Vybz Kartel chooses sides in Drake versus Kendrick Beef: ‘Drake is a better and bigger artist’
The dancehall legend sat down with Billboard to speak on a range of topics and showed his love for Drake’s connection to Jamaican culture.
Jamaican dancehall legend Vybz Kartel has weighed in on the long-running but currently simmering Drake versus Kendrick Lamar beef, very clearly stating which side he rides with.
In a cover story for Billboard in preparation for his New Year’s Eve Freedom Street concert in Kingston, Jamaica, Kartel was asked how he believes Drake has handled his feud with Kendrick Lamar. Kartel minced no words in showing his support for Drake — who has called Kartel one of his inspirations — and dismissing Kendrick.
“I’m not a fan of Kendrick. I don’t even listen to Kendrick, so I wouldn’t know,” he told the music outlet. “What does he rap? I saw it on the internet, but no disrespect to the dude, I hear him, but I don’t listen to him.”
It sounds like Kartel didn’t even listen to “Not Like Us” (or any of the other records Kendrick released), which would be ironic since that’s the song in which Kendrick accuses Drake of borrowing from other cultures — like Jamaica — to gain access and cultural currency to pad his pockets. If Kartel does believe that Drake has borrowed from Jamaican culture, he surely doesn’t mind.
“Drake is more in tune with Jamaica and the culture. Drake is a better and bigger artist,” the dancehall superstar declared.
Drake, who I think most would agree has borrowed heavily from the Caribbean influence of Toronto in many of his projects, has a fan in Kartel who seems to view Drake’s Jamaican influence as a homage, not appropriation. But even further, Kartel — who isn’t a fan of Kendrick — simply thinks Drake is a better and bigger artist. Well, alright then. I can always appreciate an artist who very plainly states their opinion.
The Billboard interview covered a wide range of topics like Kartel’s return to Kingston and Portmore and adjusting to the new sounds coming out of the island. Kartel was released from prison in July 2024 after serving 13 years for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. The conviction was overturned in March 2024 due to jury misconduct and the prosecution in the case decided not to retry the case, making Kartel (born Adidja Palmer) a free man.
On New Year’s Eve, Vybz Kartel held a concert at Kingston National Stadium titled “Freedom Street,” which featured performances from Popcaan, Busta Rhymes, Spice and others.
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio and host of the award-winning podcast, “Dear Culture” on theGrio Black Podcast Network. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest) but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said “Unknown” (Blackest).
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