Jamaican dancehall artist Adidja Azim Palmer, popularly known as Vybz Kartel, is reportedly facing a serious health crisis while in prison.

According to his lawyer, the musician is battling a life-threatening autoimmune disease called Graves’ Disease and two heart conditions.

The lawyer expressed concern about Vybz Kartel’s deteriorating physical condition, which he attributed to being held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day for an alleged offence involving a mobile phone.

"His neck was swollen to the point where you couldn’t even close the collar of a shirt with an 18.5-inch neck. That’s the severity of his condition right now. His face is also visibly swollen. Also, he normally wears glasses, but in his current condition, his eyes are protruding, " disclosed the lawyer. 

Vybz is serving a life sentence for the murder of his colleague, Clive 'Lizard' Williams. Vybz was arrested 11 years ago in Kingston and has spent over a decade in prison serving his sentence. 

The dancehall artiste faced two murder charges in the months following his arrest. While he was acquitted of the murder of Barrington ‘Bossie’ Burton, he was found guilty of the murder of 'Lizard' in 2014.

Vybz Kartel’s prison sentence includes a provision that he will be eligible for parole after serving at least 35 years.