By Kristy Puchko | Film | January 21, 2019 |
By Kristy Puchko | Film | January 21, 2019 |
Over the weekend, the debate raged online over the two rival Fyre Fest docs, Netflix’s FYRE and Hulu’s Fyre Fraud. But no matter which documentary you watched, Fyre Fest co-founder Ja Rule doesn’t come off great! At best, he was duped by Billy McFarland into being the celebrity face of a catastrophic music festival that became a national punchline. At worst, he was knowingly complicit in the fest’s fraud, or as he prefers to call it in one damning scene, “false advertising.” The rapper, who chose not to participate in either doc, has taken to Twitter to respond. A lot.
I love how ppl watch a doc and think they have all the answers… 🤦ðŸ¾â€â™‚ï¸
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 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???
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Hulu PAID BILLY!!! That money should’ve went to the Bahamian ppl Netflix PAID fuck Jerry the same guys that did the promo for the festival… 🤦ðŸ¾â€â™‚ï¸
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
I have receipts!!!
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
I guess I’m on Fyre this week… 🔥🤣😂ðŸ˜
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Y’all want it to be me sooo bad it’s crazy… kinda sad!!! the crazy shit is I’m watching the docs in awe myself…
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
I NEVER MADE OR GOT PAID ONE DOLLAR FROM FYRE… BUT EVERYONE ELSE DID!!! https://t.co/35fwx5iuvF
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
PLENTY… https://t.co/Pb5tOW3ueL
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
So it’s impossible for me to TRUST someone with my vision and them completely fuck it up??? And it wasn’t my money so when I asked questions I was lied to… https://t.co/clsRhbCMQS
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Haha nice try homie you ain’t getting the goods over Twitter… but I will tell my truth real soon… AND I HAVE RECEIPTS!!! https://t.co/O03JD3VQOl
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
I too was hustled, scammed, bamboozled, hood winked, lead astray!!!
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Because Ja Rule was tweeting in earnest about the docs, several users asked him to speak on Fyre Fest’s most sympathetic victim. Restaurant owner Maryann Rolle, a Great Exuma caterer who was fleeced by the fest for more than $100,000. When McFarland and Fyre employees fled the Bahamas, they left many local workers unpaid, including Rolle. In FYRE, Rolle cries as she recounts how McFarland’s betrayal led to her using her life savings to pay as many workers as she could.
Here’s the series of responses Rule made. See if you can tell when his PR team likely reached out.
Sooo did they have all this food or did they serve cheese sandwiches??? Asking for a friend… https://t.co/kSIqgbtvwS
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
You see the key word here is BILLY… IVE NEVER EVEN MET THIS LOVELY WOMAN… https://t.co/VZcNOljaMD
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) January 20, 2019
Rule’s sympathies right now seem to be entirely Twitter and Instagram related, which is ironic since those social media apps were where Fyre went viral for better then worse. But there’s some good news for Rolle; not everyone’s sympathies are limited to lip service.
In the wake of FYRE’s release, she’s started a GoFundMe campaign, which has already pulled in more than her $123,000 goal. Notably, $20,000 of that came from Elliot Tebele, creator of Fuck Jerry and executive producer of FYRE. According to Tebele, that was all the money his company made from doing Fyre Fest’s marketing.
Just gave every dollar my agency earned from the Fyre Festival back to the go fund me. Others should do the same. https://t.co/x7saQiPiGC
— Elliot Tebele (@FuckJerry) January 21, 2019
But that’s not all. Fuck Jerry donated $10k, while MATTE Projects, who co-produced the Fyre Fest promo vid along with Fuck Jerry, donated another $5k. And Pajiba has confirmed FYRE director Chris Smith, who brought Rolle’s story to the world’s attention, donated another $4,000.
Fyre Fraud made the argument that Fuck Jerry was complicit in McFarland’s deceptions. Now, Fuck Jerry is throwing down the gauntlet, challenging those who profited from Fyre Fest to help those who suffered because of it. We’ll be watching to see which musical acts or Instagram influencers respond.
source: GoFundMe