Drink Champs: Vybz Kartel

Summary

Podcast Title: The Breakfast Club
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
Episode: Drink Champs: Vybz Kartel
Release Date: February 23, 2025

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Introduction

The episode features an in-depth conversation with Vybz Kartel, a legendary figure in the dancehall scene. Hosted by Nore, DJ EFN, and Cypher Sounds, the discussion delves into Kartel's personal journey, his experiences in prison, his musical evolution, and his impact on the global dancehall culture.

---

Early Influences and Musical Beginnings

Vybz Kartel reminisces about his early inspirations, highlighting influential artists who shaped his style:

• [05:08] Vybz Kartel: "Buju Banton is my favorite dancehall artist. Like, he inspired me. Yeah, man, Buju Banton and Ninja Man, my two favorites."

He credits his uncles for sparking his interest in music, mentioning how watching them flow on beats as a child ignited his passion for the art form.

• [12:35] Vybz Kartel: "They inspired me. Like, seriously though, they got me interested in the art form, right? Just watching people flowing on beats was crazy for me as a kid."

---

Rise to Fame and Early Career

Kartel discusses the formation of his group Vibes Cartel and his solo ventures:

• [13:00] Vybz Kartel: "Cartel. As said by Billboard, as said by the fans, Rolling Stones, right? Vice Cartel of the King Numbers is there to prove it as it relates to dancehall."

He emphasizes his dedication and the hard work that propelled him to the top of the dancehall hierarchy.

---

Experiences in Prison

A significant portion of the conversation centers around Kartel's time in prison, how it affected his music, and his personal growth:

• [08:07] Vybz Kartel: "And just got out of prison six months ago. And now I'm walking the red carpet. Joy, that's a blessing."

He highlights the challenges of recording music behind bars and his determination to continue his craft despite limited resources.

• [15:19] Vybz Kartel: "We did Viking, which is now re-released 10-year anniversary. We did King of the Dancehall, which Fever is on that soul goal."

Kartel reflects on his resilience and the support from his fans and family during his incarceration.

---

Musical Evolution and Impact

Kartel elaborates on how his music evolved over the years, blending personal experiences with broader social themes:

• [49:21] Vybz Kartel: "Dancehall came about on reggae beats until it found its own niche... dancehall is just like sex, drugs, you know what I mean? I like it."

He distinguishes between reggae and dancehall, noting dancehall as the more rebellious and contemporary cousin of reggae.

• [57:44] Vybz Kartel: "Dancehall is forever. I'm a rip for the culture. I stand on the shoulders of giants, right? Bounty Killer, Buju Banton... we're here to represent for the culture."

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Personal Life and Relationships

Kartel opens up about his relationships, especially focusing on his experiences with his baby mothers and the challenges of maintaining family ties while managing a high-profile career:

• [112:12] Vybz Kartel: "I did an album for Shorty. It's literally called To Tanisha because her government is Tanisha. It was a big song."

He expresses gratitude towards the women who supported him and helped raise his children despite the turmoil in his personal life.

• [112:28] Vybz Kartel: "A lot of people surprised that I got the visa... because I changed up my whole thing and I'm good now."

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Cultural Influence and Global Reach

Kartel discusses the global influence of Jamaican music and its cultural significance:

• [65:08] Vybz Kartel: "The homage is there. Dancehall and reggae are the DNA for Jamaica. So is dancehall. It has layers and is deeply ingrained in the community."

He highlights Jamaica's significant contribution to global music, particularly in influencing genres like reggaeton and Afrobeats.

---

Philosophy and Personal Growth

Reflecting on his time in prison and personal struggles, Kartel shares his philosophy on life, resilience, and the importance of mental health:

• [157:35] Vybz Kartel: "Graves disease is an autoimmune thyroid disease... everything is a technique. Once you crack the code, you win."

He emphasizes the importance of embracing one's vulnerabilities and seeking help, breaking the stigma around mental health in the black community.

• [160:20] Vybz Kartel: "Graves disease... it affects your pituitary glands... makes you sweat a lot, your heart palpitate... that's why I keep wearing my shades."

---

Future Endeavors and Legacy

Looking ahead, Kartel speaks about his aspirations and the legacy he aims to leave behind:

• [43:17] Vybz Kartel: "We want to do it every year in Jamaica... it's going to be an annual event."

He envisions expanding festivals globally, promoting dancehall culture, and mentoring the next generation of artists.

• [86:22] Vybz Kartel: "We live in Jamaica's culture... so big up all that legend... because we influence so many people."

---

Notable Quotes

1. On Resilience:

   • Vybz Kartel ([08:07]): "And just got out of prison six months ago. And now I'm walking the red carpet. Joy, that's a blessing."

2. On Musical Evolution:

   • Vybz Kartel ([49:21]): "Dancehall is just like sex, drugs, you know what I mean? I like it. Violence. It's deeper than that. It has many layers."

3. On Cultural Influence:

   • Vybz Kartel ([65:08]): "Dancehall and reggae are the DNA for Jamaica. So is dancehall. It has layers and is deeply ingrained in the community."

4. On Personal Growth:

   • Vybz Kartel ([157:35]): "Once you crack the code, you win. So I started using my matt like, you know that sponge they give you to sleep on to imitate the cushion sound in the studio across the Mic."

5. On Legacy:

   • Vybz Kartel ([86:22]): "Jamaicanos, a lot of us, especially back in the day, we're well read. And we watch everything that's happening in the world."

---

Conclusion

The episode of The Breakfast Club provides a comprehensive look into Vybz Kartel's life, exploring his rise in the dancehall industry, the adversities he faced, including his incarceration, and his unwavering dedication to his craft and community. Kartel's narrative is one of resilience, passion, and an enduring commitment to shaping and preserving the cultural tapestry of dancehall music.

For those unfamiliar with Vybz Kartel, this episode serves as an enlightening introduction to his profound impact on music and his personal journey of transformation and redemption.

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Note: This summary is based on the provided transcript and aims to encapsulate the essence of the conversation while highlighting key moments and quotes.

Transcript

[Vibes Cartel]

Welcome to My Legacy. I'm Martin Luther King III and together with my wife, Andrea Waters King, and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, we explore the personal journeys that shape extraordinary lives. Join us for heartfelt conversations with remarkable guests like David Oyelowo, Mel Robbins, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Billy Porter.

[Nore]

Listen to My legacy on the iHeartRadio.

[Vibes Cartel]

App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

This is my Legacy.

[Mary Kay McBrayer]

I'm Mary Kay McBrayer, host of the podcast the Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told. This season explores women from the 19th century to now. Women who were murderers and scammers, but also women who were photojournalists, lawyers, writers and more. This podcast tells more than just the brutal, gory details of horrific acts. I delve into the good, the bad, the difficult, and all the nuance I can find because these are the stories that we need to know to understand the intersection of society, justice and the fascinating workings of the human psyche. Join me every week as I tell some of the most enthralling true crime stories about women who are not just victims, but heroes or villains, or often somewhere in between. Listen to the greatest true crime stories ever told on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

What if you ask two different people the same set of questions?

[Nore]

Even if the questions are the same.

[Vibes Cartel]

Our experiences can lead us to drastically different answers. I'm Mini Driver and I set out to explore this idea in my podcast and now Mini Questions is returning for another season. We've asked an entirely new set of guests our seven questions, including Jane Lynch, Delaney Rowe and Cord Jefferson. Listen to Mini questions on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 7 Questions Limitless Answers I'm Mark Seal.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture.

[Nathan King]

This podcast is based on my co host Mark Seals best selling book of the same title. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

Drink Chest. Drink Chest. Drink Chest.

[Nore]

Drink Chest.

[Vibes Cartel]

Drink Chest.

[Nore]

And it's Drink Chess Podcast.

[Vibes Cartel]

Make some noise. He's a legendary Queens rapper.

[Nore]

Hey, hang this your boy.

[Vibes Cartel]

N O R E He's a Miami hip hop pioneer.

[DJ EFN]

What up is DJ efn.

[Vibes Cartel]

Together they drink it up with some.

[DJ EFN]

Of the biggest players, you know what I mean?

[Vibes Cartel]

In the most professional unprofessional podcast and your number one source for Drunk Facts Drink Chest podcast.

[Nore]

Where every day is New Year's Eve.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's time for drink champs.

[DJ EFN]

Drink up.

[Nore]

What it good be? Hopefully it's your boy, Nor E. What up?

[DJ EFN]

It's DJ efn and this is Military.

[Nore]

Crazy War Yappy Hour.

[Vibes Cartel]

Make some noise.

[Nore]

When we started this show, we started it saying we wanted to pay respect to icons, to legends, to. To people, the mans of the people. When I tell you, when we started this show, from the beginning, they said, get this man. This man is like Jesus. He is dominated the world of dancehall. Then took a hiatus for 13 years, then came back and went even in the 13 years he remained his spot. Did he come home? He sell out Madison Square Garden times two. Every man come to every man's body. How they call him the world boss Gaza. And right now we are here to salute and to pay respect. Give him his flowers while he here. The one, the only Vibe.

[Vibes Cartel]

Now. Vibes. Yeah.

[Nore]

You guys were once a part of a group. It was a group called Vibes Cartel, correct?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, it was three of us, but I was the best one, so.

[DJ EFN]

Dwindled down to one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Big up Escobar. Big up Mr. Lee.

[Nore]

Because who got you in the music? I heard it was your uncles who got you in the music.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I used to watch them, dj, you know what I mean? They were like up and coming artists, but like I said, I was the best one, so.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

You'll never hear of them.

[Nore]

Oh, even your uncles?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, better than them.

[Nore]

Oh, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

But they inspired me. Like, seriously though, like, they got me interested in the art form, right? You know, I mean, just watching people flowing on beats, right? That was crazy for me as a kid, like, you know. And that's when I got interested, Right?

[Nore]

We got that Jay Z clip. I wanna. I wanna play. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The cyber sounds.

[DJ EFN]

Yeah. With jmp.

[Nore]

Yeah. I want to show you.

[Vibes Cartel]

I want to show you this from New York.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Just didn't have it.

[Nore]

Just didn't pop off like that.

[Vibes Cartel]

I almost had Vibes Cartel. Yeah. Rock and Forget it. Vice Cartel was around back then, yo. What? I've never truly listened to Vibes Cartel, of course. Oh, yeah, we tried three different hooks. Really? Yeah.

[Katherine Legg]

Oh, what's so somewhere.

[Nore]

I forget. Yeah, I know where they at.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Guru has. Wow. He Couldn't come in. He sent them. No, he was there. He came to. Oh, Vice Cartel. Yes. I think he's talking about Jay Z. Talking about Movado.

[Nore]

Nah, he said you.

[Vibes Cartel]

But what year was that? Cause remember, they took my visa years ago, like, 05.

[Nore]

Yeah, he might be talking about that.

[DJ EFN]

Well, they were mentioning that you couldn't come. That's what they were saying.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why Cypher asked him twice. Like, are you sure, Cartel?

[DJ EFN]

Yeah, he did ask him that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But, yeah, man, Saifa, that's my brethren. I've known him for years, right? Nigga called me one day. Cartel. How come you've been speaking for two years and I've never met you? Are you a myth? Yeah. Shit, it was crazy, man. Yeah, but Cypher is a bit big up. Cypher.

[Nore]

But, you know, in Cypher's defense, since I've heard of you, it's like a myth that comes with you. Like, I'm gonna be honest with you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

I'm the other day hanging out with one of my Jewish friends, and my Jewish friend told me, he said, it's in Jamaica. This is what he said that his friend said. He said, it's Jesus Bob and advice.

[Vibes Cartel]

And kfc.

[Nore]

Kfc. Yo, do you realize how many. How many people love you? Like, like every artist that I've ever interviewed, right? I go to Twitter and I say, I got this artist and to come. So you got questions with you. I'm not even playing with the fans because. Because they'll be all in. In my comments. Do you realize how. How popular you are?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man, of course.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

But like I said, I put in the work, you know what I mean? And I keep it real right through, like, night. Jew. So I just sing my truth, right? And people just like that about me, right? Yeah.

[Nore]

How was the Grammys?

[Vibes Cartel]

Was amazing. I've never been there before, you know what I mean? And just got out of prison six months ago.

[DJ EFN]

Crazy.

[Vibes Cartel]

And now I'm walking the red carpet. Joy, that's a blessing.

[Nore]

What you about to say, V?

[Cypher Sounds]

No, I'm saying I know we talked about Vibes Cartel, the name, but before that, you were Ari Banzan.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm still Adi Bantam. Buju Banton is my favorite dancehall artist. Like, he inspired me. Yeah, man. Buju Banton and Ninja Man, My two favorites.

[Nore]

Right? I got that written down. There was a concert one time when you was young. Vibes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And Buju grabbed a mic from you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

What. What happened there?

[Vibes Cartel]

Nothing happened. That's Buju Banton, man. You know what I mean? I mean, I was angry and happy at the same time. What the f. Oh, yeah, man. I put you. And funny enough, he gave me one of the most profound. How would I put it now? Advice in the industry. Because back then when I just came out, I used to flow very hard, you know what I mean? And a lot of times it went over people's heads, especially the older fans, because I was just coming out and Bujibanthem was like, oh boy, I'm bad. But I just need you to slow it down. I mean, I said boom book. Like, you know, so that makes sense, right? And that's when I think I found that. That balance between the art and commerce. Because you still need our shit to be sold. Right?

[DJ EFN]

Right, right.

[Vibes Cartel]

You still need people to. Yeah. So big up Bujubantan for that. But yeah, I'm still Adibantan, man.

[Nore]

Now, I'm gonna be honest with you. I seen a guy on the Internet have this liquor.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And say, this should be illegal.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's dangerous.

[Nore]

It's dangerous.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, much.

[Nore]

So let's describe to people. Which one is this?

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, this is the Ramping shop.

[Nore]

That's the record you got with you and Spice.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because we name each flavor from one of my hit songs. Okay. You know what I mean? This is my. No, this is the electric. This is dangerous as well. But my favorite one is this Fever. Yeah, that's more like 63%. But it's smooth. It's like vodka.

[Nore]

You say 63%?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Hair on your chest.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, exactly. It takes hair off your chest too. Yeah. This is crazy, man. This Fever. But.

[Nore]

And which one is that one?

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, this is the Unstoppable.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

And you can't let any of it spill, cuz it's unmappable. That's how dangerous this one is. So these two, right? Fire this one. This one is mostly for the ladies.

[Nore]

The ladies. Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

And this, any. Anyone can have that. But trust me, I recommend the Fever and the Unstoppable.

[Cypher Sounds]

Something. See how you just said unstoppable and unmappable. Since when you start being a DJ like that in your mind? And you always play with your lyrics?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I always play with words. Always play. You know this.

[Nore]

Yes, yes.

[Cypher Sounds]

At what age?

[Vibes Cartel]

Since I was born, man. Like, that's. It's also a Jamaican thing. We love to rhyme. It's like every kid on a street corner in New York, you know, wants to be a rapper. It's the same thing in Jamaica, right? You either want to run right. From the cops as well. Or you want to do music.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know what I mean? So those are not the only thing, but, you know, get your style, right. Yeah. In the Garrison.

[Nore]

What is it? Summertime in the Portmore.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, that song.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

But.

[Nore]

But can you describe Portmore for me?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, it's just outside Kingston, so.

[Nore]

It'S not in Kingston.

[Vibes Cartel]

No.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

You got across the bridge. Okay, so it's like Jersey. I don't. New York or Long Island. Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Okay. We are still very much intertwined culturally and everything. Most people in Portmore at the time went to school in Kingston. He worked in Kingston. So we are basically a twin city. And how was life where I grew up?

[Cypher Sounds]

How was life in Waterford?

[Vibes Cartel]

Rough?

[Cypher Sounds]

Can you describe that in any way?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, I grew up like six of us, right? You know, I mean, six kids. Six kids. My parents, we had six of us in one room at one point, on one bed. You know, get a lifestyle. But for me, I wouldn't change how I was raised.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because it made me who you are. You are now tough, determined, unwilling to go back there.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know, I mean, so, yeah, man. Big up water for Portmore Empire.

[DJ EFN]

And you say your uncles were inspiring you to do music?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. They were from Kingston, right? So they used to come to my. My mom's house, like, on Sundays, where my dad had this thing set up. Turntable, you know those?

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, of course.

[Vibes Cartel]

With the needle. Yeah. So. And they used to string the mic up. And dj, they lived in Kingston. Waterhouse. Yeah, yeah. That's where I was born. So big up Waterhouse as well.

[Nore]

So let me just go straight up and ask you, who's the king of the dance hall vibes?

[Vibes Cartel]

Cartel. I mean, don't get it twisted, because you have to remember, Beanie's a legend, and he was king, right? The same way George was king. Now we have Charles. And I mean, these things come and go, just like life. We're here now. A few years from now, we're gone. So currently speaking, right, you know, I mean, as said by Billboard, as said by the fans, Rolling Stones, right? You know, I mean, Vice Cartel of the King Numbers is there to prove it as it relates to dancehall. The love is there, right? Impact is there.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

The influence is there.

[Nore]

All right?

[Vibes Cartel]

So, I mean, what's more left to be said? All right, One king.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

And one thing I commend you for is you never. I haven't heard you talk bad on Beanie, ever. You always pay respect to Him.

[Vibes Cartel]

Beanie's a big inspiration to Vibes. Car.

[Cypher Sounds]

You just hit the ground. You just hit the Grammys and you still paid him respect.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, that's my top five. I told you. Bounty, Beanie, Ninja Man, Vibes, Cartel. Right, that's it.

[Nore]

But I've read a lot of the comments, and a lot of comments were saying that that's the reason why you are the king is because of your humbleness. Like you, you could have used that opportunity and said something wrong or said something bad about, oh, no.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, no. God is the greatest, man. God is the greatest.

[DJ EFN]

But the old you wouldn't have been like that.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, you're right. You know what I mean? But you know what I mean? You live and you learn.

[Nore]

You want some Fever?

[Vibes Cartel]

Huh?

[Nore]

You want some Fever? You want some.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, you're offering me my own liquor. But I need a cup, though.

[Nore]

We going to hook you up.

[Vibes Cartel]

Ice. Ice, please.

[Nore]

So is this something?

[Vibes Cartel]

Have white cranberry. Ooh, white red. Okay, okay. Yeah, that's cool. Thank you.

[Nore]

I'm a little hating. I've never heard of white cranberry.

[Vibes Cartel]

Now it's amazing. Drink.

[Nore]

Is that a Jamaican drink or is that.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's universal.

[Nore]

Oh, okay, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Well, you're taking it.

[Nore]

Look, keep.

[Cypher Sounds]

No, keep using it.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, I like to see where my liquor is.

[Nore]

Yeah, that's right. Make it over here.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's right.

[Nore]

I respect that. Jamaica yard, Martin man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yard.

[Nore]

Mon ting. So when you were locked up, what was the most thing that you missed more? Because I was about to say recording or performing. But you got to record in. In jail. But did you miss performing?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, I didn't get to record. I had to figure out how to record. Yeah.

[Nore]

Cause I ain't gonna lie, whatever iPhone you got is good 5s.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's good for recording the 5s. How many albums you recorded in jail? A lot. I mean, we did. We did Viking, which is now re released 10 year anniversary.

[Cypher Sounds]

Congratulations.

[Vibes Cartel]

We did King of the Dance hall, which Fever is on that soul goal.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

I did To Tanisha, the album that's nominated for Grammys. I did that in prison as well.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

So.

[Nore]

Yeah, but you don't sound like you in prison. I'm trying to. Like, we were listening to this today. I'm like, how the fuck did you do that?

[Vibes Cartel]

That's just figure it out. Remember, everything is a technique. Once you crack the code, you win. So I started using my matt like, you know that sponge they give you to sleep on to imitate the cushion sound in the studio across the Mic. Oh, sound cool. Yeah. So that's what I figured out.

[DJ EFN]

How many times did it take you to figure that part out?

[Vibes Cartel]

A few years. Because I started recording, like, in 2012, and by 2013, I figured it out.

[Nore]

Which means you had a phone in there immediately.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, no, I had an iPad. The small one.

[Nore]

Oh, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

That rectangular one. Remember those early ones from back in the day? I used to use that. Yeah. Until I figured it out, like 2013. Then I started doing more, better, better quality songs in terms of the sound.

[Nore]

Wow. Now, what's your favorite place to perform? I see you just booked Cologne, Germany, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I'm in Germany. Yeah.

[Nore]

What's your favorite place to perform outside of Jamaica? Let me rephrase the question. What's the place that you performed that. Then you was like, damn, why am I here? Like a weird place.

[Vibes Cartel]

I don't know, man. Like, I embrace everywhere. Let me think, though. Japan, 2001.

[Nore]

Japan.

[Vibes Cartel]

That was crazy.

[DJ EFN]

They go crazy over there.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, that was crazy because, like, at the time, most of these, the Internet wasn't around as big, so. Right. It was crazy for me to go to Japan and was like, these people know my songs, you know, I mean, so that was crazy.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

But since then, you know, we got used to it.

[Nore]

Okay, now, when you went to. When you went to trial, a friend of mine's, dear friend, I believe he went, had 12 days of trial. And I believe he went to 11 days. And I believe, if I heard this right, believe on the 12th day, they didn't let him in because they knew he was going to be guilty. I'm talking about Busta Rhymes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, yes, yes. That's my G. I was with him in la. La. Yeah. Just did him cracking right in the studio. Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

So how's your relationship with Busta Rhymes describe your relationship?

[Vibes Cartel]

That's my G. The first time I met him was after I did Best of the Best because, remember, I didn't have a visa, so I was the first artist to do best of the best from Jamaica by a satellite, you know, I mean, live. So he was in the crowd in Miami watching on stage and was like, yo, what the is this?

[Cypher Sounds]

I remember that.

[Vibes Cartel]

I was like, I need to know this person. So we came to Jamaica.

[Nore]

Oh, so he music first.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

So he came to Jamaica, but we love Busta Ryan, right?

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because, you know, growing up, we think we found out he was Jamaican and he did the DJ very well. He raps very well. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[DJ EFN]

So no no, the fever.

[Nore]

The fever.

[Vibes Cartel]

The fever. You don't know the song?

[Nore]

You got me fever, bro. Oh, no. Fever. I know the fever. Okay. Hell, yeah. Hell, yeah. Salute. Yo, man, let me tell you something, world boss man.

[Vibes Cartel]

We are sold out.

[Nore]

This is fever. Let's do that again.

[Vibes Cartel]

Champagne looking fever. Beer looking fever.

[Nore]

Okay, so now if I'm a tourist, I've never been to Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

I'm a big Bob Scartel fan. Where do I. What do you recommend that I go in Jamaica?

[Vibes Cartel]

For what?

[Nore]

For, I don't know. Just be safe.

[Vibes Cartel]

You can go anywhere. I mean, if you love, right. Dance soul. And you want to be in that culture where cartel is from. Bounty, Beanie Movado. Come to Kingston. Come to Kingston. We party every single night, right? Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, right? You want, like, a resort vibe. White sand beaches, the girls with the little thing. You go to Montego Bay.

[Nore]

Montego Bay, Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

But to be fair to Montego Bay, they also have a very powerful inner city culture.

[Nore]

They got gunman, them in Montego Bay.

[Vibes Cartel]

I've never seen one.

[Nore]

Okay, all right, cool.

[Vibes Cartel]

But I will say this, though. They have a very strong culture as well, because they're the second city. So. So Montego Bay would be. If Kingston were New York, Montego Bay would be Los Angeles.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

And they push. They have big artists from Montego Bay as well. The culture, the energy, you know, I mean, dancers. Yeah. So Tommy Lee. Yeah, I brought Tommy Lee. And I mean, I've squash. He lives in Miami now. Yep. A host of artists, man. Jamal the Dunceman. So, yeah, Mo Bay is a nice cultural place, too.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

I've been to Montego Bay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, you've been there? Yeah, yeah, the resort part.

[Nore]

Yeah, I've been in the resort part. My bad.

[DJ EFN]

I don't know nobody.

[Nore]

So are you okay?

[Cypher Sounds]

I know we're all over the place, but I want to talk about alliance and your. And your introduction to Bounty Killer and that. That part of your life.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, that was crazy, man. Like, I was in Portmore at the time, so a dude that saw me on a show, a stage show, amateur night, and he was like, yo, I know Bounty Killer and I can make the introduction. But them times, as a youth from the ghetto, he was like, where the. Where you know Bounty Killer from?

[Nore]

You know what I mean?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, like, how you know him?

[Nore]

Right?

[Cypher Sounds]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Who are you? Yeah, exactly. Cause at the time, he was driving a Nissan. I'm like, how.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

You know what I mean? So it took us months because I was like, yeah, come pick me up today. 5:00. 5:00. I never showed. Right now, I mean. And then one day, me and my friends was there chilling, and we was like, you know what? He's determined. Give him a chance. You know what I mean? So see how determination is a good thing, too. So I said, okay, let's go. And he actually knew Bounty, right? So when he took me to Bounty Killer, Bounty was there. I think he was playing cards or dominoes, but some gambling was going on. And he didn't even look up. Like, Butler was like, oh, this is the dude that I wanted to introduce it to. And Killer was like, yeah, man, make him do the demo. You know him talking. Let him do the demo. Double six. And he's playing this domino. Anyway, we went to do the demo. When I went to the studio to do the demo, I saw a man. A man came in and the engineer was arguing with him and something. He pulled a gun, shot the dude, killed him on spot. We had to leave. They're like, I would have blood clot. It's all kind of crass. Is this in our life? Anyway, we went to another studio where I met a famous Jamaican DJ called Ricky Trooper.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

In Jamaica, we wouldn't call him dj, though. We'd call him a selector. He spins the turntables. And that was the start of an amazing relationship as well. Anyway, did the demo, went back to Bounty Killer the next day, gave him the demo, left, came back the next day. And then he was like, yeah, yeah, you with your body. Yeah, yeah, man. That's when Bounty Killer became my mentor, you know what I mean? Legend, yeah. He made me famous. So big up Bounty Killer and shout.

[DJ EFN]

Out to the dude that brought you to him, because.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, yeah, Ron Butler, he lives in LA right now, as a matter of fact. Me and him, not that close, but he's a little bro. He's one of my road managers. I don't leave him everywhere in the world. I am, he's there.

[Nore]

How about the first time you met Buju?

[Vibes Cartel]

Like I said, the first time I actually met him, apart from the incident, was in Manhattan. Sometimes I had visa way back in the day. Like 2004. Yeah.

[Nore]

Let me ask you a little political question. It's not too political, but why do Jamaicans need visas to come here, but Americans don't need visas to go to Jamaica?

[Vibes Cartel]

In America is America. I doubt if you guys need visas to go anyway. Maybe Russia. No, London.

[Nore]

They kicked me out of London. I didn't have a visa. They kicked Me out. They didn't even let me get out of the airport.

[DJ EFN]

We need visas for some people.

[Nore]

Yeah, they kicked me right out.

[Vibes Cartel]

London.

[Nore]

Yeah. I mean, you, London.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, we could. You know what? Let me pass on that answer. I'm not gonna get too political because then you're gonna end up in race and whatever.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

How does it feel to get your visa back? And what does that mean for an artist coming from Jamaica and overseas?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, it feels good, man. And I think I deserve it too.

[Nore]

That's right.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, so shout out to them. Not. I don't say that to sound cocky or anything.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

I just say that because apart from me putting in the work, I'm changed as a person and I'm more user friendly, so to speak. So, yeah, I think I deserve. And you got a question? All the charges, right? Huh? You got acquitted of all the charges. All the charges.

[Nore]

One of the things that that was said to me was this whole time you was.

[Vibes Cartel]

You was.

[Nore]

You was caught, but there was no gun and there was no body that they ever found.

[Vibes Cartel]

No.

[Nore]

Yeah. So it was almost like that's. That's like.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, I went through the. The trials and tribulations and God. God brought me through successfully, you know, so.

[DJ EFN]

Made it through.

[Vibes Cartel]

Made it through, man. God is the greatest. God damn it. Yeah, man. God damn it, man. God damn it.

[Nore]

So what was some of the things you was watching in jail?

[Vibes Cartel]

Everything.

[Nore]

Everything.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

You had Internet. You had World Star.

[Vibes Cartel]

World Star. No, that. It's jail, man. I had pornhub. You know what?

[Nore]

I seen you walk the red carpet in the Grammys and I seen you point out every. Every little website, like, you knew. Yeah, yeah. So I was like, he had to be. He had to have Internet in a can.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. It was up to the. I mean, they have taken so much, so many phones from me in prison, I've lost count, man, because it's not like it's legal. Right. But it's a cell and I'm in a cell. Yeah. So you know. You know how that goes. It's crazy, though. But yeah, man. I mean, I wasn't. I wasn't given the worst treatment.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

I wasn't singled out. You know, sometimes people like to single you out.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

But when I was in Jamaican prison, I wasn't, like, singled out in a bad way. Right, right. Only in good ways, you know, because, you know, the culture is big and like I said, I'm a chill person. You know what I mean?

[Nore]

And you're the world boss. Yes, yes. Our show is about giving people their flowers. And they can smell them, they thoughts when they could think them. And they drinks while they can drink them. Yo, man, welcome home. Yo, stay home. Stay on top of the game. We want to give you your flowers face to face, man. And, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, yeah. Wow.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah, yeah, that's the camera.

[Nore]

Snoop Dogg said it's better than a Grammy because it comes for his people.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Kareem, tell them where you from.

[Vibes Cartel]

Portmore.

[Nore]

He's from Portmore.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Sun City. Thank you, man. This means a lot.

[Nore]

Yes. Hell, yeah. You got something. Go ahead.

[Cypher Sounds]

Your nickname is the War angel as well. You know what I'm saying?

[Vibes Cartel]

What's the War Angel?

[Cypher Sounds]

Was the War Angel. Yes. So I want to go back a little bit because we're in the magnificence of vibes Cartel right now, but we have to talk about how you got there and the things that made you that you know. And you said some of your inspiration was Bounty, Buju and Ninjamun.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Cypher Sounds]

You had an instance when Ninja man one time on stage. You know what I mean? I'm just wondering how the hell do you have an instance like that with one of your inspirations?

[Vibes Cartel]

It was an unfortunate incident. And, you know, I mean, funny enough, like I said, Ninja man is the first artist that I really listened to and was like, I want to do this. It's my job. It's going to be my job. So I guess we were bound to meet at some time. They say workheads till your idol becomes your rival or something. It happens. Yeah. So, I mean, I guess that's what brought me and his journey right there in that time and space together. But, yeah, we cool. We met after that. We were actually in prison together. Like two prisons.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. So we were in Spanish Town prison, and we were in Tower street in Kingston. I left in there, as a matter of fact. So big up, Ninja Man. But, yeah, that was a crazy point in my career, you know? Yeah. I was hungry.

[Cypher Sounds]

I could tell.

[Vibes Cartel]

I was hungry, man. And I wanted it at any means necessary. Yeah, but big up, Ninja. We're good like that.

[DJ EFN]

And what about the times of Bounty? Who all was in the alliance?

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, yeah. I had a lyrical feud with the alliance as well when I left.

[DJ EFN]

But how long were you with them?

[Vibes Cartel]

I was with alliance some 2000 till about 2005, 2006. Okay, okay. Yes. Funny enough, you know what started that feud with me and alliance when I went to Beanie man's wedding.

[Cypher Sounds]

Oh, yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

He was with City, Portmore Mandela. He goes bontel Beanie was at it at the time because, remember, Bounty being a man married at the time, so tensions was high.

[Nore]

There was love and hip hop in Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. But I mean, angel, that's been him as wife. Monty's ex. I've known her for years.

[DJ EFN]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

So I basically went to angel wedding.

[DJ EFN]

But you were supporting her.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Right, right. And trust me, man, that. That was crazy. Yes. That caused it, man.

[Cypher Sounds]

But did you do. You did a record as well with her? You did a record?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, while she was with me. Yeah, yeah. Birth to a Life. You know, what's up.

[Cypher Sounds]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

It was a big. It still is a big song. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cool. Yeah. But that's what started it, man. And we went. And that's what birthed, like, the emergence of Gaza Gully. Because then Movado stepped up as a kid.

[Nore]

That's who Gaza went against, right? Yes, yes. Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

But we're both from Alliance.

[Nore]

That's the success.

[DJ EFN]

So when you had that problem, he stepped up for. For alliance, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, he stepped up for alliance because I was shooting everyone. He was like the young, brave one that. At the time. That. And that's when it started. So it's over, huh? It's over now. Yeah. Me and me. I'm. Of all the cool, man went down.

[DJ EFN]

For a while, though.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Matter of fact, his son was in the same prison I was in, too. Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, man. Shout out the golly God. Yeah, he's in town.

[Cypher Sounds]

Do you ever look back at those times and. And I don't want to say regret.

[Vibes Cartel]

I never regret anything, but.

[Cypher Sounds]

But maybe you want to do something different.

[Vibes Cartel]

I know I want to live in this universe, man.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

And this universe brought me to where I am. You ended up.

[Mark Seal]

Hey, you guys, I'm Katherine Legg. I'm a racing driver who's literally driven everything with four wheels across the planet. And I've got a new podcast. It's called Throttle Therapy. This season, I'm gearing up to make history, competing in some of the world's most notorious racing events, starting at the Indy 500. Join me as I travel from racetrack to racetrack in my quest to continue a memorable career in racing. I'm also going to bring you inside stories with legends of sports, new faces from the next generation of auto racing, and conversations with the people who've supported me throughout my career. We'll be getting into everything from karting to nascar, even Formula one. Whether you dream about being a pro athlete or an astronaut, we're talking about what it takes to make it. Listen to Throttle Therapy with Katherine Legg, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Presented by Capital One, founding.

[Vibes Cartel]

Partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

[Katherine Legg]

Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm Mark Seale.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birthday. From start to finish, this is really.

[Vibes Cartel]

The first interview I've done in bed.

[Nathan King]

We sift through innumerable accounts. 35 pages isn't very much, many of them conflicting.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's nonsense. There were 60 pages.

[Nathan King]

And try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Vibes Cartel]

And they said, we're finished. This is over. It's not going to work. You got to get rid of those guys.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

Something about Mary Poppins.

[I]

Something about Mary Poppins. Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh man, this is fun.

[I]

I'm AJ Jacobs and I am an author and a journalist and I tend to get obsessed with stuff and my current obsession is puzzles and that has given birth to my podcast, the Puzzler. Dressing. Dressing.

[Vibes Cartel]

French dressing.

[I]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, that's good.

[I]

Now you can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears.

[Vibes Cartel]

I thought to myself, I bet I know what this is. And now I definitely know what this is.

[Nore]

This is so weird. This is fun. Let's try this one.

[I]

Our brand new season features Special guests like Chuck Bryant, Mayim Bialik, Julie Bowen, Sam Sanders, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and lots more. Listen to the Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's awful. And I should have seen it coming.

[Nore]

There's a fire happening, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Mm.

[Nore]

And you got one bottle of fever.

[Vibes Cartel]

Mm.

[Nore]

You could save one person.

[Vibes Cartel]

Around this table.

[Nore]

No, no, no, no.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm gonna give it to you.

[Nore]

I'm gonna give it to you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

You can save one person.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Buju or bounty killer.

[Cypher Sounds]

Save one the fire more. I just want to let you know.

[Nore]

Yeah, you can save one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. The fever gonna cause some of the burn.

[Nore]

He gonna drink the fever himself.

[Vibes Cartel]

I thought I, I. I could have sworn I saw that on your program. Like, when the person doesn't want to answer.

[Nore]

Oh, you drink. I'm gonna take a drink too.

[DJ EFN]

Yeah, it's a quick time. You ready for quick time?

[Nore]

Hold on, hold on. I wanna.

[Vibes Cartel]

Go ahead.

[Nore]

Hold on. My bad. Y'all gotta step your shit up there. That's what they make up, these questions. Yeah, but let's. Let's talk about one of your friends, Sean Storm.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's my brother, man. No friends. That's your Cody, too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. My real bro, man.

[Nore]

Everything is great.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, his mom used to sell at the primary school that I went to. He went there too, but I'm older than him, so I was there before, so. Yeah, man. We grew up in the same community, right? Yeah.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Come on. That's my bro, man.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Talk to him every day.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Why did you ask that, though, even though it's your interview?

[Nore]

I don't know. I just want to make sure I'm on point.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, yeah, man, that's him all.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah. I want to make sure I'm on point. I had to call every. Let me tell you something. Everybody wants to be a part of this interview. Everybody, man, because you're so important to the people, you know what I mean? And. And, like, you know what I mean? I just wanted to. I just wanted to give you your flowers, man, because.

[Vibes Cartel]

Thank you, man.

[Nore]

You know, I mean, like, your story is impeccable.

[Vibes Cartel]

Flowers received, man.

[Nore]

That's right.

[DJ EFN]

Well, I want to ask, what influences, if any, did you have? A hip hop artist from over here in the States.

[Vibes Cartel]

Growing up, I used to listen to, like, KRS1 BDP from the Bronx, and I mean, Slick Rick, a little bit of big that. We loved Slick Rick in Jamaica, back in the day. Because we heard Beanie Sisters. Yeah, man. The Teacher. Yeah, man. Big Up Slick man recorded Big Chin, right? And, you know, back in the days, Jamaicans used to love to wear those big, heavy gold chains, you know? I mean, sometimes the diamond and the bling wasn't such a thing, but that's the. Yeah, man.

[Nore]

And you call yourself the Teacher, too, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, but. Yeah, well, I didn't call myself a teacher. People gave me that name. People gave me World Boss. I only gave myself the name Vibes Cartel and War Angel.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay?

[Vibes Cartel]

Because remember, Bounty Killer is the warlord, right? So he needs the little War Angels around him at the time. So. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did you get Songs for Bounty? Yes. That's how he actually hooked up.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Or met. In terms of. Like, I used to write, and then he gave me the opportunity to do a song with him called Gala Clown.

[Nore]

Wait a. Wait, you said you used to write?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I wrote, like, back in the day.

[Nore]

The whole song?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Yes, yes.

[Nore]

Really?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And dance. Oh, that's cool.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's Bounty Killer, right? Who? You're gonna say that's uncool.

[Nore]

No, no, I'm just saying, like.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Bounty Killer had a team of writers around him at the time. Very good writers, too. Wow. You know, I mean. Yeah, very good writers. Manas is the best one.

[DJ EFN]

Like, you guys have more output, I feel like, than artists over here.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right.

[DJ EFN]

You're right on every rhythm that comes out.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We just throwing out, right? Yeah, man.

[Nore]

Did Neo ever get mad at you?

[Vibes Cartel]

I've never met him.

[Nore]

Y'all mash up his song.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I know. I know. You're in the club thinking they're gonna hear. Yeah, I watched that. You mean if I got the.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Streets cleared it right away. Which. Which made possible for me to not clear it. Even if I was thinking about not clearing it. Which, by the way, I was never thinking about not clearing it.

[DJ EFN]

That's Vi Cartel.

[Vibes Cartel]

But he didn't clear it. No, don't say that. That's what I'm saying.

[Nore]

Wait, wait.

[Vibes Cartel]

Come on. Was presented to me like, this is that dude. Yes. Oh, and by the way, he did this with your song. It was presented to me like that. So I'm like, so what are we talking about right now? Of course it's fine. Why would I have a problem with this to this day? I can't.

[Nore]

I, like, you know, I can't be.

[Vibes Cartel]

Over there and perform Miss Independent without showing. Without giving props to what the he.

[Nore]

Did you know what I'm saying?

[Vibes Cartel]

Like, yeah, man.

[Nore]

Like, he said he brought the record back to life.

[Vibes Cartel]

Vibe and essence off of the. That I was trying to do. I gotta give you love for that.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

In his defense, as well, the publishing was owned by some European guys, so they were holding, like, oh, we don't.

[Nore]

Isn't that so dope? The power of the people is they make with the hits. Whatever the fuck it is. It didn't matter if Def Jam cleared it or not. That's it. I think that's your record.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man. It's the biggest. It's one of my biggest songs, man. Like, trust me, it's one of spices. Like, anywhere she goes, she's like, yo, I got the big hit with Cartel. This is my first big song.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

She says that. And she's also from Portmore, by the way. Spice. We grew up together. Yeah, yeah, yeah, man.

[Nore]

So big up Gracie and a rumping shop.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's it.

[Nore]

That's. That's the.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Yes. Cause we ramp rough.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

So a ramping shop, which you guys maybe would call it like a motel or.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, it's. Oh, it's like that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Oh, yeah. Or a sex shop. But we say ramping shop because we ramp rough. So that's where the concept came from. You know what I mean? That's where we used to hang out back in the day, Me, Popcorn family. You know, the girls used to come through. Yeah. So that's how we gave it the name, the Ramping Shop. So it's a real place.

[Nore]

I don't know if I'm supposed to say it like this, but. And you bust Popcorn, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Trying to get my wife, man. You're good. You're good. You said it proper. I brought him to fame, man. Very talented. You know what I mean? Yeah. Big up Popcorn. Did you.

[Cypher Sounds]

Did you think he exceeded your expectations or did he meet your expectations?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, he met it. And, I mean, he has way more potential in him. Remember, he hasn't even touched US Soil yet.

[Nore]

Think about that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, he's one of the biggest artists out of Jamaica. Been all over the world. He rolls with Drake. Oh.

[Nore]

I'm seeing him in Canada. I'm thinking that's the U.S. holy.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's.

[Nore]

Damn, I didn't peep that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Sells like gold in UK on a regular. Yeah, man, he's doing his thing. He's big. If.

[Nore]

If you. If you. If you get the headline Eastern Parkway Parade, would you bring Popcorn with you?

[Vibes Cartel]

Unless he's walking through the border. Like I said, he doesn't have a visa, but definitely, like me and him, we travel all over the world. We've been traveling. Like I said, I gave him his fame. So of course, if he gets his visa, it's five star telepathy, it's on. Yeah, yeah, but, yeah, but now as it stands, have to walk, man. So why they won't give him his visa? I never went to the embassy on when that was being discussed. You came out, you got your visa, no problem. No, because God is the greatest. I told you, I've made 180. Like people expected me to come out guns blazing, right, right up the place, literally and musically. But like I said, I'm just calm now. I'm chill. Like. Like I feel blessed, I feel good. And I mean, I'm just showing love to everyone, whether you like me or not. And that's where my blessing come from. I mean, a lot of people surprised that I got the visa. Yeah. You know, I mean, as a matter of fact, I went to the German embassy first and got the European one, the Shenyang. Then I went to the U.S. embassy, got the U. S. Visa. In addition to that, like I said, the Grammy nomination, keeping Freedom street the biggest dancehall show.

[Nore]

You're going to make that a festival.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's a blessing because we just be like, yo, God, I'm on your time right now. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

So you're gonna make Freedom Street a festival?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, we want to do it for two days every two days everywhere.

[Nore]

So what would be the next place you want to do it at?

[Vibes Cartel]

Well, we wanted to do it in England, but we got an offer already. Wireless festival.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

So I'll be in wireless. And you know that's summer, so I don't want to pop that up. So.

[Nore]

Yeah, where's that?

[Vibes Cartel]

In London? Okay, well, yeah, Live nation wild.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, so we doing. We're just keeping it every year in Jamaica. That's. That's one thing for sure.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's going to be an annual event.

[Nore]

All right. Do you realize that you stopped the planes traffic in Jamaica that night of the concert? Yeah, there was planes that was backed up. There was traffic. It was. It was like one of the craziest nights in Jamaica. You know that?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man. Even in Kingston you couldn't get a hotel room. All the rooms are booked. Right. You know, I mean, and what a lot of the hotels did on that night. So say the room is for like 250us so for those two nights you gotta have A thousand a night. Wow. Yeah.

[Nore]

They cut you in on that?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, the hotel that I stayed. Funny enough, you brought that up, because I actually stay at a hotel. I've been there so long, even my manager was like, just buy the hotel, man. But they give me a good rate. So I stayed there because my house is in the hills, but it's far, right? So if I want to hide away from people, then I go there. But I like to stay in New Kingston because that's like being in Manhattan. You say New Kingston? The part of Kingston called New Kingston. That sounds better. You know, the banks and the hotels and the nice restaurants and places you would like.

[Nore]

Yeah, okay. God damn it. New Kingston.

[Cypher Sounds]

Let me ask a question, since I were talking about Freedom Street. You know, Freedom street reaches here, and then you emerge out the stage and you just sit there for.

[Vibes Cartel]

Maybe I'm under the pit. Yes.

[Cypher Sounds]

For maybe for 12 minutes. It seemed like five minutes. What did that feeling feel like for you?

[Vibes Cartel]

I did it on purpose, because, remember, I like to prove them wrong. So if you want me to jump this table, just say, you can't jump the table. No. You know what I mean?

[Nore]

So you can't touch the table.

[Vibes Cartel]

I was playing. Okay. But, yeah, so when I was coming out to pee, usually, I would start making my. My signature slang from. From blackstage.

[Cypher Sounds]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

So they'll be like, yo, yo, all right, Cindy. I say, you know. You know the thing. Yeah. Them look. Yeah. Like that I would get the crowd going.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

So I was like, nah, I'm coming out, like, Michael Jackson style.

[Cypher Sounds]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Silence. And let them do that. Yeah. So I gave them, like, a good. I think about a minute.

[Cypher Sounds]

It seemed like five streaming on six out before. Yeah, before they canceled it.

[Vibes Cartel]

And then I said, yo, yo, and pandemonium. Right? Yeah, man. And then we started. It was crazy. This is mine, right?

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

I like Winston. The drinks just appear out of nowhere.

[Nore]

Let me ask you, do you think you should have won the Grammy?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Yeah, of course. Why not?

[Nore]

It was me. Like, you know, reading in the comments, a lot of people agree with you. They think that you should have won the Grammy.

[Vibes Cartel]

Of course. I mean, that's Bob Marley. How many Grammys do you need? Like, you're the number one artist in. In the Jamaica verse, Jamaican universe. Right. You're the number one. This guy sits on itunes number one every day, looking at us like this. Literally. I mean, if you look at his album, that hardly moves from number one. Like me. Yeah. I moved a couple times, goes back up, another artist come Move it. It goes back up. That's Bob. How many Grammys you need, man? And if you think about it, my story is an amazing story. Yes. 13 years out of prison, getting nominated for the album that I did in prison, coming out, getting a US Visa, walking the red carpet. That's a real story. And we know the Grammys is also political as well. Of course. It's a beautiful story. It's a success story.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yes.

[Nore]

And God could have been on the red carpet. That was dope.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. That would have been the icing on the cake. Am I bitter? No. Hell, no. That's Bob Marley. And personally, I think he was the only person who could have beaten me, you know? I mean, so the last time you're.

[DJ EFN]

Gonna be nominated, right?

[Cypher Sounds]

That's not the.

[Vibes Cartel]

But you asked a question, like, back.

[Nore]

But. Now here's the question there for me. For me, I love this movie, but every time I ask somebody from the island of Jamaica, they tell me they didn't even see the movie. No Bob Marley movie. Like, every time I ask somebody, did you see the Bob Marley movie? Like, a person from the yard, the new one, they'll be like, yeah. They were like, no, I didn't see it.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, I've seen clippings of it, though. But I've seen a lot of clippings.

[Nore]

I need to understand this. Can you explain this to me? Why people. And I think you. You explained it to me a little bit. You said, I think people from Jamaica knows Bob's story so much that they didn't want it to be.

[DJ EFN]

And he's so iconic.

[Nore]

But for us, like, if a Biggie movie just come out, right? I'm from Queens. I'm not from Brooklyn, but I'm gonna go see a Biggie movie. Why isn't the biggie.

[Vibes Cartel]

Noriega thinks he feels the need to tell me where he's from.

[Nore]

No, I'm sorry.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is crazy, bro.

[Nore]

I'm sorry, my brother. I'm sorry.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm sorry.

[Nore]

But why don't people from the yard go watch Bob's movie? I don't understand it.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, it's personal, man. Okay. Because, you know, like you said, we know Bob. We know. We grew up hearing his life story. Even a lot of people in Jamaica who did watch the movie, they were like, oh, why did. Why didn't Cindy break spear? Which is Junior Gonzman. Why didn't she get more time in the film? Oh, it is. Because Richter did the film. And so. Yeah. So it's that serious in Jamaica. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah, yeah, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Cause, you know, people have their favorites, man. Yeah. Cause Bobby's that big, right? Right.

[Nore]

Now, what is the difference between reggae and dancehall?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, first of all, the beats, you know, I mean, dancehall. As a matter of fact, dancehall came about on reggae beats until it found its own niche, some would say with punani rhythm In, I think 86, we changed the beat itself. But. Yeah, yeah, but reggae is more political, more social, you know? I mean, more against the system, more rebellious, while dancehall is just like sex, drugs. You know what I mean? I like it. Violence. It's deeper than that. It has many layers, obviously. Yeah, obviously. Because, you know, I mean. But yeah, I think dancehall is. Is reggae's like, unruly cousin. You know the one from the projects. Yeah, yeah, that's dancehall.

[Nore]

Younger cousins.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, the younger cousins. Reggae is reggae is the older big brother. Like. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

He smokes pipes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, yes. The younger dancers. I fucked that role.

[DJ EFN]

Dancehall's an OG now, too.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, of course it is. I mean, it's been around since the 70s.

[Nore]

What's my man name? I told you. I showed a picture of. And I called him Doctor, but he's not a doctor. Right. I seen him. You ever. You think. You ever do his show?

[Vibes Cartel]

Of course. I'm not afraid to do. Is iconic in Jamaica as well, you know.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Especially among the Rastafari.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

The reggae community.

[Nore]

Yeah. So he. He was saying, like, how. How much of reggae is the og But I guess we kind of like, like, stepped on that already, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. You can't just do that.

[Nore]

Yeah, we can't, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, you can't dispute that. That's. Plus it's coming from. It's coming from a legend, too. Yeah, but he's right. Reggae is the OG Man.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Well, I think. And this is the topic that's been discussed. It's been going on for years. Should dancehall have its own category? And I think, yes, because Sean Paul isn't reggae. We'd more classify him as dancehall. Yes. And he's international. Right. You know what I mean? So we have the criteria. We have big international dancehall stars, as opposed to a junior gang who's reggae. As opposed to a Bob Marley who's reggae. Right. You know what I mean? Yeah. So I think we could have our own catch.

[Nore]

And you. Bounty Dancehall.

[Vibes Cartel]

Dancehall. Bujo was dancehall as well.

[DJ EFN]

Like, and the artists could go back and forth.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, we can. Because I have reggae Tracks as well.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know what I mean? So it's a thin line, but I mean, it's there nonetheless.

[Cypher Sounds]

When you said Bourgeois was dancehall, would you ever do a album, like a Till Shiloh album, but on your own?

[Vibes Cartel]

You know, I mean, when I say was, maybe that's a strong choice of hers. But what I mean, he was. Was only Dinosaurs.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Unfinished. And, you know, I mean. Yeah. And then he was like, you know, I mean, so he made the transition, right. And he was super successful as a dancehall artist and super successful. Not many people do that, right? You know, I mean, so. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Would you make an album like that Until Shiloh album, or.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, I'm. I'm dance all forever, man. Okay, I doubt that, but I do reggae songs because you are, and I love reggae, but I'm dance all forever, you know what I mean? So, yeah, that's not gonna change. Do you think you'd do a tour with Beanie, Man? I mean, if the money's right, I'll do a tour with anyone, you know? I mean, it is what it is. When I say anyone. I mean any Jamaican artist. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Any hip hop artist, any R and B artist. I mean, saw black music, Afrobeats. Like, come on, you and Buster Rhymes.

[Nore]

On tour would be cool.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, that's my G. Yeah, he actually told me, like, yo, we need to sing some dates together. Like, wow.

[Nore]

You gotta let me know. I'm flying out.

[Vibes Cartel]

Crazy. Yeah.

[Nore]

I'm flying out front seat. Buster gonna be like, get on stage. I'm like, no, I gotta watch it. Nah, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

That was one.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's a good point you made, too. Because when you said, no, I'm gonna watch it. So you see, so you. So you can't just be an artist. You gotta be a fan of the music.

[Nore]

Exactly. God damn. Make some noise for that.

[Vibes Cartel]

I like that, what you said.

[Nore]

Yes. I ain't gonna lie, man. If you and Busta promises to do a show together, I swear to God, I probably wouldn't even call him. Because he'd be like, yo, come perform. And I'm like, no, I'll be front row. Like this? With a hoodie on like this.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. So the fans don't see you. Cause they got you still need their space. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

So I'm gonna keep it a hundred with you. How many babies you think you made off of vibes? Just your music I'm talking about. I was listening to your shit. And all you do is talk about you like you like to Fuck, yes, sir. You like the fuck.

[Vibes Cartel]

Let's clap for that, too. Yeah, but, but, but, yeah, man. Like I said, like, in Jamaica, you have artists that do songs for the girls, and then you have artists like me that go hardcore. Sex. I mean, I have songs for the girls.

[Nore]

Girls, right. Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

But a lot of my songs is like sex, you know Shabbarangs. Yeah, I'm like Shabbarangs. Then, like, he was like the man every other song. Pussy. Yeah, but I mean, artistically done, obviously. Yeah. It's not like you're reading from a book like pussy. No, it's music. So you gotta flow it. Gotta sound poetic, gotta be on the beat. You got the cadence, articulation. Yeah, all of that. That. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

It was funny as. Because we were. We were working out to your music. And all my white neighbors kept coming. I was like.

[Vibes Cartel]

I like. I don't know what to say. I had my, my. When I was in America back in the day, I had security, right? You know, these giant looking guys. So some of them were Hispanic. So the dude came to me one day and he was like. Like, yo, cartel, man. I figured out your songs, right? Your songs are the ones that say every two lines. That was like, yeah, you cracked the code. That's what I'm saying. He cracked the cord. But yeah, man, dancehall, like I said, dancehall is like that. It's hardcore.

[Nore]

How many babies you think you made just over your music? Like, people just.

[Vibes Cartel]

Just people that something popping the place. Okay, yeah, yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

What population?

[Vibes Cartel]

19, 20% of the hell. Yeah.

[Nore]

It'S bigger than Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

But people say that even in the comment section, people would be like, say I post the old song, say, Ramping Shop, right? Oh, cartel. I made my son Jamal to that.

[Nore]

Song.

[Vibes Cartel]

In the comment section. Virginity. That's a big song in Jamaica that I did as well. Ladies, comment. Oh, I lost my virginity to this song. I got pregnant to this song. Yeah, they'd be in the comment section.

[Nore]

That's great. And that's why people call you the world boss, in my opinion. They say that you can make, you know, love music. You can make, you know, dog music. And then you can. You can make club music.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, anything. Then I, like, I said, I do a few reggae joints. Yeah, we do everything, man. Like, it's music. It's like, I say I sing my truth, right? And my experiences, right? Does have to be firsthand all the time, right. And be a second, you know, I mean, me and you in the streets or something happened in the community. Sing about that. Right. We do it in a way, because, remember, it's universal. Right. I mean, it's like hitting your elbow on the wall and feeling that shock. We all go through. Yeah, the same stuff. Yeah. The funny boat. So it's like once you have been through it, chances are a few other people have gone through that. It's relatable, Right? Yeah. So that's how I attack music from that more personal kind of. And that's why people love my songs, Dance off. Because I tap into that personal part. Right.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah. Speaking of that, let's talk about the. Your debut album, the up to the Time album.

[Nore]

You know, green one that just dropped.

[Cypher Sounds]

No, no, no.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, that's way back.

[Nore]

Okay. Way back.

[Vibes Cartel]

2003, I think.

[Cypher Sounds]

How do you. Do you remember creating that album and what was going on and your mind state?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, like I said in them times. Oh. Because when I came out back then, a lot of people didn't understand my style exactly. Because dancehall was changing, and I was one of the kids at the time that was changing the flow. So I got a lot of pushback from the industry, from the gatekeepers.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

So when that album came out, the kids just ate it up. And that's how Vice Cartel became like a young G back in the day. Because the flow was different, you know, because, you know, in like, say 90s dancehall, the typical template would be like vibes Cartel was like no close fitting class marks me shoes not cheap like chicken parts. Check out my Valentina summer shots. Moschino button shirt with the hearts fendi glass cast 80 Dutch marks would I tell you they must meet Barbara glued on them color asks who is Vibes Cartel? And they're making recommendation and remarks. Some semi ugly like Bubba Sparks, some semi are the best. Them come across illegal firearm or fiberglass Sona rush me with no knife harass this plus me equally a life Alas, you know, crazy rhymes like that as opposed to like, this is early 2000 we talking about. So. Yeah, so that album, when it came out, the kids ate it up and I became like instantly a household name just off of that. Yeah, because like I said, we grew up. The generation before me wasn't into hip hop like that, but my generation of the 90s, he grew up to, like I said, the KRS1 Biggie Small when he came out, Tupac, Jay Z, Nas.

[DJ EFN]

And the changing of the flows.

[Vibes Cartel]

Changing of the flow. So we kind of have had a ear to, like, right. Oh, wow. You can say you can express yourself like that, right? You can say that.

[DJ EFN]

You can jump out of the pocket. Come back into the pocket.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. So that's where cartel came from. Like, as a product of dance all and hip hop. Yeah, yeah. So it was crazy.

[Nore]

Yeah. You got.

[DJ EFN]

I was gonna say, I can see why Scythe was trying to compare him to Eminem. The Eminem of Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

And that's. That's all cartel. Exactly. And that's like 25 years ago. You know what I mean? So, yeah, it's crazy.

[Cypher Sounds]

I don't like that comparison, by the way.

[Nore]

No, but I'm talking about the flow, if you know what he meant. The fact that he can do. He can do anything. You know what I'm saying?

[Vibes Cartel]

Like, we always.

[Cypher Sounds]

We always said Lil Wayne, you know.

[Vibes Cartel]

That'S who we always fire, though. Like, how. How does he. His. How does he come up with that? Which is what people say to me in dancehall. But when I listen to Lil Wayne, I want to see him to ask him that same question. Like, all right, up. It's crazy, man. But, yeah. Who.

[Nore]

Who's your favorite hip hop artist right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Now of all time? Tupac.

[Nore]

All time Tupac.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why this is God's assign. I got this from Pop, cuz. Remember, back in the day? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And. And funny enough, why we use it too, because I'm from Portmore, which is not really Kingston. So we're like outsiders, right? Especially back then, we're like. Yeah, so. Yeah, so we had the. The guys out. That's crazy.

[Nore]

What would. What would a. Bob's Cartel, Tupac.

[Vibes Cartel]

That would be crazy.

[Nore]

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I got the worst. What's that called? Volume in the world? Cypher Sounds in the building.

[Vibes Cartel]

You see, I'm here, man. You good? I'm fine, man. I'm doing drinks champs. So you know that go. I'm telling you, it's a pleasure to be here, Saif. Trust me. Thank you. You started it. You went. You and Rosenberg. Remember the interviews as I came out? They did the very first one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So now I'm at Drinks Jams.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Live. So I'm drinking.

[Nore]

Yo, site, where you at?

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm on the gate. Sorry for showing, man. All right.

[Nore]

I just want you to know I'm the king of the dance hall. They come see.

[Vibes Cartel]

They get their visa and they come see me.

[Nore]

All right.

[Vibes Cartel]

That'S my friend.

[Nore]

That's my friend. That's my friend.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

Now I was asking you about the.

[Vibes Cartel]

The.

[Nore]

The Brooklyn Parkway Parade. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now in. In New York. This is like the biggest. Biggest. This is like, for the Jamaicans, it's like their summer jam, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Or the West Indies Day parade back in the day, you know? Yeah, back in the day.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. But sometimes, like I said, I was a young artist place Elephant man, and them guys was running the place in the dance hall first, right? Yeah. Yeah.

[Nore]

What do you feel about reggae, though?

[Vibes Cartel]

I love reggae, though. I don't understand. They're saying, but the flow is similar to. The flow is similar to dancehall. And the rhythm, the beat is dancer. I love it, man. I have no problem with it. I love it.

[DJ EFN]

Have you collaborated yet with anybody?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, not yet.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, that has.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, not yet. But I love it. You know what I mean? The vibe, the energy. Yeah. When it comes on in the club, I mean, we don't stop. Like, what the.

[Nore]

Can you name a reggae dome record that you like?

[Vibes Cartel]

Hell, no.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

But I know Daddy Yankee, though. He was the original pioneer, one of the pioneers.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. So we knew about Daddy Yankee, and as Jamaicans back in the day, that made us feel patriotic to know that, oh, these guys are patterning our. So.

[Nore]

Oh, wow. Daddy Yankee.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's.

[Nore]

That's a reggae name.

[Vibes Cartel]

Remember Daddy? Even the daddy, too.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Daddy Yankee. Think about it. Because Jamaicans call African Americans. And then he put the daddy on it.

[Nore]

I didn't even peep that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, my God.

[Nore]

I've been on tour with this for three years.

[Vibes Cartel]

I didn't know that.

[Nore]

What the is wrong with me? Holy. Oh, okay, okay. How about Afrobeats?

[Vibes Cartel]

I love Afrobeats.

[Nore]

What's your favorite Afrobeat record out right now?

[Vibes Cartel]

This. I don't know if I should sing it. She. She's saying she wants him to make her sweat water.

[Nore]

Oh, yeah, that's the song. Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Tyler. Yeah. And I love the girl called Thames, too.

[Nore]

Thames too. Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

I think she won Grammys for. She won at the Grammys the other day. Yeah, I was there. Yeah. I love Afrobeats. Whiskey. I got songs with whiskey.

[Nore]

All right.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know what I mean? Burn up. Not. Don't think I have a song with him. But he's big, too, in Jamaica, right? And Shatawale from Ghana. Yeah. Came to Freedom Street. The clear song. He love you. Yeah. Yeah, man. That's my bro, man. So. Yeah. Yeah. Because, I mean, it's. It's African music. All of it. Hip hop, dancehall, reggaeton. It's literally called reggae. All of that. Come on. Jazz, whatever. Rock and roll.

[Nore]

It's black music because we have buju bonton on and buju. He was like that. He don't feel like that sometimes. Reggae don't. Or Afrobeats give dancehall and reggae its props. So that's something that you. You don't agree with.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, it's not that I don't agree, but think about it. Reggaeton is called reggaeton. The harvest is even in the name reggae. Reggae tone.

[Cypher Sounds]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. You know what I mean? So the. The homage is there. I mean, I think what. And this goes to show the power of Jamaican music because it's a numbers game and Jamaica is small.

[Cypher Sounds]

Look at what we tell them, you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Know, I mean, Nigeria has what, over 200 million people? Yeah. They're gonna get their own slot on mtv.

[DJ EFN]

Africa is a continent.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's a continent. Right. So they're gonna get their own.

[Nore]

Nigeria has 200.

[Vibes Cartel]

More than 200 million. I didn't. Man. Yeah, I think I'm gonna go ahead and say it has like maybe 230 million. So of course MTV is going to.

[Nore]

Recognize all them are scamming all them.

[Vibes Cartel]

Allegedly.

[Nore]

Huh?

[Vibes Cartel]

324. I'm off like 6.

[Nore]

You're teaching me, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, that's why they called me, to teach it. Yeah. But seriously, it's a numbers game. So they big. Right. So they're going to get the MTV special. Oh. Or MTV Africa.

[DJ EFN]

Right, Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Well, Jamaica is like two point something million. It's not feasible, but. But we still influence Nigeria. Right. We still influence Ghana. So that just goes to show the power of the music that comes out of that small island. Steve.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yep.

[Mark Seal]

Hey, you guys, I'm Katherine Legge. I'm a racing driver who's literally driven everything with four wheels across the planet. And I've got a new podcast. It's called Throttle Therapy. This season, I'm gearing up to make history, competing in some of the world's most notorious racing events, starting at the Indy 500. Join me as I travel from racetrack to racetrack in my quest to continue a memorable career in racing. I'm also going to bring you inside stories with legends of sports, new faces from the next generation of auto racing, and conversations with the people who've supported me throughout my career. We'll be getting into everything from karting to nascar, even Formula one. Whether you dream about being a pro athlete or an astronaut, we're talking about what it takes to make it. Listen to Throttle Therapy with Katherine Leg, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Vibes Cartel]

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of.

[Katherine Legg]

Iheart Women's Sports, Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed, listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm Mark Seale.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birth. From start to finish, this is really.

[DJ EFN]

The first interview I've done in bed.

[Nathan King]

We sift through innumerable accounts. 35 pages isn't very much, many of them conflicting.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's nonsense.

[Nathan King]

There were 60 pages. And try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Vibes Cartel]

And they said we're finished. This is over. Not only is not going to work, you gotta get rid of those guys. It's a disaster.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

Something about Mary Poppins.

[I]

Something about Mary Poppins. Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh man, this is fun.

[I]

I'm AJ Jacobs and I am an author and a journalist and I tend to get obsessed with stuff and my current obsession is puzzles. And that has given given birth to my podcast, the Puzzler. Dressing. Dressing.

[Vibes Cartel]

French dressing.

[I]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, that's good.

[I]

Now you can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears.

[Vibes Cartel]

I thought to myself, I bet I know what this is. And now I definitely know what this is.

[Nore]

This is so weird. This is fun. Let's try this one.

[I]

Our brand new season features special guests like Chuck Bryant, Mayim Bialik, Julie Bowen, Sam Sanders, Joseph Gordon Levitt and lots more. Listen to the Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's awful. And I should have seen it coming.

[Nore]

No, it's very deep, because I'm gonna tell you right now, I've been island hopping, and everywhere I went, they was bigging me up for my dance hall interview.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly.

[Nore]

So what I'm trying to tell you is as small as Jamaica is, like how you just said it still runs.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's what I'm saying.

[Nore]

Like, it runs that whole thing, like, everywhere I was at. And I was just. I was feeling like island. Everywhere I was going, it was like, yo, man, pojo, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Good hook, good interview.

[Nore]

And they start crushing up, you know?

[Vibes Cartel]

No grinders. No grinders. We doing it.

[Nore]

He's allergic to grinders. Yeah, so. So, yeah, man. But Jamaica is very influential.

[Vibes Cartel]

Very influential, man.

[Nore]

You want to play quick, Thomas?

[DJ EFN]

Let's do it, man.

[Nore]

You don't have to take shots if you don't want to. You could pick.

[Vibes Cartel]

You could just drink.

[DJ EFN]

Or you could drink.

[Nore]

Yeah. Oh, no. We got fever, amigos.

[Vibes Cartel]

Okay, let's do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Two choices. If you pick one, nobody drinks.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

But if you don't want to answer or you want to say both of the people or everyone drinks, we all do.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I know, I know. It goes, man.

[DJ EFN]

There we go.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm a fan. Thank you very much. Lunch.

[Nore]

All right, you ready?

[DJ EFN]

Ready.

[Nore]

I want this one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Go ahead, cuz.

[Nore]

I feel like you already did this already. Bounty killer or Buu Ban.

[DJ EFN]

Already?

[Nore]

Fever. Fever's good. Okay, you can take the next one.

[DJ EFN]

Terry Gunzi or Grimesman?

[Vibes Cartel]

Grimesman. Yeah. He originally did Ben Spanani, which I paid homage to, and. And used the hook, so. And he's from Portmore, where I'm from. Definitely grinds, man, but big up. Terry Gansey, the outlaw. Yep.

[Nore]

Tupac or dmx?

[Vibes Cartel]

Tupac.

[DJ EFN]

Rest in peace. To both.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Rip to both. Yeah.

[Nore]

I don't want to ask this one.

[DJ EFN]

Bob Marley or Peter Tosh?

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, I like this shot.

[DJ EFN]

Gotta get the point.

[Nore]

And you got the next one, too. Sir.

[DJ EFN]

Beanie man or Ninja man?

[Vibes Cartel]

Ninja man.

[Nore]

Go ahead.

[DJ EFN]

Black Rhino or Popcorn?

[Vibes Cartel]

You know, the more you drink this, the more you.

[Nore]

Yeah, I can see I'm. I'm ready.

[Cypher Sounds]

He let me do this one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Okay. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Russian or not nice.

[Vibes Cartel]

You. You got turning me into an alcoholic, man.

[Nore]

It's the fever.

[Vibes Cartel]

You guys are right, man.

[DJ EFN]

Tiny shots.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Go a long way.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Jay Z or Nas?

[Nore]

No, you Jay Z. You mixed one, right?

[DJ EFN]

No, no, he did that one.

[Nore]

No, he did that Was popcorn. It was the last one.

[DJ EFN]

No, no, he did.

[Vibes Cartel]

He did that.

[Nore]

Okay, my bad. Rasta.

[Vibes Cartel]

Definitely Jay Z.

[Cypher Sounds]

This one is a no brainer. Teacher's pet reality show. A Thug Life movie.

[DJ EFN]

Don't, don't, don't, don't leave the witness.

[Vibes Cartel]

Teacher's pet reality show. You're talking about my Thug Life before I became famous. Back in the day when everyone was broke, I did the worst movie. It was crazy. Yeah. Dog Life. I got shot. I was in bed laughing. That was your acting. I have terrible acting skills. I have terrible acting skills, bro. Trust me.

[DJ EFN]

And you were paying homage to Pac there, right? Thug Life.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, Thug Life. Like I said. Yeah. I even have a tattoo, dude. Somewhere I got one.

[Cypher Sounds]

Talk about teachers. Talk about teachers. How was. How was that experience?

[Vibes Cartel]

Teachers. But was crazy, man. Like, I mean, it was. It could have. Looking back, it could have been way better. But like I said, I was the first person to do it. So we didn't have a template.

[Cypher Sounds]

It was like the flavor of love, basically. But you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, but we didn't have a Jamaican template.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. So I did it. Even to this day, people like, why, when are you doing it over you. You just come out of prison. You should be doing it, not getting married. So, yeah, people love. That was big back in the day.

[DJ EFN]

Especially with the songs.

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, it goes hand in hand, man. Yeah, I got one. Kendrick Lamar or Drake.

[DJ EFN]

You went all the way down.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, we. Drake.

[Nore]

I seen you say Drake before.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, he's been in Jamaica too, man.

[Nore]

Yeah, he said. He said every block you go through, you can hear a Drake record in Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

Here in the club, you can hear. You may not. Not saying he's not talented, but, you know, Drake has that commercial flavor. And he's like. He's like the hip hop Michael Jackson. Right? You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, Jizzy. Plus, he did a lot for popcorn. And he reps the culture. Right? He reps Jamaica culture. Yeah. To the point where people started calling him Culture vulture. Right. But like, we don't feel that way.

[Nore]

Not in Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, not in Jamaica.

[DJ EFN]

Cultural influence as well.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Because Jamaicans are all over the Middle East. Exactly. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

So it is this next one.

[Nore]

I got this one, though.

[Cypher Sounds]

All right, go ahead.

[Nore]

I got this. Cuz I was looking in my closet for my clocks.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

I couldn't find them. I got a brand new pair of New York clocks. And then I said, I might be going too far.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

But Clarks or Adidas?

[Cypher Sounds]

No, that's not Adidas.

[DJ EFN]

That's not Adidas, buddy.

[Cypher Sounds]

Adis.

[Nore]

Okay, my bad. Adis.

[Vibes Cartel]

My Adis. Yes. Ones. The shoes I used to make back in the day. How you know that? Come on. All righty. Adi. The nigga just said come on. I put him in Italian. Come on. You must be my balls over here. Crazy.

[Nore]

I love my job, right? I love my job.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Talk about the addies, though, because what inspired you to have your own shoes?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, just like I said, I love money, but it's deeper than that. Like I said, we grew up on hip hop as well, and we always admire how these guys come from poverty, just like us right now. They're rappers, they have their own shoes, they have their own. You know what I mean? Brand.

[DJ EFN]

So you were seeing that first in the hip hop.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. In the 90s. Yeah. Yeah. And that inspired me, of course. I mean, like I said, my generation is the first generation to have cable tv.

[DJ EFN]

So you. That influences. Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

So when cable came out in Jamaica, we were like 14 years old being the first generation to be able to watch BET and.

[Nore]

Wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Love, AJ and free.

[DJ EFN]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

106 and 106 and park.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. So we were city and all of that.

[Nore]

You hear how loud he got one of these?

[Vibes Cartel]

It changed Jamaica landscape and it added to the culture as well. You know what I mean? So, like I said. Yeah. Before us, there was just one TV station in Jamaica, Right. So the Gen. So my older sisters, they grew up on one TV station that signed off at midnight. Crazy, right? Wow.

[Cypher Sounds]

And Clarks, I know their sales had to go up after you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, well, I remember Clark's. We're a British colony, so Clark's has been embedded in the culture. I just brought it back exactly. Because like I said, when the cable TV came, this came.

[Nore]

Or the Jordan.

[Vibes Cartel]

Jordans came, sneakers came, jerseys came. So a lot of it was lost to the kids who came out in the. In the late 90s. They came out wearing Jordans and so on. So when I did Clark's, it brought back that old school style. Yeah. And that's why it's still so big to this day, because it has always been in the culture right now. I mean. Yeah.

[Nore]

Okay, let me see where we at.

[DJ EFN]

Dre Skull is super hype.

[Vibes Cartel]

Dre Skull. But Soup Pipe is my bridge. J Skull. Me and him did Kingston Story album. That was crazy.

[DJ EFN]

Sizzler or Capleton.

[Vibes Cartel]

Two Legends, man.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Did you drink? I'm watching you. Oh, oh, okay. Okay. Cuz. He's right. He's right. Yeah, yeah. But big up. Sizzle on Capitan. Man, you can't. No, those are, are.

[DJ EFN]

Those are giants.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, man.

[Nore]

This is the best intro of all music of all time.

[Vibes Cartel]

One month. Is that life. Anything is possible. It's June, champs. It's June champs. Come on, man.

[Nore]

Let me tell you how much we could get right back to Quick Time and Slime. But let me tell you how much your fans are. Your fans.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

I posted, like, with multiple stuff.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

And all I did was post a little bit of this right here.

[Vibes Cartel]

The minute that they heard that you.

[DJ EFN]

Got your visa, they was in our DMs.

[Nore]

But I, I. Before we get back into Quick Trauma Slime, I just want you to know.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

You know, I've been doing this for eight years, so I've been studying.

[DJ EFN]

Nine years.

[Nore]

Nine years. Excuse me. I've been studying people's fan base. I study people's drinks. I study people. Whatever.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

When I tell you your fan base, that's crazy. Are crazy.

[Vibes Cartel]

Imagine Beehive on weed. That's my fan. Barbies on Fever. Exactly. And Gunman. Exactly. Right? Yeah, man. That's why I tell, man.

[Nore]

They are not respect. We're like, when.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

We dropped the episode. We didn't even record the episode.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. That's God's nation. They're crazy.

[Nore]

And you know, you know that because when I explained that to Lil Wayne, Lil Wayne couldn't actually understand. Yeah. I had to, like, almost tell him his fan base. But you know your fan base because you know why they was writing you in jail and all that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Okay. Let us up. Shit, man. My fan base is crazy, bro. Like me back then. That's the cartel he was talking about. That's my fan base. They haven't evolved with me. Yeah. They haven't evolved with me. They're still dark as I like it like that.

[Nore]

You could pull a truck right now. You could tell people, you go. Go to the court right now.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, don't say that. I'm on a visa, sir. Oh, okay. I forgot. Forgot.

[Nore]

Moving on.

[Vibes Cartel]

Moving on. Yes. Yes. I'm not gonna tell them that quarter. And mind your own business. Oh, can I get a straw?

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Why?

[Cypher Sounds]

Why?

[Nore]

Damien Marley.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Damien Marley or Stephen Marley?

[Vibes Cartel]

Damien. That's Junior Gang. Big up, Steven. Still. But Junior Gong, like the younger kids. A lot of young kids in Jamaica even say Junior Gong is. Is better than Bob Marley because he not only sings, he DJs, he raps. Right. Because he grew up different.

[DJ EFN]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Right. I mean, he grew up in between Miami, New York, like yeah, he said. Yeah, he's a world citizen.

[DJ EFN]

Shabba or super Cat?

[Vibes Cartel]

Shabba, man. Super Cat is ill. Yeah, but like I said, remember, Shabbat is more my, like, for the ladies.

[DJ EFN]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

So Super Cat is a real guy. I mean, I'm a. I'm a hybrid because coming up, I was naturally gangster, but I do a lot of songs for the ladies, so.

[DJ EFN]

And it feels like Supercar was one of the first artists to really get into the hip hop.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. And yeah, of course, because him and Heavy D was friends. Heavy Duty and Biggie's first track is on that too. Yeah, the. Yeah, cat is a legend as well. Yeah, that's from the ninja man Super Cat Shabbaran era, Right when I was like 12, 13, coming up in the 80s.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Extension. Royalty or Eminem?

[Vibes Cartel]

Which song? Which song? Cuz royalty is a song. Which Eminem.

[DJ EFN]

Which Eminem song? Oh, White trash.

[Vibes Cartel]

White Church party. White Chess Party remix.

[Nore]

Yeah, this is all you from here on out, brother.

[Vibes Cartel]

Why are you. Yeah, why Chess Party release, definitely.

[DJ EFN]

And why you guys write this long ass like that?

[Vibes Cartel]

Cause it's cartel, man.

[Nore]

That's right.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's right. You gotta space out these individuals.

[DJ EFN]

They don't high five each other.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, is that. Jermaine's gonna ask me, right?

[Nore]

With this question.

[Vibes Cartel]

Couple's like, what the. Okay, I get it now. I get all. Makes sense.

[Cypher Sounds]

Aishana or Shen.

[Vibes Cartel]

Aishana. But Shenzi, a legendary young artist, as a matter of fact.

[Cypher Sounds]

You break.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, I didn't break her. A producer that I recorded a song for called Ludy. Yes. He basically stole the song and gave it to Shenzia to sing. But this is when Gaza fans, my fans, really had a problem with Shenzia when she came out and said she wrote the song.

[Nore]

As if she wrote for you.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, as if she wrote the entire song.

[Nore]

Okay, okay, so you wrote her verse too?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, it was my song. Oh, so I record the song for you? Yeah, you give it to a girl. So all she did was change the verses. So if I say me, she said her, right? Yes. So she just changed, like, the. The pronouns. Oh, okay. You know what I mean? Yeah. And then some. Someone leaked the original song. When. When she was saying, oh, cartel didn't write my part. I wrote my part and she released it. Someone's leaked the original song where I wrote everything. Yeah, that's why God's Nation fans had a problem with her initially. Well, yeah, she cool, man. Like, I've never met her in person, though. Remember, I was in prison them times. But, yeah, I told you it was a prison member. I didn't see her. I didn't see her.

[Nore]

Yeah, because you recorded that feature for her.

[Vibes Cartel]

I recorded that song in prison.

[Nore]

Oh, wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Elvis, who was a producer, gave it to Shenzia. So they left my hook and she just sang my verses. Right.

[Cypher Sounds]

How did that fit? Did you. Did that vex you?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, I wasn't vexed and I wasn't happy. It was just like, yo, I need my money, I need mine.

[DJ EFN]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

So I wasn't angry or sad. I was unpaid, sir. Yeah. So that's all I needed. But yeah, big up Shenyan. And she reps anywhere she goes. She shouts out cartel too. Always. Yeah. To be in her defense. She does. But Spice is the number one. Big up Spice, Queen of dancehall. Yeah. Yes. She been on the show?

[Nore]

Not yet.

[Vibes Cartel]

You need her. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.

[DJ EFN]

Reggae or dance hall dancer forever.

[Vibes Cartel]

It go ahead.

[Nore]

You take. You should take a shot for action.

[Cypher Sounds]

Then.

[Nore]

Let's take a shot. We knew this dance on.

[Vibes Cartel]

This one is fire. If you don't say Trump or Biden.

[Nore]

No, N. We. We don't want no political neither.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly.

[Nore]

We are not.

[DJ EFN]

Keep your visa.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, sir. The shots are here.

[Cypher Sounds]

Don't worry. This by saying I have some foul friends, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Cypher Sounds]

I'm the only vegan I tell here, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, you're vegan?

[Cypher Sounds]

I tell. Yes, a little bit.

[Nore]

Sometimes they eat shrimp in la.

[Vibes Cartel]

Allegedly.

[Nore]

Allegedly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Allegedly. You're a Jamaican born in Jamaica?

[Cypher Sounds]

No, I was born in New York. My parents from Jamaica. Okay.

[Nore]

He a Yankee, man. He a Yankee.

[Vibes Cartel]

So you're a Yankee, basically. So you're a Yankee, number one. Yeah, yeah. So as a vegan, do you eat? I'm just checking. Honesty, man. I'm just checking because is meat. What, so you can't be a vegan?

[Nore]

Think about it.

[Vibes Cartel]

I don't know, man. I said, why now?

[DJ EFN]

But he lied. You know that, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm just saying. I'm just saying.

[Nore]

Okay, so what happened? What you was going go ahead.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah, he was asking me that up, cuz.

[Vibes Cartel]

The reason why up question.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah, they gave me this up question.

[DJ EFN]

Come on, just ask him the question.

[Cypher Sounds]

Jerk chicken or curry chicken? What the hell? That's why they gave that.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, that's a deep question, man. Take a shot.

[Nore]

Yeah, take a shot. Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Take Jamaican. How do you describe you? Yeah, how did.

[DJ EFN]

You went too crazy with that, bro.

[Cypher Sounds]

They gave it to me, though. That's the foul part.

[DJ EFN]

They gave it to you.

[Vibes Cartel]

They wanted us to drink.

[Nore]

No way.

[Vibes Cartel]

What? Jamaican. How are you going to decide between curry chicken and jerk chicken?

[Nore]

I can't do it, Mad. I can't do it. Tell you something. I went to a store in Kingston, and I seen a Chinese man. He said, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Blood clot. You could be. If you could be a blood clot, I can be a blood clot. Yeah. Jamaican Chinese are the toughest.

[Nore]

They tough.

[Vibes Cartel]

They think they Jamaican. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

Okay. The locks or dipset?

[Vibes Cartel]

The locks is Jada Kiss, right? Yeah, Say Jada. But you. I don't know Jada. Sorry, sir.

[Nore]

Yeah, Jada.

[Vibes Cartel]

I love Jada. Why does Jada sound like a Italian mafia with that voice and that cadence? Which is one of the reasons why his. His art is so.

[Nore]

Yeah, it's very true.

[Vibes Cartel]

He's pristine with his lyrics. Yes, man. And the sound of his voice. Yeah, it's crazy, man. Yeah. Raspy sound. That's what I'm talking about.

[Nore]

Yeah, you can take the next one.

[DJ EFN]

Caris won a Slick Rick.

[Nore]

I respect that.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, he gonna take two for the culture.

[Nore]

That's that fever, man.

[DJ EFN]

I like it to that. He took one for Carouse.

[Vibes Cartel]

One and for and for Slick. Hell yeah, man. Those guys are legends. I'm like, I'm not that young, so, you know, I grew up on those guys music.

[DJ EFN]

Now they're absolute legends.

[Nore]

All right, Jordan or Lebron?

[Vibes Cartel]

Jordan.

[Nore]

That was easy. Louisiana. Or Miami?

[Vibes Cartel]

New York. Sorry, guys. No, no, no, no. Sorry, guys.

[Nore]

I respect that.

[Vibes Cartel]

I love it. I'm Jamaica, New York, Brooklyn, Flatbush.

[Nore]

Come on. You going to take a shot for that?

[DJ EFN]

You got shot.

[Nore]

You don't have to take a shot. I'm going take a shot for your.

[Vibes Cartel]

There's no shot here. Hold on.

[Nore]

Okay, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, but that's why we got to take a shot.

[Nore]

That's why you got to take a shot.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why we got to take the shot.

[Nore]

Try to be smart over there. Yeah, y'all not smart over there.

[DJ EFN]

He's like one plus one, three.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

[Nore]

Salute.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, Salute.

[DJ EFN]

Cheers to you guys, man. Love New York. Yeah, man.

[Nore]

You got the next one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. You know, the Gaza version of Salute is actually tables. That's what we say.

[Nore]

So I say tables.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Because we don't do chairs.

[Nore]

Okay. Tables.

[Vibes Cartel]

Get it?

[Cypher Sounds]

Chairs, huh?

[Vibes Cartel]

Table.

[Nore]

Do tables. I like it.

[Vibes Cartel]

I didn't make that up on the spot.

[Nore]

I'm going. I'm going. I'm.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm like some of your previous guests.

[DJ EFN]

Analog or digital?

[Vibes Cartel]

Analog.

[Nore]

God damn.

[Vibes Cartel]

Analog.

[Nore]

Analog. Same studio together.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. Yes. That. That. That's vintage sound. It's. It's warmer, right? I mean, if. If you grew up on digital, you're not going to know the difference. Difference, right. But if you grew up old school, you're going to know the analog has that warmer sound. So what they used to do in Jamaica when the digital sound came out, they used to still run it back on the 24th track after they mixed it. And then they mastered on the 24th.

[DJ EFN]

Child, and they still press it on. On dub plates.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. Yeah, we still do that. Yeah.

[Nore]

Great one.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, no, this is yours is the last one.

[Nore]

Okay, last one.

[Vibes Cartel]

How many questions are those?

[DJ EFN]

Yeah, 17.

[Vibes Cartel]

21. Yeah. 50 Cent.

[Cypher Sounds]

Let me add one.

[DJ EFN]

Okay, go ahead. Go ahead, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

22. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

So my pink hat.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, it's not pink. It's fuchsia.

[Cypher Sounds]

Ah, fuchsia. Thank you.

[DJ EFN]

Or salmon.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, not salmon. That's a Jamaican went over your head. No, no, no, no, no. Don't worry about it. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

You picked up Mad Sus.

[Vibes Cartel]

Empty. No. Are they.

[DJ EFN]

No, they got something now. Those are. Yeah, there you go.

[Vibes Cartel]

He's asking about one. One is my brother, one is my son. That's three shots.

[Cypher Sounds]

Give us a Mad Sus story, though.

[Vibes Cartel]

Mattress is crazy, man. Like, I raised him, so when he came up from the country, he was like 9, 10 years old. Oh, wow. So we came to Portmore. So coming from. Just imagine you're coming from somewhere in the country, right? And you end up in Brooklyn.

[Nore]

Right, right.

[Vibes Cartel]

In 1986. Right.

[Nore]

Wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. So he came up and I mean, he held his own. He grew up rough, just like the rest of us. We actually went to prison together. And he lost his mother while we were in prison.

[Cypher Sounds]

Damn.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man, I cried, man. Like, like I said, I cried twice in prison when my baby mother's mom died. And when Matsu's mom died, that shit hit us like, hard, bruh. Even my grandmother died when I was in prison. And I didn't feel it. It like that because she was an old lady. She was like 90.

[DJ EFN]

Like, she had lived her life.

[Vibes Cartel]

She lived her life.

[DJ EFN]

Right, right, right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. But when Matsu's mom died and. And Shorty's mom. That hurt. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Did he. Is it true that he created the laughter? The. The.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, because remember, we're a group, you know, and he did. He invented the world boss.

[Cypher Sounds]

Oh, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

World boss. Yeah. So, yeah, like I said, I raised those kids. Kids. So, yeah, when he came out, you know, I got him a fat Benz and I mean, gave him an apartment because my life is dope. And I do. Kanye west said that, right? Yeah. I don't know what. I think Dave Chappelle gave that joke. I was watching it.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

In prison.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. And I heard Dave Chappelle say it, and I'm like, oh, that's. That's. That's dope. Yeah. So big up, Kanye. I like Kanye, too.

[Nore]

So this is the last one. You guys get back into the interview.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I like Kanye.

[DJ EFN]

You and Kanye. And then production wise, like, that would be.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. He's also. Yeah. Hasan once played two pianos at once, like some black Mozart. Crazy big up. Big up, Kanye.

[Nore]

And now he's back a billionaire. He's on some.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, he's back to being a billionaire, right? You saw him at the Grammys with his wife when she dropped it. Drop the top. You lucky I'm not in prison. I'm joking. I'm joking.

[DJ EFN]

I mean, I think he might even appreciate that to a degree.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Well, if he does, I'm not joking. Oh, my God.

[DJ EFN]

It's real, though. That was real, though.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man. Kanye is crazy, man. But I guess that's part of being a great artist, right?

[DJ EFN]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Nore]

You gotta.

[Vibes Cartel]

You gotta be up at least. I mean, not baby, all up. But you weren't ready.

[Nore]

Yeah, I wasn't.

[Vibes Cartel]

Sorry. Sorry, sir.

[Nore]

It's okay. It's okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's crazy.

[Nore]

Oh, it's the last question. Last question for Quick Thomas Live. Let me get back into the interview.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, sir.

[Nore]

Loyalty or respect?

[Vibes Cartel]

Loyalty.

[Nore]

Loyalty.

[Vibes Cartel]

Loyalty. I believe in loyalty because you can respect me, but if you're loyal to me, I know I'm safe around you.

[Nore]

Respect that.

[Vibes Cartel]

You're not gonna call some dude, oh, he's here, Come rob him and shoot him like they did Tupac in New York.

[Nore]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

And by they, I mean. Yeah, I don't know. They. They.

[Nore]

They don't want us to win.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. The other thing, too, now, but yeah, loyalty, man. Yeah, of course. Loyalty. I believe in that.

[Cypher Sounds]

That.

[Vibes Cartel]

And that's why. That's why it was strange when you asked me that question about Sean Storm. That's one of the most loyal people I've ever met.

[Nore]

Oh, wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. I mean. But Gaza is loyalty, though. That's how we roll. You know what I mean?

[Nore]

Let's make some noise for that.

[Vibes Cartel]

True.

[DJ EFN]

How did you guys come up with calling it Gaza? Yeah, it reminds me of Nori saying left Rack Iraq.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh. First of all, in Jamaica, Gaza Empire. Kid can tell you. Jamaicans, a lot of us, especially back in the day, we're well read. And we watch everything that's happening in the world. So you on a street corner in Jamaica can be called Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv, like Tel Aviv, like Israel?

[Nore]

From Israel.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. In Jamaica, you have street corners called Mexico.

[DJ EFN]

Little New York amongst yourselves.

[Vibes Cartel]

Black Bush amongst yourself. Yeah. That's just like the street corner amongst ourselves, not like the official government. So where I come from in Waterford, you have Boston, you have Flatbush, you have Mexico, and then you have Gaza. You know, I mean, so we got the name literally from the Middle East.

[DJ EFN]

Is it given because of a reason, though?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, because of that struggle, man.

[DJ EFN]

That's true. Okay, so you're emulating something that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Emulating something. That's why a lot of these street corners in Jamaica have those names, nicknames, you know? I mean, so you have Red Square. That's where Sprague Benz is from. You know, Red Square is Russia.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

You got Little London down there. You got Mexico. You got Vietnam in Sea View, where bounty kill is from.

[Nore]

Sea View. Mountain View.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, Mountain View. That. No, those are real names. But on a street corner in. In Sea View, you would see. Because we graffiti the place. So you would see Vietnam. Yeah, yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Who lives in Tel Aviv?

[Vibes Cartel]

Sprague Benz. No, Tel Aviv is south. Sprague Benz lives in Red Square. Okay. Which is, like I said, the unofficial name for the corner. Yeah, yeah. Which is the Russian. Yeah, yeah. Spragger Benz, you know, big, big entertainer in Jermaine College.

[Nore]

Sea View. Mountain View.

[Vibes Cartel]

You've been to Sea View? That's your bounty killer.

[Nore]

And I've been.

[Vibes Cartel]

You've been to Tivoli. I watched you saying you. You went to Tivoli Gardens with Dudos. Yeah, I saw that. I saw that. I watched that in prison, bro. You big. Like your podcast ass is big in prison, in the streets, everywhere in Jamaica.

[Nore]

Oh, come on, let's make some.

[Vibes Cartel]

Remember when you Jamaica up as a rapper as well?

[Nore]

Yes, yes. I ain't going to lie.

[Vibes Cartel]

Come on, man.

[Nore]

I'm not going to lie, Nori. Yes. When they kill me, they said, man, cuz, what?

[Vibes Cartel]

What?

[Nore]

What?

[DJ EFN]

Super thug was had to be going crazy.

[Nore]

I didn't know. I didn't know. Like, Jamaican love, I guess it's rowdy.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's it. That's Jamaica. Yeah. That's why I said. When you said Miami or la, I said New York.

[Nore]

Right, right. God damn it.

[Vibes Cartel]

God damn it. Yeah, yeah, But I love Miami because it's. It has the Jamaican climate.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

And the palm trees and the big body.

[DJ EFN]

Very Caribbean here.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's very Caribbean. Yeah, yeah. Can I say very demure. Demure. I don't know.

[DJ EFN]

It sounds.

[Vibes Cartel]

It sounds very mindful. Yeah. Moving on.

[Nore]

Okay, so what is. What is it? Garnesses. Garnes. Garnes.

[Cypher Sounds]

Garner suit.

[Nore]

Garnet. Like one of the most dangerous hoods. Garrison we got.

[Vibes Cartel]

Garrison.

[Nore]

Garrison.

[DJ EFN]

You know what a Garrison is? That's like a Ford or.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's just a real word from back in Roman Military. From the military. It's military, yeah.

[Nore]

Gareth. And you was locked up.

[Vibes Cartel]

You went to the. The. One of the toughest Garrisons, though.

[Cypher Sounds]

That's what I was telling you.

[Nore]

Pick me up.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man, that's no joke.

[Nore]

But. But you were locked up there.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And then that night when he. When he came to see you bust around, shot a video there, that night.

[Vibes Cartel]

This Buster the man came to the prison, which is in another Garrison called Southside.

[Nore]

Okay, that's what I was trying to get.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

And he shot the video outside the prison. I'm in the prison talking to the G. On my phone. On my cell. In my cell, like, yeah, man, stand up there. So may I go send two man come link you. So I'm telling them I'm going to send two. Two dogs to come link and make sure he's safe. Yeah. And, yeah, it was crazy, man. Yo, Buster. Yo, Buster. Give him a. That's my. That's my brother. Big up, Buster. He's never scared, man. He represents for Cartel. He represent for Dancer, right? Yeah. So big up, boss. Time.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Mark Seal]

Hey, you guys, I'm Katherine Legg. I'm a racing driver who's literally driven everything with four wheels across the planet. And I've got a new podcast. It's called Throttle Therapy. This season, I'm gearing up to make history, competing in some of the world's most notorious racing events, starting at the Indy 500. Join me as I travel from racetrack to racetrack in my corner quest to continue a memorable career in racing. I'm also going to bring you inside stories with legends of sports, new faces from the next generation of auto racing, and conversations with the people who've supported me throughout my career. We'll be getting into everything from karting to nascar, even Formula one. Whether you dream about being a pro athlete or an astronaut, we're talking about what it takes to make it. Listen to Throttle Therapy with Katherine Lee, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your Podcasts presented by Capital One, founding.

[Vibes Cartel]

Partner of iHeart Women's Sports, Jon Stewart.

[Katherine Legg]

Is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in podcast, politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm Mark Seale.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birth. From start to finish, this is really.

[DJ EFN]

The first interview I've done in bed.

[Nathan King]

We sift through innumerable accounts. 35 pages isn't very much, many of them conflicting.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's nonsense.

[Nathan King]

There were 60 pages and try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Vibes Cartel]

And they said we're finished. This is over. Not only is not going to work, you gotta get rid of those guys. It's a disaster.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

Welcome to my legacy. I'm Martin Luther King III and together with my wife Andrea Waters King and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, we explore the personal journeys that shape extraordinary lives. Each week we'll sit down with inspiring figures like David Oyelowo, Mel Robbins, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Billy Porter and their plus one, their ride or die as they share stories never heard before about their remarkable journey.

[Nore]

Listen to my legacy on the iHeartRadio.

[Vibes Cartel]

App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

This is my legacy. I'm not gonna lie to you. Not only there but I remember when you first coming out. Yeah and I remember a Busta going on Hot 97 and literally telling people people vibes. Cartel is the next man. Yo, please. Yes, we get on vibes Cartel. I remember this from the beginning.

[Vibes Cartel]

He believes in me, man. Trust me.

[Nore]

Like, not only believes in you, he. He, like, he loves you on some.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, man.

[Nore]

And you, we spoke about how y'all met, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But once he came to Jamaica, we was like, okay. Instant okay. Because the respect. And remember, he's Jamarican, right? So it's both his parents, Jamaica, but he was born in Brooklyn, Right. So he's basically.

[Nore]

You can't tell him that he's basically Jamaican.

[Vibes Cartel]

You're born in Brooklyn, you're a Jamaican even if your parents are from Dubai. Yeah. Once you're in Brooklyn, you're Jamaican. Like, I'm in Miami. I couldn't get a craving a. All they had was this Marlboro. If I'm in Brooklyn, craving sold on in every shop. What is. This is Guinness, right?

[Cypher Sounds]

Yep.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, Guinness. That's Jamaican. Like our style. Dragon style, Dragon beer, Red Stripe, Heineken.

[Nore]

That's not from Irish.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, but it's. But remember, Jamaica is a. Is a British colony. It's a British colony.

[Nore]

So you want to smoke a cigarette? Yeah, smoke a cigarette.

[Vibes Cartel]

Way. Thank you, sir. The first one. The first man on Jing Ch. Smoke a cigarette.

[Nore]

You calm down.

[Vibes Cartel]

If he's not the producer, he can't say. Which is up. No. Which is up because it's not Jamaican. So you. I don't know.

[Nore]

That's not Jamaican.

[Vibes Cartel]

No. That's what I said. If I was in Brooklyn, I could have gotten the Jamaican cigarette, which is the craving.

[Nore]

Craving a. You don't smoke the. Craving a.

[Vibes Cartel]

Even the comedian said it.

[Nore]

You better stop craving a.

[Vibes Cartel]

Even the comedian said it the other day, the man was like, yo, there are more Jamaicans in Brooklyn than Jamaica. And he's not lying.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah. Because there's a lot of white people that go to Jamaica right now. They're saying that it might be a Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans in a little while.

[Vibes Cartel]

For real?

[Nore]

Yeah, it might be a Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans. Oh, that's because they. They kicking all the Puerto Ricans out because of gentrification. Gentrification and. And tax purposes. Because if you live there for more than six months.

[DJ EFN]

Haven.

[Nore]

Yeah. So if you live there for more than six months or seven months, you don't have to pay no US Tax.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's crazy, because in Jamaica, I think they work out a deal with the Chinese that you don't pay taxes on your business for, like, five years. Wow. So say you're a Chinese guy, right? Highly unlikely. Because you're dark skinned. Yeah, but just say you're a Chinese guy.

[Nore]

He Chinese.

[Vibes Cartel]

Why do I keep using Japanese? You pay, you come to Jamaica, you open a business. Say you get five years, what do you call it? Grace period. Not to pay taxes. In the fourth year, you. You send for your cousin from Beijing, they replace you and put him as the CEO of the company.

[DJ EFN]

And the company's not paying tax, so.

[Vibes Cartel]

The company's not paying tax for another five years. And they bring the next after, and then the next one after that. Yo.

[DJ EFN]

And that's when you have the craziest Chinese Jamaicans ever.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly.

[Nore]

I'm gonna be honest with you. I see. I was watching, you know, this is.

[Vibes Cartel]

A fake bumba cloud. That's not how we say.

[Nore]

I was watching a construction site in Jamaica.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And then they had nothing but Chinese workers coming out. And then a Jamaican guy was like, yo, man, look, they won't hire us. And so they.

[Vibes Cartel]

My thing is this.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

I have no problem with Chinese nationalism. The problem I have is with the lack of black people's nationalism. But we're not going to go that deep. It. Drink champs.

[Nore]

Yeah. Drink champs.

[Vibes Cartel]

We're not going. Yeah. We're not going that deep.

[Cypher Sounds]

That things could be better.

[Vibes Cartel]

Things could be better. Yes. They can do better. They can do better.

[Nore]

We already spoke.

[Vibes Cartel]

Did he just say the government can do better? You don't want me to go back to Jamaica?

[DJ EFN]

Strike it from the.

[Nore]

From the rib of the government?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, but me and the government, good. They treat me good. Like. Like I said, I came out, I changed up my whole thing and I'm good. Right? That's why I'm here now in America. Cheers to change. That's right. Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

Man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Salute. Salute.

[Nore]

And we know you're about to get married. But before that, let's talk about Short boss.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Shanti.

[Vibes Cartel]

Shanti. Yeah.

[Nore]

Two of you?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. That's my baby mom. I've been with her since before I got famous and rich. But I mean, like I said, you see, prison is dangerous because, you know, when you go to prison, shit gets weird. And like I said, she held it for years, and then she couldn't hold it anymore.

[DJ EFN]

You're talking about your baby mom.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Obviously I wasn't talking about him. She got caught slacking then. Yeah. But I still respect her. I still. Because I understand human beings. Think about it.

[DJ EFN]

Human nature, okay?

[Vibes Cartel]

Think about it. Your woman is in prison. One year goes by. No, let's not use you. You look like you. Even when the woman is Even when this woman is at home, this dude looks like he's in the by the pool house. A But yeah, but it's true. Because think about it. Evil people that love me. Like she. I'm sure she loved me because she wrote with me. Even when she was slacking, I could still jump on my phone in prison. Shorty go to the bank, sure this, make sure the lawyer gets that, pay this bill, give this person money. And she was there right through. But come on, I'm in prison for 13 years. What do you expect her to do? Like save the pussy? It's not a hedge fund. I don't know. But yeah, yeah, but I forgave her immediately. Right, Because I understand, but I just had to move on.

[DJ EFN]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

That's what.

[DJ EFN]

That's right.

[Vibes Cartel]

That makes sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And big ups to them she's actually here. No, she's in Lauderdale because I left her in Lauderdale.

[DJ EFN]

Okay, yes, that's super mature of you too.

[Vibes Cartel]

For sure, bro. She gave me three sons. Yeah, come on, big up. Sh. I love her. She made me cry. I was in prison, was like, what am I? It's crazy, man. And that's what people love about me, cuz I just speak my truth, man. I put it in music that I only live once, man. So how you found out? Look, my other baby mother. My life is crazy. No, seriously, my other baby mother told me. Oh, you hyping up sh. She some guy around like literally. Did you believe it? No, I didn't. You know, men are idiots when it comes to when you're in love, you're a clown. Am I lying though? That's what I'm saying. But yeah, yeah, yeah. She gave me my sons, they do music too. Little vibes. And the other baby mom that told me the snitch she gave.

[DJ EFN]

She get the snitch.

[Vibes Cartel]

She's a snitch. But she gave me a nice stuff. But yeah, I mean it. Well, I'm just living, man.

[Nore]

Right? God damn.

[Vibes Cartel]

And I take the good, the bad, the ugly, right? Yeah, man. It's life. Yes.

[Nore]

For everybody who was on watch, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Like, you know from the outside looking in, it looks like you never cracked. It looked like you never while I was in prison.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, like I said, I cried twice. But honestly, when Shorty her mom died, cuz Shorty shot boss.

[Nore]

Uhhuh.

[Vibes Cartel]

When her mom died, cuz she was at every. Every court. Every time I was in court, she was there. She was there for you. Even when I told her don't come, still showed up she's still there, bro. I had. Bro. I cried like a man when she died, and also when Matsu's mom died. Because those women are like cheese in the community, you know? You know what I mean?

[DJ EFN]

Matriarchs.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Yeah, they're matriarchs. Even. Even Dapper slices, Mom. Yeah. How Jamaica runs. Even those days when we was not behaving ourselves and when the cops came, like, Dapper's mom would sit naked, like, oh, shit. Yeah. Like, they're innocent. F. Like, leave the community. Like, Jamaica is another beast, man. Yeah. It's crazy. So. And the women, they represent for us, right? Yeah. So to black women, it is what it is. No one smoke. I've never seen someone smoke.

[DJ EFN]

I think.

[Vibes Cartel]

Well, Dave is a different beast, man. He's my favorite comedian. Yeah, we were. You were in Michigan. Ohio. Yeah, I watched that. It was Black Star.

[Nore]

Black Star.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. And that. That Most Death. Yeah, Yo, Most Def Bad, you know, he's like a sizzler, a butcher band. How he raps. He's like, nah, he's prolific. Like, he's deep.

[Nore]

Very deep.

[Vibes Cartel]

Without trying, without trying.

[DJ EFN]

Like, it's very nice.

[Vibes Cartel]

That was a good interview, though, with. With Most Death.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Dave Chappelle and Talib.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

You know, he didn't, like, Kanye was breaking about his hat.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, Talib.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. He seems like he's a up guy, but his music is. Is amazing. Yeah, man. Yeah. Even Dave said he, like, this is. Yeah, he's crazy. He's like, Jordan. Like, I was watching an interview with Chameleonaire the first time he met Jordan. And Jordan was. He was like, jordan, can I take a picture? And Jordan's like, nigga, you got money or some. Yeah, the story's about Jordan.

[DJ EFN]

He got a story with.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know, the funniest story about. About him. I think it was Jada Kiss was saying he was ding everyone. And, like, the dude was like, yo, is this. Like, he picked up, like, is this dude with you? And Jada was like, nah. You know, he has that raspy voice. I'm like, nah, honey, I don't know that. He said, you went back to the. I was like, you. That rewind, bro. I've never. Bro, that's crazy, man. You. He's a lot of Jamaican. Yeah, man.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's crazy, man. Yeah. So shout out, Nori. Shout out. J actually spoke to him.

[Nore]

Jada.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

While I was in the National Stadium in Jamaica. Oh, wow. I don't remember. Someone put him on. On FaceTime. Yeah. Wow. And we was talking. Yeah, Big up, Jada. Yeah.

[Nore]

Because I'm just being honest, man. When you say you're the world boss, it means it, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man.

[Nore]

Like it means it. I mean, like you said earlier, you said the people who named you that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, I like the name.

[Nore]

The thing about it is, you know, everyone in here here. It's every nationality in this goddamn room.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, man.

[Nore]

Because everybody wanted to be here to make sure we give you your flowers. Because you deserve this. You are the world boss. And we so happy. Like, you know, it's so inspiration for a person, you know, from the hood.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

That can maybe make a wrong turn.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Take that turn and then come home and then re. Establish. Like, I didn't hear you complain. No, no, I didn't hear you. No bitterness. I hate you. You came home, went straight back.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And it's. It's amazing. It's amazing, like, to see what you're doing, to see how people are following you. And.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

It's real. It's like you don't even have to. You don't have to claim your throne.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Nore]

The people claim it for you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Thank you, sir.

[Nore]

And that's. That's what's crazy about it. You know what I mean? But this. Anything, you will. I know you said you don't have no regrets, but is there anything you thought you could do better? What was one of those things?

[Vibes Cartel]

Watch Short Boss pussy more. I should have put dudes on her. Like, private ass guys, like undercover agents to watch the pussies. That's battle time. And I'm gonna be honest. When I met Siddem, that's my current fiance now, it was 2015. July 25th.

[Nore]

Yeah. I met. While you was in jail.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. In prison. I mean, at that time, me and Shorty was going through a lot. Because remember, I'm in prison. I'm fighting graves disease. Even now I have it. It. That's why I wear my shades. Because sometimes, like, even now, we're smoking my eyes, it will irritate me. My eyes would get swollen. Yeah, yeah. Straight up. Because we're human. Yeah. You know what I mean? And Shorty Siddhm was there for me. Like I said, I understand Shorty's perspective. Let's think about this. You're in prison two years. I'm gonna hold it. And she did three years. Four years. Five years. Six. Seven, bro. Eight. Nine, dog. Ten. Come on, man. So that's for me, like, I'm a realist.

[Nore]

And what was you originally sentenced to how many years?

[Vibes Cartel]

35, man. It was like we had 35 before parole. So I would have. If things went how they wanted it, I would still be in prison. So like I said, and sitting was there for me. She was there. We spoke on the phone, night after night, days on days. She was there. And in Jamaica, when someone represents for you while you're in prison, you don't forget that, though. You're going to hell. So what? My thing is this. I understand people, which is one of the things that has made me be a great artist. I understand people, human nature. So I could never be angry in my baby mom. I love her, still respect her, because she raised my kids. And based on the person that I was, a lot of people would expect my children to be gangsters in the streets, shooting guns, whatever, whatever. She held them down, man. None of my son. Like I said, I was in prison with Mavado's son, who is my son's best friend. A lot of people don't know that. So even when me and Mavado was at it, feuding, fighting, and the whole Jamaica was divided, it like his son and my son.

[DJ EFN]

That's crazy.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm telling you, bro. Even when I was in prison, my father son was like, yo, say hi to Jahim for me. Yeah, so, yeah, big up, big up. Mother the son. Enough respect, enough love to the golly God. Yeah, man, it's Dante. Free Dante.

[Cypher Sounds]

I want to talk about that. I want to talk about that period, because I feel like we just breezed over.

[Vibes Cartel]

No period. That's the monthly thing for female. That time.

[Cypher Sounds]

Yeah, I want to talk about that time. We just breezed over it. So.

[Vibes Cartel]

That time, take it far. Yeah, yeah. We up in Jamaica like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Gaza versus Gully, you know, it got so serious where the government had to end.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. The government stepped in. They weren't giving us permits to do concerts. They shut that shit down. They were like, bro. But funny enough, when Movado and I were at the King's house, which is where the government is. So we were there, and they were like, yo, you need to shut this down. Let the kids know. Because the kids took it very serious. Yes. Like Biggie small, Tupac, east versus West 2.0 in Jamaica. I'm not even joking about it. I remember, you know that. He knows that. And the government was like, bro, we will shut you guys down. Stop about. But them times when they took a break in the meeting, and me and my father was in the. The government building, and we were like, yo, look where music brought us. And that's when we had a moment and it was like, yo, we need to fix this. And we did it for a few months. Another intervention. Yes. So happened. The war started again.

[DJ EFN]

Why?

[Vibes Cartel]

Because we're black people and we have ego and we come from nothing and now we're rich. So you know, you know, black man and his ego. Of course we have something to prove, but. Yeah, man. And we did the, the fighting again. Round two, the government came in. They, they, they did us. I mean, they shut down everything. And then Dudos. Tivoli.

[Nore]

Yeah, Tivoli.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. He was like, yo, let, let me speak to you guys. And we did the meeting and he was like, yo, for real. And we need to chill. When Dallas come home soon, right? Yeah, he got arrested in 2010, so he should be coming. Yeah, it was a big thing in Jamaica. A lot of people died. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. A lot of people. Soldiers came in. Coming home soon, right? Yeah. Yes. He should be. I don't know when, but. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought he had a 10. That's crazy, man. Dance hall is. The people in Jamaica, they love dance all. They take music serious, which is good, because that's why if you're a star in Jamaica, right, you're a star forever. You have no expiration date. That's how much we love music.

[DJ EFN]

You're revered, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Right? Yes, you're revered.

[Nore]

And I go, I go say this.

[Vibes Cartel]

Worship like next to Jesus, you know what I mean?

[Cypher Sounds]

What was it like?

[Nore]

If you're a star in Jamaica, you're a star all over the world.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's true. Yeah.

[Nore]

Because I, I just being honest as your cousin.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

I see the influence that Jamaica has around the world. Around the world.

[Vibes Cartel]

Not just as entertainers. Remember Mark, Marcus Garvey, he told the entire Latin America. That's why we big in Panama. We big in Latin America, Costa Rica, Venezuela. Minister Farrakhan is from Jamaica. He's Jamaican. He's not from Jamaica, but yeah, but yeah, he has his Jamaican heritage, right? Because remember, like I said, funny enough, Marcus Garvey, you know, who was his right hand man, Elijah Muhammad, he used to run the Detroit office of the UNIA for Marcus. Larry, no joke. I kid you not, bro.

[DJ EFN]

That's crazy.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm telling you, Jamaican have always had that influence in America politically. With our cousins, the African American, we've always had that influence, you know, I mean, so, and, and like I said, the, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was Marcus Garvey's point man in Detroit.

[DJ EFN]

And for People that don't know that's the. The founder of the Nation of Islam.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. And Malcolm X's father was Marcus Garvey's right hand man. Wow. You know, they talk. Tied him to a train track and let the train run over. Right? Yeah, yeah. It's crazy, man.

[Nore]

I remember.

[Vibes Cartel]

How can you remember? You weren't there.

[Nore]

No, no, I'm talking about reading. Yeah, yeah. Malcolm X autobiography. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's where I read it, to be honest. Look at the book. Look.

[DJ EFN]

You could tell that there's influence by.

[Vibes Cartel]

The COVID of the. Yeah. I did this literally by. Look, Malcolm X. The pose, which is the album. Bob Marley did this pose as well. So I'm sure he was into. Because Bob Marley sang a lot of Marcus Garvey philosophies. He put it to music and he put highly philosophy. The speech that he made at the.

[Cypher Sounds]

And so does philosophy.

[Vibes Cartel]

United nations sometimes. It wasn't called the United Nations Nations. It was called. I don't remember.

[Nore]

United.

[Vibes Cartel]

United.

[Nore]

I like that.

[Vibes Cartel]

So Bob Marley, that's. That's why Bob Marley is so powerful. Because, you know, he's mixed. His. His dad is white.

[Nore]

Yeah. I'm white.

[Vibes Cartel]

His mom is black. So he had to navigate through that racial tension back in the day when in the 70s in Jamaica. 60s, if you were light skinned, you were kind of frowned upon, right? Yeah. So, man, we love Bob, though. Like our generation. Respect Bob. He represented for Marcus Garvey. He represented for Selassie. I Haile Selassie. Yeah. Even when I was in la, like the Ethiopians, they came to the hotel. Cartel, we love you. Yeah.

[Nore]

But let me ask you. Access to Chris Brown.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, represent. Big up Chris Brown. He won the Grammys, man. Yeah. Yeah. My favorite song on the album is Residual. So who said yes? I knew. Yes. Yeah. Big up Chris Brown, man.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

So ask Chris Brown then.

[Vibes Cartel]

Why do I not have a drink? And it's drink change.

[Nore]

Come on. Come on.

[Vibes Cartel]

You slacking, Browning?

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Browning is slacking. You know Brownie, right? Light skinned girls in Jamaica, we call them. Brownie made that famous when he did Browning. Yeah, yeah. And the whole Jamaica. The whole Jamaica wanted to. There was like buju. And then he did Black Woman. A song called Black Woman. Remember? Stop crying. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, yeah. So that's it. It's crazy, bro. D set the trend. Yes. And we, we. We navigate the culture.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

So big up. Big up all that legend then. Yeah.

[Nore]

Okay, before I get into this. Right, yeah. Now, the second festival.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Freedom Street.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Oh, you said London. Right. Okay, let's forward to the. The third. To the third one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Let's say it's in Miami.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Who would you put book on that freedom hold up?

[Vibes Cartel]

Black. And he's Caribbean as well. From Haiti. Haitian. We love Haitians in. In Jamaica. Yep. And Haitians have always been. Because. Caribbean. The most powerful countries in the Caribbean, like Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad. Remember? Haitian black.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

New York. Yeah.

[Nore]

Haitian Black. Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. So, yeah, we.

[Nore]

Haitian, Jack.

[Vibes Cartel]

Haitian. Sorry.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's the rock Jack, right? Yes, sir. Oh, man. Yeah, man. The culture is real in the Caribbean, man. And we share the love.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

I was in Trinidad the other day. I was launching the Straight Vibes, so we launched it in trinidad, Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia. And I'm doing the Saint Kids Music Festival, so we're launching it there as well. Congratulations.

[Nore]

We heard that's when you. When you came home at first, we heard you was in Saint Kitts.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. No, Saint Vincent sense. Because I wanted to visit the Prime Minister. He sent for me. Private jets, everything.

[DJ EFN]

Right now.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I am. I am. I'm stunting like Jackie Chan. Because he does his own stunts, right? So, yeah, we went to St. Vincent, met the Prime Minister. He calls himself World boss.

[DJ EFN]

The Prime Minister.

[Vibes Cartel]

The Prime Minister of St. Vincent. Fucking fun fact. I got a call from the Prime Minister of Guyana. He was like, cartel. Me and you is the world boss. Oh, not that guy. Yeah, because that's how. That's the. That's. But that's what I'm saying. It's like the unity among. Among the Caribbean islands. It's like Japan, you know, they have like a million islands, but they still Japanese, right?

[DJ EFN]

Like, okay, now when I was there.

[Vibes Cartel]

Okay, now it's a Polo Nagoya. Oh, you know, I mean. Yeah. So that's how the Caribbean is. All right? We have that unity, you know, the calypso, the dance hall. At least among the English speaking.

[DJ EFN]

Hey, man, bring Cuba in there, bro. We need.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why. You notice, that's why I said English. The Cubans and Jamaicans are still very.

[DJ EFN]

There's a part of Cuba that. There's a lot of Jamaicans, bro.

[Vibes Cartel]

Nine out of ten doctors in Jamaica are Cuban. Yeah, yeah, because, you know, they do good medicine, right? Right. Yeah, because they get it from the Soviets. Soviets. Well, not Soviet now, because that is.

[Nore]

All about us, the Russians.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. You remember ussr, right? Yeah. Reagan, that up.

[Nore]

Do you eat doubles?

[Vibes Cartel]

What?

[Nore]

Do you eat doubles?

[Vibes Cartel]

I love doubles. Doubles is like. No, seriously, doubles in Trinidad is like jerk chicken In Jamaica. That's why when he said jerk chicken or. Or curry chicken, I had to take the shot. God. Right? Oh, I like that girl. Who is she? Oh, Trini. We lying in. She loves the Trini. You real. You real pretty girl. That's my best Trini impression. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We lying in dread. I know. Drink champs forever.

[Nore]

But you. You with double doubles. What's your favorite version of doubles?

[Vibes Cartel]

My favorite version of doubles is the one that that dude don't like. Oh, no, but seriously, though. But yeah, like, when I've been to Barbados, I had shark. Yeah, yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

Bacon shark or something.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. In Jamaica, we have crocodiles. You can eat the crocodile tail. Never had that. This is Florida. I'm sure you buy it. Oh, no, you don't eat crocodile, I tell you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How the. You like. You crocodile? That's racist. That's. That's alligatorism. That's alligatorism. Yeah. No skill. Yeah, yeah. But. Yeah, that's how we do it. Yeah. I mean, it's crazy. Yeah, Yeah, I know. Yeah, I know.

[Nore]

So can you explain to people that listen to this, Listen to the reggae music, they listen to dancehall music. They listen to the Rastafari culture.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

You can love reggae. You can love dancehall. You don't have to be a Rastafari.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, no.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, no. Even Morgan Heritage, they had a big song in Jamaica. You don't have to dread to be Rasta, because remember, this is the Dreads. I mean, this is fake, right? But it's human hair. I got this from my brothers in Africa. I don't know who died and gave this.

[Nore]

Oh, my God.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But reggae music is the DNA for Jamaica. So is dancehall. Because, remember, like I said, dancehall came out in the 70s, right? 74, 75, 76. I was born in 76. So I'm a product of dancehall and also the Cold War, because remember, the USSR and usa, they had that thing. And that's what, honestly brought that level of violence to Jamaica and changed the culture. And then when the violence came, you needed an art form to express it. And that's how the dancehall was birthed.

[DJ EFN]

Who were those first early dancehall artists in the 70s?

[Vibes Cartel]

King Stitch. Big, huge. Which big, huge son is the lawyer that got me free? Think about that. He's one of the first DJs.

[DJ EFN]

Wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

And his son freed the number one DJ, Isat Buchanan. Right. Think about that. That's crazy, man.

[Cypher Sounds]

The appeal.

[Vibes Cartel]

And when he was in law school, he was telling his friends that, oh, I'm gonna free five's cartel. And he actually did. Wow. It.

[Nore]

What is it?

[Vibes Cartel]

What is it?

[Nore]

The jpl. What is it? The. The two political jlp.

[Vibes Cartel]

JLP and the pnp.

[Nore]

And the pnp.

[Vibes Cartel]

The GLP is the political party now.

[Nore]

Which one?

[Vibes Cartel]

The Labor Party. They were conservative. Yeah, they were conservative. So they were Reagan at the time.

[DJ EFN]

So you had. You had basically like Russia's camp. Basically.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why pnp, even to this day, we call. We. They call themselves socialists.

[DJ EFN]

Right. That's why you're saying the violence started y the edge.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, Cold War. Remember the Cold War.

[DJ EFN]

Just like Nicaragua with the contras and Sandinistas.

[Vibes Cartel]

Sandinistas. So it was that proxy were all over the place. Happened in Congo too, with. With Lumumba. Happened in Kenya with Kenyatta. So it's that thing like. You know what I mean?

[Nore]

You are the teacher, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

I am.

[Nore]

You are teaching me.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why the people love me, because there's. They know. They believe in me because I'm not going to bullshit them. I keep it real and I sing my truth. And since I grew up in Jamaica, my truth is Jamaica's truth. It is what it is.

[Mark Seal]

Hey, you guys, I'm Katherine Leg. I'm a racing driver who's literally driven everything with four wheels across the planet. And I've got a new podcast. It's called Throttle Therapy. This season, I'm gearing up to make history, competing in some of the world's most notorious racing events, starting at the Indy 500. Join me as I travel from racetrack to racetrack in my quest to continue a memorable career in racing. I'm also going to bring you inside stories with legends of sports, new faces from the next generation of auto racing, and conversations with the people who've supported me throughout my career. We'll be getting into everything from karting to nascar, even Formula one. Whether you dream about being a pro athlete or an astronaut, we're talking about what it takes to make it. Listen to Throttle Therapy with Katherine Legg, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

[Katherine Legg]

Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your Perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

I'm Mark Seale.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birth. From start to finish, this is really.

[DJ EFN]

The first interview I've done in bed.

[Nathan King]

We sift through innumerable accounts.

[Vibes Cartel]

35 pages isn't very much.

[Nathan King]

Many of them conflicting.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's nonsense.

[Nathan King]

There were 60 pages. And try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Vibes Cartel]

And they said, we're finished, this is over. Not only is not going to work, you gotta get rid of those guys.

[Nathan King]

It's that Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

Something about Mary Poppins.

[I]

Something about Mary Poppins. Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, man, this is fun.

[I]

I'm AJ Jacobs and I am an author and a journalist and I tend to get obsessed with stuff. And my current obsession is puzzles. And that has has given birth to my podcast, the Puzzler. Dressing. Dressing.

[Vibes Cartel]

French dressing.

[I]

Exactly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, that's good.

[I]

Now you can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears.

[Vibes Cartel]

I thought to myself, I bet I know what this is. And now I definitely know what this is.

[Nore]

This is so weird. This is fun. Let's try this one.

[I]

Our brand new season features special guests like Chuck Bryant, Mayim Bialik, Julie Bowen, Sam Sanders, Joseph Gordon Levitt and lots more. Listen to the Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's awful. And I should have seen it coming.

[Nore]

So let me ask you. I'll give it right back to you, Ross. Right. So let me ask you. When Escobar was locked up, right? They said that like one night every two or three months, he would come out. Yeah. He would do something yes. Within your 13 years of doing a bit.

[Vibes Cartel]

I got lots of.

[Nore]

Oh, damn. I didn't go there.

[DJ EFN]

Wrong answer to the right question.

[Nore]

If you had, like, how Escobar did. He came out one night every two months. If you ever had one night.

[DJ EFN]

Talking about Bobby Pablo.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Pablo.

[Nore]

I'm sorry.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. As a matter of fact, remember you said Vibes Cartel was the group? Yeah. Where you think you got the name Cartel?

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

From Escobar. Cali. Cali Cartel.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

So if you. If, like, with every two months, if you could come out and do one thing within your 13 year bid, what was that one thing you would do?

[Vibes Cartel]

Help my kids, man.

[Nore]

Damn. That's a great gangster.

[Vibes Cartel]

Pussy wasn't the problem. I don't know if I can say this now.

[Nore]

No, you can say it.

[Vibes Cartel]

You can say, because I'm free.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Double jeopardy. You can't take me back. So, yeah, wasn't a problem. Pussy was so you. Yeah. No, not all. Not all the time, but okay. Yeah. Yeah.

[Nore]

All right. Very, very.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, exactly. But, yeah, man. Like, that's the only thing. Because remember in Jamaican prisons, if it's not Family Day, your children can't come and see you.

[Nore]

Oh, wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because if you. If you're not 18 years old, you can come to visit me on a regular day. Oh, wow. They have things that they keep on Family Day, which is like in Christmas, you know, I mean, you need to see your kids Easter. Yeah. So we got like two. Twice a year. I got to saw my. See my kids.

[Nore]

Wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Yeah. So that's crazy. But, like, women, whatever. That's. But that wasn't on the top of my to do list. My to do list was to raise my kids even from behind. Even from behind bars. And that's why I say to you, my baby mom, like shorty, I give her her props. She did her job, made sure even though I was who I was, my kids didn't emulate my lifestyle. You know what I mean?

[Cypher Sounds]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

My daughter, like, she wants to be a doctor. She's in. Yeah. She's doing well in school and so on. So that's what I respect about my baby mothers. They weren't just they. That they. They put in the work.

[DJ EFN]

Respect.

[Vibes Cartel]

How many kids total? I got it. Huh? How many kids total that I got like seven. Seven. Seven. I have two in Brooklyn, you know, in Flatbush. That's what I'm saying. That's why when you said Miami or la, I said New York. My children are in Flatbush. I got two sons In Flatbush right now. Yeah. Big old blood clots. Brooklyn forever. You know, Brooklyn is little Jamaica. Even though you're a queen's right.

[Nore]

Yes, yes, yes. We down the block.

[Vibes Cartel]

You 50.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Nikki, yes. Enough love.

[Nore]

Yes. N. Come on. Come on.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's it. That's it, man. Yeah.

[Nore]

I know you say you. You don't regret nothing but.

[Vibes Cartel]

And I. I can't, okay? Cuz I'm still alive at 49 years old. What the is there to regret? Come on, man. I came out of prison. Freedom Street. Street. I kept Freedom street with this white guy from Jamaica. It's called Joe Bogdanovich. He's not from Jamaica, so obviously he's from California, which is Scatter. My other road manager.

[Cypher Sounds]

He's a bigger Scatter.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah. So we were spanning again, but we planned Freedom street from behind bars. That's how confident I was that I was coming out. My. My fiance see them. I sent for her in 2022. I was like, come live in Jamaica. She's from England. She was like, oh, my God. I don't know. So my girl Maricha. Yeah, I'm rich. As she came, I got her an apartment, got her a Range Rover, gave her some money, open her bank account. And she came because, like I said, I've known her since 2015. So she came to Jamaica. Yeah. Yeah. And she's been here ever since. She's with me now. She's in Lauderdale, right? Yeah.

[Nore]

So, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

She was there. And this is how I know she was real. Even when I came out and I started posting her more often, her friends from England was like, yo, the high school Siddam would be proud of you. Because since she was in high school, she was like, oh, I got. I'm gonna marry Vibes Cartel. Oh, bro, I'm serious. My life is like a. A Netflix series, right?

[Cypher Sounds]

Have a girl again.

[Vibes Cartel]

When do you. Yeah, yeah. I'm a one burner.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

One burner. In Jamaica, one burner is kind of derogatory because that means you only have one woman. And in Jamaica, that's fucking frowned upon. Yeah. Like, what the you doing? Yeah. So big up, Siddam.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. She was like, big up. Sit down.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Well, you're making it hard for me.

[Nore]

Yes. When you left, your kids was in single digits?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. When I left prison, they was children. When I came out, they gave me grandchildren, Grandchild.

[Nore]

They ask you. Yo, you writing my interview of you? Yeah, that's exactly what.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's crazy.

[DJ EFN]

Congratulations.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, they gave me grandchildren, right? Yeah. Except my daughter, because she know I would slap the out of her. I'm joking, I'm joking. It's the alcohol.

[DJ EFN]

He's like, funny. Not funny, funny.

[Vibes Cartel]

Not funny exactly. Yeah, yeah. But she's a genius, though. She like. She's a. A grade student. She's like a head girl, a prefect, whatever. She, huh. She wants to be a doctor. So I told her she needs to invent something better than Viagra, right?

[Nore]

Come on, man, stop it. I was.

[Vibes Cartel]

Stop it.

[Nore]

But so how did.

[Vibes Cartel]

A chef is smiling.

[Nore]

How does it feel to be a grandpa?

[Vibes Cartel]

I mean, how does it. How does it feel?

[Nore]

I have a notes now, gotta finish delivering. How's it feel? Because they were single digits, then they got double digits and they gave you. How did it feel when they told you you're gonna be a grandfather?

[Vibes Cartel]

It was amazing. I was in prison at the time, right? So I've never seen my grandson. So when they kept the family day, which is when you can bring your family there. So they came, and my grandson, he met me, was like, I don't know you, nigga. You know what I mean? Crying and shit. Gave him a piece of chicken. Chicken. He took the chicken. Yeah. I still don't know you. Well, it was great. So when I came out, he, like. That's when he started embracing me, right? Because he saw how his dad, his mom, and everybody that he knew, right. Embraced me. So it was like, oh, it, man. Yeah, this is gray beards and. Yeah, yeah. So. And. And then my son gave me me a granddaughter.

[Nore]

Oh, wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

Then my other son gave me another granddaughter. Yeah.

[Nore]

Oh, you, you, you. Three grand.

[Vibes Cartel]

I got three grandchildren for my two sons.

[Nore]

Okay. I got one.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, but you're American. Don't.

[Nore]

Don't get no idea.

[Vibes Cartel]

In Jamaica, it's different. He just. It's crazy. So, yeah, I got to pick them up.

[Nore]

God damn.

[Vibes Cartel]

Bro. I like drinks, champ. Not just for the drink. Yeah. The conversation. Yeah. Drink champ is everything I thought it would be because like I said, I was in prison watching everything. I watched the Neo interview, the Bush video, the Beanie man video. I watched all of that. Like that. And not just me, the entire prison.

[Nore]

Yes. Yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

You watch Kodak Black?

[Vibes Cartel]

No. Well, I respect him. Yo, Corner Black is. Like I said, he's Asian. He's crazy. That's the Caribbean breeze, right? I think something is in the wind. Yeah, that makes us crazy, bro. Look at Cardi B.

[Nore]

You invited Cardi B to your wedding?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

I would love her to be there.

[Nore]

And who else you wanted to perform at your wedding?

[Vibes Cartel]

Butcher Banton. I told you guys, he's my number one artist started.

[Nore]

So, Buju, Banta, and Car.

[Vibes Cartel]

Have you guys spoken?

[DJ EFN]

You and Buju since you've been out?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, but. But I. We haven't met up, really. No, I'm serious. I met Bounty Killer when he was at Freedom Street. That's the first time I saw him since I came out. Remember this guy made me rich and clean.

[DJ EFN]

Yeah, yeah, that's.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

And that's when Bounty Killer said he's the king of the downtown. Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. My mom bought him like that. That. You see, bounty, I'm the king of Dino, but bounty is the king of artists. Think about it. This man made so many people. If you know the Bible, he's like Abraham, because remember, Abraham created Islam.

[DJ EFN]

It's the beginning.

[Vibes Cartel]

Islam and Judaism.

[Nore]

Wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's why they call it. Yeah, Think about it.

[Nore]

That's what Bontekil.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Bontakil is Father Abraham. Bro. Bro. I'm telling you, bro. Yo, you know what? Give me the club. I'm telling you so. All right, so we got Beanie, man. Big up yourself. Beloved. Like, I can't lie. I'd rather not say so. Bounty. Like I said, Bounty, Beanie, Bou, Ninja Man Cartel. That's the top five for me. I love that he put himself on the top five.

[DJ EFN]

He said he's for me.

[Vibes Cartel]

Why would I leave me out? And big up my manager, tj. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And Scatter is my road manager.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

But with tj, we call him the Grinch. And this is why. No, he steals happiness business. Which is good, because remember, you know, Nori, we're artists. If you leave us unattended, we ourselves up. Yeah. So that's why he's the balance. You know what I mean? So big up tj. He's the Grinch. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got to give him props. He keeps me grounded, he keeps me focused, and he keeps me in check.

[DJ EFN]

The eye on the prize.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, the eye on the prize. But he's not sidm you, nigga. My bro.

[Nore]

That's why we finish this interview. I want to play you a record, cuz. I need vibes on the record.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

I got to take another shot if you have it. You don't have to take one. I just want to take some more of this fever. I want to take some more of this fever.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's too what the is.

[Nore]

Hey, look.

[Vibes Cartel]

Look at my poured by a feminine this.

[Nore]

Yes, yes, yes. But look, let me just tell you something.

[Vibes Cartel]

We're gonna tap the champagne hold on. I've cheered you like five times. The champagne is at the same height. That's some AI to AI. This thing looks AI drinks.

[Nore]

That's the Jamaican champagne.

[Vibes Cartel]

She's very. I like her. She's. She's the official. Yeah, yeah.

[DJ EFN]

She's ours.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Nori, you know you're huge in Jamaica.

[Nore]

Yes, I. Yeah. Jamaica used to help.

[Vibes Cartel]

You need to come to Jamaica. I'm coming.

[Nore]

I was.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, not, not. Not Montego Bay.

[Nore]

No, no, no. Stop. To do this. This with you. We was going.

[Vibes Cartel]

I know, I know, I know.

[Nore]

Let me tell you something. We was going to see you and then the next 20 minutes they said.

[Vibes Cartel]

Bob's cartel got his. Got his pizza. Exactly.

[Nore]

But we were on our way to see you.

[Vibes Cartel]

You was in Montego Bay. But the part of Mon. It's a tourist part. No, you have the streets. We was ready to love you. No, but that's what I'm saying. Kingston and Montego Bay is one in the same. It's just like New York, Louisiana. It's like Brooklyn. We was Compton.

[DJ EFN]

The hood is everywhere.

[Vibes Cartel]

Before the tj, what them call when the white gentrification.

[Nore]

Tj, can you sit over there, cuz he been looking for you. For over there.

[Vibes Cartel]

Tj in Jamaica. The number one meme in Jamaica is ax, tj. Because everything I say, I'm like ax, tj. That's the number one meme in Jamaica right now. But he's my manager. And this is nice. Deep. My first manager was the guy that introduced me to Bounty Killer. Remember I was telling you?

[DJ EFN]

So the guy that drove you to him.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

He was your manager then after.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, he was all Nissan. Okay. And I do this, the American pronunciation, Nissan in Jamaica was saying Nissan, your blood clot. So I parted ways with him in 2020 2004. And I've been my own manager since. So everything I've done since then, all the greatness, all the dinosaur greatness, Wow. I did it by myself. When I came out, I made him my manager because I've known him since he was in high school. Wow. I'm gonna tell you, in Jamaica, you have the ghetto hardcore part and then you have the up. We call it uptown. Uptown in Jamaica means you grew up privileged. Like my children. They grew up privileged because I started making money. Money. I'm from the ghetto. He grew up privileged. So his father is from the ghetto. Made sure his children grew up good. Right, Right.

[Nore]

Fire.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. So when I met him, he was just out of high school and he kept. He had a big Annual event called orientation. So you know that's about school orientation, right? It's a school party dance where you dress up in your school uniform if you went to fucking whatever. Yeah, yeah. So my nickname was the teacher, and that's how I met him. So I. And he was like, yo, I'm keeping a party. I want the teacher to pass through. Because it's called orientation. Then he started producing. I gave him his first record. He got Idonia, which is also a big artist in Jamaica, and then he became a famous producer. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Which is my road manager. He's actually here as well. Well, he introduced me to I donate, so. And then we get. We show the love, give the respect, because, bro, Bounty Killer made me rich. So I don't have a problem to pay forward, right. Because Bounty killer made me be able to take care of my family, Move them out the ghetto, put them in some mansions. So then we pay forward. So Scatter brought me to Aidonia. I brought Aidonia to Bounty kill, and the rest is history. You know what I mean? Yeah, man.

[Nore]

When's the last time you smoked the American blunt?

[Vibes Cartel]

I haven't. You rolled this?

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Should I smoke it? I'm on a visa. If you me up American Embassy in Jamaica. No, but you're American, so it was.

[DJ EFN]

Brought by the Peruvians.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. It was wrong by the Peru. Peru. You roll in Peru.

[Katherine Legg]

Peru.

[Nore]

Come get him, bro.

[Vibes Cartel]

My is legal.

[Nore]

I might come get Boris. Boris is.

[Vibes Cartel]

So basically, you're telling me that this is only tobacco. Yes. Okay. Thank you, sir. It's only tobacco.

[DJ EFN]

It's tobacco.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's tobacco. It's only tobacco.

[DJ EFN]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

And you know how slavery goes. Tobacco is king.

[Nore]

Yes. Hold on.

[Vibes Cartel]

Disclaimer. If you're not black, you can't say, Right. I want to, you know, commend you because I see when you first came home, when you battling Graves disease. Yeah. And now you did this show, and you looking amazing. Yeah. You feeling great? Yeah. Who could you contribute that to? No. First of all, that's an amazing question, because in the black community, speaking on illness is, like, taboo, Right. Because we had to be strong, especially mental illness. Right. And I spoke on that the other day. But that's a good question. While I was in prison, I was diagnosed with Graves disease in 2014.

[DJ EFN]

Can you explain what it is? Just for people that don't know.

[Vibes Cartel]

Graves disease is the autoimmune disease. It affects your particular pituitary glands. And I said, sure, because I'm drunk. But I would say this, though. Jamaicans, you Know this statement. Tom drunk, but Tom the fool. So Graves disease is an autoimmune thyroid disease that affects your. It's. It makes you sweat a lot. It makes you. Your heart palpitate, it makes your eyes swollen. That's why I keep wearing my shade. Well, I used to wear my shades because I learned from bounty killing, but it's very dangerous. Remember, I was in prison. I was battling Graves disease. I was. I had to balance my career. I had to keep my family in check, I had to keep my relationship in check. I had to be producing music. So anyone that has Graves disease, I think Missy Elliot had it too, okay?

[DJ EFN]

Oh, really?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. We're human, bro. And a lot of people think because we're artists, we're superhuman, which we are, but we still get affected. So I just want people to know that whatever illness you have, whether it's Graves disease, whether it's cancer, whether it's hiv, whatever, Europe, don't be afraid to embrace it and live your life, because you only have one. I think Irv gotti passed away 64. That's young, bro. Yeah. And this is for the millennials, the Gen Z. When I was like 14, 15, back in the day, I thought that 50 years old was old, right? Bro, I'm 49. I feel as young as ever.

[DJ EFN]

49 here as well.

[Vibes Cartel]

I feel as young as ever, Right? Yeah, yeah. All you need to do is take care of yourself, right? Eat properly, drink plenty water, have sex a lot. You'll be all right. It is what it is. But, yeah, but like I said, man, having an illness shouldn't be taboo because we're humans. We live, we die. So if you. If you say whether it's a mental problem, talk to someone. Right. I even did a. A video the other day about mental health.

[DJ EFN]

That's huge, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Because a lot of us, especially the ones that bring joy to people, are the ones that suffering the most. Because I'm looking at Nori, you bring joy to me because I grew up listening to you, even though you're not older than me, but you get. You played an important role in a specific part of my life. Thank you. You understand you're not human. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But we're still human.

[Nore]

Yeah, you're right.

[DJ EFN]

Vulnerable.

[Vibes Cartel]

And if you. If you're vulnerable. Right. Don't be afraid to speak to people because that's a lot. That's one of the problems with the African American and the Afro Caribbean community. Because it's taboo. Yeah. We feel like we gotta be strong all the time. No, you can be vulnerable, bro. You can talk to your mother, you can talk to your girlfriend. But then why do you love her, bro? Right? Why do you love her and spend money on her and put her in your fucking house, but you're afraid to talk to your woman, bro?

[Nore]

It's real.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know what I mean?

[Nore]

Taking a shot to that.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Bro, this is empty. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh. Oh, the Shock Empress is here. Yes.

[DJ EFN]

That's your new nickname.

[Nore]

Yeah. Trust me, that's real.

[Vibes Cartel]

Like I said, I sing my truth, right? That's why I mentioned Evil Graves disease in my song. Because, like I said, inflames your body. That's why when I came out, you know, had that inflammation in my face, my. My stomach. But, bro, we're human beings. I have no shame in my game, man. Like, I speak my truth. It is what it is. Black people. And black people take fucking certain illnesses as taboo, right? We're afraid to talk about it because we were raised to be tough. Oh, you're a strong black woman. Why can't you be a feminine black woman and talk to your man, Talk to your friend? Why you have to be a G, like, all the time? I can't talk to fm. I be like a friend. My dick isn't working properly.

[DJ EFN]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Cypher Sounds]

Hold on.

[Vibes Cartel]

Hear me out. Hear me out. And this is serious. This is serious. I'm not 29. I'm 49. Right, right, right. Why can't I come to you if you're my br. Why can't I come to you? Like, bro, I'm having problems with my wife, right? Because we have issues surrounding sex. I can only pop off once per night. Why can't I talk to you about and. And you make me feel comfortable talking about you, which is what AAA is. AAA is right? Hi, I'm Vibes Cartel. I'm an alcoholic. Or I'm Vibes Cartel. I'm a whatever, right? Once black people get. Especially us as black people, based on our historical trauma, we're supposed to be able to speak to one another, bro. Come on, man. It's. We only live once. Brody's dead. Yeah. Yeah. That's a piece of earth. He's not broke, he's rich. But he's dead. Michael Jackson is dead.

[DJ EFN]

You can't take the Whitney.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, we. We as black people, we need to be able to speak to each other. And I learned this while in prison because anyone in Jamaica can tell you, before prison, I was a devil. But growth Maturity taught me a lot of things. We need each other. That's why they make these groups and these AA and group therapy is good because you're going through something that I'm going through. So you have questions and I have questions. Maybe you have the answer for some questions. Oh, why did she cheat on me? I did everything right. You can maybe impart some knowledge onto why? Because you've been there before me, right? So you figured it out before, bro, we live in, man. We. A hundred years from now, we gone. You know what I mean? That. That's. That's the mindset I have now. Nori, hold on one minute.

[Nore]

Before you get to that, let's get.

[Vibes Cartel]

A shot, all right? Yeah, man.

[Nore]

That's drink.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh. Oh, yeah. That's the mindset I have now, bro.

[DJ EFN]

Respect the mindset.

[Vibes Cartel]

Mindset? Yeah, man. We living, bro. It's not that. What's his look?

[DJ EFN]

AI hooked him up, man.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, yeah. What was the feeling, AI? What was the feeling when they said, you leaving the jail, man? How was that feeling? I'm get. I'm from the ghetto, so you can't hype me up. So when the lawyer said to me, you're free, I was in prison. I was in my cell talking on myself. And when. No, seriously. And when Alexandra Labis, which is Ice Right Hand, she said to me, I'm free, but I've been in prison for 13 years. I didn't want to hear from you, with all due respect. I wanted to hear from Eyesight. Yeah. Because he's the one that I'm paying, right? And when he called me and said I was free, bro. Yes, man. Not gonna front. Tears, bro. I cried. Yeah, you. If you think that's like, bro, no, you can't. I'm tough enough, man. That's right. Anyone that knows me in Jamaica knows that I'm not no fool.

[Nore]

That's right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, cuz, you know this is bad luck. No, I tried to play it off. You. Yo, Lor, I try to play it off, but you, bro, I. Tears, man. I. Because think about it. I couldn't cry while I was in prison. I had to take care of my family, my parents, my children, a lot of people around me, plus the guys that I was charged with. So I had no time to be weak because all of them was coming to me.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, Jesus Christ.

[Vibes Cartel]

When. When you coming out? You know what I mean? So I had to be strong for everyone. Tgf. There is even a meme in Jamaica where I say, ask tj. Yeah, because when he Used to call me like, bro, think about this. I'm in prison, yeah. Sending money to my bank through Western Union, to people in America, to people in England. That's my responsibility. And I had to do it. People were dying around me. We were fucking in prison, losing many money. But, yeah, man, like I have. I was fighting for my freedom, for my life, for my health, right. To keep my family, to keep my woman from giving away the. That's a serious no, bro. Is she back? She vexed. Serious, man. She vex. She moved on. No. I don't know. Yeah, I moved on. Oh, okay. I still take. Careful. My baby mom. All right? I'm a Jamaican. You're either a or you're a good person in Jamaica. There's no in the middle. Listen, you either A or you're a real one. That's what Jamaica vibes. Vibes on some New York. Yeah. How. How does Saddam feel about you taking care of all the baby moms? Well, initially, she was not cool. But when I explained it to her and she saw, right. The predicament my family was in, because, remember, you know, I'm the breadwinner. I made the million. We're talking about us now.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

I made the millions.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Why would I want to see my baby mom suffer? Even though when I was in prison going through the worst time of my life, she let me down. But it's human nature. If you don't believe in forgiveness, you're a bro. You shouldn't even be alive, bro.

[Nore]

Wow. For real.

[Vibes Cartel]

We made mistakes, bro. Okay, You. You. All right. You believe in forgiveness. So why. Why you didn't just stay with her then? Because I'm a man first. And I told her I was there with you. I'm like, I'm coming out. I'm coming out. I lost my trial. She was there. I'm coming out. I lost my Jamaican appeal. She was there. I'm coming out. But before the British appeal could happen, she just gave it. And I can't blame her for that. If she was in prison, I would be the first day she got arrested, right? So how can I hate her? Think about this. We're men. Think about it.

[Nore]

No, bro.

[Vibes Cartel]

No. Said, think about this. If she had got arrested on 1 January, after I brought her things, you would have went to the third, not the first. So we got to keep it real. And that's what the problem with a lot of us as black people. Our egos are high. And I get it. We've been through a lot. So we need to prove. You notice Frank and Tom don't need to prove shit. But. But Jaquan and Omar need to prove shit, right? Because that's how we were raised. We need to prove. I don't need to prove nothing.

[Mark Seal]

Hey, you guys, I'm Katherine Legg. I'm a racing driver who's literally driven everything with four wheels across the planet. And I've got a new podcast, it's cool. Called Throttle Therapy. This season I'm gearing up to make history, competing in some of the world's most notorious racing events, starting at the Indy 500. Join me as I travel from racetrack to racetrack in my quest to continue a memorable career in racing. I'm also going to bring you inside stories with legends of sports, new faces from the next generation of auto racing, and conversations with the people who've supported me throughout my career. We'll be getting into everything from karting to nascar, even Formula One. Whether you dream about being a pro athlete or an astronaut, we're talking about what it takes to make it. Listen to Throttle Therapy with Katherine Legg, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts presented by Capital One, founding.

[Vibes Cartel]

Partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

[Katherine Legg]

Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headline. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm Mark Seal.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us to shoot that picture.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birthday. From start to finish, this is really.

[DJ EFN]

The first interview I've done in bed.

[Nathan King]

We sift through innumerable accounts. 35 pages isn't very much, many of them conflicting.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's nonsense.

[Nathan King]

There were 60 pages and try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Vibes Cartel]

And they said we're finished. This is over. It only is not going to work. You gotta get rid of those guys. It's a disaster.

[Nathan King]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire, and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

Welcome to My Legacy. I'm Martin Luther King iii and together with my wife, Andrea Waters King, and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, we explore the personal journeys of that shape extraordinary lives. Each week we'll sit down with inspiring figures like David Oyelo, Mel Robbins, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Billy Porter and their plus one, their ride or die as they share stories never heard before about their remarkable journey.

[Nore]

Listen to my legacy on the iHeartRadio.

[Vibes Cartel]

App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nore]

This is my legacy.

[Vibes Cartel]

She gave me three sons, bro, so I couldn't violate her. But what Siddam brought to me was peace, right? She made me calm. She made me not need. Not feel the need to. Oh, you know what I mean? She.

[Nore]

She made me.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's the best thing. I met her 2015, July 25th. I'll never forget. Okay, And. And that time, I'm saying before that, me and my baby mom was going through a lot. I did an album for short. It's. It's literally called To Tanisha because her. Her government is Tanisha. The album is To Tanisha, one of the biggest albums in the Caribbean. Any person from the Caribbean can tell you about that album. Just go on the phone right now. Did Cartel do an album called to. To Tanisha? Right? Yeah. Him love her. She nearly. I love even now. But Saddam was there. That's why when you asked me the question about loyalty, it was easy to answer. That doesn't mean that Shorty was disloyal. She was just human, right? That's real, right, Ethan?

[DJ EFN]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

She was just human at 10 years, 11 years. He's not coming out, but I'm gonna be there for him because she always represents. I could call her any hours, 3am in the morning, shorty, wake up, take this money here. And she would go, come on, man. Bro. At what point we're going to be men and be like, bro, you up? Because she didn't send me to prison. That was me. Wow. Yeah, that's deep. She didn't send me to prison, bro. She was Calling me. Come home. We need to.

[DJ EFN]

Man, those calls are amazing, Nori.

[Vibes Cartel]

You get what I'm saying? So she didn't send me. She never called nobody. He's beating me. Fuck him. No, I went on my own. So what am I gonna do, bro? And this is the thing, too. In Jamaica, a lot of times, like a lot of men in prison, their woman is cheating on them. They just send someone to. To kill her.

[Nore]

Oh, to kill her and to kill.

[Vibes Cartel]

The chick, the man. Yeah. And it's. It's a reality in Jamaica. I'm not even making that up because Jamaica rough. Yeah. Why would I want to hurt my. My children's mother? She made me know that my dick was working. She gave me my first children. Right? Yeah. Yeah, that is. And even a lot of times, even Siddham is like, oh, I think you still love her. I'm like, yes, I love her. But I adore you.

[DJ EFN]

And different love.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I do. Yeah.

[DJ EFN]

You can have.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's real. She made me know that I was a man, that I could have get kids. So I love her and I understand what she went through, bro. Even people that love me gave up. Think about it. He in prison. 13 years, bro.

[DJ EFN]

No, she's your family. You got kids with that family, but.

[Vibes Cartel]

You got 33 years. Yeah. So she's like, that's life. That's life. 33 years.

[Nore]

Yeah. That's life to everyone else.

[DJ EFN]

And maybe you don't get out. If something goes wrong in prison, you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Might not get out. That's my problem. And she needs the doggy style thing.

[DJ EFN]

Human nature. Human nature.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's human nature. So I can. I could not be angry. I understand. I've grown. I'm. I'm grown. I got arrested when I was 35. So over the. And I. I learned to appreciate God more and be more spiritual. That's why you see on my forehead, I have loved God.

[Nore]

Wow.

[Vibes Cartel]

If you look here, I don't know if you can see it. You see Devil. That was me back in the day. That's. That's my. That was my nickname. Look. You see it? Yeah, that was.

[DJ EFN]

Did you feel that? You really embodied that, bro.

[Vibes Cartel]

I was crazy. That's why I got in so much trouble.

[DJ EFN]

You was wilding out.

[Vibes Cartel]

I was wilding out. Two, three, a million point zero. So, you know, Jamaica's no joke. You don't. You can't come on and say on the track you're a gangster and you're not.

[DJ EFN]

Right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Right.

[DJ EFN]

You got to grow up back in.

[Vibes Cartel]

Those days, you know? I mean, all right. I like that girl. Who is.

[Nore]

Nobody knows who she is.

[Vibes Cartel]

Jamaica's getting in trouble. She knows what's up. But that's what I'm saying. Like, that's why I never stopped saying God is the greatest. Nori, God saved me. No one could save me. I was in prison, right? GP in Jamaica. Tower street, that's the number one prison. You see guys hang themselves. You see guys, you know steel like that steel thing. You see guys sharpen that steel and just push it through niggers, you dead.

[Nore]

Damn.

[Vibes Cartel]

Don't push it through me. That doesn't even make the news, right? That doesn't even make the news. That's what Jamaican prisons are. Because I know Americans say they have the toughest prisons. Nigger, you don't. We have the toughest prisons. People die every day. Well, God said, bro. Cuz I take care of a lot of people because I learned from bounty killer. So I pay forward. And I prayed. I was like. At one point, I didn't even pray. Tj, ask tj. You couldn't tell me nothing about God. I was God.

[Cypher Sounds]

That's what I want to ask.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's how big I was in Germany. I was God. God. God was like, you're not. Go sit down in this dungeon. Wow. Then he. He gave me that epiphany. Bro, chill. I gave you the blessing. Even them days I. I was helping a lot of people like Popcorn, Tam Gaza Slim, etc, my parent, Russian not nice. Jordan Birch, kids mother everybody. And God was like, bro, you need to slow down. If I didn't, that's why I told you, no regrets. Because if I didn't go to prison, I know I would have been dead. I mean, you got a second chance. Yeah, I got a second chance. And I won't up, bro. I'm not up. I can't do it. How the do I up? 13 years in prison come out, get my US visa, get my European visa, get my British visa, making these millions U.S. can I up? I will be an idiot, bro. And even then, and why I. Why I think I got a second chance? Because even when I was crazy, I still had that love and that respect for people. People. Because if you good, we good. If you're a gangster, we're not good. Because maybe you want to hurt me. And I'm not going to give you that chance. Right. You know what I mean? Yeah. So that, that's my mindset since day one. So I have no problem giving you your props because you can stop me, you know? And I don't want to stop you. Get it? You can stop me, and I don't want to stop you. Because we can both be rich. We can both have a lot of money for everybody. Yeah, yeah, exactly. We can both drive the Rolls Royce, and we can both have a million women without even touching one of yours. So that's my mindset since day one, bro. Like every man has. Like Bob Marley said, every man have a right. We decide their own destiny. You have the right to decide your destiny, bro. I can't with yours. Yeah, and you can't with mine. If, if. If it comes a time when that's going to happen, you go your ways.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

And I go mine. And we good. You, you. You reach over South Miami. I'm reaching North Miami. That's it. That's how it goes, man. So I don't have. I don't harbor any bad feelings for no husband woman. None. I've been through it, man. We've been through the wars, the gangster, everything. 49 years old. What the you going to. What can you prove to me? You can't prove nothing to me. I'm from Jamaica, bro.

[DJ EFN]

You ain't anything either.

[Vibes Cartel]

Exactly. I'm from Jamaica.

[Nore]

In my mind, I'm from Jamaica, too.

[Vibes Cartel]

Huh?

[Nore]

In my mind, I'm from Jamaica, too.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm from that bum bum. Oh, yeah, man. I'm telling you, man. Big Up Queens.

[Nore]

That's right.

[Cypher Sounds]

Getting back to the music a little bit.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Cypher Sounds]

What songs of yours do you think changed the trajectory of your career?

[Vibes Cartel]

The first song was New Millennium 2002, which changed dancehall because the song was saying, decide a new millennium, a different thing are gone. Meaning this is the new millennium. Different things going on. That's what it says. So that's one tech body, which is my first song on Billboard in New York. Okay, then Tech Bodygal second song. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Then Me and the Acorn and the Shabbaranks and the Sizzler them. If you're this bad, man. Exactly. You know what's up. Then Ramping shop. Then Clark. Ah, Port More, man. And then fever 2016. While I was in.

[Cypher Sounds]

While he was in prison, that song.

[Vibes Cartel]

Was on rotation in Hot 97, on par 105. How did that feel? While you in jail, bro? I'm on the app watching everything. I vibe popping champagne. In prison, I had a bus down Rolex, I had a date. That's Jamaica crazy, bro. I had my Rolex in prison. Big she and pendant with anything on lobster, shrimp, champagne, anything. Yeah, but it's still Prison, right? Single person, right? No doubt that. Can't leave when I want. Yeah, of course. Still prison. What it is. But those songs. When I sold Golden Prison, I had my plaque in my cell like roaches crawling on it. And roaches was crawling on my gold plat, bro. That's crazy. I'm telling you. That's a scene. Yeah. Roaches was crawling on my plaque and I was like, your blood clot. Hurry up. Listen, listen.

[Nore]

You need to put your movie together, bro.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's what Netflix. And that's what I'm saying. When is the Netflix general? That's what I'm saying. Grammy up this year. No disrespect to them, but the story. Come on. I'm coming from prison. 13 years, get my visa, I'm engaged, I'm behaving myself. I sold gold. The album that I did was nominated, was done in prison. Rami should have took a direction. It's an amazing story, Nori.

[Nore]

It's beautiful. I love it.

[Vibes Cartel]

And with that being said, I want to piss us off. Where is the B?

[Nore]

Yeah, we got one and we got one over there.

[Vibes Cartel]

Right there. Right there. Yeah. I like that, cuz. I'm in that trajectory. Yeah, yeah.

[Nore]

What you said.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, man, that's.

[DJ EFN]

You.

[Vibes Cartel]

Need a light. Give vibes a light. Sean Paul, give me the light.

[Nore]

Sean Paul from Jamaica for sure. Right now. Port.

[Vibes Cartel]

Where we at? Sean Paul, man.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Where we at?

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Ah, yeah. Portmore Manset. Yeah. Sean Paul is sham of town. That means for the privileged part, privilege. Because in Jamaica we don't have racism classes. But that's for another interview. I respect that. I'm passionate about that. Cuz I'm from the ghetto and I live uptown and my kids are born and raised uptown. Went to the best schools, everything. You know how that.

[Nore]

Yes, that's.

[Vibes Cartel]

They better me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So.

[Nore]

God damn it.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's a serious topic in Jamaica too. Classism, colorism. Right. Skin bleaching, all that. I was just going to say that because I remember when you was rehearsing for your show because I follow you.

[Nore]

So.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. You was talking about. We're gonna do the. The Bleachers Black Cartel and the Bleach House Cartel. Yes. Where you use the burn out, the melanin. Yes. And like you're trying to kill God. Totally. I regret nothing thing.

[Cypher Sounds]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because that's. If you win, you either win or learn. When you lose is when you die. And we still don't know where you go when you die.

[DJ EFN]

Even though I'm religious And what those lessons are from.

[Vibes Cartel]

From life, from your negatives. You know what I mean? So I never believe in losses. So I couldn't have regrets. And I've lost people that I love, but I can't regret the reason why.

[Cypher Sounds]

I asked that because Kodak Black. And he. He had a. He had a song. He's in Super Gremlin. He's said, you know, I know the perk was fake, but I still ate it because I'm. I was a gremlin. Perk is in.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I know.

[Cypher Sounds]

You know what I'm saying?

[Vibes Cartel]

So see how deep that was?

[Cypher Sounds]

And he regretted that to a degree. The influence of that.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, but I understand that. But think about this. I already drank like four bottles of Female. How can I regret it? I can't change it. Right, Right.

[DJ EFN]

You can't go back.

[Vibes Cartel]

You can't go back. But the only thing I can do from that is like, don't drink from beautiful women. I'm giving her props. Come on.

[Nore]

Yeah. Okay, so if I.

[Vibes Cartel]

If I got up. No, I mean, if I went outside, I was like. I'm like, don't drink from beautiful women.

[DJ EFN]

That was a lesson learned.

[Vibes Cartel]

So it was the L. That was the L. It's not the L. Loss, it's a lesson. Because once you're alive, it's not a loss, it's a lesson. And if it's a lesson, it's a blessing. If it's a lesson, it's a blessing, bro. Yeah, I was last year. Them times I was in prison. What the you talking about? I'm in America and I'm rich.

[Nore]

Yeah, that's right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Sure. Richer. Exactly. Shout to that. Oh, don't.

[Nore]

Oh, what happened?

[Vibes Cartel]

No, bro, like I said, even Massacre said it the other day when I was in prison. And I was so much in my. My positive energy that I understood it. You know what Massica said. And Big Up Massacre. You should interview him, too. He's a. He's a big artist in Jamaica. Yes. He said, nobody can spoil my day. Why would I give you that energy? I just came out of prison, bro. 13 years I watched my children become from boys to men and not the group from Big Them Up. Yeah. Salute. Boston. They from Boston. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I thought it was really. No, I'm losing it. Where's my shot? No, no, no.

[DJ EFN]

They're from Philly.

[Vibes Cartel]

They are? Yeah. I thought they were. I think. No, no.

[Nore]

Salute.

[Vibes Cartel]

Salute. Salute to being wrong. Oh, that's why your coffee's empty. Yeah, that's why my empty. I know.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, we taking shots.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, we taking shots.

[DJ EFN]

Oh, he just said shot in there.

[Vibes Cartel]

I know he said shot a doing that. Yeah, but you can't, you can't, you can't, you can't. No history. Maybe have a back. You know your history. That's why I'm so big in music. I'm a student. I'm a student of the music. You're a student first before the teacher, before this guy. Right now be a student, my little brother right now. Always say you. I'm a student of hip hop. That's what not. Yo, listen to that. Listen.

[Nore]

Yeah, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Enough love and respect to you. Yeah, man, you gotta be up.

[Nore]

It don't count.

[Vibes Cartel]

You gotta sip when you. Yeah, big up. Big up.

[Nore]

It's Jamaican.

[Vibes Cartel]

Let's do it again. Yeah, big up to Nori, one of the T shirts. And because he was a student, big up.

[Cypher Sounds]

So I want to ask another question. You brought up Massacre, you know, so massacre body of. As far as dancehall right now, who would you think is like the top contenders and also like the defending champions of dancehall, right?

[Vibes Cartel]

Enough. Well, Massacre is one Popcorn. And I'm not just saying that because he's my protege, but I'm also saying that because he's my protege. So he learned from the best. You went to Harvard. You qualified. So Gaza Nation is the Harvard of dancehall. So popcorn from that at school then I like like the younger kids after Popcorn, like Jamal and. And I'm going to get into that in a minute. So you have the Jamal, the Pablo yg, the Chronicler, Skilly bank, the. The. The jump, the Javilani, you know, I mean, the 450 and you know, a lot of people going to come at me, especially Gaza fans. But he represents for the culture the alkaline, right? Alkaline, yeah. The squash. We can't leave our squash.

[Cypher Sounds]

Leave our squash.

[Vibes Cartel]

Not time. You know what I mean? So for me, the kids, I have to respect them because when I was coming up, I got a lot of flack like, oh, he don't sound like dancehall. Like they trying to say, I'm not dancer, I'm something else. I. So we always have to represent for the gener. Cuz I stand on the. On the shoulders of giants, right? I stand on bounty killer shoulder. Banta being a man. Regardless of what you want to say about me, I'm a student of dance hall. Dance hall is forever, right? I'm a rip to the culture. I'm not rip for the vulture. Culture. For the culture. So big up Beanie Big up, bounty killer who made me rich. Big up, Bujo Bantan Biggest inspiration, ninja man. Ms. My first inspiration, super cat. The Jersey Wheel. Big youth Michigan are smiley. Danny English, he passed away the other day. He's the first person who told my mom that I'm gonna be rich. Then she gave me the key because they used to lock me out at night. So when I went to the stage show at night, I couldn't go in because my mom was like, blood clot, you know? And my dad was like, you're blood clot too. Which means also right? And then my mom, when Danny English said to my mom, because he got TJ or that English song, they have a meme with me and him on the Internet, where everything I want to confirm, I say ask tj. Oh, did that. Oh. Meeting at the party. He was the first person to tell my mother that your son is going to be famous. And that. That made. That brought tears to my mother's eyes. So. And he died the other day. So r. Please give them a round.

[Cypher Sounds]

Of applause.

[Vibes Cartel]

As well, because they roll together and big up eggnog. So Bro Dance hall for me is everything like I believe in. Made a lot of us famous. The more enriched Movado Cartel, Bonte Beanie Bourgeo, like Terry Gansey. Even all the guys you asked me questions about. Why do you think I have to take this sprung up? Because I'm not going to pick. Because all of them older than me influenced me. And the ones that I gave fame, they inspired me. So I could never like tj. Tj. Yeah. Scatter. Oh, that's Scatter. And I'm going to be. I don't know if you guys understand. Yeah. Say it. In Jamaica, we did the Freedom Street Concert 31st December. So that went into the 1st of January, which is the first day of the year. Even get the first sock Yamada for the year. And in Jamaica. No, but hold on. In Jamaica, a soc. Your mother is like saying, your mother is a go suck your mother. And look how deep this is. Scatter is my. Is my big bro. Because Sketter was famous when I was hungry. You know how that was. So he's my big bro. Popcorn is my son. Popcorn gave him the first suck your mother for the year. So, you know, I'm conflicted, right? But I spoke to Scatter. He was very mature about it. Popcorn was very remorseful about it. Yeah. And everything. But. But that's when he became what was in your mind.

[Cypher Sounds]

Because people haven't this the first Time. You're talking about it after that.

[Nore]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Cypher Sounds]

What was in your mind when he was holding the mic?

[Vibes Cartel]

But you saw my face. I was. I was shocked because I never expected. Right. Popcorn to say that. It's like, you invite me to a party. Why would. And say you invite me to a party. But before you invited me to the party, me and Buster Rhyme had beef. Right. This is we just creating a scenario. Why would I come to your party and say, Busta Rhyme suck your mother? This is the biggest diss in Jamaica. Yeah, yeah. That means I don't respect you. But this is. Here's the flip side. You watch that movie with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Here's the flip side to that coin. Popcorn felt violated because he was coming to represent for the man that made him rich. Like, really rich. Because, you know, Poppy's in, like, vibes Cartel, my father level, like, real rich. When we say millions, we mean us. And then he had to be at the gate for two hours. But then I had to explain to him after the show, like, poppy happy. You have to understand, this is Jamaica. The excitement, and everyone wants to prove. So if you're a security guard and FN and. And. And Capone is coming through, maybe you have a. I know. Not really. I'm okay. But watch this. Watch this. That was. I did that on purpose. And if I didn't do it on. Hold on, hold on. This is where it gets serious now. So I'm speaking to Papi, and he's like, general, because, you know, they all call me General the same way I call the guys before me General. That's right, bro. Respect is everything. You know, Jamaica, of course, she was like, General, me feel vexed. I may feel violated. Mr. Popcorn, you can't come to my show with 200 people, like, literally, and then be angry. Right. When one of the promoters go scatter. Joe Bagdanovich And. And Carla. Carla. Big up, Carla. They organized it. I didn't do. All they did was call me Cartel. You have an interview with Billboard 4:30. Okay, I'll be there. I'm there by 4:30. Just like when I came to your show. I didn't disrespect. I was on time. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Because that's how we do things. Thank you for your patience.

[DJ EFN]

You know me.

[Vibes Cartel]

Thank you for your patience, sir. Because you understand entertainment. Yes. So, yeah. So that's why you see me and scatter me and him all over the place together. Because he's one of my road managers as well. TJ is the manager. Scatter and Mooney. Tj, yeah, man. Tj, yeah, man. So it's tj, Scatter and Mooney. TJ the manager, two road managers. Because I'm dope, my life is dope and I do those. Yeah, I love what you say. What is under my eye? No, under my nose. Because in Jamaica, when with your mouth you say you love. Use your mouth. Meaning you love to talk or you love to. Like I show out, so. But in America, the slang is like, I'm out. Right. So I merged them together. So watch this. Under my nose.

[Cypher Sounds]

I'm out, I'm out.

[Vibes Cartel]

So it's a big. It was in Jamaica, number one on YouTube for like three weeks. It's a slang that I turned into a song. So it's crazy. Yeah, so Portmore, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ask Portmore. He knows. Like I said, Portmore is like the Long island of New York. It's not Brooklyn, but we tough as, right?

[Nore]

Like wine dance.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. Come check with. We got Gotti over here.

[Nore]

Yeah, they're gonna stab you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, exactly. We got Gotti. Yeah. So. Yeah, that's.

[Nore]

I'm gonna tell. Shot for Portmore.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, man. Let's go, let's go.

[Nore]

My shot.

[Vibes Cartel]

Shot. Shot. Oh, that's a shot. Always lined up that light skinned girl. In Jamaica we call her a Browning. Browning. Where is she?

[Nore]

Yeah, hold on.

[DJ EFN]

She's there.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Nice. You gotta do Jay Jay.

[Nore]

Biggie Small.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

So this is the N. Jay Z, Biggie, Beanie, Boujee, A little bit Prodigy. Prodigy, yes. Hold on, give me a moment to think. Mob, Deep, Sprague, Benz.

[Nore]

Of course.

[Vibes Cartel]

He's a legend. Talking about. Ready, go. You know my favorite New York rapper, female, is Cardi B. Cardi. Look, she has to come to your wedding.

[Nore]

She has to come to your wedding.

[Vibes Cartel]

You know who's. I invited her. You know who's my second favorite rapper? And this is gonna be crazy if you're not. If you don't understand the generation I grew up in. There you go. You know who's my favorite female rapper? I know who. You say Nickel King. I know, I see that.

[Nore]

Yeah. Look. Flatbush monster.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. And remember, I'm not as a big fan as I am a Tupac fan. Cause remember I said Tupac is my favorite all time rapper. But Liquor Kim and Biggie Bat. Jesus, the Notorious just pleased us with a lyrical thesis. We just chilling.

[Nore]

So. So in your wedding you would like Cardi B and Little Kim to come out?

[Vibes Cartel]

No. If Little Kim comes, that's ice, bro. That's ice.

[Nore]

Okay, so look, you got a reception.

[Vibes Cartel]

I know you can do it.

[Nore]

Oh, what? You ready?

[Vibes Cartel]

You can get little can make it happen.

[Nore]

Oh, oh, I can make it happen.

[Vibes Cartel]

You're legendary in. In this hip hop game. Look, yo, listen to this right now. No, I'm going to tell you this. I never want to say it because the girls in Jamaica that are 14, 15 and 16, they love me. But you're going to make me say it. Okay, bro, I'm 49 years old.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

You're legend in my eyes.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

So you can.

[Nore]

You.

[Vibes Cartel]

I know you can just big up to my brother, man. Well, hold on a.

[Nore]

Okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

All right. So. Hold on, hold on. You know, I think, you know, you've turned me into an alcoholic. You got AAA number. Aaa? See them? No compliment. I'm joking. This is the engagement ring. I'm joking. This is a sitcom. Yeah. This is a sitcom. I'm George Jefferson Jefferson. You don't know fucking. We're moving on. Yeah. The fucking wheezy. Enjoy. Not Lil Wayne. The other wheezy. Yeah. And also Lil Wayne.

[Nore]

Yeah. Let me tell you how I know you are official gangster. You know what? You know how to laugh. Laugh. You know how to smile. You know how to have fun.

[Vibes Cartel]

Of course.

[Nore]

When I see people who don't know how to smile.

[Vibes Cartel]

You ain't been through nothing.

[Nore]

You ain't been through nothing.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. You ain't been through nothing. Listen. Yeah. Tell me one thing that you learned being locked up. Being locked up? Yes. How to set your hands when you're jerking off. Okay, Jamie. Happy now? Hold on, I'll joke me. I make. Or am I allegedly. Cheers to allegations again. Cheers to allegations again. Yeah, but ask the question again. No, ask it. I'm gonna give you a serious answer. What have you learned? Yeah. Since you been home from jail? Been home from jail.

[DJ EFN]

What you learned in prison. You.

[Nore]

No.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. In prison. Yes. In prison. What I learned in prison. Yeah. Don't take time for granted. And don't take the people you love. Don't take them for granted. Planet Right. You can't. And I'll tell you something. Fn I've. Because Jamaica prison is. Is strange. It's like the gangster scene in Jamaica. Five people will die here, Kingston. But when you watch the news, right, You. You only hear about the one person that died in Montego Bay or in ocean. So you gotta take life seriously. The people you love, you gotta spend it with them. You know what my biggest regret is? And with my first son, I Had him drove to the studio with. You know, when you get that son, your first child is a son. So I'm with him in the studio. I'm changing his diapers. I'm doing all of that. But what I regret the most is not spending more time with them.

[Nore]

Who's the oldest?

[Vibes Cartel]

Little vibes. No. Yeah. Liquified. All right. But this is the good thing about it. Liquor vibes gave me two grandchildren. So now I have the opportunity. Yes. Giving me another chest. Yes. The second chances, man. God is the greatest, bro. I believe in God's bro. When I was Even if you watch my. A lot of my old interviews.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's the Wilford I know, cuz you were Jamaican. Yes. He's like, lord have mercy. Yeah. So he knows what's up. I used to say, bro, whatever. Xxx Now I believe in like my son. I didn't get to. To raise him him. He gave me two grandchildren. Yes. So now I can raise a granddaughter and a grandson. So I'm like, that's a blessing. Yeah, yeah. I'm like, to my grandson, make sure you get a lot of. I'm like, to my granddaughter, hey, if you ever Jamaican. Double standards. Yeah, double standards 2.0. But, but seriously though, it's like he gave me a new lease on life to be able to. Because. And this is. I'm going to tell it, I'm going to be honest. Before I got arrested, I never believed in God as a concept. So being in prison and like I said, I put the 238 on my. On. Where is it? 238. 8. Where is the tattoo?

[Cypher Sounds]

I don't even know.

[Vibes Cartel]

Look. Where is it? 238 and left. All right. Chi. Right there, right?

[DJ EFN]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Don't study no man. Cheat. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Got him, got him. These nuts, right, Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hold on. But I said this. No, no disrespect, right? But I must say this. I knew that I was going to come out, but at the time, I needed that extra energy because a lot of people were depending on me. Not just the guys that I was arrested, rested with, but my mother, my father, my, my children, my cousins, my aunts, my uncles. Remember, this is Jamaica. This is not Wall street shit. This is Jamaica. So I had to put my, my faith in something other than us. And that's when I got more spiritual, more religious and started focusing. And that's when I tattooed the thing on my face. Love God. I don't know if you can See it, man.

[Cypher Sounds]

I watch my.

[Vibes Cartel]

I see it. Yeah. What's your name?

[Cypher Sounds]

Ross. Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

That's when I became more spiritual because I used to hold a church like most Jamaicans. Because Jamaicans have the most churches per square capital. Really? Yeah. You know what? You know what beats it the most? Bars. And I'm not even joking. Like, literally, bars beats the beats. But bars, like where you go to have drink, Rum, champ, whatever. The most churches. Yes. But. But just by a slight, because think about this. We have the most churches per capita in the world. Right? The only thing that beats that. Wow. Is bars. That's why you see the. The. What's the word? The placidus nature of Jamaica.

[DJ EFN]

The discrepancy.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, discrepancy. So on one side of Jamaica, you're partying your. In a tourist country and you're enjoying yourself and nobody you. And on the other side, 53 people die in two days. Murder. So crazy it is. 53 people die between Monday and. Between Friday and Sunday. But where you are in Montego Bay. Not. And not the good. The real Montego Bay. You're in the resort. The resort. Right.

[DJ EFN]

The safe zone.

[Vibes Cartel]

You good. Right. But when you go back to America and you go on Google, you see that 53 people died between Friday and Sunday by murder. It's crazy, man.

[Cypher Sounds]

So tell me something. Since you've been out, what have you seen change the climate of Jamaica?

[Vibes Cartel]

Nothing. Just a love for me. My thing is this. Why are you shooting people? Because you have no other option. You were in school and you were. You could paint very well. You could draw Jay Z and it looked like Jay Z, but because no one cared about that. And you lived in Flatbush.

[DJ EFN]

No opportunities.

[Vibes Cartel]

No opportunities. So you just started to shoot people. Yeah. Gunman. Or you're a bad man. And it feels good. You know why it feels good? Because you're a man. And many of us get respect. Men need respect. And we need purpose. So you found your purpose because you do it very well. Run up on and shoot them. Is it right? No. But all you had left was purpose of us. Found it with your gun. The same way we found it after the gun, with the microphone. Music with the microphone.

[Nore]

Right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Jordan found it with the basketball. But he knows punk. You want a picture with Jordan? Pay me. That's why I have no problem with Jordan. Because I understand his mindset. Is it wrong or right? That's for people to decide. But I understand the mindset of the man. Because we. We. I grew up in the ghetto. I understand how it works. And if you don't understand that, man, you naive as. You need to live in Colorado, you.

[Nore]

Know what I mean?

[Vibes Cartel]

Go skiing in the winter or some Aspen, you know what I mean?

[Nore]

I love Colorado weed.

[DJ EFN]

Colorado, no.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. And Oregon. Oregon, yeah. I love Oregon weed because we got it in Jamaica.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

But listen.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

When you smoke that. Smoke Champs weed. No, I haven't. I'm taking it home. You're gonna love that. I'm taking it home. Listen, when you smoke it, you have to make a blog about it and say, yo, I will. I'm Michael Jackson. Where is he? This is my little monkey. What's the monkey's name? Pebbles? Bubbles. Bubbles. This is my bubble, Bubbles. And I hope when I smoke it, I see doubles.

[Nore]

Let me just say something. Let me end it. Let me end it with this.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Vibes, man. I'm being honest with you.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Me being a New Yorker, which is.

[Vibes Cartel]

Little Jamaica for us, which is Little Jamaica.

[Nore]

New York directly.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Related.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

I always want to meet you. I always wanted to. To, you know, come into the same, you know, room with you and just vibe with you and I. And then I realized one of my friends, one of my best friends in the world, name is Busta Rhymes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah. I'm a general.

[Nore]

And he. He. He stepped to me and he told me who you actually are as a person.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because I was not just the Persona, but the person.

[Nore]

Yes. So. And when I tell you, you. That man woke up 4:00 in the morning. You want to get a shot?

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. Hold on, hold on.

[Nore]

Because I said, okay.

[Vibes Cartel]

All right.

[Nore]

I do that, too.

[Vibes Cartel]

I don't know what the. Is. All right, help me out. All right. Pour it in this. Let's go. Pour this in this. All of it.

[Nore]

Yeah, but my brother bust around.

[Vibes Cartel]

It's not a lot. The. She's pouring. What's her name?

[Cypher Sounds]

Jamie.

[Vibes Cartel]

Jamie.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Don't play me. Yeah.

[Nore]

Let me just tell you, man.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

When we started this and we wanted. We wanted to pay respect to the dance hall.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah.

[Nore]

Pay respect to the reggae. We wanted to. And our fans went so crazy. I said, your show won't be. Your show wouldn't be official.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

Like a referee with a whistle.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yeah, I understand. Oh, I like that rhyme. I like that rhyme. Unless it's so important. Unless you have, like, a Russian missile.

[Nore]

Unless you have the kingdom.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes.

[Nore]

And me, personally, I think you and Beanie are both Kings, bro.

[Vibes Cartel]

Maurice McAn love being the man he was before me. How the fuck you not respect a. Who made. Who made this before you from the ghetto, open the doors. Yeah, I winna do business. I think you going on big up Bounty Killer. Big up Busan. Big up Ninja Man. After that, big up me. No. Me and my father in the same league. Yeah. You understand? So, yeah, big up. Golly God. Listen, we all of y'all.

[Nore]

Oh, yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, I'm touring it. Me maado bonu. That's right. That's the tour. That's it. That's the only tour. No, the shots are. No, they're empty.

[Nore]

All right, all right.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yo, they're empty.

[Nore]

So give me the fever. Give me the fever.

[Vibes Cartel]

Oh, you want the Bible? Yeah, yeah, of course.

[Nore]

Give me the fever.

[Vibes Cartel]

Let's get the fever.

[Nore]

Yeah.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes. You know why I'm blessed?

[Cypher Sounds]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because my managers don't drink. Yeah, yeah. What is that? Am I. No, no, no, no. You know, hold on, hold on. I saved. Hold on. I saved the day. Because it's not under your eye, it's under your nose. I'm out. Get it? I'm out. I'm mouth.

[Nore]

I'm out.

[Vibes Cartel]

I'm out. Listen, I keep it up.

[DJ EFN]

I'm smoked out of.

[Vibes Cartel]

No, you can't it up. You can it up. You're with Drink Champs.

[Nore]

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Yeah, one more thing.

[Vibes Cartel]

No. Hold on. No. Okay, Gee. Remember, do you know. Do you recognize. You're a hip hop legend, not a podcast legend. FN is a podcast legend.

[Nore]

Yeah. Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

You're a hip hop legend and a podcast legend. And when I say FN is a podcast legend, Jamaicans love him.

[Nore]

Yes.

[Vibes Cartel]

And love you. But they also love you because you was a rapper.

[Nore]

That's why I'm get you on my rap album right now.

[Vibes Cartel]

Because you was before every one of us.

[Nore]

Yes. Yes.

[DJ EFN]

Drink Champs is a Drink Champs LLC production hosts and executive producers Nore and DJ EFN listen to Drink Champs on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for joining us for another episode of Drink Champs, hosted by yours truly, DJ E, EFN and Nore. Please make sure to follow us on all our socials. That's Ring Champs across all platforms. Hereal Noriega on IG Noriega on Twitter. Mine is who's crazy On IG Jefn on Twitter. And most importantly, stay up to date with the latest releases, news and merch by going to drinkchamps.com.

[Mary Kay McBrayer]

I'm Mary Kay McBrayer, host of the podcast the Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told. This season explores women from the 19th century to now. Women who were murderers and scammers, but also women who were photojournalists, lawyers, writers and more. This podcast tells more than just the brutal, gory details of horrific acts. I delve into the good, the bad, the difficult, and all the nuance I can find because these are the stories that we need to know to understand the intersection of society, justice and the fascinating workings of the human psyche. Join me every week as I tell some of the most enthralling true crime stories about women who are not just victims, but heroes or villains, or often somewhere in between. Listen to the greatest true crime stories ever told on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vibes Cartel]

Welcome to My Legacy. I'm Martin Luther King III and together with my wife, Andrea Waters King, and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, we explore the personal journeys that shape extraordinary lives. Join us for heartfelt conversations with remarkable guests like David Oyelo, Mel Ross, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Billy Porter.

[Nore]

Listen to My legacy on the iHeartRadio.

[Vibes Cartel]

App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is My Legacy. What if you ask two different people the same set of questions?

[Nore]

Even if the questions are the same.

[Vibes Cartel]

Our experiences can lead us to drastically different answers. I'm Minnie Driver and I set out to explore this idea in my podcast and now Many Questions Questions is returning for another season. We've asked an entirely new set of guests our seven questions, including Jane Lynch, Delaney Rowe and Cord Jefferson. Listen to mini questions on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Seven questions, limitless answers I'm Mark Seale.

[Nathan King]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Vibes Cartel]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five Families did not want us to shoot them.

[Nathan King]

This podcast is based on my co host Mark Seals best selling book of the same title. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Vibes Cartel]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Nathan King]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.