Likkle Vybz Says UTG Debut Album Will Address Lack Of ‘Gyal Songs’ In Dancehall

The sons of Dancehall star Vybz Kartel are steadily putting in the work with hopes of cementing their names in the fraternity like their father. Likkle Vybz, who recently celebrated his 19th birthday, as well as Likkle Addi, age 17, are gearing up to release their debut album aptly titled Team Different . This will be their first joint project under the Uptown Gaza Records label, which they both independently produced.

This comes after their 2020 EP Skinny Jeans, which reaped success. Ahead of the full release of the 13-track-set on May 6, fans were teased with the title track, Euphoric Love on Friday (April 22).

In this interview with DancehallMag , Likkle Vybz revealed that it was just the tip of the iceberg for what promises to be an album dedicated to their female fans.

Why did you decide that now was the right time to release a debut album?

It was coming up to the second anniversary of the release of Skinny Jeans so we just decided to do it. Not that there’s anything special about the release date per se, but like I said, it was coming up to the second anniversary of our first EP.

How successful was the Skinny Jeans EP in your estimation?

Skinny Jeans was very successful, especially coming back on the music scene after we made our debut in 2014 with PG-13. My brother had released Dollar Sign separately, and I released Fully Gaza so that was a good collaborative project. It was even featured in Grand Theft Auto…

What are your hopes for Team Different?

We are really trying to chart on the Billboard and leave our stamp in Dancehall. We just want to show everyone that we can do this.

How pleased are you with your growth as a Dancehall artist since you started your career?

I am very pleased to be honest, because we always try to do our best and with this body of work, we want to show that we here to stay.

How do you balance fatherhood with your career?

It’s quite new but it’s not that hard. I always find ways to spend time with my son. I balance out my days so I’m able to get everything done. Shoutout to my girlfriend because she really helps a lot, and my whole family is very supportive.

Was pursuing music an independent decision or did your father influence it?

It was an independent decision but with your father doing music, it’s almost expected that he would be a role model. There are other things in life I could have pursued, but it’s strictly music. I think the only other thing I would do is put out merchandise for consumers to go with the music. So, essentially the entrepreneurial side of music.

How different or how similar are you to your father?

Being the son of Vybz Kartel, and even having his name is almost like I’m a duplicate. But, you can hear the difference in my voice— in my melody. I grew up listening to his music and he’s our mentor, but there’s still a distinct difference.

There has been an ongoing discussion about the lack of ‘gyal songs’ in Dancehall with the newer crop of artists. What are your thoughts on that?

Team Different says it all. With UTG, we always try to be different and give people good music. I do agree that there needs to be more supply of music for the ladies because the ladies will be pleased. Our new album is all about doing that. Look at Euphoric Love for example.

If there was anybody you could collaborate with within Dancehall, who would it be?

Skillibeng. We’ve been listening to him for a good while now, even before he got his big break and him rep the Gaza same way. It would be like a support fi support ting.

What are your other plans for this year?

We want to go on a promotional tour for the album in Europe, the US and Caribbean so fans can look out for that.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?

Thanks for the support for the past few years. Team Different is a very special project to us, and when they get it and consume it, they will see that UTG is always dedicated to providing quality music.