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.”

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Because God knows if he's toured with Bun B he couldn't be wrong about something.

I thought you did a few shows with Bun? The point I was making is you being an artist I think you'd have some knowledge of sound systems since you've done alot of shows. The whole notion that Jazzy Jeff was too loud for PNLS million dollar speakers is ridiculous.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by billay

I thought you did a few shows with Bun?

I've never done shows with Bun B.
Big Daddy Kane, yes. Bun B, no.

And the fact that I've done it hardly means I couldn't, myself, be wrong about it.
But I think I have a general understanding of how compressors and limiters work.
And I've talked to probably a half-dozen engineers in the last 24 hours who agree with me.

The point I was making is you being an artist I think you'd have some knowledge of sound systems since you've done alot of shows. The whole notion that Jazzy Jeff was too loud for PNLS million dollar speakers is ridiculous.

I misunderstood you. My apologies.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Because God knows if he's toured with Bun B he couldn't be wrong about something.

Tell you what...
Forget I said anything. Do a little research, yourself, on how compressors work.

Dude you are fighting your friend here.

*edut: nevermind I see you caught it.

[wild1]

Originally Posted by sedated

stop thinking logically, racist.

Very funny.

I was just sharing a philosophy. You either let yourself be a victim in life, or you roll with things and make them work. Rather than show up for a night out with your boys in your everyday clothes and get denied entry, why not take their dress code and take it to another level instead? You'd have a better night. If you choose to go there in borderline banned clothes, you're setting yourself up to go home angry.

Don't just whine about the world, make the world work for you. Go in there in the upper 10% of dress and throw your game around, see what the difference is. I bet you'd get twice as many bites from women.

Everyone would be happier if we just tried to find ways to be happy before we decide that we can't be.

Nothing to do with Jazz, nothing to do with anything really. Just my opinion. Find ways to make the world work for you instead of demanding that it accomodate you.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Micjones

I've never done shows with Bun B.



I misunderstood you. My apologies.

Whod you do some shows with? If I recall a few years ago you toured a few cities with some noteable names

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by billay

Whod you do some shows with? If I recall a few years ago you toured a few cities with some noteable names

I toured with Big Daddy Kane.
On our Houston stop, Devin The Dude sat in with us.
Scarface and Willie D (of Geto Boyz) were in the crowd though.

But I've never played with Bun B (of UGK).

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Micjones

I toured with Big Daddy Kane.
On our Houston stop, Devin The Dude sat in with us.
Scarface and Willie D (of Geto Boyz) were in the crowd though.

But I've never played with Bun B (of UGK).

Yes I knew it was a Texas rapper. Anyway the point being you've done alot of shows and even done shows with established artist so I would think you'd know a little about sound systems. How was Jazzy Jeef too loud for PNLS brand new million dollar sound system?

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Micjones

That's not speculative. The artists themselves have gone on the record as having said the tour rotates the DJ's they use.

I just did a quick google search for Bacardi B Live Tour and got this

"BACARDI B-LIVE 2009 Tour Schedule: MSTRKRFT, A-Trak, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Z-Trip, Q-Tip, Santigold & Mo'"

I'm pretty sure they had a good idea they were getting a hip hop act on this on if they did minimal research.

Originally Posted by Micjones

I'm just clearing up the misconception that they booked him personally.

You stated that at the beginning of the thread so I'm sure people are aware of that fact.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by billay

Yes I knew it was a Texas rapper. Anyway the point being you've done alot of shows and even done shows with established artist so I would think you'd know a little about sound systems. How was Jazzy Jeef too loud for PNLS brand new million dollar sound system?

Having had experience as an artist doesn't exactly make you an authority.
I know artists who have no knowledge of audio equipment whatsoever.
I've seen it from all sides. From live performance to studio recording...

I've learned a little bit in my time.
But I'm certainly no John Eargle.

You simply aren't going to invest that kind of jack into a soundsystem without protecting it. And if they are...they should seriously reconsider the staff they hired to handle such matters.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

I just did a quick google search for Bacardi B Live Tour and got this

"BACARDI B-LIVE 2009 Tour Schedule: MSTRKRFT, A-Trak, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Z-Trip, Q-Tip, Santigold & Mo'"

I'm pretty sure they had a good idea they were getting a hip hop act on this on if they did minimal research.

Each of those DJ's plays an array of genres.

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by wild1

Very funny.

I was just sharing a philosophy. You either let yourself be a victim in life, or you roll with things and make them work. Rather than show up for a night out with your boys in your everyday clothes and get denied entry, why not take their dress code and take it to another level instead? You'd have a better night. If you choose to go there in borderline banned clothes, you're setting yourself up to go home angry.

Don't just whine about the world, make the world work for you. Go in there in the upper 10% of dress and throw your game around, see what the difference is. I bet you'd get twice as many bites from women.

Everyone would be happier if we just tried to find ways to be happy before we decide that we can't be.

Nothing to do with Jazz, nothing to do with anything really. Just my opinion. Find ways to make the world work for you instead of demanding that it accomodate you.

WHOA WHOA WHOA..........that is seriously asking WAAAY too much.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Each of those DJ's plays an array of genres.

I know that, but if you look up and see that "renowned hip-hop artist and singer; Q-Tip" and DJJJ are on the lineup shouldn't you expect that hip hop is a strong possibility? Nevermind the fact that Prohiphop.com is a site that has info on the tour.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

I know that, but if you look up and see that "renowned hip-hop artist and singer; Q-Tip" and DJJJ are on the lineup shouldn't you expect that hip hop is a strong possibility? Nevermind the fact that Prohiphop.com is a site that has info on the tour.

Thing is, this particular date was probably booked before the tour itself began in May. To say that Cordish had foreknowledge of which particular set of DJ's would blow into town back in, say, April is to be disingenuous.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Thing is, this particular date was probably booked before the tour itself began in May. To say that there would've been foreknowledge of which particular set of DJ's would blow into town back in, say, April is to be disingenuous.

Just so I understand where you're coming from, because I don't know that I've seen you explicitly say it: why are you saying they shut him down, because he was playing R&B and hip-hop, of because he was a black guy playing R&B and hip-hop, or what? I just have a hard time believing some guy was like, "Wait a minute! What's this? A black guy is playing hip-hop? Shut him down now!" It just seems a little far fetched.

[wild1]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Thing is, this particular date was probably booked before the tour itself began in May. To say that there would've been foreknowledge of which particular set of DJ's would blow into town back in, say, April is to be disingenuous.

Are there any DJ tours out there from which you can expect to hear no hip hop music?

Any reasonable person would expect that's what you would get. Perhaps a variety of styles but with some of that mixed in.