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.”

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

It makes me embarrassed for this city.

I would be except the city council and school board already have that honor, folllowd closely by Clay Whowontgoaway Chastain, and Carole Coe.

[burt]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

This thread makes me embarrassed to be white. I don't want to be guilty of idiocy by association.

YOU ARE GUILTY OF BEING WHITE!

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by blaise

That's a bullshit post. You're indicting everyone together by doing that. If you're going to say something like that then say names. I hope you're not referrring to me because I defy you to find anything to warrant that.

Is that anything like indicting all black people following urban fashion norms because of largely hypothetical examples of violence or disruption?

I digress, though. I didn't feel the need to name names because its kind of obvious.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by wild1

Very funny.

I was just sharing a philosophy. You either let yourself be a victim in life, or you roll with things and make them work. Rather than show up for a night out with your boys in your everyday clothes and get denied entry, why not take their dress code and take it to another level instead? You'd have a better night. If you choose to go there in borderline banned clothes, you're setting yourself up to go home angry.

Don't just whine about the world, make the world work for you. Go in there in the upper 10% of dress and throw your game around, see what the difference is. I bet you'd get twice as many bites from women.

Everyone would be happier if we just tried to find ways to be happy before we decide that we can't be.

Nothing to do with Jazz, nothing to do with anything really. Just my opinion. Find ways to make the world work for you instead of demanding that it accomodate you.

good post here

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Micjones

All of the DJ's slated to rotate in and out of the tour are wildly diverse and play an array of genres. It was a distinct possibility, I won't deny that, but to suggest that they had foreknowledge that DJJJ would blow into town is a stretch.

the specific lineup for each venue was known on or before May 19, 2009

http://www.bumpershine.com/2009/05/1...nt-update.html

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Micjones

I don't think so.
KC Live hasn't traditionally been a stage for Hip Hop.

key word.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

the specific lineup for each venue was known on or before May 19, 2009

http://www.bumpershine.com/2009/05/1...nt-update.html

Wouldn't that suggest that the dates were booked BEFORE the lineups were released?

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

key word.

Good thing I live here and have been consistently in touch with what's gone on at KC Live.

It hasn't been a stage that has traditionally played host to much Hip Hop.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Katipan

Not traditionally a sexy look although I'm sure your wife totally rocked them.

we had just left the royals game. what did we do after being denied? go on national TV and scream racism thats what. they didnt want a white couple in their establishment!!!







no really we went to our hotel showered and changed clothes and went right back, no problems then

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Is that anything like indicting all black people following urban fashion norms because of largely hypothetical examples of violence or disruption?

I digress, though. I didn't feel the need to name names because its kind of obvious.

Urban fashion norms that the dress code in quesiton prohibits are heavily designed after gang related attire. I said it earlier, if you want to dress like a gang memeber be prepared to be treated like one as well.

I'll admit to a point some of the stuff is ridiculous, but I don't feel it's racist. Where I'm from gangs were heavily white and hispanic so the stuff that dress codes prohibited were what those gangs wore. It's really a simple concept.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Good thing I live here and have been consistently in touch with what's gone on at KC Live.

It hasn't been a stage that has traditionally played host to much Hip Hop.

so whats your point? you still dont KNOW.

[HonestChieffan]

So. If I have zero desire to be assulted by hiphop music, is the P and L a place to avoid or not.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Wouldn't that suggest that the dates were booked BEFORE the lineups were released?

and it's also proof that Cordish has known for over 45 days who was slated. They could have found reason to cancel or change artists prior to Saturday if that was their concern.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

Urban fashion norms that the dress code in quesiton prohibits are heavily designed after gang related attire. I said it earlier, if you want to dress like a gang memeber be prepared to be treated like one as well.

I'll admit to a point some of the stuff is ridiculous, but I don't feel it's racist. Where I'm from gangs were heavily white and hispanic so the stuff that dress codes prohibited were what those gangs wore. It's really a simple concept.

I don't have much of a problem at all with the KCP&L dress code once it was revised by the city council. I think that its pretty fair now. Enforcement could be a lot better (for example, I saw a hispanic man get turned away for having the cuffs of his jeans turned up to better show off his sneakers. My white ass was doing the exact same thing to show off mine, but I get in no problem).

But this thread really isn't about the dress code. From what I've read, which is the entirity of the thread, this thread is mostly about micjones being awesome and a bunch of white dudes bloviating about how they're victimized over having to hear minorites playing the "victim card."

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

we had just left the royals game. what did we do after being denied? go on national TV and scream racism thats what. they didnt want a white couple in their establishment!!!







no really we went to our hotel showered and changed clothes and went right back, no problems then

you knock a piece off beforehand? I bet you did you sly dog!