Vegas, Octane in back-up singer drama

CURTIS CAMPBELL, STAR Writer

I-Octane, Mr Vegas

Dancehall/reggae artiste Mr Vegas has accused fellow recording artiste I-Octane of trying to sabotage his performance at the upcoming Reggae Sumfest by telling his back-up singer to stop working with him, an accusation denied by I-Octane’s camp.

According to Mr Vegas, he and I-Octane share the same back-up vocalist. He has claimed that since the recent controversy concerning who should be the closing act for Dancehall Night of the festival, I-Octane and his management has been pulling out all stops to make his experience miserable.

“Its unfortunate that, two weeks leading up to the show, I have to be searching for a back-up singer, and me and this person have been working together for over three years, without problems. She was forced to stop working with me because she was asked to choose between me and I-Octane, and she decided that she will not take any side,” Mr Vegas said.

He said I-Octane has stooped low to use intimidatiory tactics.

“As a female, the back-up singer felt intimidated and sey she cannot work with neither me nor I- Octane for this Sumfest, because she doesn’t want to be in such a position. It’s unfortunate that they took such a route because they didn’t need to involve her,” Mr Vegas said, adding he will now have to train a new backup singer, who will be less familiar with his material.

“I take my show very professional because I choose performance over a bag of torches. She is also going to lose money because of this and to think she only started to work with I-Octane about a year now, it’s sad because I was ok with her working with him.”

Mr Vegas also believes I-Octane and management have other plans up their sleeves, but remains positive about his upcoming performance at Sumfest.

I-Octane’s manager Ray Alexander, denied giving the back-up singer an ultimatum. Alexander also connected THE WEEKEND STAR with Thamara, the organiser of I-Octane’s back-up singers.

She said the singer made her own decision not to work with both artistes during the tension. Thamara said the back-up singer was pregnant and could not handle the hassle to accommodate the sets of both artistes.

“Somebody has filled her spot to be I-Octane’s back-up, but we have no problems with her working with Mr Vegas,” she said.

Curtis.campbell@gleanerjm. com

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Vegas, Octane in back-up singer drama