Artist manager Victor E. Lewis, a native of Montserrat, appeared in a 6-minute video Monday along with international recording artist Ky-Mani Marley in order to address Marley’s no-show at a concert late Saturday in Maui, Hawaii.
During the tense and sometimes awkward video that appeared on Marley’s Facebook page, Lewis accepted responsibility for Marley’s absence at the concert — dubbed “Bob Bash” — and admitted he received a deposit from the promoter but told Marley otherwise.
“Unfortunately, I was misled to believe that I was not paid by the promoter by Mr. Victor Lewis here,” Marley said during the video. He then turned to Lewis and asked him to explain.
“We did receive the amount that was to cover the cost of Ky-Mani’s performance,” said an obviously beleaguered Lewis, who was quickly interrupted by Marley, who said, “Not we, not we.”
Marley, son of music legend Bob Marley, performed in two other shows in the islands earlier in the week, in Kona and the capital Honolulu.
“I apologize to Ky-mani for putting him in this position,” added Lewis. “There’s no excuses. I apologize to the people of Maui … and most importantly Ky-Mani Marley for spoiling his reputation and putting him on the spot and in an awkward predicament.”
At one point, a seemingly exasperated and angry Marley turned to Lewis and said: “You have to apologize to all of the people in Maui who took their time and brought their children to this family event.”
The online publication Maui Now wrote an article on the incident, drawing many angry comments from local fans.
Bob Marley-themed concerts are held each February around the world in celebration of the music icon’s birthday (born February 6, 1945).
Lewis is a former architectural student who transitioned to the entertainment business. He is the CEO and Managing Director of VicRae Inc., a platform that handles artist management, music publishing, media production and even fashion. The company’s client list includes mostly reggae artists.
Attempts to reach Lewis for a comment were unsuccessful.
