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Monday, April 15, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Hip-Hop Talent Show Ends in Shooting

TALLAHASSEE (CN) - A talent show promoter claims an unhappy contestant shot him six times because the nightclub oversold slots to perform at the hip-hop show and didn't hire security for it. Charles Gee says he warned Big Daddy's Import Draft House that it was overbooking the contestants, who were charged $25 apiece.

Gee says a contestant shot him six times on Feb. 9 after learning that he would not get to perform that night.

In his complaint in Leon County Court, Gee says he and Big Daddy's agreed to split the income from selling the $25 "performer" tickets and $5 general admission to watch the monthly shows.

Gee says he thought the Feb. 9 show would be his last, as he had accepted a job offer in Atlanta.

Gee says he realized by about 10 p.m. that it would be impossible for all of the acts to perform before the club closed at 1 a.m. He says he also noticed that Big Daddy's did not have any security on hand at the crowded club. He says he warned Big Daddy's of the problems, but the club continued to sell performer tickets.

At 2:20 a.m., with four or five performers still waiting to perform, Gee says he told them the show had been overbooked, but they could perform for free during the next show.

Gee claims that one would-be contestant, Genard Chestnut, became enraged and attacked him, and when bystanders tried to break up the fight, he pulled a gun and started shooting.

Gee seeks damages for negligence from Big Daddy's - but not Chestnut.

Big Daddy's is a Tallahassee nightclub.

Gee is represented by Dean LeBoeuf with Brooks, LeBoeuf, Bennett, Foster & Gwartney in Tallahassee.

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