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.”

[Dartgod]

This was Fax's last post on this before Pioli Zombie jumped into the fray. Personally I thought it was a legitimate question.

Originally Posted by FAX

I don't have one. Certainly, these guys (The Lost Boys) are both as black as they come and as disadvantaged as one can be - having spent their entire youth watching their villages and families destroyed by Muslim fanatics, living in refugee camps, and eating gruel. It seems to me that the black community would have an interest in them. But, apparently, they don't. At least, not around here.

Honestly, I've never thought about it before. But, the only people helping them acclimate to America, find them employment, get them in school, locate them in apartments or homes, get them cars, etc. are whites.

Are whites the only people in Nashville with the resources to help? Absolutely not. So, why doesn't the black community help?

There are Sudanese Lost Boys in every major city in the US. Not to put you on the spot, but have you ever considered reaching out to help them, Mr. Micjones? If not, why?

FAX

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

This was Fax's last post on this before Pioli Zombie jumped into the fray. Personally I thought it was a legitimate question.

i felt the same way, i didnt think faxy was out of line. i also think the "black as they come" comment was to display how he was NOT racist or biased. sounds funny when i write it like that but it makes sense in my head.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Lzen

If you're talking about the neg rep I gave you yesterday (which I believe called you a hypocrite), don't forget to mention the PM I sent today that was anything but hateful.

If that's not what you meant, my bad.

There are some good examples of people coming on here and acting like douches (Midnight Vulture comes to mind) that got put in their place. People actually research and found out their real names, places of work, etc. I am too lazy to go look up those threads, but I can tell you that it was pretty funny.

We have a bunch of techies on here. You get them motivated and all your "stuff" is found on the internet with a little work.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

i felt the same way, i didnt think faxy was out of line. i also think the "black as they come" comment was to display how he was NOT racist or biased. sounds funny when i write it like that but it makes sense in my head.

Just to clarify, I do think he was out of line later on in the discussion with Dottefan. But that was after he was incensed by what PZ had written.

I'm not making excuses for Fax, but I am saying that the style with which he was posting yesterday was waaaaay out of character for him.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

BRO.........GET OVER YOURSELF. I think it great that you help the refugees we all do. . Maybe the reason why those black churches could not help.....is they are already stretched to the max trying to help out there own community , and just dont have the resources....did you for once think about that? I know for experience , we were turned down for help from black churches due to those reasons. next point......to try to answer your question regarding OUR community..that is a whole other issue that is too complex, to just answer with a single post..there are so many underlying issues that I just dont have the time to go there .With you being such and educated man,you should know this. Fax, for you to even try to bring up that issue, was your attempt at trying to slap us" black folks" in the face. Its cool, you might have the rest of the planet fooled..but not me. I saw you and your racist rants coming from a mile away.

Well, at least that's an answer.

So, you're saying that the black community actually has it's hands full with local outreach? Too full to assist with the refugee problem? That makes sense, I suppose. If it's accurate.

Oh ... and I'm not trying to slap any "black folks" in the face. Far from it. I don't see the problem with calling the problems out into the open, though.

It's my personal view that the generational issues associated with the American urban black culture should not be out of bounds for discussion by "white folks". Frankly, the only way those issues will ever be solved is when everyone pulls together. There's really no other way for it to occur, actually. As for you thinking that I'm a racist, maybe I am. If, that is, you equate violent crime, underage pregnancies, rampant drug use, and fatherless homes with race.

The thing is, however, that Tennessee (for example) has the exact, same problems in the lower income white communities - primarily the rural ones. Things aren't much better there, I assure you. It wouldn't offend me in the slightest if any black person were to suggest that the behavior of those persons was inconsistent with the goal of living a full and fulfilling life or that they were making little or no positive contribution to society.

FAX

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by FAX

I never realized that you were so prejudiced. Why can't a white person ask a question about the priorities of the black community?

Now pointing out some rather fatal flaws in the ideology you represented of your own volition can be called prejudice? Interesting.

You can ask a million other questions if you so choose Mr. Fax.
I'm not at all put off by you asking questions. What I am slightly offended by is the idea that your philanthropic efforts are not being replicated elsewhere by African American people. And that you're superimposing what may, in fact, be a very problematic situation in Nashville onto the Cordish controversy in Kansas City.

Your humanitarian endeavors do not bestow upon you the privilege of subjugating Black people in America.

I did some checking this morning. Local World Relief has gone to black churches, the community center on the East side (they're not interested in anything that doesn't come with Federal funding, by the way), and attempted to involve local black business leaders. No one from the black community has stepped forward. If you don't have any idea why that might be, fine. Just say so.

I don't live in Nashville.
I'd only be misrepresenting the truth to try and explain your specific situation there concerning the refugees from the Sudan.

Frankly, even if a person were "grandstanding" or "parading" (which I'm not) I, for one, would gladly accept their assistance along with their attitude. After all, why would that matter? I'd rather someone grandstand and parade and help instead of just sitting on their ass and doing nothing.

The need to parade philanthropic efforts around makes me question the purity of your intent. But carry on patting yourself on the back for what should only be for the purpose of honoring the humanity of the refugees in question.

But as I said earlier, I am interested in the reasons why, in the mind of blacks, the wearing of baggy pants to a nightclub might supersede the need to assist black refugees.

You've drawn that conclusion.
YOU say it supercedes the plight of refugees who've come from distressed areas of Africa. It's not surprising that you oversimplify the real issue. Sure, it's not about fair and equitable treatment for African American people in a taxpayer-funded development (that many of those cockeyed hat wearing miscreants are contributing to). It's about someone censoring the fashionable expression of card-carrying members of the Hip Hop community. It's bullshit Mr. Fax.

Your attitude about it is interesting, too. Does a white man not have a right to ask a question? Does it threaten your position in some way? Or, are you one of those pseudo-intellectuals who prefer talk to action? If you're doing nothing to help other than complain about white racism, that's your right - but why attack someone who does choose to work toward solutions?

FAX

Thank you sir.
Not only are you sitting squarely upon the ivory throne of judgment that your philanthropic efforts have afforded you, but you're also the arbiter of what constitutes my right to be objectionable about the Cordish controversy.

Bravo...

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Your humanitarian endeavors do not bestow upon you the privilege of subjugating Black people in America.

Are you serious? Subjugating? You can't be serious...

Certainly you see this as over the top, since all of FAX's posts have been to the contrary.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We have a bunch of techies on here. You get them motivated and all your "stuff" is found on the internet with a little work.

There is a flip side to that.....the same people that can track , can be tracked. Some people would not like to have there personal info put on display, and might get a little crazy , or violent if it happens.( really stupid but true) Me personally, I am way to lazy, dont have the time,and just dont care enough to waist the energy trying to track some one down because of a few post...but some people out there take this shit really serious.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Are you serious? Subjugating? You can't be serious...

Certainly you see this as over the top, since all of FAX's posts have been to the contrary.

Certainly I don't.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by FAX

Well, at least that's an answer.

So, you're saying that the black community actually has it's hands full with local outreach? Too full to assist with the refugee problem? That makes sense, I suppose. If it's accurate.

Oh ... and I'm not trying to slap any "black folks" in the face. Far from it. I don't see the problem with calling the problems out into the open, though.

It's my personal view that the generational issues associated with the American urban black culture should not be out of bounds for discussion by "white folks". Frankly, the only way those issues will ever be solved is when everyone pulls together. There's really no other way for it to occur, actually. As for you thinking that I'm a racist, maybe I am. If, that is, you equate violent crime, underage pregnancies, rampant drug use, and fatherless homes with race.

The thing is, however, that Tennessee (for example) has the exact, same problems in the lower income white communities - primarily the rural ones. Things aren't much better there, I assure you. It wouldn't offend me in the slightest if any black person were to suggest that the behavior of those persons was inconsistent with the goal of living a full and fulfilling life or that they were making little or no positive contribution to society.

FAX

But do you see how your past post would lead some one like me, who obviously only has your post in this thread to go by, and not knowing you personaly, to assume that some of the stuff you said had heavy racial overtones? I again applaud the fact that you help the refugees..but before you start assuming that Black Americans dont help them ..do a little research first .

these are just a few links to Black American charites that help out refugees in Africa.

http://www.charitablechoices.org/cha...F/default.asp+

http://www.blackrefer.com/black_charities.html

http://www.onlinecardonation.org/cha...ca-charity.htm

http://www.philanthropy.org/publicat...ican_paper.pdf

[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?

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

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Dottefan

But do you see how your past post would lead some one like me, who obviously only has your post in this thread to go by, and not knowing you personaly, to assume that some of the stuff you said had heavy racial overtones? I again applaud the fact that you help the refugees..but before you start assuming that Black Americans dont help them ..do a little research first .

these are just a few links to Black American charites that help out refugees in Africa.

http://www.charitablechoices.org/cha...F/default.asp+

http://www.blackrefer.com/black_charities.html

http://www.onlinecardonation.org/cha...ca-charity.htm

http://www.philanthropy.org/publicat...ican_paper.pdf

Thanks for the links.

Maybe some of these guys can help, which would be great. Finally, some reasonable, thoughtful, contributive dialogue. Prop things to you, Mr. Dottefan.

FAX

[Dottefan]

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?

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

WHAT?........oh wait, I thought this was directed at me, but you are talking about Micjones..lol.....

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Micjones

It's about someone censoring the fashionable expression of card-carrying members of the Hip Hop community. It's bullshit

How exactly is it BS? The hip hop community's fashion is derived from gangs. This shouldn't be news to anyone, if you don't see it your blind. Not everyone that wears clothing made mainstream by hip hop is in a gang, more the exact opposite,but they are dressing that way. Whether they are white, black, hispanic, asian, native american, irish, scottish, polish, or jewish, if they are dressing the way many of America's youth are today, then they are dressing similar to gang members.

As long as that fact holds true, there will be dress codes in place that restrict that type of clothing. The dress codes aren't saying you can't wear what you want and show your fashionable expression, you just can't do it there. Express yourself within their guidelines when you want to go there. What I'm wearing right now would get turned away and I'm at work, so If I would want to go to P&L tonight I'd change, whereas I don't think gang members would be as quick to conform to their rules.

[Dottefan]

Originally Posted by FAX

Thanks for the links.

Maybe some of these guys can help, which would be great. Finally, some reasonable, thoughtful, contributive dialogue. Prop things to you, Mr. Dottefan.

FAX

I am willing to help out in any way. I actually was speaking with some one last Saturday, when I attended a traditional African wedding. It was my first time , and it was pretty damn amazing, it was a beautiful thing to see people singing traditional African wedding songs, and dances..and the food was a damn good..lol..Mr Fax ..I am sending you an Internet Olive Branch..we both said some things that might of been out of character for both of us.