Incident at P&L District shocks DJ Jazzy Jeff

[Deberg_1990]

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]

Originally Posted by Micjones

It calls his credibility into question.
Because in many ways... I'm the baggy pants wearing interview he'd pass over for employment because of my outward appearance.

When in truth, I recognize that he struggles with very basic concepts of English. That about blows a hole in the idea that you can truly judge a book by its cover.

But I wouldn't expect the poster who says MOST Black people who complain about Cordish politics PROBABLY DON'T PAY TAXES to understand that point.

Go down there sometime and look at the people who get denied entrance because of their dress code attire and ask yourself whether you think these people have ok-decent jobs, or have had some education past HS, trust me the scum that I have seen down there try to get in, no one in their right mind outside places like McDonalds and Pizza hut would hire these people.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

Would you agree that most black people give a damn about Cordish's rules? The use of modifiers like most, all, many as examples tends to degrade the discussion.

My point, and I'll do my best to use proper English and pay attention to my spelling, is a simple one. Oh, before I forget, sorry you didn't get the job.

Very few people care a whit about the dress code. They know what is acceptable in different settings and comport themselves accordingly.

The dress code and racial overtones are an issue among a minority of people (not a racial minority). I believe Shakespear said it best, "Much ado about nothing."

The businesses in the P and L have to make money or they die. And the city needs them to make money because that where TIF kicks in and pays off. If the business feels they make more and have a greater chance to attract more people and more people who will spend more by setting some standards, then why should they not do so? No one forces you or anyone else to bother them with your business if the standard make you uncomfortable.

The bottom line is that to return to the city the TIF financing money and carry that load off the taxpayer, the P and L better make money hand over fist. And to do so, they need to attract Cass County money, Platt County money, Johnson County money and Wyandotte County money.

If the peope who have the money don't feel like its a great value for their investment...they won't come.

that's way too simple.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

TO BE HONEST, I WAS GOING TO TURN THEM OFF UNTIL I SAW YOUR POST.......NOW JUST FOR KICKS..I WILL KEEP THEM ON.

I LIKE THE FACT YOU HATE DENVER.

[Iowanian]

Here is the problem I have with this situation.

1. If P&L hired this act, they should have known what it was going to be. I don't know who half of the people DJ J says he spun and have no idea who skillz is, but I know what a rap DJ is supposed to do. Once they booked that act, they shouldn't be surprised by what it means. If you book Louis CK or Lisa Lampanelli, you can't very well expect a Bill Cosby show. They should not have interfered with the performance once booked, as long as it was within reason of their usual show.

2. A business has the right to set the environment they feel will best result in the atmosphere their target audience(paying customers) prefer. There are restaurants in every city that require a coat and tie. This isn't new.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

Would you agree that most black people give a damn about Cordish's rules? The use of modifiers like most, all, many as examples tends to degrade the discussion.

My point, and I'll do my best to use proper English and pay attention to my spelling, is a simple one. Oh, before I forget, sorry you didn't get the job.

Very few people care a whit about the dress code. They know what is acceptable in different settings and comport themselves accordingly.

The dress code and racial overtones are an issue among a minority of people (not a racial minority). I believe Shakespear said it best, "Much ado about nothing."

The businesses in the P and L have to make money or they die. And the city needs them to make money because that where TIF kicks in and pays off. If the business feels they make more and have a greater chance to attract more people and more people who will spend more by setting some standards, then why should they not do so? No one forces you or anyone else to bother them with your business if the standard make you uncomfortable.

The bottom line is that to return to the city the TIF financing money and carry that load off the taxpayer, the P and L better make money hand over fist. And to do so, they need to attract Cass County money, Platt County money, Johnson County money and Wyandotte County money.

If the peope who have the money don't feel like its a great value for their investment...they won't come.

Heard it all before.

And again...it's lame.
The development is being propped up by many of the people they'd like to refuse. It's unacceptable and I'm pissed that we agreed to pick up the tab on that eyesore.

[|Zach|]

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Go down there sometime and look at the people who get denied entrance because of their dress code attire and ask yourself whether you think these people have ok-decent jobs, or have had some education past HS, trust me the scum that I have seen down there try to get in, no one in their right mind outside places like McDonalds and Pizza hut would hire these people.

You're right. Because most of them are too stupid to understand a concept like "code switching".

And... They probably don't pay taxes either.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

2. A business has the right to set the environment they feel will best result in the atmosphere their target audience(paying customers) prefer. There are restaurants in every city that require a coat and tie. This isn't new.

No business that receives benefits from public taxpayers should have the right to be discriminatory.

[Dottefan]

The bottome line is that if you are not a minority , or a kid who dresses "hip hop" you will not know how it feels to be discriminated against by the power and white district. Most of the people who dress this way are young people, who are not thugs and work all week and want to go blow off some steam at a club. All of us when we were younger dressed in some form that older people did not like. Its just ironic that the same people who are calling these kids thugs, were the kids in the ripped jeans and metal t shirts and long hair who peopel thought were trouble makers when they were young. How easily we forget. If you have a problem with how this KIDS dress get over it. Most of these kids will grow out of this fase( just like almost all of us did) and will dress a little more mature as each year goes by.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Micjones

The development is being propped up by many of the people they'd like to refuse. It's unacceptable and I'm pissed that we agreed to pick up the tab on that eyesore.

If thats the case, why cant they conform to the dress code? Seems simple enough to me?

[Brock]

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..

Aside from the irony contained in you calling me stupid, if your brothers want to dress in a manner that attracts negative attention, their (and your) complaining about it is dismissed as immature, unimportant whining about the way the world is.

[Dottefan]

The power and white district is being funded by the same people it wants to refuse.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Go down there sometime and look at the people who get denied entrance because of their dress code attire and ask yourself whether you think these people have ok-decent jobs, or have had some education past HS, trust me the scum that I have seen down there try to get in, no one in their right mind outside places like McDonalds and Pizza hut would hire these people.

WOW. That's about all I can say. I have plenty of friends, some of which I work with, that dress like that when they go out. One of my good friends moved here to get away from what his life would have been back home. He still dresses the part when he's around some of his teammates, but he is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and the hardest worker I know.

To profile people like that is insane. Just because people go out to a club or whatever dressed a certain way, doesn't mean they go to work the same way or that they are affiliated with gangs and are scum.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by Micjones

No business that receives benefits from public taxpayers should have the right to be discriminatory.

What benefit are they getting from you as a taxpayer?

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by Brock

Aside from the irony contained in you calling me stupid, if your brothers want to dress in a manner that attracts negative attention, their (and your) complaining about it is dismissed as immature, unimportant whining about the way the world is.

No you just need to get over yourself. I love putting on my white t`s and baggy shorts and watching you uptight ****s in JO get all scared when a big black brother shows up. I have the right to dress how I want. I will assume you dress in dockers in Polo's, and suits, just like those men from Enron, and the guys who started the savings a loan mess, and all the rest of those THUGS who stole money and robbed the American Dream from so many people...that's what I will think when I see you. Does that seam fair to you? No, and it shouldn't.So if they don't let black guys in clubs in white tees them........... From now on any White Male in a Suit and Tie should not be let near any bank or any financial institution because you know how all those white guys in suits are..they will still all the money..lol..because from your logic that's how the world is right?