Ja Rule is weighing in on the second Fyre Festival happening after the inaugural event was an utter disaster that resulted in the imprisonment of the showcase’s cofounder, Billy McFarland.
On Friday (April 14), People shared exclusive remarks from Ja Rule following the recent announcement from McFarland that he would be proceeding with putting together a follow-up festival. Ja, who cofounded the first Fyre Festival, made it clear he wants no association with the event this time around.
“I don’t know nothing about it,” Ja Rule said when asked about the second coming of the event. “I don’t know nothing about it. I ain’t in it,” he reiterated.
Last week, Billy McFarland raised eyebrows when he announced he would be putting on another Fyre Festival.
“Fyre Festival II is finally happening,” he tweeted. “Tell me why you should be invited.”
The infamous Fyre Festival was supposed to go down in April and May of 2017 on the Bahamian island of Exuma. Concertgoers were promised a lavish multi-day concert on an exotic island headlined by G.O.O.D. Music, with many people paying exorbitant amounts to attend due to the promise of posh villa staying arraignments and a stellar lineup. However, the festival was plagued with problems from the start.
Food, security and accommodations were a major issues, with many people who attended the first day of the festival complaining on social media and leaving. Several musical acts who were set to perform pulled out and the event was eventually cancelled.
In March of 2018, McFarland pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection to the festival for tricking investors and was sentenced to six years in prison. He was released last March after serving four years.
While he escaped lawsuits and legal repercussions in connection to the event, Ja Rule has had to push back against the perception that the fiasco was partially his fault. In December of 2019, Ja addressed the event on a track titled “F.Y.R.E.”
The event has spawned multiple documentaries. In January of 2019, Netflix released a documentary on the failed festival titled Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Never Happened. The same year, Hulu released Fyre Fraud.