Vybz Kartel, perhaps best known in the U.S. for his vocals on Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor," has been sentenced to life in jail, reports BBC Radio 1. Earlier this month, he and three associates were found guilty of murdering a man named Clive "Lizard" Williams, who was killed after a dispute with the men over illegal handguns.

From our friends at Animal NY. Bumbaclot.

It's the unofficial start of summer this weekend, and not much music (beyond Latin freestyle) scans "SUMMER" as explicitly as the spate of hits (and misses) from a few years ago featuring the pivoting, clap-happy Diwali Riddim. It's in Lumidee's "Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)" (one in a multi-year line of ubiquitous summer songs by one-hit wonders that I include Rihanna's "Pon de Replay" in — even though she obviously was not a one-hit wonder, she felt like one when her debut single came out).

Sugar Minott, a reggae star often credited with being one of the first dancehall artists, died last weekend at the age of 54. He launched his solo career in the late 1970s, and made music with damn near everyone. [Gleaner]

For real, Rastas believe all types of weird shit. Bob Marley thought the Emperor of Ethiopia was basically Jesus. That's crazy! Great music though. What have we learned? People who hold psycho political beliefs can make jammin-ass music. Surprise!

Finally, the Jamaican airwaves are safe for Coldplay tunes: the government there is banning music about sex, or violence, or arson, or... basically all music.