Premiere: Vybz Kartel, Bobby Konders, Lisa Mercedez & Sikka Rymes Team Up For ‘Badman’

Massive B’s Bobby Konders teams up yet again with Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel, accompanied by GAZA affiliates Lisa Mercedez and Sikka Rymes for a brand new track entitled Badman.  The song, which is the first release between a partnership with Massive B and California-based Ineffable Records, is available on major streaming platforms.

Badman continues the Brooklyn drill sound that has taken the country by storm beginning in 2019, and pulsates a heavy doomsday type bass on the track to exude a chilling tone.

Konders, speaking exclusively to DancehallMag, said this is the latest in a string of successful collaborations between Vybz Kartel and Massive B. The duo has been working together since the early 2000s and has produced several successful hits like Da Agony, Get Gal Easy, among others. This year the record label released About Us, and now today, Badman is set to achieve its own acclaim as Kartel crosses over genres of music.

The producer said production of the riddim started earlier this year with artiste Junior Reid and two other artists from Brooklyn also voicing on the riddim – Scrilla and Cheddar Boss, after which Vybz Kartel signaled his interest in voicing on the riddim.

“We’re excited, we’re always excited, and we appreciate the support and the play from everybody. We look forward to people in the hip hop community supporting,” he said.

Throughout the song, Kartel and company remind us of the reality of the streets alongside the trials and tribulations that come with living said lifestyle. With the tracks gliding bass and raw grunge sound, the trio takes listeners on a musical journey very reminiscent of Gotham City.

Badman begins with a short monologue by Vybz Kartel paying his respects to the late Pop Smoke and shouting out his other musician counterparts. The minute he unleashes his lyrics, we are thrown into a grim Badman world of gunfire and bloodshed. “Badman nuh run joke, we cut throat. Chip Glock, gun smoke, blood sport …” are just some of his gorily depictive rhymes.

Lisa Mercedez takes the baton from there, bolstering her gangster attributes as well but quickly diverts into her materialistic riches, courtesy of her man. “My man keep me fresh rocking Prada, Balmain b**ches, Balenciaga. Tell dem gal weh deh pon di fake page, cant stop me and Don fi engage. Diamond ring, 24 karat, mek dem chat, dem a parrot,” she swanks with a quick triggering flow.

The GAZA vice president, Sikka Rymes, then brings us right back to the horrid underworld. His segment sounds off in cautionary dials, “man knock on evil savage, don’t diss and nuh expect damage, bullet ah go fling yuh pon di ground …” he warns.

Massive B’s trusted history with Vybz Kartel ensures that Badman is another hit to be added to their extensive catalogs.

“I expect a lot of support and a lot of play of the song, It has a good punchline, Vybz Kartel’s flow the song… we expect a lot of people to play the song from hi hop deejays and even the backyard parties in Brookyln and Bronx, we expect to see a lot of support especially on the playlists streaming online,” Konders told DancehallMag.

Vybz Kartel is known as one of the most versatile deejays from his strategic collaborations and remixes to his cross genre engagement. This year the artiste shocked fans when he released the rock fusion number – Not Ok .

His latest project targets the massive support he gets from the Jamaican diaspora and hardcore Kartel fans. Konders says in spite of the coronavirus affecting clubs and parties, the song is targeting rotation in hip hop and dancehall circles – “the target is to get the song out on all streaming platforms – dancehall and hip hop, and we expect  stream love from those making the stream lists from the corporate spheres…even though the clubs are locked down backyard parties and underground parties are expected to  drive the song to run the street.”

Founded in Brooklyn, NY, Massive B Sound System serves as an independent label and production outlet. Alongside Massive B’s expansive history of productions, Bobby Konders and Jabba have maintained legendary commercial radio tenure on New York City’s Hot 97, fusing reggae and hip-hop for millions to hear weekly. The label has been working with Vybz Kartel for more than 20 years since he shot to fame.