King Labash Disqualified from Germany’s SummerJam Festival Amid Vote Manipulation Allegations

Zimbabwean dancehall artist Lloyd Muponda, popularly known as King Labash, has been dealt a heavy blow after being controversially disqualified from the prestigious SummerJam Festival in Germany. The festival, scheduled for July 4-6 in Cologne, boasts a star-studded lineup featuring global dancehall icons like Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, and Shenseea.

Labash had been competing for a performance slot through a social media-driven contest but was abruptly removed from the competition under allegations of vote manipulation. According to a statement released by the artist’s team, his post was taken down from the SummerJam Instagram page without prior notice or an opportunity to defend himself.

“King Labash’s post has been removed from the SummerJam Instagram page, and he has been unfairly disqualified without warning or a chance to respond,” the statement read. “This decision lacks transparency, and it’s concerning that out of the three contestants, only one ‘seemingly’ favoured by the organisers remains.”

Labash’s team claims that a third party may have deliberately manipulated his post by adding fake likes, triggering his disqualification. “We believe there was malicious intent from someone who added fake likes to King’s post, leading to his disqualification,” the statement continued. “This was beyond our control, and instead of investigating as per normal procedure, the organisers chose to remove him, even though he had more likes than everyone contesting before the incident.”

SummerJam is one of the biggest festivals in the reggae and dancehall scene, having previously hosted internationally acclaimed artists like Burna Boy, Tarrus Riley, Romain Virgo, and Busy Signal. Securing a performance at such a platform would have been a major milestone for King Labash, potentially elevating his career to new heights.

The disqualification has sparked debate among fans, with many questioning the fairness of the competition. As of now, the SummerJam Festival organisers have not publicly addressed the controversy, leaving Labash and his supporters demanding clarity on the situation.