Tarrus Riley responds to Antiguan show dust-up


She's Royal singer Tarrus Riley believes that there are elements in the Antiguan society that do not embrace and respect Jamaican reggae music, even though the art form is the music of choice in the Caribbean.

"I have never been treated to that level of disrespect in the business before, the emcee, Kenny Nibbs, address the band by the wrong name, first, and then when it was my time to work, he stood on the step and refused to give me the mike. So eventually I was able to get a mike and I started to work, only to turn around and see this man quarelling with my road manager, and then I turned around again and he was arguing with Dean (Fraser)," he said.

Tarrus said he became incensed that this man was trying to sabotage his set, and damage his reputation.

"He couldn't go on Beyonce or 50 Cents stage," he said.

"That is why I asked him to leave. I told the people that there was a little vibe backstage, and if him fi come offa the stage, and the people dem say 'yes!', and so the emcee come mek me know say is Antigua him de and him come back wid five little man and dem roll a bottle onstage," he told One876Entertainment.com.

"Now, I am a humble yute but we doan tek disrespect and we doan give disrespect, but they ar emaking it seem like me have a ego problem or mi get hype because mi is not a pushover. I have the right to tell him to leave the stage,. just like how I have the right to tell a man to leave my house, he violated the ting, and mi no de pon that wid dem. I doan play when it come to my music," he said.

Tarrus Riley also refuted claims by Nibbs that he (Riley) had apologised.

"It's a lie, I never apologised to him, I have never done anything to him that would warrant an apology. Ah him a look a hype offa me," he informed One876Entertainment.com.

"Ah war it did ready fi reach, I have no reason to apologise he was the one who offended me. Even the promoter apologised to me, but him and Kenny Nibbs ah the same nationality, so dem cool."

Asked if he would be returning to Antigua to do anymore shows in the near future, he said:

"Right now, Antigua criss, mi sorry fi my fans dem a Antigua but there are many other places in the world which need to hear my music. I have no problem with Antiguans in general, my mother's sister is even married to an Antiguan, but right now, mi alright, mi cool."