Dancehall legend Vybz Kartel is set to release his first major project for 2023, an EP called NUMB featuring eight (8) tracks and set for release on April 28th. The project is described as mainly for the girls and features songs “Without You,” the title track, “Numb,” “Vaccine,” “I Only Wanted You,” “About Last Night,” “Play Boy Bunny,” “The Search is Over,” and “Home feat. Savage Savo”.
A cover of the EP has also been released, showing a smoking, seductive image of a woman lying down with smoke billowing from her mouth. The title of the EP is inspired by his fiancée Sidem Ozturk, the artist told Urban Islandz.
“The title numb came from a conversation I was having with my girlfriend/fiancee Sidem. She was telling me that she felt numb without me and the only time she feels whole Is when she was playing my music,” Kartel said.
The dancehall legend added, “That’s when the idea hit me, to do an all-girls song album with the title numb, representative of how the ladies feel without KARTEL in their ears.”
The EP has only one feature, and the artist confirms that he’s taking on artist Savage Savo as a mentee.
“Savage is a protege of mine and also signed to my close associate’s label T100 Records in conjunction with VybzkartelMuzik,” he said. VybzKartelMuzik is the label that Kartel released a lot of his new music under.
Kartel recently collaborated with rising stars, Valiant, and he’s getting ready to drop “The King & The Prince” with Skillibeng on April 14th. The artist has received much praise for embracing younger artists as a legend in the history of dancehall music and says he’s taking a cue from the legendary Bounty Killer.
“Working with young artistes has always been a priority for Vybz Kartel. Remember since I came on the scene I’ve had my team of artistes. Slash blast nuclear etc…then years later Portmore Empire and so on, so I’ve been helping artistes to get the break, a sort of “pay forward” for getting my helping hand from the great bounty Killer,” he said.
Vybz Kartel also has a lot of praise for young artist Valiant, who he just released a new song with called “Time Heals.”
“Valiant is naturally a talented kid, and he works very hard too he kinda reminds me of myself when I just came out,” Kartel told us. “It’s the attitude and the work ethic that’ll ultimately give him the glory I think he deserves. He is well on his way to becoming a bonafide dancehall superstar.”
In the meantime, Kartel has confirmed that he doesn’t plan to release a full-length album “in the foreseeable future,” as he looks forward to doing that as a free man in person in the studio. However, he is planning to do a joint album with his sons, Likkle Vybz and Likkle Addi, at some point in the future.
“A joint project with my sons, yes, but they like to do their thing by themselves, wanting to be their own men I guess, so all I do is support them in any and every way. When they ready to be on a project with their dad I’m sure they’ll lemme know. I’m always ready and excited to do it though. The ball is in their court,” Kartel said.
As for new music, Kartel is optimistic about what he has coming this year, telling Urban Islandz “2023 is the year of the G.O.A.T., THE WORLD BOSS. WATCH and LEARN.”
Despite being incarcerated since 2011, Vybz Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, remains one of the most influential artists in Jamaican music and in the dancehall space. His vast catalog and lyricism have given him an edge over other artists locally and worldwide.
Look out for Vybz Kartel’s new EP, NUMB, on April 28, 2023.
