This is going to be the long version of our statement, if there's any more clarification that anyone needs please don't hesitate to message us on our Facebook page thank you.
Recently, Una Bruja (aka Lolita Dame Luz) has accused Tribute Night (Tribute Night) of copying her idea for an event call "The Holy Trinity."
This is false and misleading as Tribute Night held this event before Dame Luz. Unfortunately, Dame Luz has been unwilling to discuss the situation to figure out a compromise.
Included with our statement below, we have labeled photos with corresponding letters to illustrate our points, as well as provide proof of our statements.
Tribute Night started a party in June of 2014 called "R&B" (Rihanna and Beyoncé) (please see photo A). We organically added Nicki Minaj and called the party "RnB" in February of 2015 (please see photo B).
Dame Luz accused us of stealing her idea/ formula for her holy trinity party that she started in October of 2015. (please see photo C) but this is impossible as we created the format before her in February of 2015 (please see photo B).
To further clarify, our party's name is "RnB" and not "The Holy Trinity.” Tribute Night did change it for a short time but then decided to have it as a tagline/ subheading. People referred to our party as "The Holy Trinity" without our encouragement; this is likely due to the coined phrase used by these three artists' respective fan bases. Either way, Tribute Night's party is "RnB", featuring music by Rhianna, Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj.
Addionally, accusing Tribute Night of stealing from LGBTQ/POC community is sickening and wrong and clearly used as a way to stir up controversy. These are our communities and it is not acceptable to falsely accuse us of stealing from others! Our number one goal with Tribute Night and Ante Up PDX is to create safe spaces, where people can express themselves freely so that we can express ourselves freely (please see photo D).
Feel free to Google “Holy Trinity Nicki Minaj Rihanna Beyoncé” (please see photo E). The world has been calling the fierce women "the Holy Trinity" before we started our parties. Our local paper and our friends had dubbed our party "the Holy Trinity (please see photo F) so we made it a part of the tag line for the party.
In 2016, we contacted Dame Luz with no response from her personal Facebook page via the messenger. We then contacted "Holy Trinity Party" on Facebook and they responded briefly. Tribute Night tried to get them on the phone for further communication and they refused (please see photo G).
Tribute Night did not steal Dame Luz's idea, party or concept. Tribute Night came up with the initial concept in question first and held the party before Dame Luz. In Dame Luz's own words, "I started this party in October 2015" (please see photo G). Tribute Night started our party in 2014, and revamped it in February 2015 with the full cast of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé. This was a full 8 months before Dame Luz (please see photo G).
Neither Dame Luz or Tribute Night were the original creators to come up with the title "Holy Trinity" as referring to Rihanna, Nicki, and Beyoncé. Neither of us own that title.
Doc Adam, one of our members, held a party called "Holy Trinity" in 2013 (see photo H). As we are associates, again this proves we used the name for a party first.
Tribute Night has tried to reach out to Dame Luz and has been met with nothing but resistance or flagrant hostility. We are the original creators of this concept of a Rihanna, Nicki, and Beyonce Tribute Night and if Dame Luz continues this coarse of action, we'll be forced to respond with legal action.
It is hurtful that Tribute Night has been attacked in such a way, without people doing the proper research to find out the truth. Tribute Night staff are black, transgendered, women and queer members of the LGBTQ/P.O.C. community; as such, we understand that our community has been through a lot.
We also understand that when it comes to people's art, we can all be over protective, but false accusations are not acceptable. We ask Dame Luz and her followers to please stop harassing Tribute Night, Ante Up PDX, the Brooklyn Bowl and the other DJs/Patrons involved in this.
Tribute Night never wishes for any confusion for the patrons for any of our events. We want people to know when they are coming to "RnB", a Tribute Night event and we will be playing the music of the "Holy Trinity" which is Rihanna, Nikki Minaj, and Beyoncé. As a show of good faith, we will change our marketing of this event in general; specifically, at the Brooklyn Bowl, we will refrain from using "Holy Trinity" on any marketing materials.
If Dame Luz or anyone from Holy Trinity party would like to have a civil conversation about the situation we're more than happy to have it.
Thank you.
*****Dame Luz aka una Bruja's response *****
Dame Luz posted a statement this is us responding
https://www.facebook.com/una.bruja.9/posts/1293842490734593
(Statement 1 )
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(Statement 2)
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*******Our 2nd Statement in response ********
We are still blocked
Statement 1 was Written on April 19th as it was my son's first birthday I did not want to spend the day dealing with this. Dame has made a statement since(Statement 2) this was written on April 20.
We most certainly sent individual Messages to people that made comments to Tribute Night or Brooklyn bowl over the situation, we wanted to inform everyone. But did not want to put further negative attention on Brooklyn Bowls Facebook page, nor could we posts on Una (Dame Luz) Page as we are blocked.
I have now sent a message from my personal account to Holy Trinity to address the last message I received from Una
We really don't want to go back and forth with Dame Luz, so we are quickly going to address some issues but she is once again misleading her followers about me.
We never knew her dance party existed before she posted on her Facebook page asking us to change the name. Once again our party series is called tribute night this particular party is called RnB.
We've always tried to make all of our parties a safe place for everyone. You can pretty much ask anyone in the LGBTQ+ scene in Portland about me (Ronin Roc). We've never try to take advantage of anyone.
Dame Luz has never called us. And when she has contacted us she always says there's nothing to talk about and just issues her demands.
We've done a Photo Booth since the early years of Ante Up long before we started doing any tributes. We were asked by one of our venues if we had any interest in doing snap chat filters, that was the first time we've ever heard of it being used for a party.
To be hundred percent honest with you no one can own the trademark for holy trinity in the situation. I've talked to several attorneys they all come back with the same answer. That being said we would be down to talk try to find some middle ground.
As for us bringing party to Brooklyn we try to make an arrangement at the point of initial contact with Dame Luz, she never called us or responded back. The last thing we heard back was “I’m at a festival, the music is too loud.” Furthermore we did the party first at the point that she realize she was wrong she couldn't stop doing the party or changed it she did not in fact she tried to take the party to the West Coast bring it to LA. It's hard to show sympathy once someone make some moves like that. It is also hard as a black man to see someone say they want their friends to “drag me”.
Dame Luz let people people believe I was a white male stealing the intellectual property queer colored folks. This is just blatantly wrong I know she's trying to clarify it now she's been caught As I point this out to one of her friends. You don't do this to your fellow people color no matter what you believe was done to you that's fucked up.
Thank you to the people that of messages back and to those who have deleted there post.
Dame if you would to like to talk this out, I am more than willing to forgive you, But this must stop now.