Slip Music Boss and member of the board for the new Highlife Awards, Mark Okraku Mantey has expressed his displeasure about Highlife legend Pat Thomas’ refusal to perform at the Highlife Awards in Kumasi.
According to Mr Mantey before the concert, he was told Pat Thomas was sick but contrary to this he received information that the legend Highlife musician had said that he had heard the young artistes who were billed to perform with him on the day were paid larger sums of money than he was.
During an interview with Dr Cann on Happy FM‘s Showbiz Xtra, the vociferous Okraku Mantey stated, “This is jealousy and greed because the likes of Kwabena Kwabena, KiDi and Kwame Eugene are your grandchildren, under normal circumstances our children are supposed to be prosperous than us.”
“I said he was sick, I heard he wasn’t okay because the likes of Kwabena, Kwabena, Kidi and Kwame Eugene were paid higher.”
“But I told him it is not done in such manner. He said it openly that their money was bigger than his.”
“I however told Pat Thomas if it is even true that, the young guys are taking bigger than you there is nothing wrong with that, which he admitted but he still demanded for more,” he added.
Throwing more light on the issue, the music expert further explained.
“Most of the industry players are not like that but some of the old musicians behave this way. He thinks he is grown and has seen it all so he is not a loser if he decides to boycott the concert.”
Responding to a question about how Pat Thomas got booked for the show, he answered,”Yaw Osborn lobbied for him and it is allowed in our kind of job, he pushed us to put Pat Thomas on. So I told Yaw Osborn that we don’t have laws because the budget was huge, we do not have any excesses so if Pat comes we will give him a particular amount.”
“So when he came for the amount I unfortunately gave out the money without signing, I never knew how I was pressured by Yaw Osborn, for giving the money out without signing a contract. Sometimes we do it because we know the situation in the industry.”
“However for him to say he was not sick but he was absent because of the money, I was surprised and it is a cross Pat Thomas will carry.”
Nonetheless, efforts to get in touch with Pat Thomas and Yaw Osborn proved futile.
By: Eugene Baah
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