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.”

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by FAX

Jesus, you are a hypocrite. One of the worst I've ever met. I never realized it before. I tell you what, Mr. Micjones, I'll resign my efforts with the lost boys, if you promise to pick up the slack. That way, you won't be offended by my "grandstanding" and the problem will be placed in the hands of the black community where it belongs, right?

Honestly I couldn't care less that you're going to extraordinary lengths to parade your philanthropic efforts around. Ultimately that's your problem.

There's also something fatally flawed with the idea that the Black community should have to bear the burden of the Sudanese refugees because we share the same skin color. Forget the fact that they're human beings. I'll keep that in mind the next time I'm approached by a Blonde blue-eyed street-dweller. "Sorry not MY problem. Certainly there are some good and honest White men you can beg aren't there?"

If you need to know how to help them, or what needs to be done just let me know. I'll be happy to explain it to you. Then, I can spend my time criticizing people who make an effort to help them while I enjoy a cappuccino and an egg salad sandwich. Sounds like a good deal to me.

FAX

You're in no place to thumb your nose at me sir.
You haven't the faintest idea what I do to aid those in my community and abroad.
Mostly because I don't do good works so everyone else will know about them.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by kepp

"Rap" or "hip hop"? The article title says they told him to not play rap, but the article says hip hop.

Let's not play the semantics game.
Hip Hop is the culture. Rap is the soundtrack for that culture.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Let's not play the semantics game.
Hip Hop is the culture. Rap is the soundtrack for that culture.

Really? I thought they were both genres of music. Although I would have no idea what the difference is between the two.

[CoMoChief]

Hip hop isn't a culture it's a fad.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Hip hop isn't a culture it's a fad.

Huh. According to Wikipedia it is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_culture

I also see that Hip Hop and Rap are both musical genres, although they are both pretty much one in the same.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Hip hop isn't a culture it's a fad.

heh. I remember they used to say that 25 years ago.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Really? I thought they were both genres of music. Although I would have no idea what the difference is between the two.

That's the truth of the matter.

Somewhere along the line SOME rappers became conservatives.
And began to distinguish themselves by describing their music as "Hip Hop" since it was supposedly more true to form and pure. "Rap" became the demonized half-brother who represented everything evil and wrong with the artform.

Yep.
We Hip Hoppers have our factions too.
Rap Liberals, Rap Moderates, and Rap Conservatives.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Hip hop isn't a culture it's a fad.

Yep. A fad that predates me. A 35-year old fad.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Micjones

That's the truth of the matter.

Somewhere along the line SOME rappers became conservatives.
And began to distinguish themselves by describing their music as "Hip Hop" since it was supposedly more true to form and pure. "Rap" became the demonized half-brother who represented everything evil and wrong with the artform.

Yep.
We Hip Hoppers have our factions too.
Rap Liberals, Rap Moderates, and Rap Conservatives.

But Hip Hop is a genre of music as well, no?

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Yep. A fad that predates me. A 35-year old fad.

That's a long lasting "fad!" We'll just call it a "Super Fad".

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

But Hip Hop is a genre of music as well, no?

No. Hip Hop is just the all-encompassing word to describe all of its elements.

It's kinda like...
If Hip Hop was a strip mall... Rap would be a store in that mall.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

That's a long lasting "fad!" We'll just call it a "Super Fad".

How about "JJ Fad" since we are talking hip hop?

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Micjones

No. Hip Hop is just the all-encompassing word to describe all of its elements.

It's kinda like...
If Hip Hop was a strip mall... Rap would be a store in that mall.

I guess I don't understand. The article refers to Hip Hop as a style of music numerous times.

“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.”

Also, Wikipedia lists it as a musical genre.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_music

Billboard has a listing for top R&B/Hip Hop music
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/chart...phop_index.jsp

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

How about "JJ Fad" since we are talking hip hop?

??? You mean like, DY-NO-MITE!!!!

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Z-Trip says they told him not to play Hip Hop too. Hmm...

I didn't read the article but thats cool it's not a racial thing at all! I mean if they told them that, they told the white DJ the same thing as the black DJ