A public dispute has erupted between dancehall artiste Demarco and the organisers of Reggae Jam Festival 2026 after organisers of the German event rejected the entertainer’s claim that unfulfilled contractual obligations forced him to withdraw. In response to Demarco’s Instagram announcement, the festival released a detailed statement disputing his account, prompting the artiste to accuse organisers of misrepresenting the situation and warn that he could pursue legal action.
According to Reggae Jam Festival, Demarco was booked on what organisers described as a Premium Economy return flight between Atlanta and Frankfurt costing approximately €3,000. They said that after the artiste raised concerns about the booking class, they attempted to arrange an upgrade but were unable to do so because he had already checked in online and selected a seat. Organisers added that they offered to reimburse the cost of an airport upgrade via PayPal, but alleged that the proposal was declined. “The claim that we did not meet our contractual obligations is not accurate,” the festival said, maintaining that it did everything reasonably possible to ensure the performance went ahead.
Demarco swiftly responded in the comments section beneath the festival’s Instagram statement, disputing that version of events. “Don’t let me Sue you people I have proof of this issue,” he wrote. The dancehall artiste further alleged that the organisers had more than six months to book his contracted first-class ticket but instead booked what he described as an economy ticket on 16 July. “Business is business don’t think I’m hungry because you think we Jamaicans are broke we Rich and Happy,” he added.
The disagreement comes just as Reggae Jam Festival prepares to welcome fans to Klosterpark in Bersenbrück, Germany, from 23 to 26 July, with a line-up including Tarrus Riley, Dean Fraser, Alborosie, Konshens, Inner Circle and Queen Omega. While both sides remain firm in their positions, the dispute has become one of the festival’s biggest talking points ahead of its opening, with no indication that the matter has been resolved.
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