After a lot of controversy, Chris Brown has pulled out of the Energy Rush Festival that was schedule for August 29, 2013 at MTS Centre. Chris Brown was the headliner and his cancellation has resulted in the whole festival being postponed until next year. The festival had a pretty big line up with T-Pain, Sean Kingston, Massari, Anjulie, JRDN, Mia MArtina, Danny Fernandes, and D-Pryde all scheduled to perform.
Many Canadians had petitioned to stop the concert due to Chris Brown’s violent history. On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with felony assault and making criminal threats to his girlfriend, Rihanna. He issued an apology on YouTube which can be viewed here.
Rogers, a long time sponsor of the Energy Rush Festival in Halifax, was one of the first to pull sponsorship of the show after learning that Chris Brown was headlining the event. Many other sponsors followed.
“Rogers has been a sponsor of the Energy Rush concert series for the last seven years, an opportunity that has brought many popular musical acts to metro Halifax. Our agreement to continue sponsorship of the series was made before Chris Brown’s appearance was announced. However, as soon as he was confirmed as one of eight performers, we decided to withdraw our sponsorship at this time. We have shared a great partnership with the local radio station for the last seven years and we appreciate their understanding of our decision.” – Rogers Spokesperson
Chris Browns Rep responded to Rogers with the following: “It’s a shame that some people are so short-sighted and uninformed. Chris is an award-winning artist whose goal is to inspire and entertain. He engages in many philanthropic endeavors to support his community and communities worldwide including the Jenesse Center Domestic Violence Intervention Program, Best Buddies, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Kids Wish Network, Get Schooled and Home Again. He’s just embarked on the Unity Campaign to bring people together despite their differences while promoting tolerance and forgiveness. Chris strives to learn from his past and to grow as a person, as we should all do. Chris is looking forward to being a part of the Energy Rush Concert Series.”
Refunds will be available starting on Thursday. Typically, refunds to credit cards are automatically processed. Cash refunds will be available at point of purchase.
