Dancehall artist Spice premiers new music with Vybz Kartel. View video below leave your comments.

According to a report by Loop News, Vybz Kartel could appeal his murder conviction as early as the first quarter of 2015. The incarcerated entertainer is reportedly looking forward to the appeal as well. The entertainer and his co-accused had filed preliminary grounds for appeal when they filed their notice of appeal in April, shortly after their conviction and sentence. Among the grounds are unfair trial, miscarriage of justice and lack of evidence. 

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahria Jones and Andre St John were sentenced to life imprisonment for the August 16, 2011 murder of friend Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. Williams was beaten to death at a house owned by Palmer, in Havendale, St Andrew, over the disappearance of two illegal gangs. His body has not been found. In voice notes played for the jurors in the 65-day long trial in the Home Circuit Court, Kartel said that Williams’ body was chopped up “fine-fine like mincemeat”. Kartel is to serve 35 years in prison before he becomes eligible for parole. Campbell and Jones are to serve 25 years before becoming eligible for parole, while St John is to become eligible for parole after serving 30 years of his sentence. The men were convicted on March 13. A fourth accused, Shane Williams, was found not guilty by the 11-member jury.

POLICE had to quell unruly fans outside the Supreme Court in Kingston on March 13th, after a jury pronounced Adidja “Vybz Kartel” Palmer (pictured) guilty of murder. Although the death penalty is unlikely to be applied, the self-proclaimed “World Boss” of Jamaican music faces up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 27th.

Along with three associates, Mr Palmer was found guilty of butchering Clive “Lizard” Williams in August 2011, for failing to return two guns. (His lawyers say he will appeal.) He has been behind bars since September 2011, charged originally with two separate murders. In July last year, he was found not guilty of murdering a 27-year old music promoter, Barrington “Bossy” Burton. The “Lizard” trial started in November, and this time he was less fortunate.

Following Vybz Kartel's guilty verdict yesterday, several entertainers have sympathised with the artiste now that he faces up to 25 years in prison.

According to iconic deejay Ninja Man, it would have been difficult to win such a case given that the police force relied on every piece of technology it could get its hands on to get a guilty verdict.

AN expert from telecoms giant Digicel testified on Friday that he was unable to say whether text messages recovered by the police were sent from devices owned by murder accused Vybz Kartel or his co-accused.

Mario Ghantous Assaad, Digicel's group chief technology officer, testified under cross-examination in the Home Circuit Court that it was possible for a SIM card to be cloned.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - The murder trial involving embattled dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel and his co-accused continues today in the Home Circuit Court.

Vybz Kartel (real name Adidja Palmer), Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell, Shane Williams, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones are being tried for the murder Clive 'Lizard' Williams on August 16, 2011. All the men belong to the 'Gaza Empire', which is based in Portmore, St Catherine.

Although he remains incarcerated, dancehall icon Adidja 'Vybz Kartel' Palmer will release a new studio album later this month.

The album, titled Kartel Forever: Trilogy, will be available in CD and digital format as of September 24. The album boasts 60 tracks on a three-disc album and will feature previously unreleased singles and numerous hits from recent years.

Hailed as the World Boss, Kartel is known for his stimulating lyrics and provocative ploys off stage. The deejay is said to be determined to stay atop his dancehall throne and keep his fans satisfied until his inevitable return to the studio to make music for the masses.

"I want to thank all my supporters for your love and unfailing support throughout these trying times. Even though I am incarcerated, I am still up to the time. This album shows that I get stronger with each passing second. Tad's plus Adidjaheim Records is a sick formula and the result is Kartel Forever: Trilogy. Worl' Boss fullstop," .

Amid Vybz Kartel's legal battles, there comes even more news from the 'Gaza' camp as the 2007-formed Portmore Empire has been disbanded. Shortly after his much-publicised fallout with Alliance head honcho Bounty Killer, and his exit from the group, Vybz Kartel looked to his hometown of Portmore, St Catherine, to raise his own musical force, which would later be aptly titled the Portmore Empire.

At the time of its origin, the group consisted of mainly young artistes like Blak Ryno (now Ryno), Craig Dennis (deceased), Omeil, Lisa Hype (now Lisa Hyper), Nuclear, Dosa Medicine, Shawn Storm, and Deva Bratt, who was touted to be Kartel's right hand and the one who was "leading out the Empire". A few fallouts and scandals later with artistes like Deva Bratt, Lisa Hyper, Gaza Kim (now Kym), Jah Vinchi, and Ryno, the size of the group has dwindled.

In recent days, the Empire came to boast acts like Popcaan, Gaza Slim, Sheba, Gaza Indu, Shawn Storm, and Tommy Lee. However, in a recent release sent to The STAR, Adidjahiem Records announced news of the disbanding with a statement from incarcerated boss, Adidja 'Vybz Kartel' Palmer.

It read: "Dancehall fans worldwide, it is with great regret that I, Adidja Palmer, have decided to disband the Portmore Empire. These artistes have been under the Adidjahiem leadership for years, where they have honed their craft and made their mark, and as such, are well on their way to becoming major forces in dancehall." It continued: "They have reached a level where they are more capable of taking on their careers by themselves, and it would be unfair to them, based on the limited resources of Adidjahiem Records, and the current legal woes of the Adidjahiem CEO, and team members. I wish them the best, and I am confident that they will live up to my expectations. In the future, Adidjahiem will continue to bring out new acts and groom them for stardom. Thank you."

It also stated that members of the Portmore Empire, Vanessa 'Gaza Slim' Saddler and Leroy 'Tommy Lee' Russell are moving on with their careers under a newly formed label, PG 13. "PG 13 is the new name right now. a just deh so di ting deh, and that's all mi haffi say," When pressed as to how she felt since the group has now been dissolved, Gaza Slim said she had no comments and would only be focusing her attention on the new PG 13 label. In similar manner, Tommy Lee said PG 13 was where he would now be based. "A PG 13 me say straight. A dat me a say," Both artistes have been part of the Portmore Empire since 2010. The 'gaza prefect', Popcaan, who rose to the heights of fame under the guidance of Palmer, has been doing well for himself. Efforts to contact him, however, since Kartel's incarceration proved futile.

The other standing member, Shawn Storm, was whisked away by the authorities as he is said to be implicated in the legal woes with Kartel.