When “Bogle” dropped in 1992, the whole of Jamaica got dancing. By the end of the chorus, he’s shouting: “Everybody haffi ask me where mi get mi Clarks!” And we’re shouting with him. “Clarks mi prefer,” Kartel responds in a low growl. “Where you get that new Clarks there, daddy?” a young Popcaan asks. In spite of ZJ Chrome’s frenetic production, with its dense snares and cascading horns, Kartel’s vocals move through registers and cadences with uncanny control. On video, however, he remains rebellious, wearing his Clarks with bandanas, white tees, and exposed tattoos, and without the Kangol hats and collared shirts of yesteryear. Kartel’s hit “Clarks” finds him revisiting one of dancehall’s favorite staples: the British-made desert boot. Which artist currently in prison for murder is also Jamaica’s most creative lyricist of the past two decades? The answer is Adijah “ Vybz Kartel” Palmer from Portmore, Jamaica, an artist as comfortable singing a dirge for the downtrodden as he is busting raunchy, breakneck raps.
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