Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel will officially be crowned “King of Dancehall” in July at Reggae Sumfest’s 2025 staging. The recognition comes after a months-long debate about who now holds the title, which Moon10 predicted may only be put to rest by the event that started it all.
Reggae Sumfest crowned all the heirs who have sat on the King and Queen thrones of Dancehall. On Friday, July 18, a new king will take his rightful place on the throne during the event’s Festival Night One. Reggae Sumfest will be hosted at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay, St James.
Vybz Kartel has been dubbing himself King since he regained his freedom last July when his conviction was overturned and he was released from prison. This sparked an intense debate between his fans and fans of Beenie Man, who has held the title for years. Billboard also dubbed Vybz Kartel the King.
While Vybz Kartel cited his international impact and cultural influence as the reason why he is King, Beenie Man cited his Grammy award and his official crowning by Sumfest as the reasons why he remains King. After a discussion between Joe Bogdanovich and Vybz Kartel, the deejay made the decision to accept the “King of Dancehall” title, according to The Gleaner.
The insight came from a source close to the event’s promoter, Downsound Promotion. Beenie Man was crowned King in 2009, and after this year’s staging, he will be dethroned as Vybz Kartel takes the title from him. Beenie Man has yet to respond to the news of being dethroned, and fans are predicting that he may not take it well.
During the debate, both entertainers traded jabs. Beenie Man even shared a throwback video that shows Vybz Kartel praising him as the reigning king, a move aimed at reinforcing his legacy. Meanwhile, Kartel has been using his music to assert his dominance, with recent releases making bold statements about his place at the top of the genre.
Fans have shown their support to Kartel, hailing him as the new “King of Dancehall”. His powerful performance at the Freedom Street Concert last December, an event co-promoted by Bogdanovich, added fuel to the conversation. Kartel’s success didn’t stop there; he followed up with a string of international, sold-out shows, further cementing his influence and standing in the dancehall scene.