Legendary musician David Hinds of Steel Pulse has claimed on social media that his band was disrespected by the security and crew of Afrobeats singer Burna Boy at the 37th staging of Summer Jam Festival in Cologne, Germany.
Summer Jam 2024 ran from July 5 to 7 and headlined Burna Boy. The event also featured top Jamaican acts such as Skillibeng, Konshens, Busy Signal, Lila Ike, Beenie Man, and Ky-Mani Marley, among others.
- Advertisement -
In a detailed comment beneath a World Reggae post about the festival, the guitarist and lead vocalist tagged his band, Burna Boy, and the official page of Summer Jam Festival, expressing his frustration. He wrote that Steel Pulse was fully disrespected by Burna Boy’s security team and crew, who attempted to evict them from their dressing room to allocate four dressing rooms for Burna Boy’s massive entourage.
Hinds mentioned that Selwyn Brown, an original band member, was livid, and although the team stood their ground, they were dismayed at the treatment of a band that has paved the way for Reggae music.
He also criticized the organizers of the Summer Jam Festival, demanding an explanation for why his band was bullied by Burna Boy’s security team. Hinds further questioned why a barricade was erected when his band refused to leave, which resulted in a split between the dressing rooms and caused them to feel like prisoners.
Hinds ended his comment with a warning to Reggae festival organizers, stating that the behavior displayed by Burna Boy’s entourage cannot be a part of Reggae’s culture, which promotes peace, love, and unity.
Neither Summer Jam nor Burna Boy has responded to the allegations.
