Ja Rule, who was a co-founder of the Fyre Festival, has slammed two new documentaries about the failed event, claiming he was a victim too.
Hulu’s Fyre Fraud and Netflix’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened chronicle the creation and the epic downfall of the 2017 Bahamian music festival, which the rapper and Billy McFarland organized.
“I love how ppl watch a doc and think they have all the answers…” the “I’m Real” rapper, 42, tweeted on Saturday, January 19, along with a facepalm emoji before adding, “I had an amazing vision to create a festival like NO OTHER!!! I would NEVER SCAM or FRAUD anyone what sense does that make???”
I had an amazing vision to create a festival like NO OTHER!!! I would NEVER SCAM or FRAUD anyone what sense does that make???
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
He continued to reply to commenters over the weekend, telling one fan that he lost “PLENTY” of money over the festival and insisting, “I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead [sic] astray.”
I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead astray!!!
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
The Fyre Festival was set to take place on Great Exuma island over two weekends in April and May 2017. The luxury event was promoted on Instagram by celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski and Bella Hadid.
It was canceled on the first weekend, leaving many people stranded at the airport, after there were problems with security, food and accommodations, with attendees being handed prepackaged sandwiches instead of gourmet meals and finding tents and portable toilets instead of villas. There were eight lawsuits filed, with one seeking more than $100 million in damages.
In his tweets, Ja Rule also called out the two networks behind the documentaries, claiming that Hulu paid McFarland, who was interviewed for Fyre Fraud, and insisting, “That money should have went to the ppl in the Bahamas.”
McFarland pleaded guilty to wire fraud and using fake documents to attract investors and agreed to forfeit more than $26 million. He was also charged with selling fraudulent tickets to events such as the Met Gala and Coachella while out on bail. He was sentenced to six years in federal prison in October 2018.
