Backlash continues to rise surrounding DJ Jazzy Jeff's sudden dismissal in the middle of his DJ set last night at Power & Light. Barely 12 hours out, and it's all over the blogosphere. Lots of people, including prominent local hip-hop scenesters, feel that it was clear-cut case of P&L's bias against hip-hop music and those who follow it (by extension: black people).
To get the establishment's side of the story, I spoke just now, via e-mail and phone, with Kansas City Power & Light District President Jon D. Stephens. His explanation: "It was entirely an issue of audio and sound."
He continues: "The artist-provided sound techs were pushing the decibel level past maximum and it risked damage to the system. He was asked repeatedly to adjust. Finally, citing artist control they stopped playing and refused to resume performance."
Stephens says that DJ Jazzy Jeff's management and sound engineer were given clear information regarding what the sound system's limitations were and that during Jazzy Jeff's set, the decibel levels were at risk of blowing the system.
Regarding DJ Jazzy Jeff's tweeted allegations that it was his choice to spin hip-hop that got him shut down, Stephens responds, "It's unfortunate that he or his manager are taking that approach. It was clearly explained to him what the rationale was. We were not concerned about DJ Jazzy Jeff himself but the sound and the audio level."
When asked what his district's attitude toward hip-hop is, Stephens talks about diversity.
"I think it's a testament to our desire to book diverse music by the fact that we booked DJ Jazzy Jeff on a Saturday night, which is the busiest night of the week in the district," he says.
"We were genuinely excited to have DJ Jazzy Jeff and his performers come in," he adds. "It was our desire to bring him as an act. It was unfortunate that his manager and sound engineers didn't comply to the norms of the system and risked blowing a very expensive sound system."
Stephens notes that last year, a rock band was asked to stop their set because they were about to blow the system.
If Stephens' claims are true, then it is indeed unfortunate for KCP&L that last night's incident had to involve a world-renowned hip-hop DJ and not, say, Eve 6.
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This thread is keeping me up! Good lawd!
That dude that mouthed off to Skillzz... Nice! LOL
1) Ever been to Tengo Sed Cantina? That place plays ALMOST ENTIRELY hiphop.
2) Ever hired a PR firm to handle a delicate situation? They probably asked Cordish to invite him back as a concession. That's what PR firms do, form a plan to combat a situation that smooths things over.
3) I don't go to Westport, its full of thugs of all colors and I don't feel safe. I feel perfectly safe at P&L.
4) A jazz club in P&L? Can someone please point me in the direction of a jazz club in Kansas City that is turning a profit? P&L is a business - not a charitable organization.
5) A dress code in place is for safety. And it is imposed fairly. People of all colors get turned away. And guess what, not one of them is happy about it. Solution? Operate inside the dress code.
6) Who cares if Cordish elects to have creative control over their outside courtyard? Its the common area. Ever heard Jay-Z in Macy's? Nope. Reason why? In business, common areas feature music that is benign, music without an ability to offend anyone. There are numberous venues that a patron can elect to enter that play music more suited to one's taste. Z-Trip delivered a perfectly acceptable set, as did MSTRKRFT - phenonemal in fact.
7) Jazzy Jeff was a CONTRACTED guest of the district that night, like it or not. He still has to abide by their requests whether or not he believes in them. Whether that involves adjusting his levels or alledgedly being asked to modify his performance, the district still retains creative control when they ALLOW an individual to perform there.
These are business basics people. The district has a responsibility to the city to run this multi-million dollar complex in a way that will continue to benefit the city as whole - not just today, but years from now. In business, as in life, you simply cannot please everyone all of the time. Some will benefit from decisions made, and some will not. This is one of the very few constants in life. I don't expect the underground hiphop heads of KC, many of whom openly admit to never having patronized the district prior to this show, to embrace the above truths. If they had a mind geared towards mainstream business, they would have chosen a path in mainstream business and not the path of a performance artist. I don't know many artists who have respect for the music business or for industry types. To those - I'm sorry if this glimpse of how the business world works hurts your feelings. Take it for what it is and use the emotions it stirs to write your next masterpiece about the injustices of modern society.
Look above .. you read some of the mess people are writing?
I will discuss this subject when people can stick to the facts and stop putting in what they want to add to feel like they had something to say... its pointless...
....Unless.... someone can point me to a good church and some good middle eastern food in this town...
then I'll talk about what ever you want with whom ever even if them swear they really heard something that they really imagined.. or saw something that only happened infront of them that a thousand other people standing around didn't see... (regardless of color)
Reading some of these posts is kind of like reliving the day I heard Christopher Columbus discovered America all over again...
Funny but still kind of disgusting.
I'm not comfortable with how many cigarettes the guys from MSTRKRFT smoked during their session haha. Now I understand why that one song is called 1000 Cigarettes.
@ Was There -- I'm not real comfortable seeing all the switching and editing going on online here...regardless of how minor the change.
What editing and switching are you talking about?
Anybody wanna talk about something that might be productive?
(No need to bother with trying to explain yourself to ignorance and denial- it doesn't change them. Just agree to disagree and spend your money and time some place else.)
So... who knows where I can find a decent Southern Baptist Church in this city and good Middle Eastern food in the southern part of the metro?
I'm not real comfortable seeing all the switching and editing going on online here...regardless of how minor the change.
The Power & Light District in Kansas City is at it again- In a desperate ugly move the powers that be stopped Grammy award winning DJ/Producer Jazzy Jeff only twenty minutes into his set- for playing hip hop. Now the company controlling the venue has declared it was not about Hip Hop but rather, �it was completely about sound levels� that�s right, they claim Jazzy Jeff would hurt the speakers- you see Hip Hop apparently is bad for sound systems that are bought for white audiences-
I mean, why else wouldn�t the sound system be ready for Hip Hop? In the construction of the venue they planned to have no Hip Hop! Otherwise it seems they would have appropriate sound systems- sounds systems that play all music, I mean when making a venue it would seem that you would want the most popular music to be played, RIGHT? So we can come to the conclusion that they planned a �Black-OUT�, even before the first speaker was installed�
The Powers that be at the Power & White district claim they have �proven� a desire to play all types of music; after all they did book Jazzy Jeff- right?
WRONG, I believe booking Jazzy Jeff was perceived to be a �safe� choice by the powers that be at the Power & White district � I imagine they felt they just had to appease the restless hip hoppers so they THOUGHT that they had an easy choice. They probably did little research, they probably thought he would only play WILL SMITH, heck maybe big willy would show up- what a hoot!! Anyhow they somehow just pictured the goofy sidekick Jazzy Jeff getting thrown out the door by Mr. Banks- ( If your too young just Google Fresh Prince of Bel Air) So they assumed he would play, �Parents just don�t understand�, maybe some Heavy D & the Boyz- not Jay-Z. Someone did not do the homework, Jeff is still a lover of Hip Hop not someone stuck in an eighties friendly time machine. He is a DJ- you don�t tell someone like Grammy award winning DJ Jazzy Jeff to only play top forty� its like asking Kiss to only play �Nickel Back� You simply cannot put demands onto these musicians, playing music is their livelihood � If Jazzy Jeff played only top forty he would be playing birthday parties, not sold out venues throughout the world.
The Power & White district has failed when it had a good chance to shed some of its bad publicity- the dress code was a failure- It was a failure because it went too far, it made people uncomfortable- You see � If you place a venue in the MIDDLE of downtown KCMO � then tell the people who live there they cannot come because they don�t have the right clothes, well- that just might piss them off..
If the powers that be at the Power & White district wanted only people with certain clothes and certain credit cards then maybe they should have built it in Johnson County- it seems cruel to place a venue in KCMO only to tell its residents they cannot come in and we will not play your music.
I have been told that the sounds levels permanently damaged 9 of the 12 high end tweeters- If this is true then it just comes back to the idea that the sound system for the district was poorly designed and completely ignorant of the needs of Hip Hop acts- In other words they designed a sound system intended for the Jonas Brothers and Rush tribute bands. To develop a venue of that size without a sound system that can handle a little boom- well, that�s just ignorant. Maybe they will upgrade when they replace their precious, �high end� tweeters- maybe they got them at circuit city...
?
I will write more on this- I just had to put something together- In the meantime, just consider for yourself, ---
How Come they do not have any Jazz, Blues, Or Hip Hop clubs inside the power and light district- its not about demand- white, brown, & black people all love Jazz, Blues, and Hip Hop- after all we do have a THE Jazz Museum here in Kansas City? After All this is the land of Tech Nine and Mac Lethal- Kansas City is not to blame, Kansas City loves music of all kinds-
GO to Westport- go to 18th & Vine, go to Martini Corner- they love the music- these places thrive on diversity, these places better represent Kansas City- you can enjoy music and the people. YOu will not be asked to wear a tie or suffer through remixes of the shit you have to hear all day at work..
ALL kinds of music- they are not scared of the impending chaos� (I imagine the old fat decision makers watching a film similar to reefer madness- but instead its hip hop...)
WOW
?
Time to smoke
www.myspace.com/thecandyflip
Question:
If Jazzy was not following the request of the managment by not turning down his music to a point where it blew speakers, drivers,whatever. Plus his hype man "mislead" the crowd by stating they didn't want Jazzy to play hip-hop. Which will create more bad publicity on the Cordish Company. Why in the hell are they trying to talk to Jazzy's managment team to get him back to Kansas City? Now this is what the Cordish spokesperson said what they were trying to do.
That's confusing....This man "damaged" your expensive system, he caused all this "rukus" If all this is true why invite him back? What do they have to prove by doing that if the company is not at fault?
Your not going to inivte a person back to your home if they damage it, disrepect it and tell the neighbors all these "lies" about it....Right? I'm just saying!
Bullshit! Z-Trip confirmed that he was *also* told not to play hip-hop! 2 people now confirm what went on is contrary to Cordish's lie.
The saga continues, P&L needs to just realize that it will fail with out better business. They play rap, they play all kinds of music, that's not the issue; the real issue is that they just don't know that they are doing. As they try harder but not hard enough to appease the Urban core they don't realize that allowing gospel music and a hip-hop DJ isn't the answer. They already made progress with the dress code but the they need to realize that opening up P&L to more diverse clubs and restaurant will bring in more money than they get now. With that said my people (black) need to also act like they got some since. This isnt the Hills where white rich people mingle and sleep with each other with and half of hour. This is Kansas City, diverse, vibrant and hungry for an entertainment district. Wake up or fail.
First the press release says 9 of 12 drivers.
Second they are talking about the HF driver.
There are many other drivers besides those 12.
Did you not see that MSTRKRFT turned his DJ monitors out to the crowd????
Off-Key since your such a dis believer r u going down to see if they are doing work on the sound system?
Oh thats right everone will be busy typing on here telling false stories and making up new ones.
@ WOW
So you're saying you know more than the rest of us, ok.. I can dig it.. But if jeff blew 9 of their 11 drivers as P&L claims in their press release, then how in holy hell did MSTRKRFT do a set? You telling me they got as loud as they did on 2 drivers?
So who is going to be down there to see if they are doing any kind of repairs to the sound system?
Since so many say they smell a rat why not prove it.
Also to all you PRO SOUND people....
No limiter can stop a sqaure wave. No protection can stop a square wave.
The protection type cabinets have a bulb fuse that lights up and then will blow if it gets to hot for to long. Problem is a sqaure wave hits before it can get hot enough. Hence the DRIVER gets destroyed.
Now for limiters, They only limit the signal as a WHOLE. It does not stop a square wave. Once again the driver is destroyed.
Prolonged Sqaure waves are what destroy sound systems.
The sound guys that were at the show did what they were suppose to.
Just imagine if they turned the volume way down or turned off the channel. Oppps that would make them racist too. Right??
Lets recap the night...
1 DJ plays a mixture of hip hop and top 40.. loud enough for all of downtown to hear him...
DJ Exits the set.. in comes DJ Jazzy Jeff... I didn't notice any change in the sound of the speakers but there was a significant change in the mood of the crowd... everyone was actually having fun.. even the BBoys took a break from trying to steal the lime light... about 10 minutes in to the set we get a PSA that " Hey, they said we can't play hip hop"
Next thing I know bags are being packed, laptops turned off, and the crowd starts chanting "BULLSH#$"...
Power and Lights follow up all of this by playing "Welcome to the Jungle" on the speakers and follow it up with country music from various artists of some lost generation... (to me this was intentional)
This is not the first time that we have been told that Power and Light has banned hip hop music. Several times in various bars we have made specific requests only to be told that they "can't play that here"
I say the same thing the crowd said "BULL#$T%"
My advice to my people ...If they can't cater to you DONT SPEND MONEY DOWN THERE!
I expect the type of behavior displayed that night from the types of people that run Power and Light.. the thing that I dont understand is why black people stay and continue to spend money...
When someone shows you that you are not welcome.. believe them the first time.. dont' spend all your money to figure that out...
Out of the many reasons they put out there none of them add up...
#1 they said that he blew their speakers.. if there was an issue with the speakers why did they allow another DJ to play after him?
#2 they said he played too much rap or hip hop. Then you have to ask why this was not a problem when the white DJ played.
#3 they say that they allow rap but not hip hop....what do THEY consider hip hop? and what is rap to them? THEY COULDNT TELL YOU. Besides that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard... but from their eyes I guess thats just another way to try and mask the reality of the situation...
They don't want to play music that will attract a certain crowd.. that certain crown just happens to be brown and listens to hip hop
So please brown people take your green somewhere else!
Fuck you Skillz. You're a clown. Word is you weren't even on the performance contract and THATS why there was a problem with you being on stage. Figures as much...trying to jock a legend bc you haven't got shit off the ground the entire time you've been in the game? What was your shining moment? 2nd place in a freestyle contest over 15 years ago? No wait...had to be the Sprite Tour...that's street cred. YOUR mic was too hot and YOUR lyrics were over the line and YOU cost KC the chance to see Jeff. Jeff's music was good to go, your rhymes were almost as bogus as your entire career. Jeff would do well to lose a never-was never-will-be boat anchor whose claim to fame is writing other peoples garbage rhymes. You couldn't rock a mic in '95 and obviously you still can't.
Ha. People are funny making excuses for this company and a sound issue. Jeff has been deejaying for 25 Years, you dont think he knows how to cut his music down? We were never told that..ever..The reason it was louder to the people in the front was because Jeff has a monitor right beside him so he doesn't rely on headphones as much. Let me ask you this? If the sound was too loud and Jeff was causing it and got told 4 times to cut the sound down then why didn't they just cut the sound? Trust me if a act is doing too much and the venue doesn't like what they doing onstage and what they're saying on the mic they can totally cut off all sound. They never did that. Jeff stopped that Neyo record himself and then I made the announcement that we had to stop because they didnt want rap played there. Do you think they wanted me to get that announcement out? Hell no. And after I made it I was escorted of the property for making it. Jeff was still backstage, I texted him and told him they made me leave. And thats when he came out and went back to the hotel. I don't know anything about P&L nor do I care really but I know what happened and they didn't want rap music played and me being there made them nervous. Bottom line...thats what it was. So making excuses for the venue is getting kinda tired. Doesn't matter anyway..Will and Jeff are still tight as ever..I heard KC Live is in debt, maybe Will can buy it and we can use it to ride skateboards in.
twitter.com/skillzva
Good keep that loud no talent shit out of the P&L , go play that shit in westport where all the thugs hang out
I was at P&L when this went down. I'm a dj and I did notice that something was distorting in the speakers. Honestly I think it might have been coming from the MC's mic. But I'm more than sure that they kicked him off for the type of music that he was playing. I could see the frustration on jazzy's face when his soundman kept coming up to him during his set. The P&L sound crew should have been able to easily fix the problem. After all isn't that what they get paid for? I'm sad to see a hip hop legend shut down in the city that I call home.
@jamelrockwell
Sadly enough thats the way the world works and there are things that you and I will never see eye to eye on. If I were to go ten blocks east of P&L and I try to go into a bar I am willing to bet I would not be accepted nor would anybody be willing to accept me for the color of my skin; even if I were their to see a show. Thats just a fact of life. Is it racist that I would not be accepted? I could argue yes. There will always be things about cultures that others don't understand.
@ K Johnson,
sorry, all of my points in my previous messages werent directed at you, i was trying to cover as much ground as possible.
as for the link you sent, i don't think anyone is questioning the stand that cordish is taking.
the problem here is that the reasoning they are giving has been contested several times in this comments section by people that KNOW what they are talking about. if you get an opportunity, go to a show by miles bonny, d will, myself, heet mob, james christos, or any other act NOT being held at the P&L, even rock acts like dead girls, and ask them about the science of sound, or even the components in an audio chain. i can tell you that 99%(100 if you catch em before a cocktail or two) will tell you that if there is a "hot" signal, there are at least 3 stages of intervention in the audio chain to prevent clipping.
you can't have a system that big without a limiter
point blank. you can't
and engineer worth his ass wouldn't allow something bad to happen to a system of that magnitude, contracts and artist control be damned. engineers take pride in there work by nature, and take exception to those that are a danger to their equipment and the final product(the sound that comes from the speakers),and you haven't seen one of them come out and say Jeff was dead wrong. not one.
as far as Skillz is concerned, read the mans words and take them as truth. trust me the man doesn't do damage control, and could care less what you think of him in the end. i don't think he would take the time to explain what happen if he were in the wrong.
like i said before, my aim isnt to change your opinion. i just want you to know that the sound excuse from cordish is a lame one, and if it were true, someone should be out of a job for not handling this at the mix board instead of on the stage.
hey the P&L may just not be the place for me, but there are alot of good, law abiding people like me that put their tax dollars into this thing that feel disenfranchised. i just dont think we should be dismissed as B*tchers, Moaners, and race-baiters...
Just take the time to listen to the link I posted above, you can hear skillz say something into the mic followed by speakers blowing. Will everyone take a step back and actually believe that we do live in the 21st century and that this is no longer the 1950's...maybe for once it was an individual refusing to cooperate with the guidelines that were set for him rather than this idea that the world is evil and if something doesn't go your way they are out to get you. The more research I do the more I have learn about the sequence of events that took place two nights ago. At the same time the more I read on here the more I realize people really do believe the world is evil with out putting in a little time to draw a conclusion from facts. One thing I did not mention yesterday when I explained my visit to the district yesterday was that there were two white middle aged men turned away at the gate in front of my girlfriend and myself. The reason they were turned away was because of the t-shirts they were wearing. Both were plain solid colored with no logos, one was green and one was blue. They were deamed under shirts by the gentleman at the gate and was posted on the sign next to him along of the rest of the rules of the dress code. This did not seem to be racism to me, rather inforcement of a publicly posted rule for everyone that walks into the district to see. These rules are very similar to those that are posted inside the court house just blocks away from P&L. Whats wrong with their dresscode and code of conduct? Your tax dollars go directly to those peoples paychecks. Whats the difference? They are government, so that sets them apart? This world is filled with all sorts of rules that many people may not agree on. You can't even take liquid soap or chap stick on a plane anymore...is that racist? No, its safety. I am not a terrorist nor do I ever plan to blow up a plane; but do to the fact that people in this world and in our society have made decision to do things in the past that sacrifice many of our individual rights for the safety of our society as a whole. (That includes flashing AK's out a car window in Westport). Its the world we live in. It is always changing which means that as individuals we are forced to adapt even when we don't necessarily agree. There is nothing racist about the dresscode or what happened Saturday night. It seems to me after, plenty of research and reading that many of the people on here are simply going off on rants with nothing to back up their arguments. Just listen to the clip...it makes sense.
Good Day!
This is why I am glad I moved from Kansas City out to the west coast. Places like P&L practice discrimation way tooooo much and is an example of how backwards and racist Kansas City is. Come on, what club or venue do you know has dress codes that blatantly attack young blacks and Latino's in major cities? If Kansas City wants to be known as an up and coming city and place that practices diversity, then it has to show and prove. We (being young and minorities) have to take our money to places that support what we like and enjoy. Y'all have the power, flip the switch on that wack a_ _ shhhh ( no pun intended, oh f it).
@ B Love
Love your passion and your conviction about your company. But those individuals who have experienced an unwanting in that P&L District have just the same feelings. I thnk JJ incident was just the icing. Trust..I have several examples and I am not the one to place the race card, either you like me or you don't and if you don't you don't represent eveybody...that's how I feel.
I choose the word "unwanting" cause I have tried not to make it about race, but them trying to find a way to separate the thugs from the thelogians through the dress code is not working. The company is mixing us together to keep the thugs out. It's not right.
@Truly pathetic
I don't like saggy clothes either, believe me I don't, but in their strong effort to keep the "trash" out they are also throwing away a lot of treasures. Some cultures just have things that make them, them. Black men where the long short pants, maybe a certain style of shoes. They are being blocked from coming inside the P&L..straight up! White boys wear the sandals (flipfops) with everything and they make that $hit work with a swagger. That's they style...I love it. And then each group crossesover with their uniqueness. It's just about not understanding each other. Thinking certain clothes or music is going to keep the menace away. Your keeping us away. We kicks it together, at least we try!
Hip-Hop has outlasted what was ever expected...It wasn't the hardcore rap being played that would invite an unwanted "element" of people that night. Plus if $hit get rowdy, put all those security guys to work and get they a$$ up out of there (black or white). Anytime you have drinking some craziness is expected...
But this is getting out of hand people are just not making these stories up about the treatment in that District...again, I just think this amplified the situation.
Cordish paying us to come on here and comment?! Did you ever think that of the HUNDREDS of people Cordish/ECI employs in the just the KC Live! Block ALONE might want to stand up for what they believe in, what they choose as their profession, and what affords them their quality of life? Cordish and ECI don't have to pay us for our opinions, they already pay us for our hard work. Anyone looking to degrade what we have built, what we maintain, and what puts food on my table is considered opposition. I will fight and die for my beliefs AND my company and I share that ethos with many others who WORK THEIR ASSES OFF to bring a party like P&L to the masses week in and week out.
http://videos.kansascity.com/v...
did some more digging...sounds to me like Cordish's story is adding up...He was playing to hot.
Sounds like this is just a ploy for attention for him. Its amazing how quickly he jumped on the talk shows and radio to talk about this.
The fact is that on four seperate occasions he was asked to turn it down, whether the message was relayed is another issue. He was under contract and there were parts of that contract that were not followed. He did push his outputs. He did blow equipment. It doesn't matter how many limiters there are.
"If you have the program scratchlive and you would like to test the theory yourself.
Plug in to a mixer. Crank up the master volume on your laptop. Then crank up the mp3 volume of the track. Ok we are still not done yet. Now on the mixer crank up the gain on the channel . And last crack up the master volume and listen to what is coming out of your now being cooked speaker. Go ahead and add compressors and limiters and see that the volume has dropped but the sound still sounds like $hit.
If the track is played too hot it would not matter if you had 3,5,10 compressors inline.
Sure have a lot of experts on here.. But yet no one has explained the """BULLSHIT"""
This is a quote from a post on another blog...it is exactly right!
As far as race and what have you and the dress code directed at blacks is ridiculous as well. I have seen first hand people of every color turned away for wearing t-shirts, steal toed boots, baggy clothing, sagging, etc...
Its not racism, its business, its protecting the tax payers dollars, the tax payers investment. The city brought cordish in to build and operate with there money...if you have a problem talk to the city council. But I will remind you what westport once was and what westport now is...if you so choose to boycott, do it. They will still make there money and they will still run a venue that does offer something for everyone...(tengo and mosaic do play hip hop). As for what happened maybe someone should talk to Bacardi for not making sure THEIR hired acts on THEIR tour no what the venues that THEY use understand what is going on. AS for Jazz he will continue to do his thing just as he always has (But maybe he will do as he is asked, and turn it down, for the fans sake).
I am so sick of every time something happens people have to throw the racism card out. The dress code is not to keep blacks out its to keep trash out. Its sickening to see men walking around with their pants hanging to their knees. They can't even walk they have to hold their pants up at all times. I have seen many white kids doing the same same and it just looks down right disgusting. Its also the disgusting the way women hang everything out like they belong on the streets. What is so wrong with wearing clothes that actually fit instead of looking like pure trash. Its not just blacks its all races that do it. Racism needs to stop being used as an excuse every time something doesn't go the way certain people want it to. All it is becoming is a lame excuse.
I am so sick of every time something happens people have to throw the racism card out. The dress code is not to keep blacks out its to keep trash out. Its sickening to see men walking around with their pants hanging to their knees. They can't even walk they have to hold their pants up at all times. I have seen many white kids doing the same same and it just looks down right disgusting. Its also the disgusting the way women hang everything out like they belong on the streets. What is so wrong with wearing clothes that actually fit instead of looking like pure trash. Its not just blacks its all races that do it. Racism needs to stop being used as an excuse every time something doesn't go the way certain people want it to. All it is becoming is a lame excuse.
In all of these comments and allegations, I have yet to hear one of you give an explanation as to why P&L would book a black hip hop artist only to throw them out for being a black hip hop artist. It doesnt make sense. Look, the P&L district does practice discriminatory practice as it relates to the dress code. Furthermore, if the P&L district imploded tomorrow, I could give a shit, so Im not trying to take their side. Using the old "oh, it's becuse he is black" diatribe in this instance just doesn't fly. Your righteous indignation is admirable, try applying it to the faltering public schools, the young people on the verge of getting caught up in street crime, gang violence, premature death, or a life in prison. Ive yet to see this many comments in articles that have dealt with the topics I just mentioned.
@ForSerious....
I was there and I wasn't drunk, it sounded fine to me and the majority of people who was there. I was trying to figure out a way to get closer. I didn't get drunk until I left and went to Martini Corner (wink).
But seriously, so it appeared that he blew a speaker, he was only on stage for 23 minutes? It normally takes that long to snyergize your music with the system, thus the reason you have all these hired technicans to ensure things are working properly, plus if something did blow, why didn't they say that in their statement?
Oh...Gates BBQ is better! (smile)
FOrSerious::
I would like to learn more about tey audio situation and it seems like Z-Trip is not talking.. I think he would lend gret insight into why the sound changed.. because Ive heard from many people that it did.. but I still refuse to believe that limiters wouldnt have stopped that as an issue.
I just fear the whoel truth will never come out. And if that does happen, this will be another wasted opportunity to clarify a major ongoing issue in kc.
I'm not sure how I'm touting garbage or not speaking the truth. Like I said, I was there and I could hear the speakers. I went both upstairs and down in front of the stage. The speakers up top sounded fuzzier than ... well I can't come up with a funny analogy at the moment. One example I can recall was during A Mille. Every time the bass hit there was a huge buzz and crackle. Maybe to JJ and Skillz it sounded good on the monitors but I honestly thought they had blown some equipment. I'm not trying to disrespect JJ or anything but I really think he was pushing it too hard.
And on the race thing, a$$holes come in every shape and color. It sucks they are discriminating people with the dress codes but I truly don't think the event coordinators hate Biz Markie so much that they'd ask JJ to leave. Sorry.
PS you should have gone to Arthur Bryants or Oklahoma Joes in my opinion.
@ Skillz
The entire city is abuzz about Saturday night, and trust me, Kansas City is standing behind Jeff. We just home Jeff and yourself don't hold the people of KC who love Jeff accountable for the actions of Cordish & P&L.
I've already pulled my Dj's from performing there next month.. I refuse to do business with a company like that and my Dj's agree.
I am the mc from that night and like I have said a zillion times the sound was never an issue. And as far as me making a record called Lick The Balls I did, in the 90's and Slick Rick made it first..it was a tribute to him. I was in my 20's when I made that record and I dont even perform it at my shows...I am a grown man who makes hip hop music for adults who like hip hop music. We played top 40 music for adults...I didnt perform or rap that night...I usually dont when we play parties..we played Bob Marley's One Love and I told people to put a one in the air and lets party in unision and peace which they did. There wasnt one incident in that place that night. You know why P&L told us to stop and so do I. I feel even worse about it now because it just dawned on me that I ate dinner at Famous Daves and went to the movies at the new AMC. So actually they got me twice.
@ ForSerious
So you're telling me, that this multi-million dollar complex, with state-of-art sound and lighting, who employ a team of sound technicians, who have access to at least 5 to 6 points of volume control and limiters didn't have the means to adjust on the fly? Because sound tech's do it EVERY NIGHT at major concerts with dated equipment. And if they have an issue where sound is being distorted, they compensate, they don't blame the artist. Trust me, I know. I have an entire office full of sound equipment and believe me, being flexible with your audio within a system of THAT caliber, it's not rocket science.
Do I think it's race related? Could be, if they are so hell-bent on keeping out the rif-raf, ok, I can dig that, it makes sense to do that if you want to run a lucrative and safe business model. But in no Business textbook does it EVER read that black people are rif-raf. And more so to the point, How many times can it be counted that these huge mountains of steroids walking around the douche-farm don't start fights because their egos are just as inflated as they are. I have several friends who work security through Chesley Brown down in P&L and it's always the same story. Some big guy started a fight with the bouncers because he was being asked to leave and shortly there-after, all hell broke loose, and people wind up going to the hospital. So that makes me think that Cordish should add to their dress code, why no ban Affliction T-shirts, because I can count on both hands and both feet how many times I've heard or see these guys fighting and causing havoc.
The people on here defending Cordish and P&L, I get it, you enjoy P&L and want to keep it safe, but really, are you going to defend a company that build this place with tax payer money, who have FAILED horribly at delivering what they promised for a revitalized KC, (Have you seen how many empty store fronts are down there? I have, I live 2 blocks from P&L) There are 3 retail shops. JUST 3. T-Mobile, GNC, and JoS A. Bank. THAT'S IT. Defend them if you want, it's your right, but be clear on your facts before you start touting garbage that you have no basis for truth.
Again, I know he won't see it, but on behalf of the fans, and Kansas City, I would like to apologize to Jazzy Jeff. We'll be in touch.
Hi. I was at the show. I turned to my girlfriend twice during JJ's set and set "I think hes blown some speakers." His mix was way too loud and it sounded awful. Maybe some of you were too drunk to realize but the speakers sounded fuzzy as hell. Z-trip didn't have that problem and neither did MSTRKRFT. I think we're kind of blowing this whole race thing completely out of proportion.
Honestly, do you think that no one in the chain of command for the event knew that JJ spun hip hop? Do you really think that when he started they were all surprised and shut him down? Really? It wasn't because he was playing hip hop. It was because in his headphones his levels sounded great but for the house speakers he was pushing it way too much and it sounded like the speakers had blown.
@OFF-Keys
I was just telling someone that. We got to get him back. People will be willing to pay, just to prove..how much love we have for him. I need him back! I don't know you but I appreciate you taking a stand like this.
Much Love
I'm not going to go on about the show, everybody who was there knows what happened. I too was there, and as for me, I've already cancelled the dates that my two Dj's were scheduled to perform on the Main Stage next month at P&L. They don't play hip-hop, they are a blend of top 40/house/drum & bass/breakbeat and even though Cordish has already approved us and the set lists provided, I don't want my company or my Dj's associated with P&L. My Dj's support me in this and we're in attendance also. Maybe if JJ was playing some seriously hard core rap, and the crowd was getting rowdy, but he wasn't, and the crowd, which was a complete mix of people wasn't rowdy, they were enjoying the set of the Godfather of turntables.
P&L can put whatever spin on this they want, but I think maybe they just enjoy shooting themselves in the foot.
Keep your eyes peeled kids, I have a feeling that Jazzy will come back, maybe to City Market, or to Crossroads. Just know that when he does, it will be HUGE..
i'm experiencing some cognitive dissonance here. i want to be outraged, but it's been apparent for the duration of P and L's existence that it's a horrible place and cordish is a horrible company.
i'm going to continue to stay away from that place. i suggest you all do the same.
@ jamelrockwell
I am not trying to generalize anybody by the way they look, or the clothing they wear...I was simply being rational, as you said, and raising a few questions that would better help me reach a conclusion on what really went down. To me there are two sides to this story and parts of both make sense and parts of both don't. I just don't like how everyone sees and most just heard what happened in P&L on Saturday and automatically assume race. I read an interview that JJ did with the KC Star, it was on their website, he said that he was under contract and that Skillz was not part of the contract. If this is true, is it possible that there was a breach of contract and that is why he was asked to leave the stage? Another question...same interview, JJ said that he was only playing top 40. If this is truely the case, and I know what I heard on Saturday Night, why was Skillz singing "lick the balls"? You can't tell me that is top 40. Something just still doesn't add up to me, on either side of the story...just my thoughts, still not jumping to conclusions.
I was born and raised in Kansas City, and this saddens me that we have this type of conflict. We were excited about the P&L and what it would do for the growth of our City. Never in our wildest dreams did we ever believe this would happen. I live less then 5 minutes from the P&L. I work less then two and I am forced to drive around it because I realize they don't want me there. I am a educated black woman and my circle of friends have at least 3 degrees amongst them. Then I have a circle of family and friends that wakes up every morning and works hard for this City by digging holes, patching holes, cutting trees, driving you around on public transportation, cleaning your asses when you are hospitalized, stocking your groceries and after that long day of blood sweat and tears..we can't walk to our neighborhood restaurant and bar to enjoy a drink and good music because you don't want my "element" in your establishments. That saddens me. I was there that night and whether you were black or white you had a connection, good music. We wanted to kick it with each other, we didn't care what color one was. Again, I was born and raised in Kansas City and I refuse to let you win.
@k johnson
i think youre asking the same question the opposing view is when you ask: why the other dj's didnt get messed with?
have you check Z-trip's twitter? he even said what they did was wrong. does he have any reason to lie?
and to be very clear, Z-trips style and Jazzy Jeffs style are very different. if they played the same music, there would be no reason to have them on the same bill. Z-trip has hip-hop credentials to be sure, but its not the same as Jazz, and anyone that's been behind a pair of decks and knows both of the dj's in question will tell you the same..
look, as far as your opinion of Skillz is concerned, im not trying to make your taste for you. you dont have to like him, just tell the story straight. the dude had 0 intention of disrespecting anyone besides a bunch of wack MC's BACK IN THE FRICKING 90'S!
i appreciate you trying to stay as objective as possible. we need more of that in this world, and especially locally.
but let me ask you this:
would you feel more comfortable if the Drug Dealers, "thugs"(i hate that word, and anyone that uses it should research its origins, it has nothing to do with american culture) wore 3-piece suits to the bar?
if i were a convicted murderer, would you think better of me because i dressed real nice?
i hope not. i also hope you dont think because i rock a white t-shirt(which was ok when the country boys were doin it in the 80's) and my hat turned back that i haven't served my country(ARMY), educated myself(CMSU), and contribute to society as a whole(Taxes, Voting, and Community work).
When you generalize and stereotype people by they way they look(skin, clothing, or otherwise), its discrimination plain and simple. and just because its mostly black folks complaining about the treatment down there doesn't mean we're wrong...
For every reason / explanation given, I would like to think it would be a matter of public record. This establishment was built for the people, by the people. SHOW ME where it is written!!! P&L officials knew what they were doing. An employee @ the exit sated, �they (power & light officials) don�t allow hip hop music to be played in the courtyard, only inside the clubs?�
I am so tired of racist people hiding behind MASK!!! It is so past the time of hiding. I guess it�s easier to be who you truly are, when no one knows exactly who you are. I saw his face (Jazzy & Skills), I seen the police officers, I heard the music & it was no louder than the artist b4 his set. Personally I was surprised I was even ABLE to sit so close and enjoy the music. I have the worst allergies that cause me to have a crackling, ringing noise in my ear; especially when it�s too loud. On Saturday that was not the case, SYSTEM LIMITATIONS MY ASS! What about a sensitive ear limitation?
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