Words by Eddie STATS Houghton
While Vybz Kartel is busy talking loud in interviews, behind the scenes his Vybz Ware clothing company has been quietly expanding. The Addi’s line of clothing and accessories now has shoes, dogtags, official Vybz Kartel tees (bristling with skulls and AK-47s) and Gaza-fist belt buckles in three stores around Kingston: Tasha Mays, Fashion Addiction and Shimmer.
“Fans from the United States and Europe are already asking when Addi’s will be available in their areas,” according to Vybz and as a teaser for his international audience, the clothing line is now strutting its stuff on facebook, though the items are not actually for sale online as yet. Vybz told us he was going to move into the footwear and fashion game after his Popcaan collabo “Clarks” impacted the bottom line of the UK shoemaker considerably more than his own (as our own Jesse Serwer documented, Clarks spokespeople Gemma Merchant and Michael Borge confirmed that an increase in demand followed the release of the song in the US, UK and Jamaica) and, Lo! It has come to pass. The Kartel um, cartel, now includes not only Vybz Ware but Adidjaheim Records and Street Vybz Rum liquor company, which are separate ventures. The talk of a branded Cake Soap line is still just talk for the moment but so far Vybz has not failed to follow through on any of his claims–can a tattoo parlor be far behind? More pics after the jump.
