Patrick Allocco and his son are in limbo
The American promoter stuck in Angola with his son because Nas failed to show up for a New Year's Eve concert he was paid $300,000 for is speaking out about his predicament.
As we previously reported, 51-year old Patrick Allocco, CEO of AllGood Concerts and his 22-year old son, also named Patrick have not been allowed to leave Angola until local promoter Henrique "Riquhino" Miguel is paid back the $300,000 he fronted for the failed concert plus an additional $50,000 in expenses.
Nas's rep told TMZ that the rapper didn't travel to Angola because of a miscommunication about his travel arrangements, but according to Allocco and the Miami Herald, Nas was in Miami at a party thrown by Lebron James on New Year's Eve.
Allocco said when he landed at Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport on December 30 he found out Nas and the opening act Jemiah Jai were not coming. When Miguel was informed there would be no concert he became furious. Fearing for their safety, Allocco and his son hailed a cab to take them to the U.S. Embassy, but instead of taking them there the cab driver drove them to a parking lot where they were surrounded by two dozen gun-toting men. The men turned out to be Miguel's boyguards. They took the Allocco's to the police who interrogated them in Portuguese--which they do not speak for seven hours.
"When we first arrived at the jail for questioning, they made sure to show me where I would be staying if I couldn’t get the act or the money right away," Allocco told New Jersey.com. "It was a Third World holding cell that smelled of sweat and human body odor."
U.S. Embassy Vice Consul David Josar intervened and had the pair moved to a hotel in the capital city of Luanda, where they are holed up. Aside from battling dysentery the pair are said to be fine, but no resolution has been reached to get them home. They haven't been arrested but their passports are being held.
Alloco says Nas has sent $200,000 of the money to his attorney.
"He is supposed to send another $100,000, but now he is reneging," Allocco said. "The investigation could last forever."
Allocco's wife has spoken to representatives from the State Department and U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen’s (R-11th Dist.) office.
"I just want them home," she said.
"After we became aware last week of Mr. Allocco’s predicament in Angola, Congressman Frelinghuysen reached out to Ambassador Christopher McMullen and our office has been in regular contact with U.S. embassy staff," said Steve Wilson, a spokesman for the congressman. "We understand that Mr. Allocco and his son are safe and negotiations to allow them to return home will hopefully be concluded soon. In the meantime, we remain in touch with the Allocco family here in New Jersey."
Allocco has worked in Colombia, Trinidad and India without incident in the past. Booking shows for acts like Jermaine Jackson, James Brown and Earth Wind & Fire.
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