EXCLUSIVE: Kelly Price slams 1 Hope Beach Weekend Event, Others Compared to Fyre Festival

After a year like 2020 where nearly the entire world shut things down due to the pandemic, many people were looking forward to that first event out and about to gather, network, fellowship and enjoy events again. "Rev Up Nations 1NE Hope Festival set out to be that event. A Memorial Day faith-based fun family weekend in Galveston, TX with all star line-ups and good food. Events of this magnitude are easier said to pull off than actually done.

The world famous "coachella" is arguably the biggest to host an event like this.

Then there are events that are supposed to be like Coachella. Perhaps the biggest event debacle was Fyre Festival This event failure was so huge it became a whole Netflix documentary.

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The 1Ne Hope Experience was supposed to be the experience to launch the summer. Faith, family friends and fun, this was set to to be huge.

Event promoter Ken James stopped by the Blessed Beatz Live show for an instagram live on May 5th to discuss the event.

But, could the "Rev Up Nation" actually pull this event off? So much at stake, so many moving parts. Would the community come out and support after a year long pandemic?

The community showed up, and so did the artists. But you know who didn't show up? The promoter, Ken James.

In snake oil fashion, James was out of sight and unavailable to anyone that was trying to get in touch with him. Headliner Kelly Price was highly displeased with the level of professionalism displayed by James, and the lack of payment. So, Ms. Price did not grace the stage. Nor did Lyfe Jennings, Dee1, Marcus D. Wileyl, and many other artists in the lineup.

When ticket-buyers grumbled about the lack of entertainment, James communicated that Kelly Price opted to not go on stage due to the news of her grandmother's failing health. This move may have been the downfall of James.

With little recourse available, Kelly Price took to social media to clear the air and address Ken James about speaking her grandmother's name. And boy did she let out ALL the dirty laundry before returning home to visit with her grandmother! As it turns out, none of the artists received full payment for the event, many of them only getting the deposits.

Kelly Price isn't the only artist to take their frustrations, thoughts, and apologies to social media. Christian comedian Marcus D. Wiley said "When you don't get the remainder of the balance, you don't go on stage. I need my money" in his rant on Instagram.

Christian rapper Dee-1 kept it classy but still apologized to his fans, saying, "That wasn't able to happen because of some unprofessional stuff that went down."

The last artist to be booked, blazexblack, shared a post trying to look on the bright side and soften the blow.

Added to the "postoned" image, the caption read, "I don't want the overall message of the community outreach and good deeds to be overlooked. I think Mr James just had alot on his plate and we will never know the whole story. He Apologized and mentioned his faults hopefully we all can learn from this. We don't personally hate or will tear down anyone. We're all blessed to be doing what we truly love. So thank you to the fans and Positive Energy to all entities involved. #nahimsayin"

BlessedBeatz staff member, Sha Johnson, had this to say about the aftermath:

"What happened in Galveston this past weekend is very unfortunate. As a woman of God, I want to believe that this was a legitimate case of unforeseen circumstances. The evidence is just not matching up with that theory.

The facts are that a promoter (Ken James) organized an event, signed contracts, made agreements, and didn't follow through. His actions costed people time and money that they can never recover. No matter how much we want to give the benefit of the doubt, especially in the faith-based community and as people of color, we have to call a spade a spade.

The unfortunate reality is that there truly are wolves dressed in sheep's clothing that prey on people of faith and people with good intentions with no remorse or regard for how they will be affected. Maybe Mr. James needs to go to business school. Maybe he needs to take an accounting course. But there does not exist a world where it is ok to promise a person or entity a specific amount of money for a specific service and simply not pay. There does not exist a world where it is ok to charge fans up to $100 for a ticket with the knowledge that the artists they are coming to see have not and probably will not be paid.

It would be different if everyone (including BlessedBeatz) wasn't given the same treatment of receiving a deposit only. It would be different if ANY of the artists and talents lined up for the event had been fully compensated. It would be different if Ken James hadn't added to the lineup just 6 days before the opening night. It would be different if James hadn't went ghost mode, dodging calls and avoiding those who were involved in putting on the event.

These are not actions of a person who is mistakenly expecting things to be completed. These are not the actions of someone who had a true emergency or unexpected issue. These are the actions of someone who is intentionally deceiving and misleading people, hoping to just run off into the wind and not feel any repercussions. And the most horrific part about it is that Ken James promoted himself and this event as one of faith and hope.

As a woman of God and a person of color, this is not acceptable! These actions tarnish the image of all of us to each other and to the world that is already stacked against us. We may not know WHY Ken James lied, and it isn't really our business. But we do know that something was not right and it was never intended to be. Fortunately for Mr. James, the God I serve that forgave me for all the wrongs I have done extends that same grace to him."

Will the cities of Houston and Galveston ever get to see Kelly Price and Lyfe Jennings live? Will the 1ne Hope event be a historical stain on the black entertainment community? We will keep you updated as more information unfolds.

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