Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel and his fiancée, Sidem Öztürk, have officially announced they are expecting their first child together after months of speculation from fans. The couple revealed the news during Kartel's performance at Reggae Land in Milton Keynes over the weekend. Before launching into his hit Come Breed Me, the Jamaican artist paused to tell the crowd to "read between the lines." Moments later, Sidem joined him on stage, where Kartel gently caressed her stomach as the pair smiled at one another, confirming what many supporters had suspected for weeks.

The announcement was met with loud cheers from the festival crowd, with videos of the moment quickly spreading across social media.

The pregnancy marks another major milestone for the couple, who have become one of dancehall's most talked-about pairings since Kartel's release from prison in 2024.

The artist, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, spent 13 years behind bars after being convicted in a murder case that dominated headlines across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. In 2024, his conviction was ultimately quashed after years of legal appeals, bringing an end to one of the region's most closely followed criminal cases.

Since regaining his freedom, Kartel has wasted little time returning to music and live performances, selling out shows across the Caribbean, Europe and beyond while re-establishing himself as one of dancehall's biggest global stars.

His relationship with Sidem has also attracted widespread attention. Originally from North London, Sidem first connected with Kartel as a fan while he was incarcerated. The pair built a relationship over time before she eventually relocated to Jamaica, with the couple later becoming engaged.

Their romance has remained firmly in the public eye, with pregnancy rumours intensifying in recent weeks as fans pointed to videos and photos from recent appearances together. Sunday's on-stage reveal finally put the speculation to rest.

Social media was quickly flooded with congratulatory messages following the announcement. 

One fan wrote: "Just feel like she'll be such a great mum." 

Others described the reveal as "beautiful" and wished the couple well as they prepare for their next chapter.

The baby will be Kartel's eighth child. The dancehall star is already father to seven children, five boys and two girls,  while this will be Sidem's first child.

Kartel is set to return to London next month for his highly anticipated Gully x Gaza headline show before travelling to Malta for his Freedom Street performance, continuing a remarkable comeback that has kept him at the centre of headlines since his release.