New York Post

IT'S AGAINST REGGAELATI­ON

Concert, karaoke despite COVID

- By JACKIE SALO, JOE MARINO and DAVID MEYER

Reggae artist Dexta Daps drew a packed crowd for a blow-out Brooklyn concert — in defiance of COVID-19 restrictio­ns, according to videos posted online.

Footage shared to Instagram on Saturday night shows the Jamaican entertaine­r onstage (right) exciting what appeared to be hundreds of fans packed tightly at an undisclose­d outdoor venue.

In another clip, fellow Jamaican vocalist Ikaya joins him to serenade the concertgoe­rs, many of whom are not wearing masks.

“No mask what happen [sic] to social distance have mercy on y’all soul,” commented one user on a video of the crowd on promoter Steelie Bashment’s Instagram.

Another added, “I will never attend any of these events because these promoters [are about] them and their money. We have to protect ourselves.”

Under the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, outdoor entertainm­entrelated activities are allowed only at 33 percent of capacity and with at least six feet of distance between people.

It’s unclear where the Brooklyn venue was located. The events page advertised it as a “special, exclusive day party at a secret location.”

Daps also promoted the gig — which sold tickets starting at $50 — on his own Instagram page.

“NYC its been a long time,” he wrote. “Sept 26 + 27 I’ll be back on stage.”

A rep for Daps didn’t immediatel­y respond to request for comment.

Meanwhile, the city’s Sheriff ’s Office pulled the plug on yet another karaoke bar on Sunday — the fourth in the past month to be slapped for violating COVID-19 regulation­s.

Deputies arrived at Home Run KTV on Kissena Boulevard in Flushing just after midnight to find approximat­ely 192 people reveling in the facility’s karaoke rooms, in violation of the city’s coronaviru­s laws.

Inside authoritie­s found patrons boozing, smoking, not wearing masks and not maintainin­g a safe social distance, the city said.

Home Run KTV does not have an active liquor license.

Owner Patrick Yam, of Cliffside Park, NJ, was hit with eight summonses — including for the COVID-19 violation, unauthoriz­ed selling and storage of alcohol, covered windows and employing unlicensed security guards.

Patrons were issued masks and dispersed by around 3:05 a.m.

At least one guard wannabe was flagged for failing to attend security training.

Calls to Yam and the lounge were not answered.

Home Run KTV was just the latest Big Apple karaoke joint to be shuttered for flaunting coronaviru­s restrictio­ns.

Earlier this month, more than 281 people were found packed inside the Legend KTV in Borough Park in Brooklyn — including a child.

Deputies raided the 61st Street nightspot at 2 a.m. on Sept. 6 and found the packed crowd — well above the business’ occupancy limit of 245 — partying. Six people were hit with charges that included state liquor-law violations and child endangerme­nt.

That raid came less than a week after CJ Diamond Cafe in College Point was shut down after more than 100 people were packed into the 41st Avenue watering hole. Five managers at the club were hit with violations.

And on Aug. 30, the SOHO KTV & Bar on 32nd Avenue on Flushing was shut down after about 75 people were caught inside.

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