Music Incident at P&L District shocks DJ Jazzy Jeff - Page 16

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.”

**DeezNutz** · 06-08-2009, 12:05 PM

Is a white t-shirt targeting a particular demographic?

**Mr. Flopnuts** · 06-08-2009, 12:06 PM

Looks like business has picked up around here. I'll have to read this thread when I get home.

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

That may be, but you come across as being dumber than a bag of hammers, and your maturity level is definitely pretty low if all you can complain about is not being able to wear your jailhouse garb anywhere you want.

Please dont dodge the question ...What about the white guys in suits? should we ban them also.

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 12:06 PM

The outrage over cuffed pants must be supressed by someone....I want to know more. When did this happen and can you desribe the circumstances?

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

How is the dress code discriminatory?..... is the better question.

Because it has a very specific aim to exclude what is largely Hip Hop fashion.
And I think we know how innate that can be to urban communities.

It's not rocket science CoMo.

CoMoChief · 06-08-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

Quote:
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 then........... 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?

Are you high?

**SAUTO** · 06-08-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

Sauto, you're smarter than this...
I said earlier that the code will always affect those for whom it was not intended.

But you're not going to tell me that if I owned an establishment that banned, say, cowboy hats/boots that I'm not sending a pretty obvious message.

i am telling you that i was denied entrance and had to go change because of work boots and yeah i'm white as paper. and yeah ANY business has the right to rufuse service to anyone at anytime. if you haev a business and dont want to smell cow shit then ban boots and hats.

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

Because it has a very specific aim to exclude what is largely Hip Hop fashion.
And I think we know how innate that can be to urban communities.

It's not rocket science CoMo.

Good post, but that was to simple for the Bill Oriely crowd..they will just blame Obama for this

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

Please dont dodge the question ...What about the white guys in suits? should we ban them also.

I hate ties. In fact I have worn a tie once in the last 4 years. That sort of takes me out of suits because a suit without a tie looks out of place. But I can dress with open collar and a sport coat. That does work.

**Iowanian** · 06-08-2009, 12:08 PM

No one in the Kansas City area in a suit or tucked in shirt has robbed at gunpoint after asking for a ride or pistol whipped any of my relatives while walking to their apartment.

How would tucking in the shirt and pulling up the pants interfere with one's enjoyment of a concert or restaurant?

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Are you high?

NO, just following the same stupid logic that some of you are.

Dottefan · 06-08-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

No one in the Kansas City area in a suit or tucked in shirt has robbed at gunpoint after asking for a ride or pistol whipped any of my relatives while walking to their apartment.

No, they just robbed millions of people at once.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

i am telling you that i was denied entrance and had to go change because of work boots and yeah i'm white as paper. and yeah ANY business has the right to rufuse service to anyone at anytime. if you haev a business and dont want to smell cow shit then ban boots and hats.

And for the last time...
The policy will always affect those for whom it was not intended.
That hardly makes it proper or ethical.

They're receiving tax assistance.
Why should they be allowed to discriminate?

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottefan

No, they just robbed millions of people at once.

Its the economy of scale. If you are going to be a thief, focus on rich folks cause they have stuff, more stuff, better stuff and newer stuff.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

No one in the Kansas City area in a suit or tucked in shirt has robbed at gunpoint after asking for a ride or pistol whipped any of my relatives while walking to their apartment.

How would tucking in the shirt and pulling up the pants interfere with one's enjoyment of a concert or restaurant?

It probably wouldn't.

How would having a less focused dress code impact the average person's experience at the P&L District?

06-08-2009, 07:17 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $2524454	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, 12:06 PM	#229
HonestChieffan Seeking the Truth daily Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the Country in MO Casino cash: $794309	The outrage over cuffed pants must be supressed by someone....I want to know more. When did this happen and can you desribe the circumstances? __________________ “Make no mistake. If you try anything to raise the cost of vishessavatubs, I will veto it.” - Joe Biden, SOTU 2023
Posts: 53,791

06-08-2009, 12:08 PM	#235
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $3808454	No one in the Kansas City area in a suit or tucked in shirt has robbed at gunpoint after asking for a ride or pistol whipped any of my relatives while walking to their apartment. How would tucking in the shirt and pulling up the pants interfere with one's enjoyment of a concert or restaurant?
Posts: 61,971