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Ja Rule Says He Won't Be Part Of Fyre Festival Follow-Up

17 April 2023 | 9:25 am | Jessie Lynch

It looks like he refuses to be hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood-winked, and lead astray a second time.

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Amid the news that disgraced festival promoter Billy McFarland is keen on a second reiteration of the hellfire that was Fyre Fest, fans have been eager to find out about what Ja Rule thinks of the whole situation.

The rapper was famously embroiled in the drama of the festival's debut in 2017 as Billy's co-founder, so it's no real surprise he'd be hesitant to get involved for round two.

"I don't know nothing about it!" the 47-year-old rapper told PEOPLE at TuneCore's 50 Years of Hip Hop event in New York City on Thursday night. "I don't know nothing about it. I ain't in it!"

In case you missed the gargantuan sh*tshow that was Fyre Fest (and the subsequent documentary), the event saw attendees pay up to $US12,000 for the Bahamas-based music festival where they were promised a luxury weekend but instead arrived at Exumas to find that the festival site had not been completely built.

Music acts such as blink-182, and Major Lazer were confirmed on the Fyre Fest bill. However, the event was called off on the first day after its acts pulled out following the news.

The founder of the infamous would-be festival, Billy McFarland, went to prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud and was released early last March.

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McFarland was accused of presenting investors with fake documents that convinced some to contribute more than US$1 million.

McFarland also reportedly budgeted for a $US160,000 yacht for blink-182 (who eventually pulled out of the gig due to concerns about the festival) but did not budget for the festival punters. 

As the drama unfolded, Ja Rule denied any knowledge of the crimes, saying in a Tweet on January 2019, "I had an amazing vision to create a festival like NO OTHER!!! I would NEVER SCAM or FRAUD anyone what sense does that make???

"I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead [sic] astray!!!" he added in another tweet.

In October 2018, McFarland apologised for his actions and expressed regrets over the incident to PEOPLE.

"I am incredibly sorry for my collective actions and will right the wrongs I have delivered to my family, friends, partners, associates and, you, the general public," he said in a statement at the time. 

"I've always sought — and dreamed — to accomplish incredible things by pushing the envelope to deliver for a common good, but I made many wrong and immature decisions along the way and I caused agony."

"As a result, I've lived every day in prison with pain, and I will continue to do so until I am able to make up for some of this harm through work and actions that society finds respectable."

McFarlane announced his plans to go ahead with Fyre Festival II last Monday, Tweeting, “Fyre Festival II is finally happening. Tell me why you should be invited.” 

"Going to crush the island version first," McFarland  said, before tagging Elon Musk and adding: "But @elonmusk Fyre 3 definitely needs to be in space."