A public dispute can harden into a verdict before everyone involved gets a chance to speak. The conversation around Bentley’s night club and Labor Day weekend has mostly carried Carl Mentor’s frustration and account of what happened.
I have no personal problem with Carl. He never did anything personal to me. However, I believe the story needs context, corrections, and my account before readers choose a side. These are my personal statements unless records or independent witnesses can confirm them.
Carl Mentor and Bentley’s Night Club Media Tour
Carl Mentor, identified publicly as the owner of Bentley’s night club, has spoken to several media outlets about the conflict surrounding Labor Day weekend bookings. His appearances have raised questions about venue dates, band arrangements, competing flyers, and communication between promoters.
The public deserves to know what happened, who made which decisions, and why the matter continued after the plans changed. Still, a media appearance is not proof by itself. A claim remains a claim until messages, contracts, witnesses, or other records support it.
What Has Been Said About Labor Day Weekend
Carl’s public comments appear to focus on booking conflicts and the impact on Bentley’s schedule. Yet readers need a complete timeline before deciding who acted unfairly.
Some details remain unclear. There should be records showing when each venue date was discussed, when artists were contacted, and when flyers were approved. Without that timeline, rumors can travel faster than facts.
Why a One-Sided Story Can Mislead
Repeated coverage from one person can shape opinion quickly, especially in a close community. Fair coverage does not mean every statement carries the same weight. It means reporters should contact the people named, review available evidence, and tell readers what remains disputed.
Why Venus of “Rande Vou a” Contacted Me
Venus of “Rande Vou a” was the exception from all the other media that Carl went on a crusade with. He contacted me to hear my side before discussing the story. I appreciated that call because it gave me a chance to explain the sequence of events in my own words.
A journalist does not need to agree with me to seek my response. Contacting both sides is a basic professional step. Other entertainment media should expect that same care when names and reputations are involved.
The Basic Standard of Seeking Both Sides
Responsible reporting identifies the people involved and makes a reasonable effort to reach them. If someone cannot be reached before publication, the report should say so. When a response arrives later, it should be added fairly.
Deadlines can be real. Limited information can be real. Neither should become an excuse to repeat unverified allegations as settled facts. Except if it is an informercial, where that particular media is being paid to share only the side that paid them.
A Concern About Haitian Media Practices
My frustration is with practices, not every person in Haitian media. Too often, a story becomes a live debate before anyone checks the details or asks for comment.
Platforms such as those tiktokers can help preserve entertainment news, but accurate coverage requires more than reposting a claim.
What Readers Should Take Away Before Choosing a Side
Hearing both sides does not require anyone to agree with me or Carl Mentor. It asks readers to pause, compare the public statements with the available records, and separate documented facts from personal opinions.
Questions That Separate Facts From Rumors
Ask what happened first. Ask who was present during important calls. Look for the original flyer, contract, text, or booking confirmation. Also ask whether each person named in the dispute had a real chance to respond.
Why a Written Record Still Matters
Haitianbeatz.com is my space to put my account on the record. Readers can return to it, compare details, and decide what they believe. My testimony is still my testimony, not independent proof of every disputed point.
My message to Carl on August 4:
First, why would I have a personal problem with you? You never did anything to me. To the contrary, I think you have a personal problem with me. First, you’ve never booked Zile with me, I always find out when your flyer comes out. Now let’s talk about the current situation. Last year when I booked Zile for Friday Labor Day Weekend, that was the first time Zile was performing in New York, a grand premiere event, do you remember telling me that Zile was too weak to play with Klass for that day, that it was a weak line up because of Anie? You even suggested other bands instead. In fact, you made me add DJ Heavy because you felt Zile was too weak, that was the first time I had 2 DJs at that event. I went still had the event, it was successful, to the point I told Anie we should make it a tradition, as we been having with Klass for the past 14 years. So, this year, when I asked you to hold Bentley’s for me, you asked me what I was having, I told you same as last year, Zile/Klass. You still went and call Mr Boutin to book the band for Saturday. Again, didn’t know about it until your flyer came out.
I called Boutin when I saw the flyer and told him, that it will be impossible to have Zile play at the same club, back-to-back and I told you the same thing. I even called Melrose Ballroom and ask for the date to move the party there (Ishared the screenshot with you). I found another Club in Brooklyn, but decided not to use it, not to get you upset. I got a call from Evens Nago, he said he was Bentley’s manager that I would have to sign a contract for the club and layed a lot of conditions to have the club. I told him I get better conditions at Melrose and Laboon, why would I accept his conditions, he said, he’ll give me the same deals after going back and forth. And I also told him since I booked the date with you, I must hear directly from you first. At the same time, I told Mr Boutin, I’m going to book Zile somewhere else and have Klass with another band or move Zile to Sunday instead at Amazura since Foe didn’t have an option yet. It makes no sense for the band ti come to NY for a long Labor Day Weekend for just 1 gig.
Moving forward, Klass dropped the concert date, I called Herve to ask him if we were still doing Labor Day. He said, yes but he’ll speak to the band to confirm. He came back and said confirmed yes. I started looking for another band to match with Klass because I did not want Anie to play back-to-back at Bentley’s. One of my partners suggested we do Bedjine & Kadilak, and I told you that and you said you had already booked them with the former manager Patrick Fabre for Sunday, but since it’s at your club you don’t mind. We decided to go with Bedjine and Kadilak. There was a back and forth between which band will play first. We decided to have the same party in NJ on Saturday and suggested that one band would close in NY and open in New Jersey. I spoke to Evens and told him Zile will be playing on Sunday but wasn’t sure where yet and he asked for the musicians list to buy flight tickets for Anie since he’s only buying the one way coming, I would buy the return. I sent him the list.
Then came the news Klass decided to only do 1 gig in New York (Sunday) because of the upcoming concert in Boston. I called you and told you that. And said, I’ll start looking for another band to match with Bedjine and Kadilak. I tried Vayb it didn’t work out, I tried Zafem, it didn’t work out. I called you and told you, I saw a flyer and that Djakout was performing in Boston if you can try to book them since you have a good relationship with them. You called me back that day and told me it’s almost a done deal to send a contact to Pouchon’s wife for $12,000, which I did. I never got a response; you said you’ll follow up with them. Then Rocky called me and told me Pouchon called him and said the band is not performing for less than $20,000. I told you it’s not going to happen, I’ll rather start negotiating back with Zafèm, it will be less. You said you would call Roro to try to lower the cost. I called you many times that day, you said you’ll call me back but never did. And finally called me back the next morning and said you spoke to Roro, he told you to have me call him, which I did and he told me, he’ll have Ti Marco send me a contract. I never got anything and you called me back and said you spoke to both Roro and Pouchon and that they don’t want to go lower than 20k. I said forget it. You said that you’ll call Roro to see if they can go to down to 15K. Right after you hung up with me Icon Graphix called me and told me, how do you ask him to work on a Bedjine & Kadilak/Djakout flyer and another promoter asked me to do the same flyer with his production. I automatically knew it was you because someone earlier had told me you and Rocky wanted to take over the party and that’s why you told Rocky to tell me 20K to discourage me from having the party, which at that point I didn’t really care, because I had no other options. And indeed, that was true, you put your flyer out without telling me a word and stopped communicating with me all together.
In the meantime, I was upset with Klass for canceling the Friday event last minute. I contemplated moving the Friday to SOBS or L’Antillaise. Monday day after the boat party with Klass Herve called me and said the band had a meeting on the boat and suggested since I was supposed to have Klass/Zile on Friday and Foe was supposed to have Klass/Kai on Sunday at Amazura, why not do 1 big party on Sunday at Amazura instead. I spoke to Foe later that day and we agreed.
To be fair to Zile, you have Harmonik playingcat Amazura on Friday and Saturday by you and they are doing a brunch on Sunday. Kai is playing at Amazura Friday and at Amazura on Sunday and NJ on Saturday. Bedjine & Kadilak is playing 3 times in the area that weekend. You had agreed for Zile to play a Bentley’s Friday and Saturday but not Sunday at a different club? This is selfish, plus on Saturday your party is the only party happening in NY for a long Labor Day Weekend. Now who is not fair? If you can get your way, you would want only Bentley’s to have events the whole weekend. You already have 3 huge parties for the weekend, how selfish is that? And the last straw, knowing that Klass was playing on Sunday at Amazura, you still called Herve and asked for the band to play for you on Friday even after I told you the band was only doing one gig.”
This response adds my account to a public discussion that has felt one-sided. I thank readers who take the time to read, compare, and think before reaching a conclusion.
Fair reporting requires direct contact, evidence, and respectful discussion. The full record matters, especially when a public disagreement affects people, events, and reputations.
