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.”

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Rog, for me it's not about Tyrone. I don't necessarily want to deal with little suburban Billy that dresses the same way. You can't blame people for running away from the gangster mentality. Look at the message in it. The media doesn't report about Outkast who brings a positive message through their music. There's no ratings in that. It's all about Suge Knight, and Tupac getting killed, and then biggy next.

All it takes is a few violent scenarios playing out before business owners feel they have no choice because suburban white America has no clue what's going on other than what they're told on the local news. I swear to you, it's not personal. At least not from my perspective.

Not from your perspective but if I'm a business owner, it would be from mine. Talk all the racism/reverse racism stuff you want but it all boils down to money is money. If I gotta keep Tyronne or B-Rad out to keep my pockets lined then T & B are just gonna have to feel discriminated against and bitch.

Economics 101. Cause soon as the baggy jeans & Tennis Shoes come in you lose the upscale crowd that spends the money.

To hell with the culture when you're trying to get paid. And let's be frank here, "the culture" has fugged up a lot of shit. They want to be equals but don't know how to act so fugg'em.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by wutamess

Not from yours but if I'm a business owner, it would be mine. Talk all the racism/reverse racism stuff you want but money is money. If I gotta keep Tyronne or B-Rad out to keep my pockets lined then T & B are just gonna have to feel discriminated against and bitch.

Economics 101. Cause soon as the baggy jeans & Tennis Shoes come in you lose the upscale crowd that spends the money.

To hell with the culture when you're trying to get paid. And let's be frank here, "the culture" has fugged up a lot of shit. They want to be equals but don't know how to act so fugg'em.

Well, I've been exploring it from the racial perspective, but as a business man, it is what it is. Everyone is discriminated against in business. That's the way of capitalism.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

Also, why does Imus get fired for his comment, but Jaimie Foxx or someone on his show called Miley Cyrus "that little white bitch" on air and no one cared?

I don't agree that it's fair, but Foxx isn't on public airwaves.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Show me the studies that prove urban fashion is an accurate indicator of criminal intent.
Don't worry...I'll wait.

I think what he is going for is that urban fashion was designed after gang attire. I see people at some of the bars I go to that are wearing colors and are probably not associated with gangs, but I've also heard about stories from a friend of mine that moved here from Seattle about when he'd go to the mall to get a new hat and he'd be looking for red since that was the color of all his friends gang they were in. He would be doing that and some guys would come in looking at blue and started following him and his girl around the mall after that. He had to call his friends to come meet him outside since it was 5 on one.

I'm just trying to say that even though the majority might not be affiliated with a gang or be involved with any criminal behavior, you don't know. No business owner wants a fight of any kind on their property so why not take precautions. To me thats not a skin color thing, but just a gang thing.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Micjones

I don't agree that it's fair, but Foxx isn't on public airwaves.

See Opie and Anthony. Suspended 30 days after a homeless man said racist things on their show. Both O&A and Foxx are sat. radio.

[Iowanian]

I think he was when he said that....a radio show, just like Imus.

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Well, I've been exploring it from the racial perspective, but as a business man, it is what it is. Everyone is discriminated against in business. That's the way of capitalism.

Well it is probably more prejudice than racism. They're not saying you have to use a separate entrance or can't enter at all... They're just asking you to act like you care about something in life for a few short hours.

True words of wisdom I heard a few months ago.
"Never go to the club with someone that doesn't have anything to live for"
Only got it 1 week too late.

I can only imagine that more of baggy clothes crowd they're trying to deter would fall in that category than someone wearing starched shirts and loafers.

[Fairplay]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Yep. I don't often agree with micjones's viewpoints, but at least he makes arguments. No matter how wrong they are.

He's an idiot who won't admit when he is wrong and throws the ace of spades card when he can't defend his dumb arguments.

[Stewie]

And isn't DJ Jazzy Jeff about 25 years too late to the party that raises the finger to "THE MAN!"

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Show me the studies that prove urban fashion is an accurate indicator of criminal intent.
Don't worry...I'll wait.

well, in a nutshell, black men are 6 times more likely to go to prison than whites. By your own admission, the majority of individual dressing in a manner not conforming to the dress code are black. by extrapolation it can be assumed that the majority of black men going to prison did not conform to the dress code.


you're off base again in thinking that we all view those not conforming to the dress code as thugs. We (or at least I) don't. I simply see that there is increased potential. It's risk management.



You are 12 times more likely to be killed in an auto accident if you aren't wearing a seat belt. Risk management dictates you are better off wearing a seatbelt.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by Micjones

The culture of skateboarding has changed like anything else over the years.
Skateboarders in the 80's looked nothing at all like their Hip Hop counterparts.

Looking like an idiot can change in appearence with the same end result. To call it a culture is a joke. Its a phase and kids outgrow it when they get a car and start getting a beard.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

On Saturday night Kansas City Live! was proud to feature a DJ performance by Jazzy Jeff. Jazzy Jeff is a tremendous artist with a long and successful history in the hip-hop/rap music genre and KC Live! was honored to have Jazzy Jeff play the venue. The event played by Jazzy Jeff was the second year of a similar promotion, last years featuring Mix Master Mike. We were delighted to feature the music that Jazzy Jeff is famous for. That is why he was scheduled to perform and his performance was excellent and exactly what we expected when he was scheduled.

I can almost smell it...
Cordish can't take credit for having booked the tour.
I know the promoter who did...personally.

Secondly, the Bacardi B-Live Tour uses rotating DJ's so it's a little disingenuous to say that they KNEW Jeff was coming.

The problem that occurred was solely technical in nature. KC Live! is not a traditional concert venue and thus the sound amplification and the type of sound waves compatible with the overall sound system are an issue with some production companies accustomed to concert venue shows. Whenever possible KC Live! handles the production of the shows however this artist supplied his own production staff. Thirty minutes into his performance the venue production engineers repeatedly informed the artists production staff that the system was being red-lined and that volume needed to be lowered to prevent damage to the system. The artists personnel ultimately refused and the artist terminated the concert for that reason. To characterize this incident in racial terms is absurd and illogical. We scheduled Jazzy Jeff proudly, knowing exactly his repertoire of music.

Makes sense...
A soundsystem that costs somewhere in the five/six-figure range had no safety features in place that could've prevented the damage.

Their permanently housed equipment was ruined by portable traveling gear.
Got it.

KCL staff and its engineers were so concerned Jeff was allowed for thirty minutes to push the system beyond its limits.

There was in fact extensive damage done to the system due to the performance. There are twelve high end drivers in the main cabinets of the sound system. Nine of the twelve high end drivers of the sound system were permanently damaged by the “square” sound wave being sent from the artists production which put the overall system is distress. Had the levels been adjusted in a quick manner the system would not have been damaged. Problems in aligning artist and venue production have occurred with other performers, for example the rock and roll band Lights and Siren stopped in mid concert to prevent damage to the sound system.



We would happily have Jazzy Jeff return as often as his schedule would accommodate and tour is booked at another facility which is affiliated with Kansas City Live!

Extensive damage = "We would happily have Jazzy Jeff return as often as his schedule would accommodate"...

Riiiiiiiiiight.

[Consistent1]

Originally Posted by Stewie

And isn't DJ Jazzy Jeff about 25 years too late to the party raising a finger to "THE MAN!"

yeah, Will Smith sucked bad enough.

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Consistent1

yeah, Will Smith sucked bad enough.

There was a 19 year old Jazz in my house this weekend. Young black male wearing urban clothing humping a huge but very sweet white chick. When we were introduced I threw out the typical DJ Jazzy Jeff joke.

He blinked and said I was the 3rd person to call him that and he had no idea why.

So this thread was a hilarious coincidence. And everyone here is really old.

[wild1]

Originally Posted by wutamess

I agree... too PC.
I GET IT!

I'll say what most of you want to say but don't want to:
No one wants Tyronne and his gold chain, teeth and baggy shorts devaluing the area.

So in order to keep him out make rules.
Because once they get in, we lose the real money customers and we're looking at a Bannister Mall/ Westport scenario. So in order to keep it classy, Keep Tyronne out.

In some cases I agree, The P&L isn't for T. I've only been once (a couple of weeks ago) and quickly realized that it's not my crowd and I won't be going back. I do but I don't understand why Tyronne even wants to be there.

They can keep that shit.

I don't either. It's a collection of all the pretentious people formerly from westport, zona, the plaza, and everywhere else who are trying too hard, people who just want to feel like they are at the place to be.

It's funny. Like this is Sunset Boulevard. Lil' KC thinks it's LA or Chicago or NYC, with Cordish trying to create for these places an artificial sense of exclusivity.

Lucky for these kinds of corporations there are a lot of people with more money than sense.