Jamaica promoter BZR WKND is firing back at Cardi B, claiming the rapper was paid in full for her canceled concert and accusing her of making false statements about the Jamaican government’s alleged involvement in funding her performance.
The organizers released an official statement on November 11, directly challenging Cardi’s version of events as their ongoing dispute over the canceled October 18 concert continues to escalate.
In a statement titled “CARDI B’S FALSE CLAIMS ON PROMISED JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR PERFORMANCE FEE,” the BZR WKND Jamaica Team said:
“We would like to clarify that BZR Weekend did not receive any financial assistance or funding from the government of Jamaica or the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, nor was any such funding ever promised or agreed upon, contrary to the false claims made by Cardi B.”
“BZR Weekend was independently organized and funded, with the full payment to Cardi B made directly and covered entirely through independent funding. We remain grateful to the government for its support and encouragement in our efforts to bring world-class entertainment to Jamaica. Our focus from the very beginning has been on delivering the shows Jamaica deserves.”
“We firmly believe in the rule of law and the importance of allowing facts and evidence to speak for themselves. We respectfully urge the public to refrain from drawing conclusions based on unverified statements or speculation and to allow the appropriate legal process to take its course. No further statements will be made at this time.”
Made to order and shipped to your door.
– The BZR WKND Jamaica Team
The Jamaica promoter’s statement follows explosive allegations from Cardi B, who publicly challenged BZR WKND founder and CEO Ryan Burke after he claimed organizers paid her $2.5 million for the appearance. Burke previously told CVM Television that his company had retained legal counsel and intended to pursue legal action to recover the money, along with additional damages resulting from the cancellation.
Cardi, however, has strongly disputed those claims. During an Instagram Live broadcast, the Grammy-winning rapper maintained that she never received the full $2.5 million. According to Cardi, she initially received approximately $900,000, but an additional payment needed for production expenses failed to arrive by the agreed September 17 deadline. She claimed the delay made it impossible to properly arrange transportation, staging equipment, flights, and accommodations for her team.
The rapper also alleged that Burke eventually sent $750,000 after she had already announced her cancellation, but she returned the payment because the deadline had passed. Cardi accused the promoter of attempting to make her cover production costs using her initial deposit and insisted that the cancellation resulted from unmet contractual obligations rather than personal circumstances.
The Jamaica promoter dispute intensified after Cardi suggested that Jamaican government officials had offered to help cover outstanding expenses to save the concert. However, Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport subsequently denied making any financial commitment. Culture Minister Olivia Grange clarified that the event was a private commercial arrangement and that government funds had not been committed to Cardi’s appearance or related expenses.
Following the government’s clarification, Cardi apologized to Jamaican officials, maintaining that she had been misled about their involvement. Her agent, Mike Guirguis of United Talent Agency, also publicly disputed the promoter’s payment claims, insisting that Cardi was never paid her full performance fee and that organizers failed to fulfill multiple obligations under their agreement.
Meanwhile, Burke has maintained that BZR WKND will move forward with plans for a December 20 event. Organizers have also acknowledged refund requests from customers affected by the original cancellation, although Burke indicated that the volume of requests has complicated the reimbursement process.
