"Vybz Kartel’s To Tanesha: A Nostalgic Ode to Love, Loss, and Regret"

With Vybz Kartel’s recent release and the electrifying success of his sold-out Freedom Street concert at the National Stadium, I found myself revisiting one of his most fascinating projects. And what better album to dive into than To Tanesha, his deeply personal dedication to his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his children, Tanesha Johnson. This album is nothing short of a cathartic release, offering a voice from behind bars that resonates directly with the heart. It’s raw, it’s vulnerable, and it’s a bold statement of love, regret, and emotional complexity, something that isn’t often seen in dancehall.

The album kicks off with Neva Was Da One, where Kartel delivers a powerful dose of vulnerability, questioning, and regrets over a soft, reflective instrumental. You can hear the weight in his voice as he carefully selects his words, capturing a sense of emotional rawness that is rarely seen in a genre where men are often expected to mask their feelings.

The track Then You and Me stands out as both the most popular on the album and a standout single in his emotionally rich catalog. Years later, it remains a fan favorite from the To Tanesha album, resonating deeply with listeners worldwide. The song delves into toxic love & the painful back-and-forth, the feeling of being trapped and compares it to surgery, cutting deep with its emotional precision. Its universal themes of conflict and emotional turmoil made it highly relatable for both young and old, and it has since become a staple in dancehall music. Then You and Me didn’t just capture a moment in Kartel’s life; it gave listeners permission to express their own complicated emotions, empowering a wave of artists to explore their vulnerability more openly in their music.

More Than You Receive, featuring Jesse Royal, continues the album’s momentum, maintaining the theme of longing and regret. Kartel opens up about the heartache of being apart from his love interest, making a fool of himself in love, and even hoping for divine retribution. It’s a heartfelt, introspective track that shows Kartel is fully committed to exploring his emotions; nothing is off-limits.

That being said, the album does hit a slight bump with Never Walk Alone. While it’s not a terrible song, it feels a bit like a filler in the grand scheme of things. The featured artist does their best, and Kartel tries to keep the emotional continuity, but it doesn’t quite live up to the strength of the other tracks.

But then Rocket to the Moon pulls the album back into full gear, offering a fresh, creative shift in energy. The track’s inventive intro and solid instrumental bring the listener back into the journey, with Kartel reflecting on the past while acknowledging that he’s moving forward. It’s an honest track, a mix of nostalgia and progress—showing that while there will always be a special place for the past, life goes on.

The album closes with Fell Apart, where Kartel takes full accountability for his actions, reflecting on his flaws and mistakes while maintaining an optimistic outlook. It’s a smooth, reflective track that brings the album to a satisfying, emotionally mature conclusion, leaving the listener with a sense of resolution.

Overall, To Tanesha is a standout project in it's own right. Vybz Kartel's songwriting takes center stage, and a raw display of emotions makes this album a solid body of work that pushes the envelope for what we expect from dancehall. Of course, there are moments where the instrumentals could have been better crafted, and some collaborations brought more strength than others, but overall, the album succeeds in its emotional honesty. Kartel, true to his reputation, continues to break down walls, challenging norms and setting new standards for self-expression in the genre. With To Tanesha, he doesn’t just deliver a love letter; he opens the door for dancehall artists to express themselves more freely, paving the way for a new era of openness in the music.