Why can't you let him be great? Vybez Kartel's "Rompin Shop" hits billboard then taken down..

After being excited that yet another Reggae song managed to cross over onto mainstream charts with great recognition, the Star Newspaper posted the following article:

Please note, Kartel, have your people call me.. for only pennies a day, I too can feed the hungry, and by the looks of this picture, you a starve.

Stop Order on 'Rampin Shop' - Ne-Yo's publishing company writes Kartel

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Kartel and Spice perforning Rampin Shop at Island Explosion held at the Country Club, May Pen, Clarendon on Wednesday, December 24, 2008. - file

The current version of Vybz Kartel and Spice's Rampin Shop has been ordered to be destroyed and pulled from all radio stations, television stations and the Internet by EMI Music Publishing. Plans are in motion for the song to be re-mixed and re-mastered so it can be played on air again.


When the STAR spoke to Vybz Kartel yesterday he explained that he had received an e-mail from EMI Music Publishing stating that Rampin Shop infringes on the copyright license of Miss Independent by Ne-Yo. Rampin Shop was released towards the end of 2008 and is currently on a remade version of the Miss Independent rhythm, the song while immensely popular in Jamaica has not been officially released to the International market. While Ne-Yo is officially signed to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the copyright license for the composition of the Ne-Yo song is licensed by EMI Music Publishing for composers Shaffer Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen.

Kartel forwarded the e-mail from EMI to the STAR in which it stated, "'Ramping Shop' by Vybz Kartel and Spice infringes the copyright in 'Miss Independent' (Smith/Hermansen/Eriksen). Clearance of this use of 'Miss Independent' has not been sought or obtained and I am informed that clearance will not be forthcoming. Accordingly 'Ramping Shop' cannot be released or exploited in any way. Please confirm your acknowledgement and acceptance of this, and that you will arrange that (i) all recordings of the infringing track will be re-called and destroyed and that no further copies will be issued, and (ii) that the audio and/or video will be taken down immediately from all Internet sites."

According to Kartel the current version of the song will not be used and to solve the problem a re-mix of the song is currently being done. He said, "the remix will sound like dancehall, just like what Ne-Yo's people did when they made Miss Independent ... Notnice and I will be doing the remix today (yesterday) so listen out for it by Friday when it is mixed and mastered."

*Giving EMI a serious side-eye*

For those of you who have yet to witness all the *cough* sexiness that is Vybz Kartel, here is the Romping shop video. Should my blog be taken down, blame EMI..

and the fact that I got warrants.