Jamaica’s Vybz Kartel wins prestigious Impact Award at Mobo Awards 2025 in UK

Jamaica’s dancehall sensation Vybz Kartel has once again thrived in the music industry as he received the Impact Award at this year’s MOBO Awards in the United Kingdom. The singer arrived at the award ceremony along with his fiancée Sidem who also joined him on stage on Tuesday evening. 

The MOBO awards are an annual British music award presentation honouring major achievements in ‘music of black origin’ including grime, hip hop, UK Drill, R&B, reggae, soul, jazz, gospel and African music.  

After receiving the award, the dancehall icon Kartel reflected on 13 years of personal and professional struggles as he was behind bars since 2011. The singer was released in July 2024 and since then he has been reclaiming his throne in the field of music. 

The award was presented to Kartel by queen of dancehall Spice who called Kartel the ‘king of dancehall’. She said that Vybz Kartel is making waves once again, from prison to Grammy and from Grammy to Mobo awards, he is making a comeback like no one. 

Despite battling Graves' disease, Vybz Kartel continues to impress his fans with the release of new music and a slate of upcoming concerts scheduled for this year. 

Sharing the development through Facebook, the organisers called Kartel a true trailblaze whose influence spans generations. He was further heard saying, “I got locked up, spent 13 years in prison and was diagnosed with graves disease which led me to fighting to be free, fighting my illness, fighting to keep my family together and fighting to keep the fans pleased with good music.” 

He further added that even after 13 years of being behind bars, he got nominated for a Grammy with an album that he did in prison and soon after his release he got engaged to his fiancée who is from England and now walking on the red carpet of Mobo Awards is yet another achievement.  

“So that taught me to believe in three things more now than ever faith, change, and forgiveness,” he added. The singer reiterated his commitment towards releasing back to back songs for his fans and become the most favourite singer of the Caribbean.  

Apart from the several concerts lined up across the Caribbean, Kartel is also set to make an international comeback this year at the Wireless Festival 2025 as he will be joining Canadian rapper Drake on July 13 at Finsbury Park in London.