Cardi B Challenges BZR WKND Jamaica Promoter to Sue Her

Cardi B’s representative has denied promoter Ryan Burke’s claim that she was paid her full $2.5 million fee for her canceled headlining set at BZR WKND Jamaica 2026.

Burke announced that he would sue Cardi over the canceled performance and alleged on Jamaica’s CVM News on Nov. 9 that she was refusing to return the money. Cardi criticized Burke on Instagram Live on Tuesday night, Nov. 10.

In an exclusive statement to Billboard, Cardi’s representative said: “Contrary to BZR WKND’s claims, Cardi B was not paid in full for her scheduled appearance. The event organizers failed to fulfill their contractual payment obligations, constituting a material breach of the agreement. As a result of this breach, Cardi B was left with no choice but to cancel her participation. Any suggestion that Cardi B received full payment and subsequently withdrew without justification is false and misrepresents the circumstances surrounding the cancellation. Cardi B and her representatives stand firmly behind the decision and are prepared to defend against any claims arising from the organizer’s failure to meet its contractual obligations.”

Billboard first reported Cardi’s involvement on Aug. 4. The set would have been her first time headlining a stadium in the Caribbean. Billed as “Cardi B & Friends,” it was to be hosted by Grammy-nominated dancehall artist Spice, with Keyshia Cole, Ding Dong, Shaneil Muir, Stalk Ashley and DJ MAC also set to perform. The festival was originally scheduled for Oct. 16–19 and has since been reduced to two days, Dec. 19–20.

In a separate exclusive statement to Billboard, BZR WKND representatives disputed Cardi’s account and said the Jamaican government was not involved in covering the remaining balance of her fee.

“Following receipt of the initial deposit payment, Cardi B did not fulfill her contractual obligation to provide promotional support for the event, including the required official announcement video, a standard deliverable in artist engagements of this nature,” the statement said.

“Unfortunately, despite making the agreed-upon payments in full directly to Cardi B, the artist and her team has continued to make claims to the contrary over the past 48 hours via Instagram Live,” it continued. “We are taking steps to pursue legal action to protect the integrity and reputation of BZR WKND and the many stakeholders adversely affected by this situation. We intend to vigorously defend our position through the appropriate legal channels.”

Cardi withdrew on Oct. 8 in a statement from her representative, saying she “appreciates the love and support from her fans in Jamaica and hopes to see them in the future.” In a video posted to her Instagram Broadcast Channel the following day, she said, “I tried my best, and I waited and I waited and I waited for things to get in place and together, but it didn’t.”

On a Nov. 9 Instagram Live, she said: “Let me tell you something, baby. Please, I wish on the brightest star for you to sue me… so I could really get money out of you for real because the way you got me f—ed up is insane.”

Cardi said she received a deposit of about $900,000 from an agreed $1 million advance, which represented half her overall fee. She also alleged that BZR WKND missed a Sept. 17 deadline for a production payment and sent $750,000 only after she told the organizers she was withdrawing.

“It would be too late for cargo to send; all the flights are extremely expensive, [and] the hotels are extremely expensive,” she said. Cardi said she returned the late payment because equipment was still in Florida.

“You only gave me a week and a half because you were supposed to send the production money. You were trying to make me pay the production of the whole entire show. And it’s like, ‘Why am I paying the production of a whole entire show if this is a festival?’ You was trying to use the verbiage, like, ‘Oh no, this is not a festival, this is a Cardi B concert.’ No, this is not a Cardi B concert. This is a festival, and I’m headlining. This is two different things.”

Burke gave a different account on CVM News on Nov. 9, according to the Jamaica Observer. “We were hoping that Cardi B would have fulfilled her obligations and showed up for the country on Oct. 18th,” he said. “After speaking with her team, they stated that they wanted to come to the makeup date that was scheduled for December 20th, but unfortunately that didn’t happen either.

“Millions went into the show; Cardi B received $2.5 million for her performance, and that money was sent directly to her. She was paid in full,” he alleged. “We requested the money back when we found that she didn’t look like she was going to be performing on the rescheduled date, but we didn’t hear anything back from them, which is why we are here now.”

Cardi disputed Burke’s claims during her livestream, saying, “It’s one thing for you to get online and lie about me, but baby, one [place] you cannot lie is that courtroom. Take me there because now you’re lying on me, which is defamation of character, and I’m going to sue you right the f—k back.” She also said she would not return the initial deposit.

On Tuesday night, her agent, Mike ‘Mike G’ Guirguis of United Talent Agency, wrote on X: “Here’s the truth. @iamcardib never received her full fee for the Jamaica show, and the promoter failed to meet multiple obligations under the agreement. Any claim that she was paid in full is false. Her fans in Jamaica deserve transparency and accountability.”

During her late-night Nov. 10 stream, Cardi clarified earlier claims that the Jamaican government had invested in the show. “I want to apologize to the Government of Jamaica… Motherf–kers were putting y’all name in the finesse… And I challenge a motherf–ker to call my bluff… I got an email from you [Ryan] telling my people that the government invested in the festival; you said it! Now, I don’t know if that’s true or not cause like I said, everything was a finesse.”

Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport had issued an official statement denying financial involvement in BZR WKND 2026. “The Government of Jamaica made no commitment or payment towards appearance fees or any fees whatsoever, in relation to a proposed concert in Jamaica which was expected to feature international recording artiste, Cardi B,” the statement said. It noted that event spending had been limited as recovery from Hurricane Melissa continued. “The event was a private commercial engagement in which the Government was not involved.”

Cardi joked that she would take her next vacation in Jamaica. She is set to perform at GTA 6: The Festival in Miami on Nov. 21 and receive Billboard Canada’s first Global Woman of the Year award in Toronto on Nov. 24.

Source: Billboard