Four months after being released from prison in Jamaica, dancehall artiste Adidja “Vybz Kartel” Palmer was in good spirits as he launched his STR8 VYBZ (straight vibes) rum line, manufactured and distributed by Angostura Ltd, on December 6.
Palmer is a controversial figure, having influenced dancehall culture and other artistes around the world.
In 2014, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams. He often released new music from jail, each greeted with wild acclaim from his fans. His conviction was quashed in March 2024 by the Privy Council, who cited juror misconduct and declared that the Jamaican Court of Appeal had to decide if a retrial would take place. On July 31, 2024, Palmer was released from prison after the Jamaican Court of Appeals declined to retry the Williams case.
Speaking at the event, at the Angostura Solera Wines and Spirits store, Albion Energy Plaza, Port of Spain, Palmer said TT was his home away from home.
“It wasn’t a hard decision when (Jamaican dancehall artiste) Teejay said, ‘Teacher, me have some man over Trinidad who want to do a project and mih tink is a good idea’. And I said, ‘Trinidad, yeah man let’s do it.' And the rest is history."
“When we were working on the rum, people from all over the world were involved. So, at any given time, someone was up, so that’s why we nicknamed the rum – The Rum That Never Sleeps, because at every given time, someone was working on the rum. From the label to the design, the distilling of it, the taste, everything, the marketing, and trust me, I love working with the Angostura team.”
Palmer said the rum sold out two weeks after its launch in Jamaica on November 6.
“As we speak now, we’re transporting rum to Jamaica, that’s how Jamaican people love the product. Not just because of the hype that Vybz Kartel brings to the product but also because of the quality of the product. I don’t know if anybody start drinking it yet but trust me, once you start drinking this rum, you’ll never go back to what you were drinking, I’m telling you.”
The rums are named Fever, an overproof rum which is 63 per cent alcohol by volume; Electric, a white rum; Unstoppable, a dark rum; and Ramping Shop, a dark enhanced rum. The latter three rums are 40 per cent alcohol by volume.
Each 700 ml rum is named after one of Palmer’s singles, and the bottles have lyrics from the songs on the labels. They are exclusively distributed by Angostura Solera Wines and Spirits, with stores in Port of Spain, Marabella and Angostura House.
Palmer said the partnership with Angostura would be a lifelong one, with other products being released including cocktail mixes using the rums.
“In Jamaica, we have a few, one called Beg You a Touch, and the Ramping Shop is a cocktail in and of itself because the Ramping Shop, mixed with Magnum (Tonic Wine), so we have a series of mixes to promote. Fever is my personal favourite, and if you mix it with Angostura’s Pear Chill, I call it Pear Pressure.”
Asked what the Ramping Shop Rum i
