Dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel is now the subject of a civil lawsuit in Trinidad and Tobago following his abrupt withdrawal from the One Caribbean Music Festival last May. The event’s promoters, Jacho Entertainment Limited, have filed legal action, claiming the entertainer breached his performance contract and caused major financial and reputational damage.
Kartel was billed as the headline act for the highly anticipated festival, which was originally slated for February before being postponed to May 31. However, on the day of the event, the deejay did not travel to Trinidad, citing outstanding payments as the reason for cancelling his appearance.
The promoters dispute that claim, stating that by show day Kartel had already received approximately 81 per cent of his agreed performance fee. Court documents indicate that the contract, signed in late 2024, outlined a total payment of US$1.35 million, to be paid in four instalments.
According to Jacho Entertainment, Kartel refused to board his flight despite receiving the majority of his fee. The company argues that the agreement did not require full payment upfront and also stipulated that any cancellation had to be done through a formal written notice — a step they say Kartel failed to take.
Instead, the promoters allege that Kartel announced his withdrawal on social media, accusing the organisers of mismanagement. They contend that those public comments caused significant reputational harm and worsened the financial fallout from the cancellation.
As a result, Jacho Entertainment is seeking more than TT$7.3 million in damages, along with the repayment of over US$1 million already paid to the artiste. The lawsuit also requests an injunction to prevent Kartel from making further statements that could negatively affect the company’s reputation.
The promoters say Kartel’s sudden exit triggered widespread disruption, including ticket refunds and last-minute operational changes, leaving organisers to absorb substantial losses.
Kartel has not publicly commented on the lawsuit so far.
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