Vybz Kartel Secures 10th Spot on Billboard Reggae Albums Chart
Vybz Kartel, the renowned dancehall artist, has once again made his mark on the music scene by securing his 10th entry on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart with his latest project, Viking (10th Year Anniversary). Released on January 31, 2025, the album debuted at No. 10 on the Reggae chart dated February 15, marking a significant achievement for the artist.
Viking (10th Year Anniversary) is a special edition project released to commemorate a decade since the original Viking (Vybz Is King) album. This new release includes a mix of four standout tracks from the 2015 project, such as Unstoppable, Enchanting, Gon’ Get Better (which was sampled by pop group Fifth Harmony), and Dancehall (now renamed Dancehall Cyah Stall). Additionally, the album features seven new songs, including the inspirational God Is The Greatest, the energetic party anthem Str8 Vybz, and Polite. Noteworthy additions are the emotional love ballad Dreams Are Made Of, clever tracks like #AmOut and It A Tape, and a sultry collaboration with Ishawna titled P*rn Flick.
This album holds special significance for Vybz Kartel, who recently returned to the music scene following his release from prison. Reflecting on the album, he stated: “This album is special because we are celebrating many milestones. We are recognizing the impact of the Viking album 10 years later, and then my ability to create new music for the first time since I have been out.” Collaborating with his longtime producer TJ Records and engineers Ricard “RedBoom” Reid and Dominic “Troublemekka” McDonald, Kartel sees this project as a full circle moment, as highlighted in his track “God Is The Greatest.”
King of the Dancehall (2016) remains Kartel’s highest-charting album to date, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and spending 19 weeks on the chart. The album featured the popular track Fever, which achieved crossover success on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and was later certified Gold in the US. Among his other Billboard charting albums are the original Viking (Vybz Is King) (2015) peaking at No. 3 for six weeks, Kingston Story (2012) spending seven weeks on the chart and peaking at No. 7, and Vybz Kartel Roots & Culture: The Voice of the Jamaican Ghetto (2013) reaching No. 6 for one week.
The current Billboard Reggae Albums chart features Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Legend at No. 1, followed by Shaggy’s Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection at No. 2 and Sean Paul’s The Trinity at No. 3. Stick Figure has three entries, with World on Fire at No. 4, Wisdom at No. 7, and Set in Stone at No. 8. UB40’s Greatest Hits is at No. 5, while Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock re-enters at No. 6, and Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Exodus closes the chart at No. 9.