Posted on October 15, 2009 20:12
Big woman ting still Mi luv Kartel but his lyrics need to be cleaned up!
Posted on October 15, 2009 20:14
ah gaza to da world wi seh nuh matta wah dem cant stop the empior n the ppl dem need fi understand dat ... everybodi out deh see n noe seh gaza ah da baddest thing out ah jamaica no ifs nor buts movado a garbage
Posted on October 15, 2009 22:19
deva bratt billed this thing
Posted on October 15, 2009 23:03
sktel fi start dj again an stop sing leave it to mavado not fi you can't sell 10 cd
Posted on October 15, 2009 23:26
YOW YOW A WAH DO SOME MAN WHEN DI BABA A SING GUN SONG NO MAN NAH SAY NOTIN A GUN SONG BUSS HIM BOUT REAL MCKOY APPLIANCE A P@$$Y GAZA
GOVAMENT GAZA MI SAY
Posted on October 15, 2009 23:39
KARTLE AND THE PORTMORE EMPIRE WANT DASH WHE. THEY ARE NO GOOD AND THATS THE HONEST TRUTH. ANY ARTISTE THAT CANT GO MAINSTREAM OVER THE WORLD IS USELESS AND THATS KARTEL AND THE EMPIRE. ALLIANCE FI LIFE. BWOY KARTEL YOUO AGO SUFFER. AND FURTHER MORE WATERFORD IS NO GAZA. BECAUSE ME REMEMBER WHEN MI USE TO LEAVE JUNGLE AND GO A RESIDENTIAL AREA WATERFORD GO CHILL OUT WHEN A WAR TIME. AND NOW KARTEL SAY WATERFORD A GAZA TRUE HIM BUY DEM SOME NEW MACHINE AND LICK WHE A FEW PEOPLE. KARTEL A CLOWN
Posted on October 16, 2009 05:15
big up yuh self mi boss! portmore empire all the way!
i think he got back his VISA cuz he's on a dancehall movie tour in canada with mavado in november!
Posted on October 16, 2009 08:30
LMAO.....KARTEL NOW MI SI WHY DEM DON'T LIKE YUH UNNU APPLIANCE/GULLYSIDE FANS BETTA BE GLAD SEH KARTEL NUH HAVE NUH VISA, UNNU WOULDN'T HEAR BOUT NUH MAVADO, MI NOT EVEN AGO SEH BOUNTY CUZ HIM WATA DUNG, MI KNO SEH UNNU TIAD FI HEAR "POOR PEOPLE FED UP/CAN'T BELIEVE MI EYE/EAGLE AND DI HAWK" UNNU TELL BOUNTY FI STOP LEACH OFFA DI MAN DEM AND DO HIM OWN THING SUH HIM CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AS DI TEACHA, BOUNTY NEED FI CUM WID SUM FRESH CHUNE NUTTN NAW GWAAN FI HIM, APPLIANCE/GULLY FANS UNNU KNO DAT TO......KARTEL NUH SEH NUTTN AND GWAAN BUILD YUH THING, NUH WATCH THESE HYPROCRITES/INIQUITIES/HATERS/ THEY'RE JUS DOIN THERE JOB.
GGGGAAAAAZZZZAA MI SEH.
Posted on October 16, 2009 10:21
Badmind people unno leave di bl**dclaaaatt alone n go jump off inna di gully, empire a do dem ting, dem just start n look hw far dem reach. A dem a run JAMAICA n soon foregin. GAZA MI SEH.
Posted on October 16, 2009 10:22
hey gaza fans dont you love it when kartel haters post there hate for the man on this site.
if this was these gully creatures would say "big up appliance" gully str8888 appliance to d world bownty sh&tta adi boss lol
online gully creatures kartel is the most popular DJ so the more you guys post your hate for him its tagged the more love you post for him its tagged trust me check your favorite search engines google bing yahoo etc etc etc
I work for IT you guys really dont know how popular kartel is online
Posted on October 16, 2009 11:05
so sack ur moma fassyhole gaza mi seh kartel ah raise up the youth dem and bounty killa ah fassyhole the mon madd cause him lose ah wicked deeyjay
Posted on October 16, 2009 11:21
cartel stop singing you buss as a dj stop follow mavado, cause you cant sing gaza leader become a follower
Posted on October 16, 2009 12:59
anyone who listens to that cd and then buys it afterwards doesn't know good music. the cd is trash.
Posted on October 16, 2009 13:34
There is really no Portmore Empire. There's Kartel and a bunch of others. Jah Vinchi has a chance to do well, Rhyno need to just be a songwriter. None of the others r even really worth mentioning. Wish them the best tho.
Alliance Fi Life
Posted on October 16, 2009 13:38
realmckoy go sack yu big fassy muma weh di f**k yu a talk bout b*tty bowy a only mavado and busy signal worth listening to inna aliance, kartel a di man emprie to di bl**dcloth world gaza mi say big fassy realmckoy yu long mout bunty killer who di f**k him think him is like him own di dj business a talk pon interview bout all kind a people a turn dj so wat fassyhole bunty every man entitle fi dj if dem want to punk, a gaza mi say.
Posted on October 16, 2009 14:46
IDIOT BIG P*SSY REAL MCKOY AND S*CK WOOD MAD ONE..... DI TWO AH UUNNU AH DI MAIN HATERS ON THIS SITE UNNU AND DI REST AH CHINK DEM WEH AH HATE NEED FI GUH NYAM SH*T AND CHUCK OFF INNA DI GULLY......GAZA STRRR888.
Posted on October 16, 2009 15:30
AS FAR AS I SEE IT, THE PORTMORE EMPIRE IS PURE GARBAGE!!!! WHY CAN'T THEY DO POSITIVE SONGS AND ENCOURAGE THE LITTLE SCHOOL YOUTHS WHICH ARE BIG FANS OF KARTEL TO DO POSITIVE THINGS...THEY SHOULD DO SONGS THAT DOES NOT PROMOTE VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY...PPL ARE GOING TO GET FED UP OF THEIR CRAPS!! CAUSE THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO MOST OF THEIR MUSIC..ENCOURAGING PPL TO KILL AND OTHER THINGS...THAT'S NOT MUSIC...MUSIC SHOULD BE FUN NOT FOR PERSONAL GAINS AND EVERYONE KNOWS THAT KARTEL CAN DO BETTER THAN CORRUPTING OUR YOUTHS...COME ON KARTEL, STOP U CRAP AND STEP UP TO THE PLATE...I'M ALREADY TIRED OF YOUR MUSIC...EVERONE SOUNDS THE SAME...UUUURRRGGHH BORING!!!!!! DAT MI SEH! I'M NOT CHOSING SIDES BUT AS FOR AS I SEE IT A MAVADO FI MEEEEEEEEEEE....WHO NO LIKE IT BITE IT LOL AND FURTHER MORE THIS GAZA THING NUH MEK IT...UNU FI STOP IT...ASS WHIPES!!! GAZA DEH DOWN A DI MIDDLE EAST, NO GAZA NUH DEH A JAMAICA...A PURE VIOLENCE UNU WANT FI INA DI COUNTRY CAUSE DI LITTLE IDIOT BOYS DEM A FALLA UNU CRAP!!!! CAN'T STAND U GUYS!!!!! SO VIOLENT!!!!!!! BRING BACK THE FUN IN THE MUSIC FOOOOOLS!
Posted on October 16, 2009 20:06
I do not believe in the separation and segregation that Jamaicans continue to allow ourselves to fall to,this gaza and gully thing has gone too far.STOP HATE CUZ MUSIC IS POWER,OUT OF MANY ONE PEOPLE did we forget the motto?
Posted on October 16, 2009 20:16
am saying kartel is a good writer but movado is a better artist, kartel is a freak i don't like betrayers a bounty buss him, and everyday him come with a new song disrespecting the killa, you leave alliance, so do your thing and try rise to the top, don't try kill the man career and a fi him career build yours, kartel is bad mind, and gazza indu a chat bout she nuh dance to nuh gully song when she's partying, but movado say him rate a few of gaza tune, cause the man nuh buyas. the whole of the empire is bad mind!!!!!!
Posted on October 16, 2009 22:40
WAT OR WHERE HAVE DEY RISE TO????
DEAD DEM DEAD!!!!!!!!!!
GULLY TILL DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on October 16, 2009 22:58
Real Macoy, from a jungleist to jungleist, mi a tell yuh seh yuh a talk di truth! Kartel a nuh nuh bad man, and any real shatta fom yaad know dat...
Weh him did deh when Jungle and rema a run hot???
hey tell some boy!!!
Kartel a PORTMORE Bad man, a mi di Soldier say dat; Causeway bad man!!
Talk bout man anuh regular, nuh regular? Yuh betta stay ina yuh studio and bl**dclaat sing; FASSSY!!!
A GULLY, NUH SeH Nuttin...
ALLIANCE!!!!! KILLA a di BOSSSSS!!!!
Posted on October 17, 2009 01:00
yo fassy a gaza we seh str88 and g*nshot tun mon inna duppy gaza murder people in broadday light gaza sick head mad nuh doctor cyaa fix me gaza mi seh...Addi a di boss unnu fi know dat.if kartel stop sell music him shoot gun know dat a gaza we seh addi the bl**clat teacher a nuh preach but reaper zeet
Posted on October 17, 2009 04:40
YOw Gaza to the world them have the place lock evry radio station lock every dance lock yow Kartel u a lead
Posted on October 17, 2009 10:35
KRUCIAL CONFLICT TO DI WORL.
DEVA BRATT TUNE DEM A DI BEST SONGS ME EAR SINCE DI YEAR START ME NAH LIE.
LOG ON PON YOUTUBE AND LISTEN,
NEVER ASK HER,
PEE PEE NECK.
INNA SONG.
STYLE DEM.
GUN DEM RISE JUST TO NAME A FEW
Posted on October 17, 2009 13:35
WELL A GULLY MI SEH TILL DEATH...... GULLY TILL MI LAST BREATH!!!! BUT I HAVE TO SAY KARTEL IS A VERY TALENTED MAN BUT TO ME HE IS BADMIND, YEA HIM HAVE HIM EMPIRE AND HIM A BUSS YUTES AND DEM THIIN DEH BUT HIM UNGRATEFUL....... JAH VINCI A DI BEST MI C OUTTA DI EMPIRE AND A HIM MI A BRING, MI NUH CARE WEH NUH BODII WAH SEH!! MAVADO A DI REAL MAN!! BIG UP YUH SELF JAH VINCI.... LUV UNNO BOTH NUH MATTA IF A GAZA OR GULLY UNNO SEH!! :)
Posted on October 17, 2009 16:10
kartel never neva neva eva denied that bownty buss him nice try kartel always said from time that he does not want to come between him and beenie but bownty get to damm facety so kartel had to put goat face in check
its true what rick said ther more hate online kartel gets or love the more he keeps his title as most search online and most popular
keep hating guys your only helping the best lyrical DJ eva
Posted on October 18, 2009 10:51
@ mad squard ..ur an a*shole if u think ryno n jah vinci sound alike.especially ryno anyway ya hear I'm voice ya kno him..uno jamaican ppl jus f*ckin badmind..if u don't like dem dats u but nuff more ppl enjoy dem so wait ya r*ssole n loww d ppl dem
Posted on October 18, 2009 11:10
I never knew u ppl could b so f*ckin stupid..for me I enjoy both artist but I prefer kartel cuz movado appeals to men more than women n that I can't handle..and u ppl need to stop sayin kartel isn't recognise abroad cuz he is and he's more loved than movado and that's tru cuz I live in chicago and any club I go to kartels music tears da place up big time if u ask me movado should grab every little he could grab cuz if kartel gets his visa its all ova for him...n jamaica as far more worries n problems than gaza
Posted on October 18, 2009 21:18
WOOOOOIIIIEEEEE G A Z A MI SEH
ALL WHO NUH RATE DI BOSS CHUCK INNA GULLY
Posted on October 18, 2009 21:22
f**kin sell out u zeet im sell out the killa fi link the fish, kno im sell out bigship genius look pon devra brat weh diss everybody fi im can't trust im that's why im ago stay a jamaica portmore bite the hand weh feed yu gully-alliance na sell out bounty mi seh and nuf a dem weh seh gazza use to seh bounty. killa A mi artis from 1992 an mi never swish so who a swish was never a fan wagonis. alliance mavado killa gully. be a fan not a wagonis don't be like sktel kartel dat mi seh
Posted on October 19, 2009 17:19
The empire caan mek it again
from the Deva de bratt jump ship dem neva had a chance
Listen to Judas from deva de bratt and tell me him never kill Kartel
Posted on October 19, 2009 21:12
its sad to hear ppl arguing about something so obvious, i don't care where u live its impossible for kartel to be a bigger ARTISTE internationally,regonally or locally than mavado yes i agree that mavado may not focus as much on the females as much as kartel but kartel does it in a negative way that disrespects woman and for a woman to say that its sad and pothetic.
music is pure and cannot be contaminated but people can be. As a singjay myself i understand the through feeling of reggae and dancehall music,so when i hear ppl talk about it so simple it pisses me off. apart from jah vinci there is no real good artist coming out of the empire,busy signal, wayne marshall, AND THE GANGTSA FOR LIFE MAVADO put out real music to represent our culture. Probly in the next1-2 years u might be listening to my songs best believe that.
i back whosoever a represent my country my culture.
ALLIANCE AND GULLY TO THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on October 24, 2009 19:13
Gaza will never stop,mek it bun some ppl
Posted on November 14, 2009 18:44
YOH! A WAH DO DI PU/%YCLOT WEH A TALK BOUT GULLY WEN KARTEL A RISE UP. PORTMORE EMPIRE A RISE UP HIGHER. at least kartel a save more a di yut dem from bus dem guns. nobady nuh bad like kartel... a dat! GAZA WE SEH FI LIFE......A WAH DO FASSYHOLE MOFRAUDO...DI WUOLE A DI APPIANCE A GO BLOW OF CA DEM FUSE DEAD.