Vybz Kartel's fiancée Sidem Öztürk started writing him in prison, and now they're expecting a baby
Sidem Öztürk is Vybz Kartel's fiancée — a Turkish-born, London-raised former social worker who began writing to the dancehall star while he was behind bars and has stood by him ever since. The couple, together since 2015, made global headlines in August 2026 when Kartel revealed their pregnancy on stage at Reggae Land UK. Here is everything you need to know about Sidem Öztürk: her background, how the relationship started, and what comes next.
Source: TikTok
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Sidem Öztürk is Turkish-born and of Kurdish descent, raised in London.
- She and Vybz Kartel first connected in 2015 while he was serving a life sentence in Jamaica.
- Kartel proposed twice — once in prison in 2022 and again after his release in November 2024.
- The couple announced a pregnancy at Reggae Land UK on 2 August 2026 — their first child together.
- Kartel's real name is Adidja Azim Palmer; he was released from prison on 31 July 2024 after his murder conviction was quashed.
Profile summary
Sidem Öztürk | Vybz Kartel | |
Full name | Sidem Öztürk | Adidja Azim Palmer |
Date of birth | 13 November (year unconfirmed) | 7 January 1976 |
Age | 32 | 50 |
Nationality | Turkish-born, raised British | Jamaican |
Ethnicity | Kurdish descent | Jamaican |
Occupation | Former social worker | Dancehall artist, entrepreneur |
Relationship status | Engaged to Vybz Kartel | Engaged to Sidem Öztürk |
Children | 1 (expecting) | 7 (from previous relationships) + 1 on the way |
TikTok |
Who is Sidem Öztürk?
Sidem Öztürk is the fiancée of Vybz Kartel and a Turkish-born woman of Kurdish descent who was raised in London. She moved to the UK at a young age and has lived in London for over 29 years.
She is 32 years old and has mostly maintained a private life despite becoming known globally through her relationship with the dancehall star. Before gaining public attention, Sidem pursued studies in psychology, sociology, and philosophy.
She also reportedly worked as a social worker, supporting vulnerable adults and children. That background — quiet, academic, community-focused — made her an unlikely partner for one of dancehall's most controversial figures.
What is Sidem Öztürk's nationality?
Sidem Öztürk was born in Turkey and is of Kurdish descent. She moved to the UK at a young age and has spent over 29 years in London. She holds British residency and is widely described as British-Turkish in press coverage.
Her religion has not been publicly confirmed by either Sidem or Kartel in any verified interview.
Source: Facebook
How did Sidem and Vybz Kartel meet?
In an interview on the Hot 97 radio show with Ebro Darden on 10 April 2025, Vybz Kartel explained that he came across Sidem's profile while scrolling through his Instagram comments. "Yeah, I met her on July 25, 2015, and I'll never forget it. In prison, I was very active on Instagram because, you know, you have time. I was going through my comment section and saw this girl who always liked my pictures, so out of curiosity, I jumped onto her page and her DM."
Sidem, for her part, had been a devoted fan long before that first message.
"I found him very handsome, so I was very attracted to him and you can kind of call it an obsession cause I thought he was the most perfect man for me and walking the Earth, so I just really wanted to meet him and get to know him." — Sidem Öztürk, OnStage interview
She finally met him in person after travelling from London to visit the rapper in a Jamaican prison. They finally met in 2019 once she travelled to Jamaica.
How long have Sidem and Vybz been together?
The couple has been together since 2015 after she began corresponding with him while he was incarcerated. That makes their relationship over a decade long — Kartel and Sidem marked the milestone with an Instagram post celebrating their 10-year love story in 2025.
Despite the obstacles, Öztürk remained devoted to Kartel and even relocated to Jamaica to be closer to him. She managed Kartel's Instagram account and handled various business transactions on his behalf.
The engagement: proposed to twice
In August 2022, Kartel proposed behind bars. He then repeated the gesture after his release.
The pair got engaged during a permitted prison visit in the summer of 2022, and Kartel sealed the deal again outside of prison in November 2024, writing on Instagram: "It's Official #1Wife, Proposed in Prison, Proposed in #RealLife."
Sidem described the moment the proposal became inevitable in an interview with Capital XTRA:
"How it happened was — we were just calling each other 'hubby' and 'wifey' and he was like, 'We're heading toward marriage so you calling me hubby, or me calling you wifey is not serious enough. So you're my fiancée, we're going to get married.'"
The 49-year-old singer, whose real name is Adidja Azim Palmer, revealed on the red carpet of the 2025 MOBO Awards that he is set to marry his longtime girlfriend Sidem very soon. He said Sidem is "prettier than Beyonce", and the couple have been together for almost ten years.
She served as the muse for Kartel's EP True Religion, further solidifying her importance in his life.
The pregnancy announcement
Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel and his fiancée Sidem Öztürk announced that they are expecting their first child together during Kartel's performance at the Reggae Land 2026 music festival.
The announcement came during Kartel's headline performance at Reggae Land UK at the Milton Keynes National Bowl. Addressing the crowd of more than 65,000 fans, he told the audience to "read between the lines" before launching into his hit Come Breed Me. Kartel then playfully placed his hand on Öztürk's stomach, drawing cheers and excitement from the packed venue.
This will be Sidem's first child and Kartel's eighth, as the Jamaican star already has seven children: five boys and two girls.
Over the years, Öztürk remained a steadfast supporter of the dancehall star and has frequently accompanied him to public appearances since his release from prison in 2024.
Fan reaction online was overwhelmingly warm. One fan wrote:
"I've never been SO genuinely excited and happy for a couple I don't know in real life, like these 2."
Latest news
The couple shared the news of their pregnancy at the Reggae Land 2026 music festival in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, on Sunday 2 August 2026. With about 28 minutes remaining in his set, Kartel invited Öztürk on stage before performing his hit song Come Breed Me, and affectionately rubbed her baby bump, confirming the pregnancy to cheering fans.
The announcement came amid a busy period for the hitmaker, who has continued to perform internationally following his return to the stage, including appearances at major music festivals across Europe.
Earlier in 2026, Kartel also met his daughter Amani for the first time and documented the reunion on Instagram, writing:
"Words could never fully express how happy I felt in this moment."
Vybz Kartel's net worth
Multiple entertainment analysts estimate Kartel's wealth at anywhere from $1 million to $6 million, though a net worth between approximately $2 million and $5 million USD is considered by some observers to be the most credible range given realistic income streams and post-release opportunities.
His income sources include:
- Music royalties — millions of monthly listeners across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, with his catalogue continuing to generate steady royalty income
- Live performances — since 2025, Kartel has played shows across the world, including stops in Paris, Toronto, London, Miami, and Amsterdam
- Record label — Kartel established his own label, Adidjahiem/Notnice Records, with his business partner and producer Ainsley "Notnice" Morris
- Publishing rights — passive income from songs licensed to commercials, films, and other artists
FAQ
- How long have Sidem and Vybz Kartel been together? They have been together since 25 July 2015, making their relationship over 11 years long as of 2026.
- What nationality is Vybz Kartel's fiancée? Sidem Öztürk was born in Turkey and is of Kurdish descent. She has lived in London for over 29 years, making her British-Turkish.
- What is Sidem Öztürk's religion? Sidem has not publicly confirmed her religion in any verified interview or social media post.
- How old is Sidem Öztürk? Sidem Öztürk is 32 years old. Her birthday is 13 November.
- Are Vybz Kartel and Sidem Öztürk married? No. They are engaged. Kartel proposed twice — once in prison in 2022 and again in November 2024 — but no confirmed wedding date has been announced.
- How many children does Vybz Kartel have? Kartel has seven children from previous relationships. His baby with Sidem will be his eighth child and her first.
- How did Sidem find Vybz Kartel? She spotted his Instagram account while he was in prison, liked his posts, and he slid into her DMs. They first met in person in 2019 when she visited him in Jamaica.
- What did Sidem do before she became famous? She studied psychology, sociology, and philosophy and worked as a social worker supporting vulnerable adults and children in London.
Quick facts
- She first contacted Vybz Kartel via Instagram in 2015 while he was in prison.
- She relocated from London to Jamaica in 2022 to be closer to him.
- She was the muse for Kartel's EP True Religion.
- She announced her pregnancy at Reggae Land 2026 in front of 65,000 fans.
- She managed Kartel's Instagram account during his imprisonment.
Final word
Sidem Öztürk, a Turkish-born former social worker, has been in a relationship with Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel since 2015. Following his release from prison, the couple reaffirmed their 2022 prison engagement with a second proposal in November 2024. As of August 2026, they are expecting their first child together, which was publicly announced during Kartel's performance to 65,000 fans at the Reggae Land UK festival.
In other news, Legit.ng reported that Vybz Kartel's sons planned to visit Kenya. Jamaican singer Vybz Kartel's musician sons Little Addi and Little Vybz said they would like to visit Kenya. The two, who have their father's support, noted that they have many fans from Kenya.
Source: Legit.ng
