“Let me start by saying that this isn’t just about me, this is about pioneering and legendary DJs from Philadelphia who are not being recognized.
Just as everyone knows that Hip Hop’s founding fathers are Kool DJ Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash from the Bronx – it is common knowledge that DJ Jazzy Jeff and myself are the most famous Hip Hop DJ legends from Philadelphia.
When the first Philly DJ Day took place in 2008, I was invited to attend and help celebrate its launch. DJs from every decade in Philadelphia Hip Hop history attended and many group photos were taken of us to commemorate this day of unity.
Around the beginning of 2009, the organizers of Philly DJ Day received a proclamation, signed by the Mayor of Philadelphia, confirming an official Philly DJ Day to be celebrated annually. They proudly announced it. I was excited to read it myself!
To my surprise, my name was left off the proclamation though some of my friends were included…and was I naturally upset! DJs included on the first document included DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ AM (Rest in Peace), DJ Drama, Schoolly D, ?uest Love, King Britt and Rich Medina.
When I called Philly DJ Day to let them know about this error, they had not noticed that my name had been left out. They claimed that it was a typo or some mistake and that they would work on it. I wondered how something so important and final could be released and signed without review or edits.
By September 2009, the organizers said they finally fixed the problem, but when I viewed the updated document, it felt like my name was just thrown in for “honorable mention” and they changed the honorees around. At this point, I felt the second version aimed at pacifying me was more insulting than the first!
Please view both versions of the Philly DJ Proclamation at myspace.com/djcashmoney12
I wondered why other DJ legends weren’t included on either document like the original DJ Spinbad, Lady B, Grandmaster Nell, DJ Miz, Too Tuff, Cosmic Kev, DJ Ran, Grand Wizzard Rasheen, Tat Money, Lightning Rich, Josh Wink and the list goes on!
There are so many DJs who trail blazed! Maybe it would have been better to just call it Philly DJ Day, not name anyone and have it be all inclusive. However, if the more accomplished DJs were to be highlighted, it would have been better that we all sat down had a chance to offer our input.
If the proper history of the Philly DJ is not going to be told, it’s better not to do it at all. I give Philly DJ Day an A+ for effort but an F for history.
Yet Philly DJ Day continues to include my likeness on their website knowing that I am not happy with the organization and therefore I do not support it. When the Philly DJ Day organizers sent DMC (the longest running, most legendary DJ competition) a sponsorship proposal for 2009, which included my photo, they were turned down because Philly DJ Day wasn’t even recognizing the only DMC Champion from Philly! DMC supports me 100%!
Thus, some may want to say that I am being egotistical or hard to deal with for standing up for what is right but I won’t be written out of history. I have been silent far too long about the cliquishness that goes down in this city. I tour all over the world repping Philly to the fullest. The fact that I won the DJ World DJ Championship in 1988 and am the only DJ to bring this title to Philly speaks volumes. I was also inducted into the Technics/DMC Hall of Fame.
A great DJ is not made overnight! You have to put in time, blood, sweat and tears. You become known as a legend from your fans and fellow DJ’s. I didn’t give myself these titles, other people did. Rightfully so, I’ve earned my place in history. It’s like discussing Philadelphia basketball and never mentioning Dr. J.
I would suggest that the organizers start over, regroup, sit down with the true legends and get it right.”
I am so glad that I’ve finally have gotten to hear (albeit reading, not hearing from you directly) how you feel about this Cash. Because now I understand why you feel so slighted! A lot of what you think happened; the very basis of Philly DJ Day and the reason behind Proclamation are incorrect. And I’m not sure if your misunderstandings are my fault for not relaying the information properly to you and all the DJs or if it’s just what you or others think. But as an educator (seriously I work at a school…LOL) let’s make ever moment a learning moment.
Philly DJ Day was started to bring together all DJs from Philadelphia and take a photograph. A photograph, a picture to document, “…damn we got a lot of dope, famous, recognizable DJs…know what it is!” Not to announce who was the best, brightest, most popular, richest, flyest sneaks (though DJs do have some of the flyest wheels…fyi). Once we sat back and looked at how monumental of a day we had, I said let’s make it official. C’mon the Mayor came.
So naturally, when you want to get something officiated, you submit a request and it’s either acknowledged or not. If it’s acknowledged and you except their acknowledgment, they grant you an acknowledgement letter and some type of token. In this instance, it was the Proclamation. I wrote what DJ Day was all about: bring out Philly DJs for a photo session. The 1st Proclamation mirrors that. It discusses how DJs, avenued through hip-hop music, have become worldwide sensations. It only mentions a few DJs by name to showcase Philly’s stamp. Poorly written…ABSOLUTELY! Was this document completely edited? Yes. Was your name amongst the edits? Yes. Are there other DJs names listed that you could out spin with your eyes closed, ABSOLUTELY. Was this done purposefully with ill intention or malice….c’mon it’s silly to even suggest this, you’re CASH FREAKIN’ MONEY…but to remain consistent…ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
Philly DJ Day, never set out to document the history of Philadelphia DJs. It was to bring DJs together…pioneer and rookie alike to enjoy one another. So rookie could meet and be amongst some of the people who inspired them. So pioneers could come out and see each other again, in some instances, after years.
Again, admittedly, some poor planning. We should have, if acknowledging this fine group together, documented their history. But I don’t believe in doing things like that and it was a huge fear. People have been documented by others throughout history and history states…true to form, if they are not from that group, they fuck it up. I didn’t want to take on the responsibility of sifting through the 100s of stories and trying to decipher truth, from memory loss, to ego or to just incorrect information…and risk messin’ it up. I felt that was something the DJ community should take on. I now know, from the feedback that that is something the needs to happen.
To that end, a DJ Day advisory committee will being formed to document the history of Philly DJs and to be a part of future planning. I would like to ask you first…to be a part of this fine committee? And have you name 4 members whom you believe should sit on this committee as well. And if they are willing…it’s done!
But back to some of the other misconceptions.
Oh yeah the Proclamation. The Proclamation acknowledged that day, in Philly history. September 24th, 2008. Not any day thereafter. You have to submit a Proclamation Request every year if you wish your event to continue to be recognized. Once we saw the editing mistake (sorry Cash you weren’t the onr to bring it to our attention 1st, just the most adamant…and RIGHTFULLY SO!) … I figured okay…every year, we will put different DJs on the Proclamation…so that way, if we continue this amazing celebration, we’ll name tons of Philly DJs.
Oh the claim about your name being left out, wasn’t a claim, it was the truth. And as stated before, you don’t get to proof read what conferred upon you, no more than you get to read your degree before you graduate. You get it, frame it, take it home, hang it up and look at that $60,000 piece of paper.
And yeah, I can see why you might feel pacified by the second version if you hadn’t realized the intent behind it. Oh, just for clarity…the second version wasn’t drafted to make up for tke on the orginal version. Every year, you have to re-apply and since we had to get another anyway, I figured lest every year change all the names. (Notice all the names are different this year from last year…hell even the language is changed…I mean that call Jonene and I DJs…I wish…LOL).
As for listing all the DJ legends…in due time my friend, can’t list them all on the Proclamation, because, again Philly DJ Day is about ALL DJs, not just the legends, but the folks spinning every night for $200, not just you, Jeff and Ran for $15,000.
LOL,,,Philly DJ Day getting an “A” for effort and “F” for history is a compliment…thank you. Seriously, dude, cause I’ve been busting my ass and never really set out to document the history…so naturally the “F” is deserved if getting graded on that. Just didn’t know the history portion was thrown into the day…but I know now. (smile)
Oh and about using your likeness on the site…c’mon Cash. (A) Most (we tried to get them all) DJs took a head shot (B) you are in a lot of the pictures there because these are the pictures I took, with my own camera…of course you’re going to be in them, you’re a freakin’ legend. As for pulling them down, EVERY DJ was given and signed a photo release…or they were not admitted.
And yeah, the DMC’s rightfully feel the same way you do, because hearing how you feel things happened, I would have me pissed off too!
I didn’t know you really wanted to have your pictures pulled. Though your manager did email and request it, I just figured she either didn’t know about the release forms or maybe didn’t explain how doing so would kinda write you out of this part of Philly DJ history, which I know is one of things you’re trying to avoid. Though I did call you both, left messages and got no response. But understand that too.
Cash, we only set out to have a dope day for DJs. Please, don’t feel slight, be a part of making this right. Come out and support DJ Day. Let’s all just get along and make this the HOLIDAY that properly states what it set out to say and that’s…PHILLY DJS RUN THIS GLOBE!
-Kamau@phillydjday.com
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