Jamaican Dancehall veteran Beenie Man is facing backlash after he threw shade at fellow deejay Vybz Kartel following the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Beenie Man shared a video on Instagram on Sunday night, congratulating the winner of the Best Reggae Album category and the nominees.
On Sunday, the 67th staging of the Annual Grammy Awards was held in Los Angeles, California. The Best Reggae Album category consisted of nominees Shenseea for Never Gets Late Here, Vybz Kartel for Party With Me, multiple artistes for One Love-Music Inspired By The Film (Delux), Collie Buddz for Take It Easy, and The Wailers for Evolution. One Love: Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe) won the 2025 Grammy Award.
On the heels of the announced winner, Beenie Man shared a video showing him dressed in a purple suit near a pool. “Congratulations to all the nominees, all the nominees of the Reggae Grammy Award, but respect to the King of Reggae Music, Bob Marley. He is the greatest of all time, and his work cannot be done. Robert Nesta Marley might be gone, but Bob Marley is still alive. ,” he said.
What started as seemingly an innocent congratulatory message turned shady when he added, “One King of Reggae, One King of Dancehall,” and laughed in the camera.
The video was posted with a caption reiterating that he owns the title just as Bob Marley owns the King of Reggae title. The post garnered a flood of negative comments, as internet users criticised Beenie Man for throwing shade at Vybz Kartel and called him “badmind.”
Vybz Kartel also responded to Beenie Man’s post by sharing a few words online while refraining from calling his name. The words “Seek Abundance. Hate won’t get you Far!” were accompanied by a video of him and his fiancee Sidem Öztürk happy in California.
Beenie Man has been adamant he is the King of Dancehall for decades, and he became even more persistent in recent times as Vybz Kartel continues to claim the title. The back and forth sparked a debate in which the majority of online users dubbed Vybz Kartel as the new King and Beenie Man as the previous King. Beenie Man has flaunted her accolades in the past as proof of him owning the crown.
Beenie Man’s Art And Life album won the Best Reggae Album Grammy at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards. He has also received 4 Grammy nominations. Vybz Kartel earned his first Grammy nomination at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.
