Dancehall ‘Kings’ to perform in NYC

The three contenders for the “King of the Dancehall” title – Yellowman, Beenieman and Vybz Kartel – are scheduled to perform in New York City this spring.

Kartel, born Adidja Palmer, the self-proclaimed “World Boss”, is set to perform at Reggae Fest, slated for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Friday, April 11.

A second show was added on Saturday, April 12 due to demand.

This is Kartel’s first live performance in the US.

GRAMMY-winning DJ Beenieman, the self-proclaimed “King of Dancehall,” will return to New York City for his first performance in 13 years.

Beenieman will perform on Memorial Weekend at the UBS Arena on Saturday, May 24, 2025 on what will be the first stop of his “King of the Dancehall” tour.

“Organized by Brooklyn-based Jammins Events, the event promises to be an unforgettable night of dancehall energy, legendary hits, and surprise special guest artists,” New York-based Jamaican entertainment publicist Anthony “ER Guru” Turner told Caribbean Life on Tuesday.

He said Yellowman, who reigned supreme as “King Yello” in the late 1970s -1980s with hits “I am Getting Married,” “Mr. Chin,” and “Who Can Make the Dance Ram,” will perform at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York, on Sunday, Jun. 1.

Joining Yellowman on stage at the event billed Westchester Reggae Fest 2025 will be Queen Ifrica, Leroy “King of Baselines” Sibbles and GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter Etana, Turner said.

“The big question music fans in NY want answered is which of the three DJs will be able to deliver a quality performance that may help to settle the ‘King of Dancehall’ argument?” he said. “Kartel fans say he is the most popular of the three dancehall stars on social media and that he has a cadre of his songs over the past 15 years that merit to be crowned king.

“Beenieman fans feel he has the biggest catalog of hit songs and most say he is the ‘King of Stage’ and, as such, should be crowned King of Dancehall,” he added.

In a recent interview on Breakfast Club which airs on Power 105 FM, Beenieman defended his King of Dancehall title saying, “I did not call myself King, I was crowned King.”

Yellowman, the veteran Dj regarded as Jamaica’s first dancehall superstar, has voiced his opinion about Kartel and Beenieman’s squabbling over the title of “King of the Dancehall.”

“Who is the King of Pop? Michael Jackson. Who is the King of Rock and Roll? Elvis Presley. Who is the King of Reggae? Bob Marley. I don’t know why these people keep on fighting over the King of the Dancehall title. I already have it, and I am still here,” he proclaimed in a recent Jamaica Star interview.