Renowned music producer, Fred Kyei Mensah widely known as Fredyma has described Black Sherif’s recent arrest at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) following complaint of fraud against him by Cruise People Limited (Your Cruise People) as a dent on his hard earned reputation.
He noted that it was too early for the reigning VGMA Artiste of the Year to be having such bad publicity about his unreliability when one engages him.
In a post on Facebook yesterday, July 21, Fredyma mentioned that many musicians have lost great opportunities in the creative space for lack of discipline, naivety and not paying attention to details.
Fredyma mentioned had experience of disappointing behaviours from many artistes like what happened between Black Sherif and Cruise People Limited which shouldn’t be encouraged.
Read full post below:
“A LABYRINTH CREATIVE INDUSTRY.
“I have served this creative industry especially in the area of music professionally for the past 38 years and sometimes, i get sad, emotional and devastated about some little things we don’t pay attention to.
“Several musicians, have lost great opportunities in the creative space for lack of discipline, naivety and not paying attention to detail. Having dealt with a lot of talents, some peculiar traits that emanates from their actions are, non-strict adherence to contractual agreements, inadequate preparation for major performances, lack of routine training and upgrade of their crafts, deception, money concious and not capturing detailed daily events.
“They sometimes, overbooked themselves without considering the fragility, tiredness and weary nature of their craft. I have had the experience of disappointing behaviors from so many artistes like what my son Black Sheriff, the pride of Asante Akyem and Ghana 🇬🇭 is going through at the moment. It’s humiliating being accosted while going to board a flight ✈️. A lot of spin and lies were said about his arrest at the onset.
“It’s a dent on his hard earned image on his minimal success and his management should as a matter of urgency, sort things out with those that engaged him for that event. It’s too early for him to be having such bad publicity about his unreliability when one engages him. In our Akan culture it is said ” fromfrom nte ho daa” loosely translated “you cannot enjoy grace all the time”.
“Black Sheriff, don’t blackened your chef’s dress while consuming his delicacy for life is delicate!
“Good beads don’t rattle (sic),” Fredyma posted.
Black Sherrif was stopped at the Kotoka International Airport when he arrived in Accra and was sent to the police headquarters, the source said.
He was expected to perform on a cruise starting August 19, 2023 and has reportedly been paid half of the fees but not been available for “promo” for the show.
The show has subsequently been cancelled by the organisers.
The action of the artiste was reported to the police and he was placed on the “stop list” at the airport, and so when he arrived on Wednesday, evening, he was stopped and sent to the police headquarters.
The management of Black Sheriff is yet to comment on the development.
Attached below a copy of a press statement by Cruise People Limited
Cruise People Limited (Your Cruise People) engaged the management of Mohammed Sharrif (Black Sherrif) for the artist to perform at the second edition of its musical cruise onboard a cruise ship dubbed Afro Cruise Jam, on August 19, 2023 in Greece.
The first edition, which was held last year, featured Grammy awards winner – Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage fame and Abrantie Amakye Dede and his Apollo High-Kings.
Cruise People Ltd was charged Forty Thousand United States Dollars ($40,000); and was further agreed between Cruise People Ltd., the artiste and his booking agents (United Talent Agency a.k.a Echo Location Talent Agency) that an initial payment of Twenty Thousand United States Dollars ($20,000) shall be paid to him to firm up the agreement and in return he will record a video confirming his participation and availability for the said show on the cruise ship at the agreed dates.
The company proceeded to pay the initial deposit via swift bank transfer to his London account as agreed and the artiste acknowledged receipt of payment.
Following a series of email correspondences between Cruise People Ltd. and artist, the company reiterated to him that they needed the video recording of him confirming his performance on the cruise ship on the dates agreed upon and went further to notify him that they had arranged a media engagement with Multimedia Group on Friday 19th May, 2023 @ 3pm for which the said video clip announcing his performance and availability for the event on the cruise ship will be broadcasted to elicit enhanced marketability of the event.
He unequivocally represented to us that the video clip will be ready even before the broadcast date duly communicated to him and hence they went ahead and paid for the media broadcast.
Given the firm assurances from him and his outfit that the video clip will be ready and available for the media broadcast, they went ahead to make deposits and secured cabins on the cruise ship and other incidental arrangements in anticipation of enhanced interests and patronage of purchase of cruise tickets that the media broadcast shall generate.
Regrettably, he failed, refused and / or neglected to make the video clip available to Cruise People Ltd. to be broadcasted on the 19th May, 2023 @3 pm, the time scheduled. The media encounter with multimedia group was held without the input of the video clip from him announcing his performance at the event contrary to earlier agreement between them.
As a result of his failure to confirm his participation, the cabins on the cruise ship which were paid for and reserved at a discounted price had to be cancelled and deposits lost since the expected interests and patronage of the event could not be guaranteed. He deliberately failed to perform his part of the agreement despite several reminders sent to his agents.
The company’s lawyers wrote and informed him, his management and booking agents on May 23, 2023 about the breach of agreement and till date, they didn’t reply.
At this point, they had no option than to report his fraudulent actions to the police and proceed to court for redress and seek reliefs.
