Music Incident at P&L District shocks DJ Jazzy Jeff - Page 37

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.”

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

yeah, and Sting's real name is Gordon Sumner. Neither is promoted under their real name. Any contract rider with the management company and promoter with reference his stage name clearly, and likely wouldn't mention his given name at all.

What's your point?

I wasn't aware that I was trying to make a point by using his given name.

sedated · 06-08-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wild1

I wear suits fairly often and I don't see it as a form of oppression. You'd wear it for a couple hours to a wedding, so what's the big deal about dressing up to go to the upscale part of town once in a while?

Maybe I'm getting too old. It's not even like this place is black tie. Just put on a nice shirt to go with jeans, is that so hard? I don't see the big atrocity here.

I'd think that young men would be positive on the idea of going to a place with some class, where people would be dressed to the 9s, looking their best. Men look good in suits and dress shirts. Women think so too. If you're dressed up, you've got an edge. You definitely get more attention. People should embrace it.

stop thinking logically, racist.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

I think most of us know that promoters act as intermediaries between venues and artists/management, but to sit there and act as though venues blindly agree to contracts without knowing the nature of the show and artists involved (at least headliners) is absurd.

About as absurd as Cordish brass trying to convince the public that he was booted from KCL for audio issues.

Again, nobody knew the difference until I clarified who booked the tour.
Now everybody's a Cordish authority.

Mr. Krab · 06-08-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I think you're speaking on behalf of the Cordish Group.
I'm not sure why though.

5 minutes ago you had no idea that they hadn't personally booked the show, but now you're certain what their conversations must've been with the promoter. Gotcha.

No, i just think you're full of crap and looking for an excuse to cry racism.

Just because they used a promoter and didn't book each act individually doesn't mean they don't control when/where/who. It doesn't mean they don't know which artist is going to show up far in advance. To think they didn't know a hip hop artist was booked, weeks in advance, is just silly.

**mikeyis4dcats.** · 06-08-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I wasn't aware that I was trying to make a point by using his given name.

your assertion has been Cordish had no idea who Jeff Townes is. While that may be, they certainly would know DJJJ, which is what his appearance would be clearly labelled as on any contract rider.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

As is saying they had no idea that DJJJ would be playing since they didn't book it. Why does it work for your argument and not mine?

That's not speculative. The artists themselves have gone on the record as having said the tour rotates the DJ's they use.

**mikeyis4dcats.** · 06-08-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

About as absurd as Cordish brass trying to convince the public that he was booted from KCL for audio issues.

Again, nobody knew the difference until I clarified who booked the tour.
Now everybody's a Cordish authority.

I believe Dane already schooled you on your elementary audio knowledge (or lack thereof).

It doesn't matter who contracted with Bacardi, as Cordish would have had final say on what type of acts perform and most likely has a show-specific veto authority.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Krab's

No, i just think you're full of crap and looking for an excuse to cry racism.

Just because they used a promoter and didn't book each act individually doesn't mean they don't control when/where/who. It doesn't mean they don't know which artist is going to show up far in advance. To think they didn't know a hip hop artist was booked, weeks in advance, is just silly.

I'm sure Cordish brass is well versed in all things Hip Hop seeing how they've distanced themselves from it at every turn.

But yeah... Crying racism always wins us points with mainstream White America doesn't it? It's always so well received.

HonestChieffan · 06-08-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

About as absurd as Cordish brass trying to convince the public that he was booted from KCL for audio issues.

Again, nobody knew the difference until I clarified who booked the tour.
Now everybody's a Cordish authority.

You need to national with this. And dont forget the cuffed pants issue.

**mikeyis4dcats.** · 06-08-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I'm sure Cordish brass is well versed in all things Hip Hop seeing how they've distanced themselves from it at every turn.

But yeah... Crying racism always wins us points with mainstream White America doesn't it? It's always so well received.

know your enemy. first rule of war and business.

Mr. Krab · 06-08-2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micjones

I'm sure Cordish brass is well versed in all things Hip Hop seeing how they've distanced themselves from it at every turn.

But yeah... Crying racism always wins us points with mainstream White America doesn't it? It's always so well received.

US against the world

fight da powa!!

Titty Meat · 06-08-2009, 03:50 PM

lol @ douchebag schooling someone on audios whos toured with Bun B.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

I believe Dane already schooled you on your elementary audio knowledge (or lack thereof).

You think he did. Because you know exactly Jack and Shit about high-end audio equipment. We'll just forget the fact that he failed to answer the question I posed about how a compressor functions. After being asked twice...He conveniently disappeared thereafter and has not returned.

Yeah...he schooled ME.

Quote:

It doesn't matter who contracted with Bacardi, as Cordish would have had final say on what type of acts perform and most likely has a show-specific veto authority.

No one is suggesting that the promoter had carte blanche.
That's a strawman argument.

I'm just clearing up the misconception that they booked him personally.

Micjones · 06-08-2009, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billay

lol @ douchebag schooling someone on audios whos toured with Bun B.

Because God knows if he's toured with Bun B he couldn't be wrong about something.

Tell you what...
Forget I said anything. Do a little research, yourself, on how compressors work.

Mr. Krab · 06-08-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billay

lol @ douchebag schooling someone on audios whos toured with Bun B.

who?

06-08-2009, 07:17 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $3624454	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, 03:50 PM	#552
Titty Meat Inmem 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: My house Casino cash: $1887558	lol @ douchebag schooling someone on audios whos toured with Bun B.
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