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.”

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Stewie

"Hispanic" is not a race so they can't be classified as a minority. They're mostly descendants of western Europeans.

Yeah, but I know what CoMo was getting at.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Seriously Dotte, I'm not trying to provoke you here. I'm trying to look at this from another perspective. If it's not the hip hop garb that is being targeted, what part of your culture is it? Basically, how is it that they are targeting young, black, men.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Ahhh, so since it's a black club do you feel discriminated against?

Are they trying to take away your culture too?

YOU ARE A ****ING LAME........READ THE WHOLE POST.IT SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER AND WHITE DISTRICT IS THAT EVEN OUTSIDE THE CLUB IN A PUBLIC AREA THEY HAVE A DRESS CODE....AND THE CORNESH GROUP HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROBLEMS LIKE THESE REGARDING DRESS CODES..

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Seriously Dotte, I'm not trying to provoke you here. I'm trying to look at this from another perspective. If it's not the hip hop garb that is being targeted, what part of your culture is it? Basically, how is it that they are targeting young, black, men.

**** YOU LETS GET THESE STRATE YOUR AN IDIOPTS!

- Dottefan

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Seriously Dotte, I'm not trying to provoke you here. I'm trying to look at this from another perspective. If it's not the hip hop garb that is being targeted, what part of your culture is it? Basically, how is it that they are targeting young, black, men.

Yes, as a black male I feel like they are targeting black men, and their culture.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

So then, by your logic, white guys in suits should be classified just like the black guys in white T`s. What is the diffrence? I would say 99% of the people that destroyed our economy with their greed had on suits when they did that...

Originally Posted by Dottefan

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

Someone else may have gotten to this, I was out to lunch. This is my take on that.

1. You are mixing in race. In my stance we are talking about attire not color of ones skin. If you want to say all people wearing suits in a bank then by all means put your money under a mattress and don't trust them white or black.
2. You are arguing apples and oranges. One group is associated with violent crimes that can cause physical harm to bystanders, while the other group rob people of their money not their lives. Before you say that by group I'm talking black and white, I mean suits at a bank and baggy clothes with gang colors on the street.

There is a difference whether you want to acknowledge it or not.

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Micjones

And I've said several times that such codes will always affect those who they are not intended for. Spend 10 minutes watching Rap videos and it becomes painfully apparent that the code was focused on a very specific group.

Rap video's, or punk videos I understand your point but if you watch any punk or skater shaws you would see the same attire sands the large chains punk rockers wear. You say watch rap video's and see how blatent they are targeting when bands like NOFX, Sum 41, blink 182, Rob from Rob and big, all have jersey's jewlrey (although some of that is in their noses and lips, baggy ass jeans, flat bill or sideways hats,

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by blaise

**** YOU LETS GET THESE STRATE YOUR AN IDIOPTS!

- Dottefan

we can meet up if you like and you can blow me...I would have to charge you though.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

we can meet up if you like and you can blow me...I would have to charge you though.

No, that's cool if you're gay. Just not my thing though.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

YOU ARE A ****ING LAME........READ THE WHOLE POST.IT SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER AND WHITE DISTRICT IS THAT EVEN OUTSIDE THE CLUB IN A PUBLIC AREA THEY HAVE A DRESS CODE....AND THE CORNESH GROUP HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROBLEMS LIKE THESE REGARDING DRESS CODES..

It is not a public area. It is leased under their control.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

YOU ARE A ****ING LAME........READ THE WHOLE POST.IT SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER AND WHITE DISTRICT IS THAT EVEN OUTSIDE THE CLUB IN A PUBLIC AREA THEY HAVE A DRESS CODE....AND THE CORNESH GROUP HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROBLEMS LIKE THESE REGARDING DRESS CODES..

I'll have to research this particular group's dress code enforcement nationwide. But I will say 2 things, first, many companies employ these dress codes. It's generally after numerous accounts of gang violence at the location. It's simply a means of telling people to check their colors at the door. It happens in the suburbs too, and is hardly a "black thing." Second, I disagree with your assessment that this is a black male thing. It's an entire genre that is being targeted, and while it may upset you, that genre is firmly entrenched in White America as well. JMO dude, I call it how I see it and I think Mic can back me up on that.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by blaise

No, that's cool if you're gay. Just not my thing though.

I am not either, but I just thought I could make a quick 50 spot

[Demonpenz]

too me I would say the dress code would be a whole more direct in saying hey no black people if they actually gave the brand name fubu, eeko, polar bear, blackmcblackpants. Instead you have a wide arrange of groups of people who wear similar things. they want to keep all that trash out no matter what the race.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I am not either, but I just thought I could make a quick 50 spot

Well good luck on the whole gay prostitute career then.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

YUP..I AM A YEAR INTO MY MASTERS PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK...ITS THE NET, LIKE I REALY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OF YOU GUYS AT A JOB INTERVIEW. EVEN IF I DID WE WOULD NEVER KNOW WHO EACH OTHER ARE.

A social worker, big surprise there.