Cardi B Retracts Claim About Jamaican Government Funding Canceled Festival

Cardi B has apologized to Jamaica’s government after withdrawing her claim that officials offered her money to headline the canceled BCR weekend. The rapper said the allegation came from information supplied by the festival’s promoter, according to the account she gave during an Instagram Live. Addressing a man named Ryan, Cardi B referred to an email that she said had told her team the government had invested in the October event. She later clarified that she had relied on what the promoter told her and publicly apologized to the Jamaican government. Her correction comes amid a broader dispute about hurricane relief in Jamaica. Beenie Man recently questioned on British television whether donations were reaching those affected by Hurricane Melissa. Prime Minister Andrew Holness rejected the accusation, while other figures, including Desmond McKenzie and Buju Banton, also entered the public exchange. The article notes that questions over the pace of recovery have been sharpened by an Auditor General finding that just 1.8 percent of received funds had been spent. Cultural studies professor Sonjah Stanley Niaah said citizens were entitled to ask why relief had been slow, and observed that an offer of government money to headline a show could raise concerns among the public. Stanley Niaah said she had not heard about Cardi B’s claim before being asked to comment. She also argued that performers’ criticism reflects a wider feeling that the Jamaican state does not consistently support the culture that has helped the country gain international recognition. The professor described the government’s response to Beenie Man as too high-handed and said he should be given information rather than a rebuke. Cardi B’s apology addresses her own claim about the festival, while the wider questions about relief spending and accountability remain part of the national debate.