Photo Courtesy Of discogs.com & Fox5
Dancehall star Vybz Kartel has reportedly been transferred to the General Penitentiary (GP) following his fiancée Sidem Öztürk’s recent Fox 5 interview.
According to The Jamaica Gleaner, Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Azim Palmer, was reportedly transferred back to the GP, also known as the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, on Sept. 29. He was being held at Horizon Adult Remand Centre after he was initially removed from GP, the Gleaner reported.
The news outlet additionally said that Kartel had been placed in a block called jail, which houses high-risk prisoners. It’s reportedly equipped with a security camera facing every cell.
The news of Kartel’s transferral arrived following a surprise interview of him via Fox 5 New York while behind bars.
“I was sick for a few years, so [I’m] definitely recovering physically, but mentally I’ve always been in a good place because I know I’m innocent, and I know I’m coming out,” he said on the network’s popular series, Street Soldiers on Sept. 27. Back in 2019, it was revealed that the incarcerated musician has been suffering from a thyroid issue.
The real shocker was the appearance of his alleged new Turkish fiancée Sidem Öztürk. Much to fans’ and social media users’ befuddlement, Öztürk opened up about her relationship with the reigning dancehall king with host Lisa Evers. The couple reportedly confirmed that they got engaged during an authorized prison visit during the summer of 2022.
“So how it happened is, we were just calling each other ‘hubby’ and ‘wifey,’ and he was just like, ‘we’re heading towards marriage, so calling you wifey or you calling me hubby isn’t serious enough.’ So he was like, ‘You’re my fiancée, and we’re gonna get married,'” a bubbly Öztürk gushed. She reportedly left her life as a social worker in London to be closer to Kartel in Kingston, Jamaica.
Kartel has been in prison for 11 years as he was sentenced to life in 2014 for the murder of Jamaican dancer Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams and is to serve 35 years before becoming eligible for parole. The Kingston native burst onto the music scene with his debut album,
Up 2 Di Time, in 2003 and, since then, has dropped numerous dancehall hits and collaborations over 20 years. He’s also been credited for mentoring fellow grammy-nominated dancehall star Spice, and Jamaican super producer Rvssian, among others. Some of his biggest global records include “Ramping Shop” (2007) featuring Spice, “Jeans & Fitted” (2010) featuring Rvssian, and “Fever” (2016). His most recent “Amazing” (2022) features British-Jamaican rap star Stefflon Don.