Jamaican Government Denies Cardi B Canceled Concert Claims As Drama Becomes International Crisis

Cardi B is getting pushback from Jamaica’s government over claims it could help cover costs for her canceled concert.

The dispute now extends beyond her payment fight with BZR WKND promoter Ryan Burke to who was supposed to cover the bill.

Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport said Tuesday that no government money had been paid or committed toward appearance fees or other concert costs.

Its statement, reported by The Jamaica Star, described the event as “a private commercial engagement in which the Government was not involved.”

“The Government of Jamaica made no commitment or payment towards appearance fees or any fees whatsoever, in relation to a proposed concert in Jamaica which was expected to feature international recording artist, Cardi B,” the ministry said.

That response follows Cardi’s claim that the government was willing to cover outstanding production expenses to rescue the performance. The ministry’s denial concerns public funding, while Cardi and Burke still have competing accounts of their own financial arrangement.

As AllHipHop previously reported, Burke maintained that Cardi received her full $2.5 million fee and said he wanted the money returned. Cardi disputed that figure during her November 9 Instagram Live and said she received a $1 million deposit.

Cardi blamed the failed show on production money that didn’t arrive when it was needed and threatened to countersue if Burke sued her. Her scheduled October 18 appearance at Kingston’s National Stadium had been promoted as the centerpiece of Cardi B & Friends.

“It was so much that even the Jamaica government was trying to make it so right that they was willing to pay the rest,” Cardi B fumed in an IG live. “I was just like, you know what? It’s just too much. Like everything was just It just turned me off.”

The show’s August launch had included Cardi’s manager Kelvin Santiago and promoter Gramps Morgan, with Culture Minister Olivia Grange also attending.

Tuesday’s statement separates that public involvement from any commitment to finance it.

The ministry also said Jamaica’s current spending priorities are hurricane recovery and reconstruction, limiting what it can spend on entertainment events.

It said Prime Minister Andrew Holness had directed funds toward recovery wherever possible, even before his more recent expenditure directives.

Cardi’s representatives have directed ticketing questions to the promoters and future performance announcements to the rapper’s own official channels.