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Vybz Kartel, Cake Soap & Bleaching. Oh!

February 25, 2011 | 6 Comments

While performing at Sting 2007, Jamaica’s boxing day stageshow extravaganza, Bounty Killer called out the name of his former protégé, Vybz Kartel, accusing him of bleaching his skin: “Mi can’t believe seh Kartel ah bleach out him face.” Fast forward to 2010 and it had become undeniable; Vybz Kartel was several shades lighter.

“Cool like mi wash mi face with the cake soap.”

— Jeans N Fitted, Vybz Kartel feat Russian (July 2010)

Kartel’s “browner” complexion, which he initially claimed was down to washing his face with cake soap (a bar of soap detergent for washing clothes) has caused shock and uproar among his fans and non-fans alike. Artists including Kiprich, Vegas and Aidonia released songs condemning the deejay’s new look, with Bounty Killer calling it a “disgrace to the black race,” and Sizzla saying it was an “insult to the black nation.” Kartel’s new skin colour was discussed on the streets, on blogs and forums, on radio and TV. But this kind of publicity is just what he wanted: “I knew it was going to bring a lot of controversy,” he said in an interview with MTV’s Marvin Sparks, “But I make money from controversy.”

“Brown you caah get brown, you coulda buy every cake soap inna town.”

— Caah Get Brown, Kiprich (October 2010)

Whether Kartel’s new look is due to cake soap or something stronger, he denies that it is anything to do with self-hatred, or disowning his blackness or African heritage. Instead he says it’s simply a new style he’s rocking, similar to the braces he wears on his teeth – not fitted for any medical reason, but because he likes the way they look. He sees skin bleaching as a way to “highlight his tattoos” and keep his fans in awe.

“I’m my own man, and as such I do my own thing. When black women stop straightening their hair and wearing wigs and weaves, when white women stop getting lip and butt injections and implants, when bald men stop getting hair transplants, and when people stop getting nose jobs and cosmetic surgery then I’ll stop using the cake soap and we’ll all live naturally ever after. Until then f**k you all.”

— Message from Vybz Kartel to Vibe magazine (January 2011)

Kartel is not the first Jamaican artist to advocate bleaching. As far back as 1992, Buju Banton released “Love Me Browning“, a song dedicated to his light-skinned woman. Although not about bleaching directly, the tune was nonetheless controversial, and Nardo Ranks counteracted with “Them A Bleach” (Buju also responded to the controversy with “Love Me Black Woman“). In 2000, Captain Barkey recorded “Bleach On“, encouraging women to bleach if bleaching fit (suited) them. Other pro-bleaching tunes include Lisa Hype’s “Proud Ah Mi Bleaching” (2009) featuring the bizarre line “Mi proud ah mi bleaching ‘cau mi cream it dear” ["I'm proud of my bleaching because my bleaching cream is expensive."]. In the same year, and while still a member of Kartel’s Portmore Empire she released “Bleaching Fit Me“, with lines about how bleaching complimented her hairstyle.

“Di gal dem love off mi bleach-out face.”

— Look Pon We, Vybz Kartel & Russian (January 2011)

Kartel sees nothing wrong with black people bleaching their skin and has described it as tantamount to a white person getting a sun tan. If you compare bleachers to fake-tanners and sunbed users then that may be true, but the main difference is that tanning – the production of melanin triggered by UVA rays – is a natural process, whereas skin lightening – inhibiting or destroying melanin – is not.

“[Jamaican] society has emerged out of the trauma of slavery. Blackness was seen as something negative. If you grow up in a culture that says “black is ugly” then it’s going to be a constant fight to affirm you sense of value…In Jamaica a lot of positions of power are occupied by people who are light skinned. And the attitude is if light skin is in, I can get it too – I can get it chemically.”

— Professor Carolyn Cooper, University of the West Indies

Kartel claims to be lightening his skin for entertainment; to be outrageous, and to show off his tattoos. But in a former slave colony such as Jamaica, bleaching carries with it heavy racial baggage that is difficult if not impossible to shake off. This is why the majority of people find it so difficult to accept what he is doing. Bleaching is a major social issue – and big business – in Jamaica and other parts of the world, especially Africa, China, Japan, and India (just watch these ads: Ponds, Nivea, Unilever), and many people bleach due to insecurity and the belief that they lighter they are, the more attractive and successful they will be. While Kartel may not be bleaching because he is ashamed of his blackness, as the biggest name in dancehall, his public bleaching is encouraging others, particularly young people, to follow suit.

Now Kartel is cashing in on the craze he’s created, releasing his own brand of cake soap, “Vybz Cake Soap”, to sit alongside his existing “Street Vybz” brand of rum, “Daggering” line of condoms, and “Addi’s” line of shoes and accessories. According to him though, his cake soap is for “acne and skin blemishes” rather than skin lightening.

What’s next from Vybz Kartel is anybody’s guess. In his own words: “The only thing you can expect from Vybz Kartel is the unexpected”.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“Empire Universe: The 2nd Chapter” is out on 28th February 2011, featuring new tunes from Vybz Kartel and the rest of the Portmore Empire.

“Four Season Charmer”, Vybz Kartel’s new album produced by Dreskull, is due for release later this year.

6 Comments

Ziggy Marley’s Marijuanaman

February 18, 2011 | 0 Comments

Ziggy Marley’s graphic novel, Marijuanaman (“MM” for short), is coming out on 20 April 2011 (ie. 04/20). According to it’s publisher, Image Comics: “Ziggy’s new superhero, Marijuanaman, is from a planet that is in desperate need of THC. Marijuanaman seeks to save Earth’s marijuana fields from destruction by the drug company PharmeXon, and thus saving his home planet from destruction.” Artwork by Jim Mahfood, co-written by Joe Casey. Check this Marijuanaman ad in Times Square. Maaad!