Ja Rule had a hand in the what became the disastrous Fyre Festival last year, but he still says his original idea for the music fest -- a Caribbean getaway that didn't even come close to delivering on its promises of a luxury experience -- was "brilliant." He addressed his involvement with the original festival plans in a new episode of Revolt TV's Drink Champs.
“I’m not ashamed of Fyre at all. Because man, the idea, it was brilliant. It was fuckin’ beyond brilliant ... It was amazing," Ja Rule said of the event that was scheduled to take place on the private island of Exuma on April 28-30 and May 5-7, 2017. He promoted Fyre Festival alongside entrepreneur Billy McFarland, who was recently charged with fraud for misleading more than 100 investors into providing upwards of $24 million for his failed businesses, Fyre Media and credit card company Magnises, and lost a $5 million lawsuit to two Fyre Festival attendees.
"It wasn’t what I dreamed it of being and what I envisioned of it being and what I wanted it to be," the rapper admitted. "It wasn’t done properly.”
Ja Rule added: “People didn’t really know I had anything to do with the festival until it went wrong. And then it was like, ‘Ja Rule's festival!'"
"It was my idea, my vision to do this," he clarified. "And I’m no way, shape or form ashamed of my vision of what it was to do this ... I wanted to create something amazing."
He continued: "I should’ve been more on top of things. I should’ve not trusted people with certain things. And maybe, I’m positive things wouldn’t have been like that. That part of it, I take all responsibility."
After comparing the experience to an artist entrusting "in others to carry" their vision when releasing an album, Ja Rule said, "I didn't let that set me back the way people thought it would." But he also had some key advice to offer: "Never give nobody the keys to your motherfucking car."
Watch the portion of the interview below.
