In response to the controversy surrounding the Djakout Mizik/Nu Look party fiasco in New York on December 31st, Nu Look maestro Arly Larivière has shared his side of the story, shedding light on what led to the disagreement and subsequent fallout.
According to Arly, the situation was mishandled by the event’s promoter, Wes, and the version of events told by the promoter does not accurately reflect what transpired. Arly explained, “When I am in the wrong, I stay quiet. But when I feel I am being judged unfairly, I speak up.” He firmly believes that Nu Look was misrepresented in the story told by Wes.
Arly shared that the initial discussions about the event arose when Nu Look decided not to proceed with their planned tour in Haiti for December. They contacted their New York promoter Country, who mentioned that Wes was planning a Djakout Mizik party for New Year’s Eve. Eventually, Wes decided to add Nu Look to the lineup and finalized the agreement by giving a deposit to Country.
However, Arly made it clear to Wes early on that it was important for Nu Look to close the show since the band had a new CD to promote. He explained, “The people come to parties late, so if Nu Look plays first, many people will miss the new songs. Djakout, on the other hand, had no new material to showcase, so I thought it wouldn’t be an issue.” Arly also expressed that if this arrangement was not possible, he would prefer not to perform. Wes assured him that it would not be a problem, even mentioning that Djakout’s manager, Philippe Leger, was in agreement.
The day of the event, Arly arrived at the hotel lobby only to be informed by Wes that Nu Look would play first, a statement that left Arly shocked. He had been under the impression that the issue had already been resolved weeks in advance. Shabba, one of Djakout’s members, later told Arly that neither he nor the rest of the band had been informed about this arrangement, suggesting that communication between Wes and Djakout may have been lacking.
“I didn’t feel it was necessary to speak directly with Djakout about this issue, as I believed it was something that had already been agreed upon between the promoter and myself,” Arly said. He also denied any claims of disrespect toward Djakout’s maestro, Tony Jean Baptiste, asserting that he holds the utmost respect for him and the band.
In conclusion, Arly emphasized that the responsibility for the party’s failure rests with the promoter, not Nu Look. He reiterated that he has no personal issues with Djakout Mizik and that any conflict between the two groups is not of his making. “If they want to have a problem with us, that’s their choice,” he stated.
The incident has caused a stir in the Haitian Music Industry (HMI), with fans and insiders eagerly awaiting further developments in this ongoing saga between two of the industry’s biggest names.
