By Howard Campbell
Observer senior writer–
ONE year after his set was controversially cut at Groovin’ In The Park, Busy Signal will perform for a second time on the annual concert scheduled for June 24 at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, New York.
The deejay’s hyped appearance at last year’s show ended abruptly when his microphone went silent after 20 minutes into his show. Promoters said they were under pressure from police to wrap up the event and, with rhythm and blues star R Kelly to follow, were forced to cut Busy Signal’s time.
He was not amused, shouting, “If me can’t perform R Kelly can’t perform neither!”
Christopher Roberts, whose Groovin’ Inc company stages Groovin’ In The Park, said he and his team have mended fences with the artiste and his team.
“Truth be told we have been having dialogue with Busy Signal and his management for his return to New York for an encore performance since last June. After months of back and forth between both camps, we finally came to a decision that he should to return to complete what he started last year,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
Roberts added that overwhelming fan appeal played a significant role in the decision to ‘recall’ Busy Signal (given name Glendale Gordon). To prevent a recurrence of the 2017 fiasco, promoters plan to release a schedule of the times each artiste will perform.
“While an exact time for Busy’s performance has not yet been ascertained, I can promise he will perform much earlier than he did last year,” Roberts said.
Groovin’ In The Park marked Busy Signal’s debut performance in the United States. He had been unable to work in the country due to legal troubles that led to a six-month prison sentence in 2012.
This year, Groovin’ In The Park celebrates its eighth anniversary. Capleton, Romain Virgo and Babyface are the other acts confirmed to date.
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