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Visiting
Reggae Star Beaten by as many as 12 men, some armed, in the
Bahamas |
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From Nassau Tribune August 23, 2007: Reggae star DJ
Chuck Fenda, who was visiting the Bahamas to perform
concerts, was badly beaten when 12 men, some armed with
guns, assaulted him on Monday night in the Jubilee Gardens.
According to eye witness reports, Fenda, 35, only narrowly
escaped becoming the victim of a kidnapping.
Chief Supt Glen Miller yesterday confirmed to The Tribune
that CDU officers are now investigating the matter.
Fenda, known as the "Poor People Defenda" and famous for
such number one hits as "Life Ruff Out Deh", was in the
Bahamas to appear with Buju Banton at a concert in Nassau on
Saturday.
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However, he did not perform at the event, because of a
dispute over payment with the concert's organisers, Alpha
Sound. He left New Providence for Abaco, where he performed
at an event on Sunday, before returning to Nassau Monday.
When he arrived at Pindling International airport he told
the person who had picked him up that he wanted to meet with
his long-time friend 100 JAMZ DJ Dion "The Butcher" Knowles
to record a message of apology to the Bahamian people and
explain why he felt he had let them down.
"Butcher" suggested that Fenda come to his home in Jubilee
Gardens to make the recording.
In the recording he apologised to the Bahamian people and
explained that his failure to perform Saturday night was
beyond his control. He claimed that the promoters "didn't
want to pay me and did not want to pay my band members."
However, he said, he did not want to let the Bahamian people
down and decided that he would work for free Saturday night.
He said he went to the venue intending to perform, but "they
barred us and disrespected us." He said he was told "this is
not Jamaica, this is the Bahamas, this is our country." He
said he wanted to perform without pay and to explain to the
Bahamian people what went wrong.
Fenda said he felt badly about letting Bahamians down and
promised to come back to do a bigger and better performance.
However, he said, "they told me they were going to call a
friend at Immigration" to make certain that he and his band
never returned to the Bahamas.
On Monday evening, having completed the recording, the
reggae star was leaving Mr Knowles' home when four vehicles
suddenly pulled up and blocked his exit.
Some 12 men, several armed with handguns, got out of the
vehicles and reportedly attempted to lock Fenda in the trunk
of one of their cars.
Fenda fought the men and was beaten badly in the process.
At one point, after the assailants had manoeuvred Fenda into
the trunk, the reggae star fought to keep one of his arms
outside the trunk to prevent the men closing it.
The attackers repeatedly slammed the trunk down on Fenda's
arm and head, eye witnesses said.
When the attackers were unable to lock the reggae star in
the trunk, they abandoned their attempt to abduct him and
fled the area.
Fenda escaped back into his friend's house and later went to
the Cable Beach police station to report the matter. He was
then taken under police escort to CDU.
Chief Supt Miller yesterday said that Fenda made a report to
CDU headquarters at 9.40pm Monday.
"He had some injuries. He had to go to hospital, was treated
and then discharged," he said.
Mr Miller said police are currently pursuing leads based on
information given to them by Fenda.
The reggae star left the Bahamas yesterday afternoon to
return to his home in hurricane-stricken Jamaica.
Fenda, born LeShorn Whitehead in Brooklyn, New York,
appeared on the reggae scene more than a decade ago and is
now taking his career to a higher level - establishing his
own recording, management and booking label to deal with his
own affairs as well as exposing new talent to the world.
In 1997 Fenda relocated from New York to Jamaica,
establishing - himself as a strong force on the dance hall
scene.
In 2003, after embracing the Rastafarian way of life, he
adopted the 'Poor People Defenda' cause, shedding his bad
boy image and focusing on creating lyrics about the plight
of the poor.
With hits such as "Rough Out Deh", "Better Days", "Haffi
Win", and "I Swear", Fender established himself as a leading
voice for conscious, violence-free Rastafarian reggae.
By KARIN HERIG
Tribune Staff Reporter
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