Ja Rule has hit out at the recently released Fyre Festival documentaries, accusing the films’ viewers of unfairly shifting the blame for the disastrous event onto him.
Earlier this week, a documentary telling the story of the doomed ‘luxury’ festival landed on Netflix. FYRE focuses on the event’s co-founder Billy McFarland – who in October was imprisoned for multiple counts of fraud. A second film called Fyre Fraud was also released to Hulu.
Now, rapper Ja Rule – who co-founded the festival with McFarland – has aired his frustrations over being blamed for Fyre Festival. “I love how ppl watch a doc and think they have all the answers,” he tweeted.
I love how ppl watch a doc and think they have all the answers… ??♂️
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
Later, he added: “I had an amazing vision to create a festival like NO OTHER!!! I would NEVER SCAM or FRAUD anyone what sense does that make???”
In another post, Rule referred to ethical issues surrounding the movies – with Billy McFarland being paid by Hulu to appear onscreen, and Jerry Media co-producing FYRE after marketing Fyre Festival.
“Hulu PAID BILLY!!! That money should’ve [gone] to the Bahamian ppl Netflix PAID fuck Jerry the same guys that did the promo for the festival… The docs clearly have Billy at fault but let’s blame the rapper lmao ok…,” he said.
Hulu PAID BILLY!!! That money should’ve went to the Bahamian ppl Netflix PAID fuck Jerry the same guys that did the promo for the festival… ??♂️
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
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Responding to followers’ questions, Ja Rule also claimed that he was “hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hoodwinked, [and] lead astray” by McFarland and lost “plenty” of money.
“I NEVER MADE OR GOT PAID ONE DOLLAR FROM FYRE… BUT EVERYONE ELSE DID!!!” he said.
I NEVER MADE OR GOT PAID ONE DOLLAR FROM FYRE… BUT EVERYONE ELSE DID!!! https://t.co/35fwx5iuvF
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead astray!!!
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
PLENTY… https://t.co/Pb5tOW3ueL
— Ja Rule (@jarule) January 20, 2019
Meanwhile, Fyre Festival staff have received tens of thousands of pounds via a GoFundMe page after losing their life savings. Bahamian restaurant worker Maryann Rolle was left with an unpaid workforce after the festival collapsed in April 2017.