Friday, March 30, 2012

Nas Breaks Silence On Concert Promoter Kidnapping, "It Seemed Like He Was In Grave Danger Out There"


Rap veteran Nas has finally broke his silence on being linked to a concert promoter getting kidnapped earlier this year over a no-show for a New Year's event in Africa.

According to God's Son, business was never handled in a mannerly fashion, forcing him to remain in the United States.
"I didn't want to touch on it because it seemed like he was in grave danger out there," Nas said in an interview. "Basically he was a promoter that I never worked with, and he wanted me to come to Africa for New Year's, which, for me, I thought, would be the best way to spend New Year's. ... The business wasn't handled. There was nothing sent to me, and there were no flights. ... By the time he did send money -- he did eventually send money to me -- but it was too late to go. I didn't even have a visa to get in the country. So that's canceled, the show's canceled." (RapFix)
Concert promoter Patrick Allocco was freed after two months of imprisonment in mid-February.
A rep for Patrick Allocco tells us, "An order was entered today by Angolan authorities lifting the travel ban which prevented [Patrick] and his son from leaving the country for 49 days after [Nas] failed to show for a New Year's Eve concert." According to the rep, Patrick and his son, Patrick, were immediately escorted by U.S. Embassy Officials on a flight to Lisbon. The two men are expected to arrive in Newark, NJ Saturday afternoon. Patrick's rep adds, "We are relieved that this nightmare is over and are looking forward to coming home to our family and friends who have supported us with their prayers and optimism during this ordeal." (TMZ)
A few weeks prior, Allocco said Nas still owed him a hefty amount of the money paid for his appearance.
Patrick Allocco, CEO of AllGood Concerts, said in an interview Sunday that he and his son, also named Patrick, are in a hotel in the Luanda capital, but cannot leave the country because of an investigation into the concert. Allocco arranged to have Nas perform a New Year's concert in Angola, but the rapper never showed. That infuriated local promoter, Henrique "Riquhino" Miguel, who fronted $300,000 for the show, Allocco said. Miguel is insisting Nas return the $300,000 plus $50,000 in expenses before the Alloccos can leave. The Alloccos, ages 51 and 22, are in good spirits but battling dysentery. They have access to a cell phone and have contacted the U.S. Embassy. "When I told the local promoter that the acts had not traveled, he became extremely angry," Allocco said. Nas has wired $200,000 to Allocco's attorney, Allocco said. "He is supposed to send another $100,000, but now he is reneging," Allocco said. (Star-Ledger)
The Queens native and another act were reportedly paid over $300,000 to hit the stage in January.
Nas and his opening act Jemiah Jai were due to perform at a party hosted by Henrique Miguel and they were paid $315,000 for the heavily-promoted gigs, but when both stars missed their flights to Angola, and the show was scrapped, AllGood Entertainment CEO Allocco and his son were allegedly snatched at gunpoint and interrogated for nearly seven hours. (National Ledger)

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