Soca Artists Protest Vybz Kartel's 'Fantastic Friday' Performance, Demand Focus On Lo

The announcement that Jamaican Dancehall artist Vybz Kartel will perform on 'Fantastic Friday' has sparked a wave of mixed reactions. Trinidadian Soca Artiste Kevon Heath, also known as 'Yankey Boy,' has even started a hunger strike to get the organisers to change the date of the concert. He explained his decision to go on the hunger strike, noting that Soca music should be given priority on Carnival Friday in Trinidad and Tobago. "Vybz Kartel will sell off any day, any time. Just don't go on that day, leave that day for the youths and them... Ash Wednesday, everything is free. The whole country does go back to play every genre of music because I think Fantastic Friday, regardless of what. I understand it had no Soca Monarch for the past couple of years but this year it's coming back for sure and that's a chance for the youth to showcase their talent." Speaking with TTT News on Day 2 of his hunger strike, The "Rumours" artiste said actions like these send a message to the rest of the world that we do not care about our culture. "We just care about the hype or the greed. I mean, I understand the promoter from a business standpoint, Carnival Friday, all the tourists in the middle here, let me show the show here, of course, we could show Kartel the show going on sell out. I now studying, I now on the other side of the fence studying the culture part." The artiste noted a similar incident that occurred on Labour Day in the United States. "I understand Labour Day is a parade, is not a Carnival. So the Haitian truck passing, they play the Haitian music. The Grenadian trucks only playing Grenadian music. Vinci, Vinci music, American, American music. Jamaican, Jamaican music. Why the Trini truck passing, and when all the international media by the stage, playing Jamaican music? It don't make no sense so I don't know why we don't like we culture. What going wrong?" He said he is going to continue his hunger strike until the concert date changes, no matter the outcome. "I'm willing to go right down, even if I have to reach in the hospital, but time will tell. This is my sacrifice." He is thanking all his fans for the support that he received thus far. "I just want to say thank you to all the fans, and the Soca fans, and the supporters who'll be reaching out to me in my DM, and telling me to drink electrified water, and all that kind of thing, you know, because I, I ain't too familiar with all these health stuff because I just like to eat, but I believe it's a sacrifice." Another Trinidadian Artiste, Trinidad Killa, took to social media on Thursday stating that he too will be joining in on the hunger strike. Meanwhile, veteran Soca artiste Ken Marlon Charles (KMC) believes there is room for Vybz Kartel to perform at the concert. "It is a show called One Caribbean Festival and it going to have a lot of Soca artistes from all different countries on that show and one Jamaican. One Jamaican. So we accustom having two, three Jamaicans nobody didn't give no problem?" Via a media release on Wednesday, the promoter of the event, One Caribbean Music, confirmed that Adija Palmer, aka Vybz Kartel, will perform at the One Caribbean Music Festival. They said this Carnival Friday event features a stellar cast of superstar performers from across the region, representing 80% Soca and 20% other genres of musical performances.