Reggae icon Sizzla Kalonji was slated to headline the One Caribbean Music Festival in Trinidad but ultimately pulled out over a financial dispute, according to the event’s promoter, Odane Anderson of Jacho Entertainment.
Anderson told ET&T in a Q&A that Sizzla’s team demanded a significantly higher fee than originally agreed upon after learning that fellow Jamaican artist Vybz Kartel would no longer perform. The revised amount, Anderson claimed, matched Kartel’s own contract — a figure that the promoter said was simply not feasible given the show’s already strained finances.
“We were prepared to pay Sizzla’s balance as agreed,” Anderson explained. “Unfortunately, there was a request for significantly more, and when we could not meet the new demand on such short notice, they opted to withdraw.”
Sizzla, who was already in the country ahead of the May 25 event, issued a statement citing “contractual breaches.” Anderson, in response, said his team has since reached out for clarity, adding, “From our records, we were in active communication with his team and were prepared to settle the balance owed prior to performance.”
The promoter said the change came after Vybz Kartel’s abrupt cancellation, which he blamed on logistical issues involving foreign currency restrictions in Trinidad. According to Anderson, Kartel had already received more than three-quarters of his US$1.35 million fee — some US$950,000 — via a single bank transfer but did not receive the balance in time due to limitations on currency movement during the holiday weekend.
Anderson noted that Sizzla’s reasoning — that he should now be billed as the headliner — was understandable. “They felt Sizzla should be considered the new headliner, which is understandable… but financially for us, this was simply not something we had planned for or agreed to.”
Aside from Chronic Law, none of the other international acts scheduled — including Sizzla, Kartel, Malie Donn, Rvssian and Ghanaian singer Moliy — took the stage. Anderson confirmed that all had received deposits prior to their withdrawals.
Despite the setbacks, Jacho Entertainment maintains it hopes to resolve outstanding issues amicably and is working to ensure transparency and accountability as fallout from the festival continues.
