Music Incident at P&L District shocks DJ Jazzy Jeff - Page 12

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.”

wild1 · 06-08-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Maybe you are in a position to hear that more than the general public. So your perception is skewed.

There is a reason for everything.

There we are... anyone who expresses reservation about something being racist is probably just racist themselves.

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Your future has been told. Ask Jasonsauto and DCS what that means. CONFORM OR DIE!!!!!

NO.

|Zach| · 06-08-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild1

There we are... anyone who expresses reservation about something being racist is probably just racist themselves.

Some of you folks play the victim card as much if not more than the people who always play the race card.

Like I said. There is a reason for everything. But I guess all of this stuff is representative of everyone else but you.

All we need is valipass here to act shocked that people call him a racist. That would make things fun.

FloridaMan88 · 06-08-2009, 11:33 AM

This would never happen in a place like LA, Miami, New York or even Chicago.

To the rest of the country this makes KC look like a backwater cowtown.

**Reaper16** · 06-08-2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

NO, WHY? DO YOU THINK I AM YELLING..LOL..ITS THE NET, DONT GET SO EXICETED.

NO I CAN'T STOP YELLING, 'CUZ THIS IS HOW I TALK! 'AINT YOU SEEN MY MOVIES?

JUICED? THAT WAS A GOOD ONE! DEEP BLUE SEA? HE ATE ME! A ****ING SHARK ATE ME!

**Reaper16** · 06-08-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

All we need is valipass here to act shocked that people call him a racist. That would make things fun.

Somethings are not worth being sarcastic about. It would not be fun.

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

NO I CAN'T STOP YELLING, 'CUZ THIS IS HOW I TALK! 'AINT YOU SEEN MY MOVIES?

JUICED? THAT WAS A GOOD ONE! DEEP BLUE SEA? HE ATE ME! A ****ING SHARK ATE ME!

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

**Reaper16** · 06-08-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCChiefsfan88

This would never happen in a place like LA, Miami, New York or even Chicago.

To the rest of the country this makes KC look like a backwater cowtown.

Kansas City is a lot better than the average Kansas Citian, that's for sure.

**Lzen** · 06-08-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

NO I CAN'T STOP YELLING, 'CUZ THIS IS HOW I TALK! 'AINT YOU SEEN MY MOVIES?

JUICED? THAT WAS A GOOD ONE! DEEP BLUE SEA? HE ATE ME! A ****ING SHARK ATE ME!

Billy Mayes?

|Zach| · 06-08-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Somethings are not worth being sarcastic about. It would not be fun.

Nah, its fun. It happens quite a lot. The guy is actually confused about it I think. Kind of surprised him or Duck Dog are not around. Those guys live for this shit.

blaise · 06-08-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCChiefsfan88

This would never happen in a place like LA, Miami, New York or even Chicago.

To the rest of the country this makes KC look like a backwater cowtown.

People in those places are equally as bigoted as they are here.
Maybe this situation wouldn't have happened but it doesn't mean the people there are any different.

**Reaper16** · 06-08-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

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.

For the record, I can never resist a Chappelle's Show reference. I wasn't attacking you or anything. Even with caps lock on you are a lot cooler than the pack of prejudiced simpletons in this thread.

KCUnited · 06-08-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

It is interesting you slam twitter here. This story broke and got legs from Twitter. Because it was relaying happenings and news. At no point did anyone say what they were having for breakfast.

I didn't slam twitter there, I slammed the people who use for their attention fix.

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper16

For the record, I can never resist a Chappelle's Show reference. I wasn't attacking you or anything. Even with caps lock on you are a lot cooler than the pack of prejudiced simpletons in this thread.

Why thank you fine sir..lol

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

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.

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.

06-08-2009, 07:17 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3464454	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.”
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06-08-2009, 11:33 AM	#169
FloridaMan88 Mahomes: We Are All Witnesses Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Casino cash: $2612906	This would never happen in a place like LA, Miami, New York or even Chicago. To the rest of the country this makes KC look like a backwater cowtown.
Posts: 39,202