Vybz Kartel To Release Another EP In December: ‘The Appellant’
Incarcerated Dancehall artist Vybz Kartel says he’ll release another EP next month as the first part of an “Exiled Pharaoh” series.
He made the announcement in an Instagram post yesterday, alongside a new photo of himself, and revealed that the first installment will be titled “The Appellant.”
Kartel tagged his lawyer Isat Buchanan, and producers TJ Records and Aiko Pon Di Beat in the post.
The Appellant EP will follow the Any Weather deejay’s True Religion EP, which was released on September 30. However, that project did not enter the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, moving just 310 units in sales and streaming in the United States during its first week of release.
True Religion was said to be dedicated to Kartel’s new fiancé Sidem Öztürk, and had featured 7 tracks including songs Interracial, Like Royalty, and the title track True Religion.
His 2021 project titled Born Fi Dis had spent one week on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart at No. 9, after selling 1,290 total units of consumption from sales and streaming in the United States from its first week of release in August of that year.
Seven of the Worl’ Boss’ previous albums have entered the Reggae Albums chart.
They are Of Dons & Divas (2020) which peaked at No. 6, King Of The Dancehall (2016) which peaked at No. 2, Viking (Vybz Is King) (2015) which peaked at No. 3, Reggae Love Songs & Other Things (2014) which peaked at No. 7, Vybz Kartel Roots & Culture (2013) which peaked at No. 6, Kartel Forever: Trilogy (2013) which peaked at No. 11, and Kingston Story (2011) which peaked at No. 7.
The new EP’s title is a nod to Kartel’s final appeal before the UK Privy Council. His attorney Isat Buchanan is optimistic that the Court may rule in favor of his client when the case is heard.
“I’m very happy and optimistic about being before the Privy Council. It is the final court, and justice is for all,” he had told Fox5NY’s Lisa Evers.
Kartel, who has been in custody since September 29, 2011, and his co-accused Shawn Storm, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John were all sentenced to life after they were found guilty of the murder of their associate Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2014.
Kartel was ordered to serve 35 years before he was eligible for parole, while Storm, Jones, and St John were ordered to serve 25 years minimum.
In April 2020, the Jamaica Court of Appeal largely upheld their conviction, but reduced the four men’s parole-serving times by two and a half years each.