After we posted the news on the tear gas riot over non-appearances by Richie Spice, Busy Signal, Vybez Kartel and Elephant Man a response from Ele and Richie Spice has been published. They are claiming that the promoter was shady and wondered if they knew who is really the promoter.
By Francine BlackSome of the artistes, who included Richie Spice, Busy Signal, Vbyz Kartel and Elephant Man, are claiming that the promoter had actually sought to deceive the people and them. "He collected the people's money and didn't pay us and we can't seem to find out who is actually the promoter," Devon Wheatley, manager for Richie Spice told THE STAR.
He said Richie Spice and the team were waiting at the hotel for the promoter to come and take them to the show, when at 3 a.m. two guys name Frank and Quory, who claimed they were the promoters, told them that the show had ended.
He said the promoter also did not pay the 50 per cent balance of Richie Spice's performance fee.
Q45, Elephant Man's manager also said they were left stranded at the hotel by the promoter who also was to pay Ele's 50 per cent performance fee balance. Q45 said they waited and when they got impatient they sent members of their band to the venue. They later told them that a riot broke out at the show causing it to end.
Show flopped
He said later at 4 a.m., the promoter "suddenly appeared" and told them that the show had flopped, only 2,000 people had turned out and that they had not made enough money to pay him. But he said he understands that about 8,000 people were there and it appears that the promoter was trying to rip off the patrons.
But both managers maintain that their artistes were willing to perform, but the promoters were not honest with them and only told them of the problems after the show had ended and it was too late to do anything about it. "We want to apologise to the people. Even if things went wrong, we could have worked out somethin,. The promoter just needed to come talk to us," Q45 said.
"Richie Spice was willing to go and sing for the people. If they (promoters) had come before (the show ended) and explained, being the artiste that Richie Spice is, he would still go down and perform," Wheatley said.
THE STAR was unable to get a comment from the police in Trinidad and the news team was told that no one was available to speak to us as it was a public holiday.
But the managers say the promoters should refund the patrons. "He should refund the people their money," Q45 said. Efforts to get comments from Vbyz Kartel were unsuccessful but none of the other artistes saw him while they were there.
The news team also did not get to speak to Busy Signal, but THE STAR understands that he was also left stranded at the hotel and was yet to receive his full payment for the show.
