Vybz Kartel will not perform at Trinidad Carnival

Trinidad and Tobago: Jamaican dancehall icon Vybz Kartel will not be performing in Trinidad on Carnival Friday. One Caribbean Music Festival, where dancehall artiste was scheduled to perform, has been postponed by the organisers and rescheduled for May.  

While the organizers have claimed unforeseen logistical challenges as the reason behind this postponement, the locals of Trinidad and Tobago have expressed their satisfaction. 

However, since the announcement of his concert people were displeased by the dancehall artist’s presence during the carnival season. The outcry was so high, that the public had made it clear that they “only want Soca and no other genre artist” at the celebrations.  

Taking to Facebook, a local remarked “Very good. Carnival is not for Kartel,” while another called it an ‘excellent’ decision adding, “It's Carnival not Dance Hall!” .  

The controversy erupted as locals claim that carnival should only feature Soca music and not dancehall as Trinidad and Tobago is known to have given birth to Soca music. 

Through a press release, the organisers announced the postponement of Kartel’s performance and noted that the high volume of back-to-back events to the chosen venue during the carnival week has significantly impacted the time required to create the best possible festival experience. It further stated that major venues in Trinidad such as Hasely Crawford Stadium are unavailable for the Carnival 2025 season.  

The event was originally scheduled to take place at the Queen’s Park Oval however, because of the unavailability of the location, the organisers decided to move the date. 

They stated that rather than compromising on quality of the concert, they have decided to move the festival to May 2025 so that they can deliver the vibrant and immersive festival atmosphere which the revellers expect and deserve. 

Notably, the tickets ranged a whopping between $650 to $2500 and the organisers said that the tickets purchased by the fans will remain valid for the new date in May and the ones who are unable to attend on the new date can also ask for a refund at their original point of purchase, online or offline.  

Kartel signed the contract for the concert in Trinidad back in November 2024, just few months after his release from prison after 13 years.  

The One Caribbean Music Festival will now take place in May in Trinidad. Apart from Vybz Kartel, the Carnival Friday will be featuring performances by other Soca artists including Mical Teja, Ravi B, Bunji and Fayann, Voice, KMC, Iwer, Yung Bradda, Lady Lava, Nailah Blackman and others. The concert will have electrifying performances, vibrant Caribbean music, delicious local cuisine and a fully stocked bar.