Latest news with #BlueScreenEntertainment
TimesLIVE
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Mthandeni SK served with letter of demand after 'no-show' at Durban Music Fest
Popular maskandi star Mthandeni Sibusiso Manqele, better known as Mthandeni SK, is embroiled in a legal dispute with Blue Screen Entertainment, a prominent events company, after a no-show at the Durban Music Fest. The company issued a letter of demand to Mthandeni SK after he allegedly failed to perform on May 3 at the festival at Moses Mabhida stadium, at which American musician Rick Ross was the headliner, even though he was paid fully before the festival. According to the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by TshisaLIVE, dated May 16 and signed by Brian Steel, head of legal at Blue Screen Entertainment, Mthandeni SK was contracted to perform at the festival. The company claims he was paid R40,000 for his performance — a deposit of R20,000 when he signed the contract and the final balance of R20,000 on May 2. However, Mthandeni SK allegedly skipped his performance and performed instead at the 25th Metro FM Music Awards in Mbombela. 'Despite receiving the full payment of R40,000, you failed to attend or perform at the festival, and you did not contact Blue Screen Entertainment or any of its representatives to communicate your unavailability. Further, it has been brought to our attention and confirmed through public and social media footage that you were instead performing at the Metro FM Awards on the same date in another city,' the letter states. The organisation said Mthandeni SK's no-show had caused it significant reputational and potential commercial damage. It demanded the immediate return of the final R20,000 final payment made on May 2 for services not rendered no later than May 23, which was Friday. 'Failure to comply with the letter of demand will leave Blue Screen Entertainment with no alternative but to pursue legal action for breach of contract and damages without further notice,' it stated. Asked for comment by TshisaLIVE, Mthandeni SK's office said: 'Yes, he performed at the Metros because their money was better, Mthandeni is a very busy man and sometimes he gets more than five gigs per day and some gigs he can't make it. However, we've reached out to the Blue Screen Entertainment guys and arranged when they'll expect their refund.' In a statement on Sunday, Blue Screen Entertainment said: 'Our company compensated Mthandeni SK with R40,000 in accordance with a signed contract for the Durban Music Festival scheduled on May 3. Unfortunately, instead of honouring this commitment, Mthandeni SK chose to perform at the Metro FM Awards on the same evening without notifying us of his absence. 'Upon confronting Mthandeni SK management about this breach of contract, his manager explained that they were unable to return the funds immediately, attributing the situation to a supposed scheduling conflict. It was stated that they 'simply forgot' to communicate with us, despite Mthandeni SK manager confirming his attendance with our team the day prior to the festival. 'After several discussions, his manager indicated that Mthandeni SK has a separate fee structure for promotional postings and proposed returning only R20,000 of the initial payment. We agreed to this resolution; however, as of today, we have yet to receive the adjusted amount we had mutually consented upon.'
TimesLIVE
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Durban Music Festival with Rick Ross a success despite stadium security glitches
The Durban Music Festival was a success, despite disappointments. The festival took place on Saturday and featured US rapper Rick Ross and local artists. A video clip is doing the rounds with some people voicing their dissatisfaction with the organisers. It's alleged some artists weren't given tags to enter suites or gain access to the venue. A source told TshisaLIVE the event went well but the organisers were disappointed by stadium security. 'At some point the organisers were prevented from entering a suite. Imagine you can't gain access to a VIP area at an event you're hosting,' said the source. Another source said: 'Some artists couldn't buy refreshments because the stadium failed to give the vendor a designated area to sell refreshments. Security at Moses Mabhida was a huge disappointment.' Blue Screen Entertainment issued a statement, saying: 'We were overjoyed that we sold out Moses Mabhida Stadium for the Durban Music Festival, and all the artists gave their best and left nothing to chance on stage. We want to thank all our staff, partners and artists for their hard work and dedication to the event.
TimesLIVE
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
'Give us the juice': Black Brain to film Durban Music Fest documentary
Black Brain Pictures is set to give people a front-row seat to the Durban Music Festival. Recently the production company's founder Mandla N jetted off to Durban to meet the organisers of festival to discuss shooting a documentary. The festival is taking place at Moses Mabhida Stadium on May 3 and will feature US rapper Rick Ross, DJ Sox, DJ Bongz, Big Zulu, Sjava, DJ Tira and Mawhoo, among others. Asked what inspired him, Mandla N told TshisaLIVE: "It's easy: storytelling. We see storytelling in everything. The way the festival is positioned, this is a melting pot of content that must be shared — not just with festival goers but the world over. "As storytellers, we're inspired by the city, the talent and the music. Content is king and so we want it all — the good, the bad, the ugly, the successes. Give us the juice. Nyiko Bilankulu Notable artists and influencers will be involved in the documentary, he said. "We'll be documenting everything from planning, the build-up, talents, even the key players that actually bring these events to life. It's going to be really exciting. "We respect them all in their own right. We'll get to zoom in a little bit on what it takes to bring you the performances you see on stage. It's interesting to see the selection of artists that will be performing. "And of course Rick Ross, being an iconic artist, has an interesting story to tell. He is entertainment at its best. We cannot wait to show the world the different sides." Mandla said the festival promises to be a night to remember. As film makers they want to be part of the magic and contribute to history as they create legacy stories. "Durban is the playground of South Africa. You want to dance? Eat? Go to the beach? Well, that's Durban — so of course the documentary will be centred around various thematic approaches." Blue Screen Entertainment shared a statement on Thursday expressing their excitement for this collaboration. "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Black Brain Pictures to produce an exciting documentary for the Durban Music Fest. This film will highlight South Africa and the vibrant city of Durban as a cultural hub and a flourishing music community," it said. "Our primary goal is to promote tourism and attract international acts to come and collaborate with our incredibly talented local artists. Through this documentary we hope to showcase the rich musical landscape and diverse cultural offerings of South Africa, allowing the world to see the immense talent we have and the welcoming spirit of our vibrant tourism scene."
