Organisers cancelled the Saint Lucia performance of Nigerian artiste Joseph Akinfenwa Donus, known as Joeboy, on Saturday over vulgar language.
Joeboy was down to perform at the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival at Pigeon Island National Landmark.
“I couldn’t perform today due to issues from the organisers. I tried my best to give you the best performance today, but my set was cut off, and my DJ taken off stage,” he posted on Instagram.
According to the performer, his DJ had urged the crowd to make some f****** noise.
“We were not given any memo that we couldn’t use any curse words on stage,” Joeboy stated.
He said his DJ immediately apologised to the crowd, but the microphone was cut off.
The Nigerian performer said he was still willing to perform but was told he could not.
He said he had travelled over forty hours to be in Saint Lucia and was excited to perform.
Nevertheless, Joeboy assured his Saint Lucia fans that he would return.
The type of government that uses superficial virtue signalling to make you think they care when in reality they don’t. Why don’t we address the true social ills like corrupt politicians and those aligning themselves with criminals.
Don’t bother to return, we still have some degree of morals.
Refund those who bought the ticket specifically for that performer ……NOW!!!
SO many performances prior have obscenities….thus far….and you shun someone that travelled sooo far….and his first time even!!.
Not a good first impression to the afrobeats genre artist….shame on yourll
So why am I hearing vulgar music from all the bars around Castries on a daily basis?
But they could subject patrons to lewd crude Dennery segment which was never on the lineup. I want a full refund hypocrites.
Wow. Morality screwed. When we have gun totting men in government we worried about f……. word. Denery segment . Dominican songs asking to suck your mother and more blasting over our airwaves . I hope there is more to that story
Hypocrites, hypocrites…meanwhile they dancing and prancing and paying thosè obscene dennery segment am ove our radio’s corrupting our young kids and the just love to see how the minors shake their busy to It….fire bun y’all…small minded Mo…f*****’s
If was a white artist the jacka** organisers wouldn’t have done anything to stop them but a black man and this is how they treating my brother from the mother land. SMH
Did they hire the man without listening to his music first? How did it take until the day of the event to realize this? It’s ridiculous
Well it was the DJ who said it actually not the performer, but the F word is so common everywhere now surely no one can see it as offensive especially in that context?! Organisers/government should be more concerned about the vulgar public displays of overtly sexual behaviour at these events, sexual predators and sexual deviants in St Lucia, and the sexually explicit and violent content of lyrics heard daily on radio. That IS offensive (and dangerous). What a lame ad hoc approach we have to these things in St Lucia. Oh and this has nothing to do with race @anonymous – completely off point comment.
Well the organisers should have already come out and issued a statement on exactly what transpired. In the absence of this, there will be nothing but speculation and many versions of the truth. In another, forum I read that a member of Joe boy attacked someone backstage and a fight started.
The organisers need to come out and state what happened. This is an event where people paid $100 usd to see these artists perform and not one but two of these artists were cancelled right before the show. It is unacceptable for people not be refunded. Alot of the youngsters went there to see Afrobeats and not Kassav, why should they not be refunded?
I am not surprise …thats just one more thing this government has screwed up . We continue to be the laughing stock of the Caribbean
The idiot refused to apologize. They had every right to prevent the artist from performing. Obviously, the artist had no control of his entourage. Imagine what else would have been said if they did continue performing. They should take that as a lesson. All of you people who are upset just too bad, go and learn some morals.
all of yall complaining but next year come around and I can bet all of you will be lining up for Jazz 2024. Keep getting played
why the hell people cannot see pass government. everything is government. you can tell who just there waiting for table cramps to fall so they can eat. you don’t know what the transpired but you blaming government. I wonder if it was another party in government well the other side I guess would do the same. some people are so ignorant its heart braking.
i wonder if they would have done the same thing to Buju if he had sang Boom Bye Bye but then again thats not the show for that
Soo if no contract for such a situation was in place … People expect and paid for a line up .. furthermore don’t performers get paid before the show? Someone please advise cause sounds like Lucia con herself there….
Theres more to this
Some are asking for a refund – it might be the most difficult part of this whole Jazz festival. 80% of the tickets were given for free in order to show a successful outcome. Those who were given to friends and family by the organizers or other individuals. Now the question remains. How do you tell who received free tickets from those who paid for the tickets. It might be very difficult to tell as this was a hidden conspiracy with the organizers.
I am still waiting for the final numbers before I can deem this a success. Hilaire please setup a press conference to explain the numbers to the nation – just the right thing to do.
1) This isn’t that kind of a show were artists can come and curse on stage.
2) They were spoken to after first artist’s DJ started with the “F” words.
3) While they were not “given any memo” stating that curing wasn’t acceptable prior to the show… they were never “given a memo” stating that cursing was acceptable either. Should have used their discretion to know what type of show they were performing at. We wouldn’t expect or accept cursing if they were preforming at the Governor General’s Residence. Is the default, at any show now, to expect the entertainers to curse?
4) So what happened to the artist that was scheduled to perform after Joeboy’s set ?
5) Why are soo many people making excuses for this kind of behavior. Careful what you accept now… it might come back to haunt you later down the line.
Discipline has to start somewhere, especially at a national event. It certainly wasn’t a private event where anything goes ! Job well done . All the naysayers are enablers of indiscipline. Let’s hope it’s the start of a national crackdown on all things immoral!
At least the men in society have some degree of morals in them remain.
Seems obvious that the artist did not know what kind of language was appropriate. You would not travel 40 hours just to turn right back because your shoe was Canceled. My Nigerian brother the average lucian apologises to you. This was uncalled for.
Seems obvious that the artist did not know what kind of language was appropriate. You would not travel 40 hours just to turn right back because your set was cancelled . My Nigerian brother the average lucian apologises to you. This was uncalled for, we need better communication.
Some St. Lucians believe everyone has to accept their immorality. If they had allow them to continue they would be saying something else. This joeboy should know better and show some respect. He thinks he can do or say as he please. Boy go back with your worthless behavior. African do not like black people. They call us slaves children. We must show them we are better than that
Travel over 40 hours and didn’t think to ask what is and isn’t acceptable in a county you are visiting. 1st mistake.
Why should the foreign or domestic entertainers think that any and every thing goes no matter where they perform? What is tolerated in one country or situation may not necessary apply in another.
If we are building a high standard and a great reputation for our Jazz and Arts Music Festival … Then these ridiculous excuses being used to defend the cursing needs to go.
Remember Mary J Blige embarrassing jazz performance 24 years ago, smh.
This Ti Bwoy would never have done this in Dubai, have respect for us!
St Lucians need to know the facts here. The organizing committee, Events St Lucia declared that his performance was canceled due to obscene language used by his DJ. Now I’m hearing the Minister Helie, saying it was because of confusion with the position of his performance.
ENQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
I would like to believe that there were expressed contracts with proper do’s and don’ts in place for professional review (attorneys of all parties) prior to and upon signing of contracts with the organizing St. Lucian committee and various artist.
In fact, there should also be within these said contracts financial penalty/liability for failure to adhere to the respective written agreements – just saying.