Curtis Campbell, STAR Writer

The promoter of the weekly party Bembe Thursdays has fired back in response to former Bembe Squad members Richie Feelings and Jigsy, who went public with their views about their lack of involvement in the recently revamped event.

The selectors claimed the event was sold to outsiders, however, Delano Reynolds, the owner of the Bembe brand, says this was not the case.

original Bembe Squad

Reynolds, who was a member of the original Bembe Squad, says contrary to popular belief, Bembe is still the same. "Bembe is not sold, it's just that the selectors are not there, selectors that play there now are contracted and this creates the avenue to explore variety instead of seeing the same people every week."

He continued, "I was abroad and I linked up with some of my old friends from high school to run it until I came back," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Reynolds says, he approached Richie Feelings to be a part of the new Bembe and he turned down the offer. "I called and put him on to the youths that were in charge and he shunned them," Reynolds said.

According to the promoter, Richie Feelings' action pushed him to send the email containing his ownership rights to Bembe, because while Feelings refused his offer to be a part of the event, he also threatened to start his own Bembe.

Reynolds also revealed that a conflict had been brewing among the Bembe Squad because of greed. "Richie Feelings was supposed to share profits from the event with the other DJs and he wasn't doing that, and when confronted, he said that he is Mr Bembe."

conflict

Reynolds also claims that Jiggsy was in full knowledge of the conflict, as he was one of the main selectors complaining about unfair distribution of profits.

The promoter also explained that the Gaza and Gully conflict created a negative atmosphere at Bembe and DJs were repeatedly abused, and partygoers were uncomfortable. These activities he credits as being the reason leading up to the ending of the original Bembe Thursdays.

However, selector Jiggsy shared a different view. According to Jiggsy, Bembe was not about money and that was why they did not make steps to register the name.

"It was more about promotion of careers, only one person had money in mind and a him guh register it," said Jigsy.