‘No honour for Nuffy’ - Sting scraps plan to salute iconic MC

Sting promoter, Tahheer Laing, has shelved plans to honour MC Nuffy at this year's staging of the event.

The popular MC, who is known for his years of contribution to the Sting brand, was scheduled to be crowned as the 'Top MC'. But Laing said Nuffy made a "wrong move" and "shot himself in the foot".

"After everything, I still was gonna honour him. But really and truly, certain things that have transpired in the past month or two have changed my mind," said Laing. "[Nuffy] is the same person who used to [hype up] the Sting brand, then come and change the whole narrative because of one person and we don't stand fi dat at all."

"Wi know him duh nuff fi Sting and he was our go-to MC, but it nuh mek no sense because wi wouldn't stop yuh from doing another show. He's telling us not to keep our show. But as a real bredda, him should just come to us and [share his thoughts] mek we keep it to wiself [and] mek we mek wi decision. Instead, he goes out and makes it public and a seh 'Sting nuffi keep this year and wi fi gi whosoever this year'. Wi nuh have nutten against [Vybz] Kartel and we know seh you know Kartel suh wi wouldn't stop yuh from duh Kartel show," Laing added.

In a public rant a few weeks ago, Nuffy called for Sting's cancellation, suggesting that the promoter should "make this [December] be a Gaza Christmas" - referring to Vybz Kartel's Freedom Street concert. Nuffy, who was later announced as MC for Freedom Street, said he wanted to focus on that show. Laing clarified that it's not about what was said, but more how it was done, and the impact it created coming from a "foundation member" of Sting.

"Fi you fi come tell wi fi cancel our show, dat nuh mek no sense, and a Sting buil' yuh. A di same people dem who a [cheer him on] a seh him nuffi get no award again. But then the more I see the video, mi seh 'Yuh know seh dis naah guh work doh'. And it kinda slightly hamper certain negotiations and business relations that I was having [because] it puts a bad taste in people's mouth. Dats why wi can't use him again because it's like wi wudda a sabotage wi own show," shared Laing. He said an apology from Nuffy would not mend the broken bond.

Sting was originally announced as a three-night festival this year but was later rescheduled to a two-night event, which will see the original live stage show set for December 26, and a beach party on December 28 at the Sugarman's Beach in Portmore, St Catherine. Laing recently announced an 'Early Bird Special' ticket sale where patrons will be charged $5,000 for general admission, and a special deal of three for $10,500. VIP tickets will cost $9,900, with three for $23,000 combo deal, which will end in mid-November.

"We were thinking about the masses and since we're doing it for the culture and yuh know seh Sting a di poor people dem show. Wi just want it affordable for everybody to come and enjoy demself. And yuh know seh Sting ago always have good calibre artiste suh it's best yuh get yuh tickets from now before wi announce the artiste line-up and the prices go up," Laing shared. In addition to a $5-million giveaway conceptualised by LA Lewis, a part of the attraction will see more artistes performing for longer hours.

"Di people dem fi memba seh [Sting] a di foundation and di root a di culture, suh wi can't cancel culture [or] gi weh wi culture to people after wi work pon it suh hard. Suh di people dem fi come out because wi want to keep up that cultural aspect of dancehall, because wi don't want it to fade away. Sting want to bring the people together and a just unity wi a deal wid, wi naah fight against nobody," said Laing.