Vybz Kartel Reflects on Personal Growth, Past Decisions, and Future Plans in Candid Interview
In a heartfelt interview with American radio personality Ebro Darden on Hot 97, Jamaican dancehall icon Vybz Kartel opened up about some of the deeply personal choices he made throughout his career—including his past experience with skin bleaching. Speaking with vulnerability, the artist admitted that the decision was more complex than he initially realized.
“I mean, in hindsight it definitely had to do with self-love,” he shared. “But on the other hand, while I was doing it, my mind wasn’t telling me that. My mind was telling me, ‘I am doing this to show my tattoos’… I got a lot of tattoos. But looking back, it was just as a Black man, sometimes we have those issues. But I would never bleach again though.”
Kartel, who is set to headline a major performance at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn—his first U.S. show in over 20 years—spoke candidly about the emotional and psychological journey he has undergone since serving 13 years in prison. The artist acknowledged the challenges of reintegrating into society and the coping mechanisms he relied on in the early days of his release.
“I analyse myself a lot of times, and I think the heavy drinking and smoking when I came out was just my crutch. You got to try to cope. I’ve been in prison for 13 years; I’m out now. The world is bigger — it’s a lot,” he explained.
Opening up further, Kartel revealed a more tender side, discussing his relationship with his fiancée, Sidem Öztürk. He expressed a heartfelt desire to build a family with her. “I want some Turkish children,” he said with a smile, revealing a hopeful outlook on the future that contrasts his often controversial public image.
On the topic of his health, Kartel disclosed his ongoing battle with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid. “Sometimes it makes my eyes puffy, and initially I used to lose a lot of weight too because it makes you sweat,” he noted. Despite the challenges, Kartel emphasized that he’s embracing his true self now more than ever. “I’m fully melanated.”
he proudly stated, affirming his renewed self-acceptance and commitment to authenticity as he looks ahead to a new chapter in life and music.
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