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.”

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

you're comparing apples and oranges. Men in suits do not contribute to a statistical majority of disturbances in night clubs and entertainment districts.

I see this no different than movie theaters banning teens and babies at certain times. Both statistically are likely to cause the majority or disturbances.

I am no longer going to have this conversation with you.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

They may not want that, but that is how allot of black people feel. I have to dress in polos and dockers , dress shirts and ties at my job. But when I am off I were allot of solid colored t shirts and baggy jeans and shorts. If I go to the power and light district straight from work I get in. If I go with my street clothes I dont. I am the same person , so why should it matter. ALso they act like thugs cant dress nice.. just look at all the suits who stole all that money from my 401k

You keep mentioning that people who stole money from 401ks. I imagine that in their mind, those people aren't gonna break out a glock and shoot into the crowd. Are those people that ripped off people of their hard earned money scumbags? Yes. But they aren't violent.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I am no longer going to have this conversation with you.

why, because you can't refute the principals?

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I never said they were. I was just trying to make a point. That if you judge all black guys in white tees as thugs , then why not apply the same to white guys in suits..the point being that juding both of them for there clothes is stupid.

Here this is what I said a while back to your comparison.

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

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.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

why, because you can't refute the principals?

no becuase you obvioulsy someone who does not like someone like me.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by Lzen

You keep mentioning that people who stole money from 401ks. I imagine that in their mind, those people aren't gonna break out a glock and shoot into the crowd. Are those people that ripped off people of their hard earned money scumbags? Yes. But they aren't violent.

no they just did it with millions of people instead of one. so whats worse?

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Ya know, black people have more of a right to be stereotypical than the rest of us. I know I'm going to get railed on for this, but the fact is, most white people have zero clue nor understanding about what it's like to deal with those same stereotypes from birth. And it positively still happens.

If you grow up with something, even if you know it's wrong, it's the only behavior that you have to model. It's a product of all of us.

I disagree. I am not blind or stupid enough to believe racism/stereotyping/discrimination never happens. But I think it gets used way to often nowadays in places that it should not. I don't claim to completely understand what black folks went through trying to get the same rights/freedoms. But I would also bet that a lot of them (the young ones like I assume dotte is) have no idea what they went through, either.

[Dottefan]

ok people I have to go outside in my white t and baggy shorts. See you later

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

no becuase you obvioulsy someone who does not like someone like me.

I'm curious, what does "someone like me" mean?

[burt]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

no becuase you obvioulsy someone who does not like someone like me.

Where did you get your degree from....Cracker Jack U?

[topher79]

Originally Posted by Brock

But hey, he's getting a Master's Degree. Just ask him.

Underwater Fire Prevention

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

clean up their act? you mean change the way they dress? why to make you feel more comfortable around them.

I don't give a **** how they dress if they don't act in violent and confrontational ways. You could wear a pink bunny suit for all I care, but if the largest amount of problems comes from those in pink bunny suits, then you should expect to be scrutinized for it.

If you cared about your culture and society, you would be more concerned in improving the image and changing the ways of those misbehaving. Instead of changing the root cause, you just want to complain about it.

It happens everywhere with a variety of different subgroups. Oxark hillbillies and white trash get a bad rap too, but unless those who earn that reputation are policed through peer pressure, nothing will change.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Double standard?

I believe so. Freedom of speech should be for everyone. I don't agree with what either person said, but they both had the freedom to say it.

[Kyle DeLexus]

This thread lost it's burst once mic left, he at least made good points.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

no they just did it with millions of people instead of one. so whats worse?

Ummm......you still aren't getting it. One is known for stealing from people. One is known for violence (including killing people). Can you not see the difference?