Music Incident at P&L District shocks DJ Jazzy Jeff - Page 8

Deberg_1990 · 06-08-2009, 07:17 AM

Wow......Unreal.

http://www.kansascity.com/226/story/1238798.html

Another day, another racial controversy at the Power & Light District.

For a year, the black community has been in arms about perceived racism at the entertainment district, a place their tax money helped fund. But it’s always rebutted. Everyone is welcome at the P&L, officials say.

Well, those who follow the hip-hop music scene have more to chew on since late Saturday night, when one of hip-hop’s icons, DJ Jazzy Jeff, cut short a set of music and left the stage in a dispute over the kind of music his show was spinning.

I walked in just as he was walking off the stage. He had performed less than 30 minutes.

The crowd booed and I heard people, both black and white, yell about how the Power & Light didn’t want him to play hip-hop. I wasn’t sure what happened, but I knew it was bad.

A conversation I had with him early Sunday confirmed it.

He might be best known as one half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, but he is more than Will Smith’s old DJ and friend. The two won the first rap Grammy.

Jeff Townes, his given name, is legendary. He introduced “transforming,” the scratching technique turntablists use. This man has toured for 25 years. He’s an acclaimed producer.

So what exactly happened?

According to his tweets (twitter.com/djjazzyjeff215), he was kicked offstage for playing hip-hop. Jon Stephens, president of the Power & Light District, says it was about the sound levels.

“The issue that arose with the performance last night was completely about the sound levels,” he said Sunday. “His audio tech was maxing out the sound system to a point that risked damage to the speakers and sound system. His sound techs and management refused to bring the decibel level down. They were told to bring it down or cease performance. They refused to go on.”

Hours after he returned to his Philadelphia home, I spoke to Jazzy Jeff on the phone to hear his side.

His set started with sounds of hip-hop and pop favorites — Jay-Z, Biz Markie, Rihanna. His MC, Skillz, hyped up the crowd.

But after 15 minutes or so, in the middle of an R&B hit by Ne-Yo, “Miss Independent,” he was told to stop.

“My road manager walked up to me and said they were having problems with the music I was playing,” Jazzy Jeff told me. “I played three more songs and he comes back. I knew something was wrong. They said I had to kick Skillz off the stage, change the format of the music I was playing or quit. They said if I continued playing they had 30 cops ready to come escort me offstage. So I stopped.”

Jon Stephens says that isn’t so.

“Obviously we have a desire to book a diversity of acts,” he said. “We booked Jazzy Jeff on a Saturday night, the biggest night of the week in the district. We were excited to have him there. It’s unfortunate that his sound and management people had problems adhering to the sound and audio rules. We wanted him to play. That’s why we booked him.”

Jazzy Jeff was excited to play here too.

But it all went wrong. Venue officials said the set attracted the wrong kind of element, he says.

“They said they didn’t like Skillz’s posture,” Jeff said. “They said he made gang-like signs and grabbed at his genitals.”

So P&L officials wanted him offstage. But Jeff felt it was wrong because Skillz is no gang member. He is a father. His hand gestures were the kind of excited movements you make to get the crowd excited.

He wasn’t cursing or being offensive.

“I was playing Rihanna; she is Top 40,” he says. “If they would have let my set play, they would have known I play everything. I play rock, funk, soul, pop, hip-hop, reggae. I don’t play for a certain genre, race or gender. I play for music lovers.”

In his 25-year career, at 44 years old, Jeff has never been told to end a set because of hip-hop. He says he has never felt that kind of racism. The “element” that officials referred to felt like a reference to black people, a hip-hop crowd.

“I’m in shock,” he says. “I didn’t understand what element they were talking about. I looked out in the crowd and it was multicultural, but about 75 percent white. Everyone was having a great time. I wondered what was so offensive. I never had a race issue. I didn’t know how to feel. I was playing ‘Just a Friend.’ Is that offensive? What element? It’s uncomfortable when you feel unwanted.”

CoMoChief · 06-08-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

You're either trying to stir the pot or you simply aren't paying attention.
Most of the people I've spoken with today who have recently sworn off of the P&L District cannot at all be properly identified as "thugs". Hell, many of them are just as White as you are.

No one, myself included, wants to be subjected to violence.
There are ways to curb such violence though. And these discriminatory measures aren't always the perfect way to achieve that safety. Again, baggy pants don't indicate criminal intent. I've worn baggy pants and I've never been arrested in my entire life. I spent 2 hours in jail, once, for an unpaid traffic ticket and even then that's only because I turned myself in.

I never would've imagined that you were this myopic.
Certainly there are no good people who live on Troost and Prospect.

I've lost a lot of respect for you today.

You ****in know what I mean what I meant about Troost and Prospect. JFC. They've even made shows about that area because there's so much crime there. Are there good people there? I'm sure there are. Are there good people that live in East STL? Probably. How about southside Chicago? I'm sure there are.

**DaneMcCloud** · 06-08-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

Then every engineer I've ever learned from is completely and utterly uninformed about what a compressor's function is.

I guess so.

A compressor is generally used to shape the sound of a particular instrument, whether it's voice, guitar, bass, snare drum, kick drum, etc. Whether it's a Fairchild 660, LA2A, 1176, Distressor, Retro 176, and absolutely tons of other types (VCA, ELOP, etc.), they all exhibit different characteristics and have a myriad of uses, none of which is to "protect speakers".

Just slapping a compressor on something to reduce the overall gain and expecting it to "protect speakers" is nonsense, especially considering that there is an "Output Gain" or a "Gain Reduction Makeup" on each and every compressor.

CoMoChief · 06-08-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU ****ING PEOPLE THINKING THAT ANY YOUNG BLACK MALE WHO DRESSES WITH BAGGY PANTS AND WHITE T`S ARE THUGS..OK BY YOUR ****ING LOGIC I AM NO GOING TO ASSUME THAT ALL OLDER WHIT MEN AND CORRPUT , LIARS AND THEIVES AND WHITE COLLAR THUUGS BECAUSE OF ENRON, THE SAVINGS AND LOAN SCANDELS AND, THE REST OF THE CORRUPT WHITE MALES WHO SUNK ARE ECONONY AND ROBBED PEOPLE OF THEIR LIVE SAVINGS..NOW GOING BY YOUR THEORY DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?.........OH AND BY THE WAY ASS HOLE 2 OF MY LITTLE BROTHERS HAVE ALOT OF TATS DRESS IN BAGGY CLOTHES AND WIFE BEATERS..THEY ARE ALSO IN COLLEGE AND HAVE 3.6 AND A 4.0 GPA AND ARE GOOD KIDS..BUT ALL YOU ASSHOLES SEE ARE THE CLOTHES..THEY ARE TEENAGRES AND YOUNGER PEOPLE..I AM SURE THAT ALL OF YOU DRESSED TOTALY DIFFRENT WHEN YOU WERE 16-25 THEN YOU DID WHEN YOU GOT OLDER..I KNOW I DID...

I dont care what color they are.......there are many whites that dress the same way and the rules apply to them as well.

1/4 inch. thats the distance it would take you to move your pinky finger and turn off the caps lock key.

**Kyle DeLexus** · 06-08-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I think the bad stuff in Westport is way overblown. You only hear that stuff from people who never go there. Westport is a pretty enjoyable time now that a lot of douchebag mcgees hit P+L it is good district to hang out and have drinks with friends.

I think you find trouble in Westport. I think its really easy to know if you are starting a situation you shouldn't be a part of or wind up in a situation you shouldn't be a part of. A lot of trouble that goes through Westport is easily avoided if you are not an idiot.

I go to Westport and agree with you that it is overblown. When I first moved up here I was told to stay away and all that, and i'm betting the guy that told me that has never been there.

Brock · 06-08-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

OH AND BY THE WAY ASS HOLE 2 OF MY LITTLE BROTHERS HAVE ALOT OF TATS DRESS IN BAGGY CLOTHES AND WIFE BEATERS..THEY ARE ALSO IN COLLEGE AND HAVE 3.6 AND A 4.0 GPA AND ARE GOOD KIDS..BUT ALL YOU ASSHOLES SEE ARE THE CLOTHES.

Yeah, no shit, what you look like matters. This is news to you?

Deberg_1990 · 06-08-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

You ****in know what I mean what I meant about Troost and Prospect. JFC. They've even made shows about that area because there's so much crime there. Are there good people there? I'm sure there are. Are there good people that live in East STL? Probably. How about southside Chicago? I'm sure there are.

Everyone who lives in JoCo and Lees Summit are good people.

**Kyle DeLexus** · 06-08-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU ****ING PEOPLE THINKING THAT ANY YOUNG BLACK MALE WHO DRESSES WITH BAGGY PANTS AND WHITE T`S ARE THUGS..OK BY YOUR ****ING LOGIC I AM NO GOING TO ASSUME THAT ALL OLDER WHIT MEN AND CORRPUT , LIARS AND THEIVES AND WHITE COLLAR THUUGS BECAUSE OF ENRON, THE SAVINGS AND LOAN SCANDELS AND, THE REST OF THE CORRUPT WHITE MALES WHO SUNK ARE ECONONY AND ROBBED PEOPLE OF THEIR LIVE SAVINGS..NOW GOING BY YOUR THEORY DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?.........OH AND BY THE WAY ASS HOLE 2 OF MY LITTLE BROTHERS HAVE ALOT OF TATS DRESS IN BAGGY CLOTHES AND WIFE BEATERS..THEY ARE ALSO IN COLLEGE AND HAVE 3.6 AND A 4.0 GPA AND ARE GOOD KIDS..BUT ALL YOU ASSHOLES SEE ARE THE CLOTHES..THEY ARE TEENAGRES AND YOUNGER PEOPLE..I AM SURE THAT ALL OF YOU DRESSED TOTALY DIFFRENT WHEN YOU WERE 16-25 THEN YOU DID WHEN YOU GOT OLDER..I KNOW I DID...

We might not all be that, but we sure do try. It's every young white males dream to make money ripping others off!

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

I dont care what color you are.

If you have baggy ill fitting pants, you look like an idiot.
If you wear ....and this one realllllllllllly pisses me off............a sweater over a shirt and the shirts not tuckled in....Top of the dumbass list for me.
Cockeyed caps make people who wear cockeyed caps look cockeyed.
And hair that looks like it has never seen a comb...go get a comb.

I have hired a lot of people. I can assure you if a guy walks in , grad number one in his calss and took grad courses as a fun thing and speaks 20 languages and looks like a fool, he is out. Gone. History.

One of the great advantages of being the guy hiring is you dont have to hire people who start out as a dumbass then have to deal with firing them. If you pick wrong and the guys a dumbass, its sad to have to fire the guy but hey, its business.

If you struggle with spelling words correctly and using proper punctuation...
Me thinks you should be a little less liberal with the word "dumbass".

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

Yeah, no shit, what you look like matters. This is news to you?

NO STUPID..MY POINT IS THEY ARE YOUNG AND THAT THEY WILL EVENTUALY DRESS A LITTLE MORE GROWN UP .....WHEN THEY GET OLDER, JUST LIKE THE WHITE GUYS WHO HAD RIPPED JEANS LONG HAIR AND A MAIDEN T SHIRT.... DUMB ASS AND SO WHAT IF THEY DRESS THAT WAY, YOU NEED TO GET OVER YOUR OWN PRE CONCIEVED NOTIONS OF WHAT THUGS ARE..THATS YOUR PROBLEM ,NOT MY BROTHERS PROBLEM..

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

You ****in know what I mean what I meant about Troost and Prospect. JFC. They've even made shows about that area because there's so much crime there. Are there good people there? I'm sure there are. Are there good people that live in East STL? Probably. How about southside Chicago? I'm sure there are.

No, I don't know what you mean.
I know your fears and misconceptions are robbing you of what credibility you had left in this forum though.

MOhillbilly · 06-08-2009, 10:49 AM

my cousin used to dress in baggy pants and bling and all that bullshit. He couldnt figure out why the cops were always giving him a hardtime. idiot.

MOhillbilly · 06-08-2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

OH AND BY THE WAY ASS HOLE 2 OF MY LITTLE BROTHERS HAVE ALOT OF TATS DRESS IN BAGGY CLOTHES AND WIFE BEATERS..THEY ARE ALSO IN COLLEGE AND HAVE 3.6 AND A 4.0 GPA AND ARE GOOD KIDS..BUT ALL YOU ASSHOLES SEE ARE THE CLOTHES..THEY ARE TEENAGRES AND YOUNGER PEOPLE....

if they are so smart why are you so ****ing dumb?

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU ****ING PEOPLE THINKING THAT ANY YOUNG BLACK MALE WHO DRESSES WITH BAGGY PANTS AND WHITE T`S ARE THUGS..OK BY YOUR ****ING LOGIC I AM NO GOING TO ASSUME THAT ALL OLDER WHIT MEN AND CORRPUT , LIARS AND THEIVES AND WHITE COLLAR THUUGS BECAUSE OF ENRON, THE SAVINGS AND LOAN SCANDELS AND, THE REST OF THE CORRUPT WHITE MALES WHO SUNK ARE ECONONY AND ROBBED PEOPLE OF THEIR LIVE SAVINGS..NOW GOING BY YOUR THEORY DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?.........OH AND BY THE WAY ASS HOLE 2 OF MY LITTLE BROTHERS HAVE ALOT OF TATS DRESS IN BAGGY CLOTHES AND WIFE BEATERS..THEY ARE ALSO IN COLLEGE AND HAVE 3.6 AND A 4.0 GPA AND ARE GOOD KIDS..BUT ALL YOU ASSHOLES SEE ARE THE CLOTHES..THEY ARE TEENAGRES AND YOUNGER PEOPLE..I AM SURE THAT ALL OF YOU DRESSED TOTALY DIFFRENT WHEN YOU WERE 16-25 THEN YOU DID WHEN YOU GOT OLDER..I KNOW I DID...

Perhaps this will assist you in understanding the world they will soon enter...

Two guys interview for one job. One has "tats", the other does not. They have identical grades and majors, the tat guy has funny looking clothes. The other guy looks like he knows how to tie his shoes and knows what pressed shirt/light starch/hangers means.

Tat boy does not get the job. Post interview, the recruiter in his debrief by the representative of the deans office asks what about this guy and hands over tat boys resume. Interviewer says...seems like a good kid but the issue of judgement and how would the customer accept him with his tats is an issue. And after 4 years of college, he ought to know how to dress. But hes a good kis, hope he gets a job.

**Kyle DeLexus** · 06-08-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

NO STUPID..MY POINT IS THEY ARE YOUNG AND THAT THEY WILL EVENTUALY DRESS A LITTLE MORE GROWN UP .....WHEN THEY GET OLDER, JUST LIKE THE WHITE GUYS WHO HAD RIPPED JEANS LONG HAIR AND A MAIDEN T SHIRT.... DUMB ASS AND SO WHAT IF THEY DRESS THAT WAY, YOU NEED TO GET OVER YOUR OWN PRE CONCIEVED NOTIONS OF WHAT THUGS ARE..THATS YOUR PROBLEM ,NOT MY BROTHERS PROBLEM..

Everyone should know that the way you dress is going to effect the way you are treated. Did you not catch that episode of Fresh Prince?

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

If you struggle with spelling words correctly and using proper punctuation...
Me thinks you should be a little less liberal with the word "dumbass".

I'll accept that feedback, thank you.

Now, did you get the point?

06-08-2009, 07:17 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3754454	Incident at P&L District shocks DJ Jazzy Jeff Wow......Unreal. http://www.kansascity.com/226/story/1238798.html Another day, another racial controversy at the Power & Light District. For a year, the black community has been in arms about perceived racism at the entertainment district, a place their tax money helped fund. But it’s always rebutted. Everyone is welcome at the P&L, officials say. Well, those who follow the hip-hop music scene have more to chew on since late Saturday night, when one of hip-hop’s icons, DJ Jazzy Jeff, cut short a set of music and left the stage in a dispute over the kind of music his show was spinning. I walked in just as he was walking off the stage. He had performed less than 30 minutes. The crowd booed and I heard people, both black and white, yell about how the Power & Light didn’t want him to play hip-hop. I wasn’t sure what happened, but I knew it was bad. A conversation I had with him early Sunday confirmed it. He might be best known as one half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, but he is more than Will Smith’s old DJ and friend. The two won the first rap Grammy. Jeff Townes, his given name, is legendary. He introduced “transforming,” the scratching technique turntablists use. This man has toured for 25 years. He’s an acclaimed producer. So what exactly happened? According to his tweets (twitter.com/djjazzyjeff215), he was kicked offstage for playing hip-hop. Jon Stephens, president of the Power & Light District, says it was about the sound levels. “The issue that arose with the performance last night was completely about the sound levels,” he said Sunday. “His audio tech was maxing out the sound system to a point that risked damage to the speakers and sound system. His sound techs and management refused to bring the decibel level down. They were told to bring it down or cease performance. They refused to go on.” Hours after he returned to his Philadelphia home, I spoke to Jazzy Jeff on the phone to hear his side. His set started with sounds of hip-hop and pop favorites — Jay-Z, Biz Markie, Rihanna. His MC, Skillz, hyped up the crowd. But after 15 minutes or so, in the middle of an R&B hit by Ne-Yo, “Miss Independent,” he was told to stop. “My road manager walked up to me and said they were having problems with the music I was playing,” Jazzy Jeff told me. “I played three more songs and he comes back. I knew something was wrong. They said I had to kick Skillz off the stage, change the format of the music I was playing or quit. They said if I continued playing they had 30 cops ready to come escort me offstage. So I stopped.” Jon Stephens says that isn’t so. “Obviously we have a desire to book a diversity of acts,” he said. “We booked Jazzy Jeff on a Saturday night, the biggest night of the week in the district. We were excited to have him there. It’s unfortunate that his sound and management people had problems adhering to the sound and audio rules. We wanted him to play. That’s why we booked him.” Jazzy Jeff was excited to play here too. But it all went wrong. Venue officials said the set attracted the wrong kind of element, he says. “They said they didn’t like Skillz’s posture,” Jeff said. “They said he made gang-like signs and grabbed at his genitals.” So P&L officials wanted him offstage. But Jeff felt it was wrong because Skillz is no gang member. He is a father. His hand gestures were the kind of excited movements you make to get the crowd excited. He wasn’t cursing or being offensive. “I was playing Rihanna; she is Top 40,” he says. “If they would have let my set play, they would have known I play everything. I play rock, funk, soul, pop, hip-hop, reggae. I don’t play for a certain genre, race or gender. I play for music lovers.” In his 25-year career, at 44 years old, Jeff has never been told to end a set because of hip-hop. He says he has never felt that kind of racism. The “element” that officials referred to felt like a reference to black people, a hip-hop crowd. “I’m in shock,” he says. “I didn’t understand what element they were talking about. I looked out in the crowd and it was multicultural, but about 75 percent white. Everyone was having a great time. I wondered what was so offensive. I never had a race issue. I didn’t know how to feel. I was playing ‘Just a Friend.’ Is that offensive? What element? It’s uncomfortable when you feel unwanted.”
Posts: 66,914

06-08-2009, 10:49 AM	#116
MOhillbilly Mama Tried Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Casino cash: $9949903	my cousin used to dress in baggy pants and bling and all that bullshit. He couldnt figure out why the cops were always giving him a hardtime. idiot. __________________ True Son of Liberty
Posts: 23,371