Dancehall artiste Popcaan denied the allegation that he and his Unruly team were initially left outside the National Stadium because of a weapon. Popcaan released a statement to clarify the misunderstanding surrounding the Freedom Street incident involving him and promoter Skatta Burrell.
The lengthy statement commended Vybz Kartel’s “exceptional performance” before getting into the nitty-gritty. According to the statement, Popcaan and the Unruly team faced “unnecessary obstacles” due to “operational challenges and miscommunications” leading up to the event.
It explained that Popcaan requested to use his band for his performance and Vybz Kartel approved the request. However, Skatta Burrell rejected the band when it was time for them to rehearse. The team was informed that the band might “reflect poorly” on the event.
On New Year’s Eve night, Popcaan and his Unruly team were stopped at the main gate due to “access issues” that delayed them from entering the venue. The statement firmly denied that any of the members attempted to enter the venue with a firearm. It blamed Mismanagement for not resolving the situation quickly. According to the statement, they were outside for “a few hours,” until sometime after midnight.
“I was standing with Rolexx when he radioed Skatta to say he was at the gate with me,” Popcaan explained. “Skatta responded, “Mi cyaah bodda wid Popcaan and him 100 man, not even knowing how many people were actually with me. The reality is it was just my team and Chronic Law’s team.”
The statement also mentioned that Skatta Burrell’s past disagreement with Unruly Entertainment contributed to the ongoing tension. Skatta reportedly tried to escalate the situation during and after the event. However, Popcaan is apparently unconcerned about Skatta Burrell. “It’s a new year. My team and I don’t have Skatta on our minds or thoughts. We’re focused on continuing to deliver for the fans and elevating dancehall culture,” he said.
