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.”

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU ****ING PEOPLE THINKING THAT ANY YOUNG BLACK MALE WHO DRESSES WITH BAGGY PANTS AND WHITE T`S ARE THUGS..OK BY YOUR ****ING LOGIC I AM NO GOING TO ASSUME THAT ALL OLDER WHIT MEN AND CORRPUT , LIARS AND THEIVES AND WHITE COLLAR THUUGS BECAUSE OF ENRON, THE SAVINGS AND LOAN SCANDELS AND, THE REST OF THE CORRUPT WHITE MALES WHO SUNK ARE ECONONY AND ROBBED PEOPLE OF THEIR LIVE SAVINGS..NOW GOING BY YOUR THEORY DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?.........OH AND BY THE WAY ASS HOLE 2 OF MY LITTLE BROTHERS HAVE ALOT OF TATS DRESS IN BAGGY CLOTHES AND WIFE BEATERS..THEY ARE ALSO IN COLLEGE AND HAVE 3.6 AND A 4.0 GPA AND ARE GOOD KIDS..BUT ALL YOU ASSHOLES SEE ARE THE CLOTHES..THEY ARE TEENAGRES AND YOUNGER PEOPLE..I AM SURE THAT ALL OF YOU DRESSED TOTALY DIFFRENT WHEN YOU WERE 16-25 THEN YOU DID WHEN YOU GOT OLDER..I KNOW I DID...

Why are you yelling?

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I guess so.

A compressor is generally used to shape the sound of a particular instrument, whether it's voice, guitar, bass, snare drum, kick drum, etc. Whether it's a Fairchild 660, LA2A, 1176, Distressor, Retro 176, and absolutely tons of other types (VCA, ELOP, etc.), they all exhibit different characteristics and have a myriad of uses, none of which is to "protect speakers".

Just slapping a compressor on something to reduce the overall gain and expecting it to "protect speakers" is nonsense, especially considering that there is an "Output Gain" or a "Gain Reduction Makeup" on each and every compressor.

So if I understand you correctly...
Compressors do NOT have thresholds that will reduce a signal that's too hot?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Micjones

So if I understand you correctly...
Compressors do NOT have thresholds that will reduce a signal that's too hot?

If it's "too hot", pull back the fader, use a pad or turn down the gain on the preamp. Otherwise, you're changing the dynamic content of the signal.

Using a compressor to reduce a signal only is just plain dumb. And by pushing a fader or buss to its limits and using a compressor to reduce the gain will only cause "pumping and breathing".

This type of approach that you're describing is very amateur-ish and essentially, you're describing a very poor audio engineer.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

I'll accept that feedback, thank you.

Now, did you get the point?

The point is that your prejudices and bias color your overall ability to properly evaluate job candidates.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

I'll accept that feedback, thank you.

Now, did you get the point?

I get the point that you must be a really crappy judge of character if you base so much on appearance alone and disregard everything else.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

If it's "too hot", pull back the fader. Otherwise, you're changing the dynamic content of the signal.

There are several ways to skin the cat, but you didn't answer the question.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

...JUST LIKE THE WHITE GUYS WHO HAD RIPPED JEANS LONG HAIR AND A MAIDEN T SHIRT....

[/raises hand]

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Lzen

[/raises hand]

what wig did you go with?

[Dayze]

i haven't bought a single item from Best Buy since 2002 because of the god awful service I received; I ended up having to eat $60 becauseof their error.

If someone doesn't like the way they are treated at a buisness etc, why would they WANT to give them their money? Take the money and spend it elsewhere.

I know that's too simplistic because of taxpayers funding the development etc...but just from a personal standpoint - I wouldn't have anything to do with them if I didn't like they way I was treated. Pretty simple to me.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

what wig did you go with?

Hey now. I used to have hair back in my youth.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Micjones

There are several ways to skin the cat, but you didn't answer the question.

If you want to misuse a compressor and make your signal sound like dogshit, sure you can use it in that manner. I personally don't know anyone who would do that, especially with a $500k system but it's technically possible, though stupid.

It's like using a nail gun to drill holes. It makes no sense. Turn down the fader. Don't squash your dynamics with a compressor to reduce volume, especially if you're not using any make-up gain.

It sounds like you're describing a brick-wall limiter, not a compressor. Even still, I don't know why you'd use a brick-wall limiter to "protect speakers".

[mikeyis4dcats.]

I'll trust Dane. He lives next door to Eva Longoria.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This type of approach that you're describing is very amateur-ish and essentially, you're describing a very poor audio engineer.

Like all of the engineers I know who use limiters for drum recordings to "protect" the microphones?
Engineers who work very corporate studio gigs mind you.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

If you want to misuse a compressor and make your signal sound like dogshit, sure you can use it in that manner. I personally don't know anyone who would do that, especially with a $500k system but it's technically possible, though stupid.

It's like using a nail gun to drill holes. It makes no sense. Turn down the fader. Don't squash your dynamics with a compressor reduce volume, especially if you're not using any make-up gain.

It sounds like you're describing a brick-wall limiter, not a compressor. Even still, I don't know why you'd use a brick-wall limiter to "protect speakers".

You still haven't answered the question...
Is that merely a coincedence?

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

I get the point that you must be a really crappy judge of character if you base so much on appearance alone and disregard everything else.

I hoped to communicate that all other things were equal. Sorry if I did not. Character wasn't the issue, judgement is.


Unstated is that if tat boy is the only one to show up, you move your recruiting effort elsewhere. Tat boy is competing with every other guy or girl who has his qualifications within the scope of the recruiters efforts.

Tat boy after the experience may take your approach that well the dude recruiting is a bad judge of character. Blame the other guy. Charcter wasn't the issue, judgement is.
Or he may go back to his dorm room ask ask himself...why didnt I get the job? If he is fortunate and has the motivation, he will seek out the guy from the deans office. Or if he really has some stones he will call the recuiter and ask for feed back.