Vybz Kartel is making his official return to the states. The dancehall legend will be headlining a show in New York City in April, marking his first performance in the U.S. in over 20 years.
The Barclays Center’s official X account confirmed, “JUST ANNOUNCED: Vybz Kartel comes to Brooklyn on April 11!” The accompanying flyer reads, “Reggae Fest: The Return Of Worl Boss Vybz Kartel.”
The pre-sale starts next Tuesday (March 4) at 10 a.m. and general sale begins Thursday (March 6) at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster or the official Reggae Fest website. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The exciting news ignited Kartel’s fanbase, particularly Caribbean New Yorkers who will felt lucky the event will be held in their city. “Nah just imagine Vybz Kartel performing BROOKLYN ANTHEM at @barclayscenter. New York might levitate,” wrote one person. Another added, “Vybz Kartel about to turn NY upside down!”
Barclays Center
The 49-year-old hitmaker has been behind bars for the last 13 years for his connection to the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams of Waterford, St Catherine, along with additional charges. He was released in July 2024 and has since made a slew of public appearances and performances, most recently at the 2025 MOBO Awards.
Although he has released some music while he was incarcerated, the Jamaican superstar’s time in prison allowed him to observe what was going on in the dancehall scene. He recently shared his opinion about the artists who are in today’s game.
“They gotta find themselves,” he told The Face. “Like, OK, come out in Jamaica, tear up Jamaica. But there’s a bigger market. And sometimes you gotta fine-tune your style to tap into the larger markets. The talent is there and I always talk to them. I say: once you strike a balance between art and commerce, take yourself a little less seriously. Humble yourself to the music. Because if you’re not a student of it, you can’t be a teacher.”
The “Fever” artist also revealed the advice he received from fellow Jamaican music legend Buju Banton during a conversation in Manhattan in 2004. “He told me: ‘Once you slow it down and they hear you, you win.’ That’s when I started fine-tuning it. Then ’05, the next year, I get my first Deejay of the Year,” he recalled of his victory at the International Reggae & World Music Awards. “And it went uphill from there.”
Revisit Vybz Kartel’s hits below and see the details for his upcoming Barclays Center show above.
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