Dancehall fans will all remember a time when all the talk was about the fierce rivalry between the Gully and Gaza. Headed by Mavado and Vybz Kartel respectively, the two artists bossed the dancehall genre with numerous hit songs as the pair’s rivalry spilled over into the streets. I remember numerous arguments in school as to who was a better artist as it was a rivalry that defined the times in dancehall.
Interestingly enough, both Vybz Kartel and Mavado were once members of the same dancehall crew, the Alliance, led by the legendary Bounty Killer, further underscoring the complexity of their relationship.
With Vybz Kartel behind bars for the foreseeable future, the rivalry seems to have petered out and a recent social media interaction has shown signs of a resolution. Vybz Kartel shared an interview where Mavado acknowledged the significant impact he and Vybz Kartel have had on the dancehall scene. Mavado went on to explain that if the artists were to die anytime soon their names would continue to resonate within the dancehall community. Vybz Kartel agreed with his sentiments and now people think the beef is over.
The beef will really be over if the artists were to feature on the same track. The social media interactions do not paint over what was a real rivalry and reposts and likes, just do not cut it. We recently witnessed a collaboration with Popcaan and Vybz Kartel which makes me think Vybz is going through something in prison and reconciling with past rivals.
Either way, look out for some of Vybz Kartel’s songs. The Worl’Boss is making more music than Mavado presently but what else can he do?
