ZZAMBO’s “Diamond Gal” With Vybz Kartel Finds New Life More Than a Year After Release
The Jamaican artist reflects on landing the Vybz Kartel collaboration through his brother Isat Buchanan and the song’s message of celebrating women (“The woman is the diamond”), while working on his debut album
Recording artist ZZAMBO
More than a year after its initial release, recording artist ZZAMBO’s “Diamond Gal,” featuring Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel, is finding new life.
Originally released in April 2025, the single has recently gained renewed attention, giving listeners another opportunity to discover the collaboration and its message of love, admiration and recognizing a woman’s worth.
The song’s concept was inspired directly by Kartel’s verse. “I got the verse from Vybz Kartel while he was incarcerated through my brother Isat Buchanan, who was the head of his legal team for the appeal of his murder case,” ZZAMBO explains. “There was one line from his verse -
‘I got a present for you, yeah I’ma put it on you ’ and I expanded on that idea. What’s a better gift than a diamond? But ultimately, the woman is the diamond. She is the treasure.”
For ZZAMBO, landing a feature from one of Dancehall’s most influential artists without having an existing relationship made the collaboration even more meaningful.
“Having Vybz Kartel on the record is a blessing from God,” says ZZAMBO. “To have an artist of that magnitude featured on your record when you had no communication or friendship with him - that is God and time.”
Beyond the high-profile feature, “Diamond Gal” is centered around celebrating women, using the symbolism of a diamond to highlight value, strength and beauty.
“Having Vybz Kartel on the record is a blessing from God. To have an artist of that magnitude featured on your record when you had no communication or friendship with him - that is God and time.”
“Diamonds are forged under pressure. They are rare and multifaceted,” he says. “When something is precious to you, you protect it. You make certain it is safe. You don’t take your eyes off it because you understand its value. Every woman is a Diamond Gal once she knows her worth.”
That message also reflects the artistic direction ZZAMBO wants to establish, with love, respect and emotional expression becoming central themes in his music.
“ZZAMBO is about love and giving flowers to the love interests in people’s lives,” he explains. “I want people to understand that love is the ultimate form of expression.”
With the renewed attention around “Diamond Gal,” ZZAMBO also sees the record as a transition away from chasing conventional success on Jamaican radio.
“‘Diamond Gal’ is my loving farewell to my attempts at getting onto the Top 10 charts on Jamaican radio,” ZZAMBO says. “A lot of what is currently popular at home can be very misogynistic. What I want to do is highlight the quality of our women and show them the love and respect they deserve.”
Born Zambo Tafari Buchanan in Kingston, Jamaica, ZZAMBO is the son of Reggae veteran Big Youth. Formerly recording as Tafari, he built his career through recording and touring across Europe and South America, while projects including Rud3 Love and Desire Fulfilled reached the Top 10 of the U.S. iTunes Reggae chart.
“When something is precious to you, you protect it. You make certain it is safe. You don’t take your eyes off it because you understand its value. Every woman is a Diamond Gal once she knows her worth.”
His transition from Tafari to ZZAMBO represents what he describes as a new chapter of identity, creativity and purpose.
Now based in Miami and working on his debut album under the ZZAMBO name, he sees “Diamond Gal” as a bridge between those chapters while continuing to develop a sound influenced by Reggae, Dancehall, R&B, Hip-Hop and Pop.
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