Embattled dancehall star Vybz Kartel has officially disbanded the Portmore Empire.
In a statement sent to Urban Islandz from Adidjahiem Records reps, Vybz Kartel said he took the conscious decision because of his current legal troubles.
“Dancehall fans worldwide it with great regret that I, Adidja Palmer, have decided to disband the Portmore Empire,” Vybz Kartel said in the statement. “These artistes have been under the Adidjahiem leadership for years, where they have honed their craft and made their mark, and as such, are well on their way to becoming major forces in Dancehall. They have reached a level where they are more capable to take on their careers by themselves, and it would be unfair to them, based on the limited resources of Adidjahiem Records, and current legal woes of the Adidjahiem C.E.O. and team members.”
“I wish them the best and I am confident that they will live up to my expectations. In the future, Adidjahiem will continue to bring out new acts and groom them for stardom,” Vybz Kartel said in the statement from behind bars.
Portmore Empire has been one of the most dominant crews in dancehall over the last five years. This was no surprise since Vybz Kartel spearheads the group shortly after leaving from under the wings of his former mentor Bounty Killer, who heads the Alliance.
Former members of the Portmore Empire Tommy Lee and Gaza Slim, aka Vanessa Bling, have formed their own label, PG13.
“Look out for PG13…It soon work in,” Tommy Lee said, while Gaza Slim added, “right now, a PG13 di ting deh.”
Just last week Corey Todd released a statement blaming associates of Vybz Kartel for their fallout last year, as well as, his current legal woes.
“The associates that led to his incarceration are the same associates that cause our partnership to end at the time, but I must add that our egos also clashed. His arrest had a humbling effect on me and caused me to reflect on my own actions. I then lost interest in my present projects and made artistes involved aware that I wish discontinue, this around November,” Corey Todd said.
