Machel Montano and Mr. Howard Chin Lee at Club Zen last night
Trinidad and Tobago News
April 26, 2007
Is it a twist of fate or could it be ‘jumbie’ at Zen? Zen is once more in the news with another controversy; this time, it involves local superstar, Machel Montano who is known for his energetic performances. This incident took place following a function Machel Montano held at club Zen to thank various parties for the success of his Carnival and Madison Square Garden concerts.
It is reported that Machel Montano and his entourage got into a brawl with several persons at the Zen club last night. The brawl continued outside the Zen night club and it is reported that one of the patrons who was involved in the brawl is in hospital. The matter is now being investigated by the Belmont police.
Kernal Roberts, member of Montano’s band, called in on a radio programme to explain what had happened. This is his account of what occurred. Machel Montano was at the Zen club in the general admittance level when some females present tried to dance with him. In Kernel’s words,
The girl only trying to wine on Machel whole night. Machel told her kindly and peacefully, ‘Babes, ah not on that right now, I’m just chilling out.’ The drunk guy that she was dancing with, decided now to push up in front of Machel and wine right in front of Machel as if he backing back on Machel. All of a sudden, Machel was like, ‘All yuh can’t go [elsewhere]; the club empty… all yuh have to come and wine in front of me?’ Next thing you know, drinks spilled and Machel got soaked down… Obviously Machel was like ‘what’s that one?’ The security was called in immediately [and] he [the person who soaked Machel and his crew] got thrown out of the club.
Mr. Roberts said that he never saw Montano slap anyone across the face.
A while after the initial incident, Roberts said that he went downstairs to check something in his car and, “Coming back from the car park into the club, I witnessed the whole posse cussing downstairs.” Upon returning upstairs, he heard people saying things about Machel and other obscenities. “I was like, ‘Yo, get them people from in front there; they cussing and getting on.'” He said that Machel and the rest of the entourage was still inside at this time. He said that he returned inside and told Machel, “Machel leh we get out of here! Ah set of stupidness going on outside there and people cussing and getting on stupid and they are calling out your name; leh we look to ride…It ain’t make no sense we staying on.”
Kernal Roberts further explained,
When we were leaving, the girls and them was getting on in this big manner downstairs, cussing and getting on [and] start to oppose Machel now. I tell yuh, the girl take off she slippers like she going to charge into Machel…[she] start to come get on in the man face and spit in the man face…Next thing you know, (Machel of course, he head a little bad, everybody, as normally when you go to the club, you come out), he get angry, I wouldn’t lie, he get angry; he start to lose he voice and thing but up to now I eh see Machel touch that girl yet. Machel did not touch nobody last night there.
From the time we reach downstairs and that little thing start there, so much security was around Machel that you couldn’t get to Machel to start with. Is all kind of fans and passers-by…ah only seeing yellow jersey. The girl man and them start to rush we and that is what made the whole bacchanal start. I think when this ting happen, somebody who was liming with us went back and spill[ed] back a drink on the fella, and that is what start the main thing outside. He start to run in and was real bacchanal from there. But security was trying to cool down the whole scene. I don’t know how the man end up on the ground; like he get an unlucky blow from somewhere.
Machel would not lash anybody just like that; you have to really push Machel to the limit. Machel could be a little ignorant when he ready but not like that; but people carrying the story overboard.
Remember this is just Kernel Roberts’ version of what transpired; so treat it as such. The matter is now being investigated by the police, and I am sure over the next few days more details and other versions of this story would be made available.
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This E- mail is comming from London. The little boy whom Machel slapped
is a family friend, the little boy is a very quiet young man. Whom minutes before being slapped ; posed for a photograph with Mr Montano after congratulating Machel on his success throughout the carnival season. The group of young people were they even from Trinidad? What an experience. The other young man who ended up in the coma went to his friends aid after seeing Mr Montano slap his friend; Mr Montano and his entorage proceeded to pummel the boy whom went to his friends aid.The nice thing about all this is that the parents live in London so I can’t see them being interested in comfort money. Nothing but the full brunt of the law will do for them. Assult and battery is not a nice charge to face but we all regardless of whom have to face up to the consequences of our actions.As you can well guess I have been speaking to the family hence the speed and accuracy of the story.
I hope Mister Montano ain’t get off with a slap on the wrist. He has a very nasty attitude towards fans, and this isn’t the first, and sadly and don’t think it will be the last, of such bahavior by this fellow. I like his work but he needs to get over himself. Just this Carnival he got into some altercation with a ung lady in IP mas for spilling a drink on him….come on!!! He needs some anger management classes.
Machel should not be held accountable for the actions of his entourage. Whether or not it was actually Machel who injured the person(s) needs to first be determined before any action takes place.
If in fact it is proven that Machel was the culprit, he needs to be treated like any other attacker. Celebrity status does not make anyone exempt.
I Feel SO SHAAAMMMEEE!!!!!!
Machel Montano Gives Thanks
Machel Montano held an appreciation ceremony for corporate sponsors, supporters and friends, which took place on the rooftop of club Zen on Wednesday 25th April, 2007. The theme of the evening, “There are Angels Everywhere Helping Us Along the Way”
i feel so sad to here about this behaviour from a group of people who should be role models and ambassadors of our country. is this what we are becoming???? things like this makes me ashamed to say i am a trini. imagine that…. things real bad……
a woman again………..all that a woman cause.
ya come a dance with your man stay with your man…..dam….now every body on machel because of that woman who every she is.
so she was trying to wine on Machel whole night. Machel told her
kindly and peacefully, Babes, ah not on that right now…..all she had her drunking man had to do was cool naaaaa……..
IN RE: ZIONBEAUTY READ YOUR COMMENTS AND SEE HOW IGNORANT AND SAD YOUR COMMENTS ARE. DON’T PUT ALL WOMEN IN 1 BAG WE ARE EDUCATED, INDEPENDENT, MOTHERS, SISTERS AND EVERTHING UNDER THE SUN. A WOMAN WINING ON MACHEL DON’T GIVE MACHEL AND HIS CRONIES THE RIGHT TO BEAT A YOUNG MAN UNCONCIOUS. YOU MENTION SHE AND HER DRUNKING MAN THAT IS A BIG REASON FOR THEM NOT TO BEAT A DRUNKING PERSON LIKE THAT. AND I GUESS MACHEL AND HIS FRIENDS WERE SOBER/NOT DRUNK? MACHEL TRINIDAD BIGGEST STAR YOU SHOULD BE AN EXAMPLE. YOU ARE NOT GOD,COME DOWN OFF YOUR HIGH LADDER AND NOT BE SO MEAN TO THE PEOPLE THAT LOVES YOU.SO MANY FANS ADORE YOU. I WAS AT MADISON SQURE GARDEN AND YOUR SHOWS WERE SOLD OUT.YOU DID WHAT NO OTHER GREAT SOCA ARTIST NEVER DID.IWAS PROUD FOR YOU. NOW YOU ARE MAKING ME SICK, YOUR FANS PUT YOU THERE AND THEY CAN TAKE IT AWAY EVEN THAT YOUNG MAN THAT WAS BEATEN SO BADLY MIGHT OF BEEN 1 OF YOUR FANS BEFORE THE MEELEE.YOU SHOULD BE ABOVE THINGS LIKE THAT AND YOU ARE ALSO A FATHER THINK OF YOUR CHILDREN THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR THEM…
I can understand the challenges living in the public eye. I too live in that arena. It’s like you’re dammned if you socialized with your fans, and dammned if you seclude yourself. In Machel’s case, he needs security to protect people from getting too close to him, because in the US, where I live, everyone that has just the slightest bit of success, is scared of liabitily issues. People here sue for the wind blowing in the wrong direction. Do people get sued easily in Trinidad? Please Advise.