Deejay Vybz Kartel surely knows how to grab head lines (no pun intended.) He has positioned himself as the top deejay locally and last year released a slew of songs which ensured that he claimed the coveted DJ of the Year title for 2009.

Kartel, as the self-proclaimed President of the Gaza and the leader of the now crumbling Portmore Empire, has had his fair share of criticism as being a ‘gangsta’, just like many deejays of this era have been labelled. However, the name Gaza speaks for itself, as the Gaza Strip which borders Egypt and Israel is known for some of the fiercest gun battles between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Kartel has been accused of (and has denied) beating wayward members of the Portmore Empire into submission and the recent shooting up and fire-bombing of deejay Blak Ryno’s house sent tongues wagging. Blak Ryno subsequently released a song in which he said the he was not “him pickney” and therefore had no right to beat him.

In September 2008, Kartel was picked up by police and questioned in the death of Christopher ‘Nunu Puss’ Miller, whose bullet-riddled body was found in Bernard Lodge, St Catherine. Kartel’s Norbrook house was also raided by the cops. However, he was released without charge and subsequently declared his innocence. He was reported as saying then, “A jus some people a try mek it look like Kartel a di evilest man inna di world.”

Kartel, in true deejay style proclaimed that he would write a song about that particular tribulation. He has however done so many songs since then, that it’s hard to recall whether or not he kept his promise. But the theme of his songs, however, have been constant — guns and sex. Included in his repertoire is a popular song dedicated to the “girl dem inna di go-go club’, in which he vividly describes oral sex, an act which is considered taboo within the dancehall.

Late last year, Lisa Hype, while still a Gaza Princess and the aspiring First Lady of the Gaza, was booted from the territory when pictures surfaced of her performing this illicit activity on a man whose face was hidden. A release said that “The members of the Empire have unanimously agreed to end our professional relationship especially in light of certain ‘developments’ that have come to our attention regarding her overall conduct, conduct that is not consistent with the decorum expected of a member of the Portmore Empire.”

After that mouthful from Kartel, who wouldn’t be shocked when pictures surfaced late last week of him being the recipient of the very act for which Lisa Hype was kicked out.

Kartel, to put it mildly, had the Internet — Facebook, Twitter and even mediatakeout.com — blowing up last week when two photos of himself and two female companions indulging in oral sex in separate incidents. Many asked the question online if Kartel had quit deejaying and had turned into a porn star.

And here’s what Kartel had to say about the picture on his Twitter page: “Why should these photos cause such chaos when everyone an dem mumma kno that Vybz Kartel is the 2 Live Luke of dancehall. Haven’t they been listening to my lyrics all these years?”

Interestingly, rapper 2 Live Luke’s latest album, (2006) was a triple disc featuring glorious titles such as My Life & Freaky Times, The Best of Uncle Luke’s Freak Shows, Foreplay aka the Introduction, Luke and Mike Tyson: Saved by P—-, Beauty and the Bestiality and Golden Shower Weekend.