Vybz Kartel Responds To Trinidad Promoter’s Lawsuit Over Failed Concert

Dancehall star Vybz Kartel has responded publicly to a lawsuit filed by a Trinidad-based promoter over his no-show at a concert in May last year.

In a statement posted to Instagram on January 18, Kartel maintained that his refusal to perform at the failed One Caribbean Music Festival was due to a breach of contract regarding payment.

“The performance agreement required payment of the full agreed fee in advance. That payment was not completed,” the statement read.

The post, which appeared as a graphic shared to his account, added that because the dispute is now before the courts, he would not comment further. “As the matter is now before the appropriate legal forum, I will not be commenting,” it said.

While the statement addressed the legal facts, Kartel used the caption to address the public discourse and “negativity” surrounding the lawsuit. “To anyone directing negativity my way, I’m focused on moving forward,” he wrote. “I’m in a strong place professionally and financially; therefore, I won’t engage with speculation or distractions.”

The statement followed reports in Trinidad that Jacho Entertainment Limited, led by promoter Odane Anderson, had filed a lawsuit in the Trinidad and Tobago High Court against Kartel over the aborted performance, which had been billed as a major event in the artist’s post-incarceration touring schedule.

According to the Trinidad Guardian, the lawsuit alleges breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and defamation, among other claims, and seeks damages in excess of TT$7.3 million, along with the recovery of US$1.1 million that the promoter claims was already paid to the artist.

Jacho Entertainment alleges they agreed in November 2024 for Kartel to headline the festival for a total of US$1.35 million. The filing asserts that by May 29, 2025, the promoters had successfully transferred US$1.1 million to the artist’s camp. The promoters claim they intended to pay the remaining US$250,000 balance upon Kartel’s arrival in Trinidad, citing foreign exchange constraints for the delay.

However, the lawsuit contends that Kartel’s team demanded full payment prior to his departure, a condition the promoters argue was not a strict contractual requirement for travel.

Consequently, Kartel did not board his flight to Port of Spain, a decision Jacho Entertainment claims caused them “significant financial and reputational damage” following the event’s collapse.

Jacho further alleged that statements made by Kartel “on social media following the cancellation falsely portrayed the promoter as having mismanaged the event and failed to meet payment obligations. These statements, the company claimed, intensified public backlash, exposed the promoter to ridicule, and undermined trust with patrons, sponsors, and industry partners.”

Jacho is being represented by Quantum Legal, which is led by Attorney at Law CJ Williams.

In June last year, Kartel revealed he had actually urged his manager to show the promoter flexibility (“give him a bligh”) despite missed deadlines, but ultimately pulled out when the final terms were not met.

The cancellation caused a chain reaction as other acts, including Sizzla Kalonji, Malie Donn, and Rvssian, also withdrew from the lineup, citing contractual issues, leaving Chronic Law as the only major dancehall act to perform.

The incident also triggered a government investigation in Trinidad, with Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo probing how the promoters accessed such a large sum of foreign currency amidst the country’s ongoing forex crisis. Additionally, major ticket outlets were forced to issue mass refunds to patrons.