Why Vybz Kartel's Feuding With Aidonia — The Messy Clash Of The Dancehall Titans
The legendary DJ is going at the dancehall great!
Instagram Why are Vybz Kartel and Aidonia feuding? That's been the question on everybody's mind since the legendary DJ took to his Instagram page to make what is being called a "public service announcement." So what is going on between these two dancehall titans?
Dancehall is a musical style that, much like hip hop, is very competitive in its nature. There's always a fight for dominance — who's the best at what they do, and why? — and not even the legends are safe from getting their crown taken from them. Adidja Azim Palmer, who's better-known to those in the known in dancehall as Vybz Kartel, is not only someone whose work in the genre is prolific and long-lasting, but he's actually someone who has inspired non-dancehall artists to infuse dancehall sounds into their musical stylings.
"Vybz Kartel is one of my biggest inspirations and my favorite artists," said Drake, who quoted the phrase "Addi Mi Daddy" (which translates to "Adidja — Vybz Kartel's real name — is like my father") when speaking about the dancehall legend.
Now, however, there's been a bit of a tiff between Vybz Kartel and another dancehall artist named Aidonia. Let's look at what we know about the details of this rift.
1. It started with an Instagram post
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Vybz Kartel made a comparison post between all of his accomplishments and all of Aidonia's accomplishments. Needless to say, Addi accomplished a lot more, including having international collaborations with the likes of Rihanna and Jay-Z, winning DJ of the Year more than 13 times, having 119 No. 1 songs, and having fellow dancehall protegees like Popcaan and Gaza Slim. (Is it really a "feud" if it's spitting the facts?)
2. The feud between Vybz Kartel and Aidonia may have stemmed from Aidonia giving a shoutout to Bounty Killer
Bounty Killer is another legend in the Jamaican dancehall who is known, outside the dancehall, for his guest appearance on No Doubt's hit track "Hey Baby." And in a now-deleted Instagram post (why don't these guys stand behind what they say?), Aidonia paid tribute to the "Dead This Time" singer by calling him "the baddest living legend" in the dancehall. Is it possible that Vybz Kartel got wind of this shoutout and dragged Aidonia for filth?
3. Vybz Kartel has feuded with other dancehall artists before
As is typical of the dancehall, Vybz Kartel has had his share of feuds with other dancehall artists before setting his sights on Aidonia. His most notable feud, in recent times, has been with the artist Masicka, though he also hilariously called other dancehall artists "Burger King."
4. Aidonia's status as a dancehall legend is up for debate
In the past, Aidonia has referred to himself as a "dancehall legend," and there's no question that he's more than put in the work to go up against the greats. While Aidonia certainly makes good music that is well-regarded in the dancehall, his claim of having "legendary" status before his time may also have made Vybz Kartel feel a type of way.
5. Vybz Kartel is feuding with other artists while sitting behind bars
Just a suggestion: when one is sitting behind bars for their role in the murder of a colleague, perhaps one would be better served to find other things to occupy one's time with than feuding with other artists on Instagram. And hey, who's giving Vybz Kartel Instagram privileges in jail? What's going on here? (There's rumors Vybz Kartel may be released from prison soon, but there's no telling that for sure.)
6. Aidonia has yet to respond to the feud
As of this writing, Aidonia has yet to respond to the feud with Vybz Kartel. However, we will surely keep you posted on any developments in that arena — and there's sure to be many.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series and is the CEO of the acclaimed G-Force Marketing & Publicity firm, which has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter and has scored film, television, radio, and print placements for celebrity clientele worldwide.