Busy Signal's Former Manager Threatens Legal Action

Juke Boxx Productions, the former management team of dancehall artiste Busy Signal, is threatening a lawsuit following the debacle which unfolded in Trinidad on the weekend, where the artiste was arrested for failing to repay money that was owed to a promoter for a show.

The issue all began last Saturday when Busy Signal was arrested in Trinidad for failing to repay money that was due to a Trinidadian promoter since 2013. It is said that Busy Signal's former management team, Juke Boxx Productions, made a contractual agreement with Hot Peppers Entertainment Limited on May 31,2013 for the artiste to perform at a show.

However, Busy Signal's current management team, Turf Music Entertainment, said Busy Signal was unaware of the financial debt and that a partial refund was made to the promoter in May 2013 after the event was cancelled.

But Juke Boxx has since responded to the accusations and has even threatened to sue.

"Hot Pepper Entertainment (promoter) entered into a contractual agreement with Juke Boxx Bookings on April 9, 2013, to book several artistes - one of which was Busy Signal - for a proposed show in Trinidad. Hot Pepper Entertainment subsequently sent incomplete deposits in incremental wire transfers totalling approximately US$30,000 to secure the artistes' performance at this engagement," Juke Boxx said in a press release.

The release also said Hot Pepper Entertainment failed to honour contractual obligations to pay the outstanding sum of money.

But following Busy Signal's separation from Juke Boxx, "all documents relating to Gordon's business affairs and future contractual obligations were turned over to his new management, including the above mentioned deposit amount due to him of US$22,500 for them to proceed with the engagement, at their own discretion," the release said.

It also noted that, "Hot Pepper Entertainment's failure to pay the remaining deposit amounts required, for all the artistes by the due date, constituted a breach of contract."

Juke Boxx added that they are surprised that Busy Signal and his management are using ignorance as an excuse.

"It is therefore rather strange, that Busy Signal and his new management team claim ignorance of this issue, when all details and amounts collected on their behalf were handed over to them. It is also our understanding that they chose to refund a portion of the deposit collected to the promoter," the release said.

"The Juke Boxx management team would like to caution, that invalidated accusations can be defamatory for which individual/s can be held liable through the courts as a consequence."

When contacted, Galey Gordon, who forms part of Busy Signal's new management team, he said Turf Music Entertainment stands by their initial response.

"We are going to get to the bottom of this and get all information right because we need to see the contract. It was out of good faith that we returned a portion of the money. To this day, I have not seen a contract between Juke Boxx and Pepper Entertainment," Gordon said.

In a subsequent press release, Turf Music Entertainment further countered Juke Boxx's claims.

"Juke Boxx Productions has disclosed that they received US$30,000 for the show. Bank transfers, which were made available to us via the promoter, indicate that US$37,088 was sent. Furthermore, after severing ties with Juke Boxx, at NO time was any document relating to this show ever forwarded to us, whether in print, email or hard copy format," the release said.

Turf Music is also saying court documents prove that Juke Boxx actually received US$37,088 and not US$30,000 as they stated, which means that US$7,088 is still unaccounted for.

Turf Music also sent documents that were filed in the Port-of-Spain High Court, which showed money amounting to approximately US$37,088 that was supposedly paid to Juke Boxx by Hot Pepper Entertainment.

Turf Music is now requesting that Juke Boxx release the original contract along with all bank statements of money received from Hot Pepper Entertainment regarding this event.