After being restored to freedom after a 13-year jail stint, Vybz Kartel was inquired of the place he was most keen on performing at. His reply? “The whole Caribbean and New York — that’s Jamaica outside of Jamaica!” And hold your breath as proof, for Kartel has hardly taken his foot off the gas pedal ever since. He rang in 2025 with Freedom Street, Jamaica’s biggest live music event in nearly five decades, featuring appearances by dancehall stars like Skeng and Popcaan, and his sons Likkle Vybz and Likkle Addi.
The tour kick-started a worldwide return tour, which has seen Kartel secure his first Grammy nomination for Party With Me, a live performance at the U.K.’s MOBO Awards, and a future slot at Wireless as part of Drake’s takeover of Finsbury Park. Nevertheless, no performance was as significant as his highly anticipated return to the American stage. On April 11, Kartel performed the first of two sold-out nights at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center — his first Stateside headliner in more than 20 years. Presented by Reggae Fest, the performance was in the ideal borough: Brooklyn, where a huge Caribbean-American population resides.
For each Flatbush, Canarsie, and Utica shoutout, there were as many references to islands such as Grenada, Trinidad, St. Vincent, and Jamaica, naturally.
Following DJ Milan’s two-hour warmup set of vintage reggae and dancehall, Kartel took his dramatic entrance at about 10 p.m., starting off with his remake of Akon’s “Locked Up.” “Look! 13 years inna prison, and mi come out a general!” he shouted, and the 19,000-strong crowd went wild. That was followed by an electric, hit-filled set that covered his iconic body of work — from “Dumpa Truck” and “Benz Punany” to “Fever” and “Brooklyn Anthem.
In spite of medical issues, such as Graves’ disease and a heart condition, Kartel perfectly paced himself, bringing surprise visitors such as Jah Vinci, Black Ryno, Rvssian, Spice, and even Busta Rhymes — who destroyed his legendary “Look at Me Now” verse. Black Ryno was so hyped that he slipped when he came out, but that just contributed to the spontaneity of the night.
Most striking, however, was Kartel’s firm hold on the crowd. His discography might not feature Billboard Hot 100 singles, but the crowd knew every lyric — even the obscure tracks. For some, the show was more than a concert. It was a cultural fest and an overdue welcome home for one of dancehall’s most iconic leaders. Kartel wrapped the evening with his top numbers — “Summertime,” “Clarks,” “Fever,” and “Brooklyn Anthem” — providing New York with one of the city’s most memorable live music experiences in years.
