Just one month after shutting down Brooklyn’s Barclays Center with two sold-out headlining shows — his first stateside performances in 20 years — Vybz Kartel has announced a 15-date world tour alongside a new single titled “Pretty Girls.”
Kicking off on May 24 at Guyana’s National Stadium, Kartel’s Worl’ Boss Tour will visit Trinidad’s One Caribbean Music Festival, London’s Wireless Festival and Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest — alongside arenas in Atlanta, Paris and Baltimore — before concluding at BP Pulse Live in Birmingham, England, on Sept. 19. His first trek of this kind in more than 20 years, Kartel’s new tour follows Freedom Street, the massive homecoming festival he mounted on New Year’s Eve last year. Last summer, the dancehall legend walked out of prison a free man after serving 13 years of a now-overturned life sentence for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
Kartel has been incredibly active since his visa was reinstated at the top of the year. In January, he made his Billboard cover debut and released a 10-year anniversary deluxe edition of his 2015 Viking (Vybz Is King) album, featuring seven new songs. Then on Feb. 2, he attended the 67th Annual Grammys, where he enjoyed his first career nomination for best reggae album (2024’s Party With Me EP). Two weeks later on Feb. 18, he delivered a career-spanning medley and received the Impact Award at the 27th MOBO Awards in the U.K. The same month, he shut down Brooklyn with a pair of star-studded concerts — featuring guest appearances from Spice, Shenseea, Moliy, Busta Rhymes and more — Kartel picked five nominations at the third annual Caribbean Music Awards, which will take place in Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on Aug. 28.
In addition to his splashy tour announcement, the King of Dancehall also shared a new single. “Pretty Girls,” a bright, Now or Never Miami-helmed dancehall track dedicated to his music, marks Kartel’s first release in partnership with Steven “Steve-O” Carless’ Defiant Records.
“I have had so many blessings this year,” Kartel said in a press release. “The summer is ours, and we are ready to take the world by storm, more passport stamps, more ‘Pretty Girls’ and endless possibilities.”
Watch the “Pretty Girl” music video and check out Vybz Kartel’s Worl’ Boss Tour dates below:
- May 24 – Georgetown, Guyana @ Guyana National Stadium
- May 31 – Port of Spain, Trinidad @ One Caribbean Music Festival
- June 6 – Atlanta @ State Farm Arena
- June 14 – Atlantic City, N.J. @ Boardwalk Hall
- June 27 – St. Kitts @ St. Kitts Music Festival
- July 5 – Cologne, Germany @ Summerjam Festival
- July 7 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
- July 10 – Paris @ Accor Arena
- July 13 – London @ Wireless Festival
- July 18 – Montego Bay, Jamaica @ Reggae Sumfest
- July 26 – Baltimore @ CFG Bank Arena
- Sept. 4 – London @ The O2
- Sept. 10 – Manchester @ Co-op Live
- Sept. 11–14 – Malta @ Freedom Street Europe Festival
- Sept. 19 – Birmingham, England @ BP Pulse Live