This year’s annual MOBO Awards is set to honour Vybz Kartel with a special accolade.

The Jamaican icon is set to receive the MOBO Impact Award as the ceremony heads to Newcastle for the first time in its history. The annual celebration of Black British artistry travels to the Utilita Arena and Vybz will be there to receive the award – marking his first time back on UK soil in over a decade.

It comes after he served over 13 years in prison after receiving a life sentence. He had previously been known to be in Jay-Z’s circle, before things took a turn for the worse.

The Jamaican dancehall artist, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, began his career in 1993. His first recording was titled Love Fat Woman, but he rose to fame in Jamaica with singles such as Clarks, Ramping Shop, Summer Time and Pon De Floor.

His stage name first belonged to a group of three singers. However, when two of them left, he kept it for himself. He has been musically connected to a number of huge artists over the years. Among his collaborations include Jay Z. He also featured on Rihanna’s hit single What’s My Name, while Vybz has worked with the likes of Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes, Akon and Eminem too.

He later became the first Jamaican dancehall artist to star in his own reality TV show titled Teacha’s Pet.

Vybz Kartel was sentenced to life in prison for murder in April 2014. The star was found guilty a month earlier of murdering an old associate, Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, in August 2011, according to reports. He always maintained his innocence.

Williams was reportedly killed after he went to the singer’s home to talk about two missing illegal hand guns. As well as Vybz, three other men were charged in connection with his death. He was initially to 35 years in prison.

However, he was released in 2024 after his murder conviction was overturned by UK judges. While his conviction was overturned by the Privy Council in London, authorities in Jamaica had to decide whether he should be retried.

Following months of discussion, appeal judges in Jamaica decided the case would not go back to court, meaning the star could be released.

Following the initial sentence, his defence team had argued that a juror accused of trying to bribe others should have been thrown off his trial. The London court had agreed with the case and ruled in March last year that the decision not to remove the juror at the time made the conviction unsafe.

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