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.”

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

No, but you attacked me, when obviously he said some pretty ****ed up things. I took allot of shit in this thread, people said some pretty nasty things, and when I reply back...........I am the only one who gets called out for it. I know I am new, and might not be as " cool" as some of you guys, but just like the majority of the posters in this thread you decide to attack me..lol..its okay, I understand. I am not in the "handjob" club yet, so anything I say is wrong, and who ever says something against me is right. That would explain you asking me stupid questions like......." why did you move dotte"..and the **** boy with the k-state logo, not addressing any of the shit FAX said , but only attacking my points .

where did i "attack" you? show me. thats the mentality i have been talking about.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

lol..this is what I mean by stupid post. You again decide to totally ignore anything that FAX said, and you want to question me about why I moved? damn.

fax has nothing to do with this. keep deflecting. if fax had said that he donates time to the boys and then dumps them when they get their citizenship i would be asking the same of him.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

where did i "attack" you? show me. thats the mentality i have been talking about.

Maybe attack is a little strong , so I take that back. You obviously have decided to question the things I posted, but have yet to address anything that Fax has said.....again. First you question me about why I moved? god forbid anyone decides to move for what ever reason, maybe because of where there job is and with gas being so high, and that person might own an SUV maybe its works out for them better to live closer to their job..a decision that most people would make given the opportunity. Instead of thinking along those lines, you call me fake and say that my efforts to help my community are not real, because of my zip code..lol..does this make sense to you? because it doesn't to me.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

fax has nothing to do with this. keep deflecting. if fax had said that he donates time to the boys and then dumps them when they get their citizenship i would be asking the same of him.

what? this makes no sense.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I said most,not all. If you dish it out, you should be able to take it, and I took allot of stereotyping that came my way in this thread, so you know what? I gave it right back. So if you are going to call me out, then you should do the same to all the other people that posted the same stuff..or your just pissing in the wind.

BTW, Dottefan, you didn't say this at all. I wrongfully accused you of making that statement. That "rich, White and 50" bullshit didn't come from you, but was instead uttered by our very own Chief of the Credibility Police, Micjones.

My apologies.

Although the fact that you didn't hesitate to take credit for it (I said most, not all), leads me to believe that you probably don't disagree with it.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by FAX

Disingenuous? Exactly the opposite, in my view. Unreasonable? Maybe.

(In fact, disingenuous doesn't really fit at all what I think you're intending to express.)

Try this on this logic, and I'll listen to whatever you say on the subject very carefully ...

1. Some blacks are pissed because the dress code at the P&L District doesn't cater to their personal tastes in clothing and, therefore, excludes them from participation.

2. Great energy and time is expended by these blacks and others who support them in expressing their outrage at this diversifying and prejudicial standard.

3. In America, today, there are black men and women who are refugees from Sudan who have panic attacks in grocery stores because they've never seen so much food, have never been to a real school, and who view work and education as the highest possible calling a human being can have.

4. Few black people reach out to help these refugees gain a foothold in America.

5. The time, ergs, effort, and energy spent fighting for the right to wear baggy pants and bling at a bar could reasonably be better expended assisting these men and women who are in real need of both the help and black role models.

To me, it's all part of a bigger picture, Mr. Micjones. It isn't even a black issue, really. It represents just how screwed up our priorities are. People want to be able to do what they want ... sometimes that means wearing baggy pants and sometimes that means surviving to live another single day. Which do you think the black community should care about more? Do you really want to use the term "injustice" when referring to a dress code when young men and women are being literally slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands?

FAX

Fax I've always taken you as an intelligent and reasonable man.
I would hate to have to rethink my position.

This grandstanding over the work you've done with Sudanese refugees (while noble and admirable) doesn't put you in a position to somehow subjugate Black people in America. There are consistent efforts being led by Black people to help advance refugees such as the ones you've come into contact with. All over the United States...and all over the world.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by frazod

BTW, Dottefan, you didn't say this at all. I wrongfully accused you of making that statement. That "rich, White and 50" bullshit didn't come from you, but was instead uttered by our very own Chief of the Credibility Police, Micjones.

My apologies.

Although the fact that you didn't hesitate to take credit for it (I said most, not all), leads me to believe that you probably don't disagree with it.

I know I didn't, but shit, I am the bad guy in this thread, so even if I did try to refute it, nobody would believe me.. so I just went with it..lol.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

Maybe attack is a little strong , so I take that back. You obviously have decided to question the things I posted, but have yet to address anything that Fax has said.....again. First you question me about why I moved? god forbid anyone decides to move for what ever reason, maybe because of where there job is and with gas being so high, and that person might own an SUV maybe its works out for them better to live closer to their job..a decision that most people would make given the opportunity. Instead of thinking along those lines, you call me fake and say that my efforts to help my community are not real, because of my zip code..lol..does this make sense to you? because it doesn't to me.

where did i say fake? where did i say your efforts arent real? what i'm saying is that the youths might not realte to you the way you think they do, for a reason. someone who wants to help out their community doesnt leave. you say that you donate 25 hrs a week is that in KCK? if so dont you have to drive there? i would rather spend money for gas to go to work being thats where you get paid.

[Dottefan]

I am tired of arguing with you folks, and this back and forth crap is silly. I will never agree with you on certain issues, so we should just leave it at that. This is the net, so none of us really know each other, I could be way off base about some of you guys, just like you could be about me. I know that if we had this discussion in person, allot of the stuff that was said (me included, although I am an asshole and would of still probably said most of these things..lol) would of never came out. Lets just agree to disagree on this issue because I have wasted my vacation time on this. If any one would like to find out more about what I do, or would like to help in any way. You can find me mostly down in KCK at the Different community centers. The foundation I work with is called the North Side foundation. We are trying to put together a charity golf tournament for early September late August , so hopefully I can get some of you guys that are local to come out.........regardless of our disagreements. Godbless

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

where did i say fake? where did i say your efforts arent real? what i'm saying is that the youths might not realte to you the way you think they do, for a reason. someone who wants to help out their community doesnt leave. you say that you donate 25 hrs a week is that in KCK? if so dont you have to drive there? i would rather spend money for gas to go to work being thats where you get paid.

Why would you think that they would not be able to relate to me? because of where I live. I am a pretty well known person in my neighborhood, believe me, the kids know me, and know what I am about. I think you are trying to say that they would think I am not "real" because of where I live..lol..not putting words in your mouth but that is how it comes off to me. I guess some of the White people, or my boy Jose who also lives in JO , would not be taken seriously because of where they live either. They donate their time as well, I don't always do 25 hours a week. Allot of that time is spent at home on the net or calling people on behalf of the foundation. We try to show the kids the world outside of the "hood" ,and let them know you do anything and be anyone...that includes moving away from the hood, but still giving back.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I am tired of arguing with you folks, and this back and forth crap is silly. I will never agree with you on certain issues, so we should just leave it at that. This is the net, so none of us really know each other, I could be way off base about some of you guys, just like you could be about me. I know that if we had this discussion in person, allot of the stuff that was said (me included, although I am an asshole and would of still probably said most of these things..lol) would of never came out. Lets just agree to disagree on this issue because I have wasted my vacation time on this. If any one would like to find out more about what I do, or would like to help in any way. You can find me mostly down in KCK at the Different community centers. The foundation I work with is called the North Side foundation. We are trying to put together a charity golf tournament for early September late August , so hopefully I can get some of you guys that are local to come out.........regardless of our disagreements. Godbless

i'm an asshole too

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

Why would you think that they would not be able to relate to me? .

you never sold drugs, never gangbanged, don't live in the neighborhood, hell you have said yourself that most of your volunteer work is done online, are mixed race, still an outsider to some blacks..... yeah those kids have a lot to relate with you on

[SAUTO]

and it's funny that you nag rep me after all that i've said because i realized that you dont even live in the hood. didnt like that much did you?

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

you never sold drugs, never gangbanged, don't live in the neighborhood, hell you have said yourself that most of your volunteer work is done online, are mixed race, still an outsider to some blacks..... yeah those kids have a lot to relate with you on

I am not an outsider in my community. What would you even know about my community, just from your post I can tell you have no idea about the black community that I come from. I have never had an issue in the my community for being mixed race, the only problems I had was from my white side. I did not gang bang but almost all of my friends did. Before I hit 19 I buried 9 friends, two of them murdered right in front of me. I did not sell dope but alot of of my friends did, so I am well versed on that lifestyle.You see I thought I wanted to be in that lifestyle when I was younger, all my friends were doing it...so I wanted to. I had some friends that were not in the lifestyle, but growing up in the neighborhood that I did, it was just normal to have friends that you known sense grade school turn to that life..but I had a great father, and other role models to look up to that guided me away from that..some of those peopl were gang members and drug dealers, who knew that I could make something out of myself and kept telling me I don't need to be around this shit.......so you keep your narrow minded views, on what it means to be a "real black man in the hood" you don't know shit about me or the kids I work with, and that shows in your post.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

and it's funny that you nag rep me after all that i've said because i realized that you dont even live in the hood. didnt like that much did you?

and I gave you green one.