(Photo By Google Images)
While the rest of the world was engrossed in World Cup matters this past weekend, Maybach Music Group head honcho Rick Ross was just hoping that he made it out of the Mid-West in one piece. The Southern rapper was scheduled to headline at an event called Summer Jamz 17 in Detroit this past Saturday. It was sponsored by radio station 107.5 FM and held at Chene Park Amphitheater. The rapper arrived at the venue around 11pm all set to put on a great show but was prevented from even approaching the building.
Reports have it that a 100 plus person blockade allegedly led by local Detroit rapper and self-proclaimed Mayor of the city Trick Trick, was there to greet Ross when he emerged from his vehicle. They supposedly made threats on his life and would not move so that the rapper could make his way inside to the stage. This is apparently a part of Trick Trick’s “No Fly Zone” policy which is outlined in his song of the same name. The policy basically states that no rapper may enter Detroit to make money without first getting his permission. With no security or back up at hand outside of the venue, Ross and his team decided it would be best to just retreat and issue a cancellation. The radio station’s program director claims they tried to resolve the issue and get Ross to come back but to no avail. He felt it was too risky. However, he later took to his Twitter account to make light of being forced to cancel his set.
The incident came as a surprise to local authorities. They had security in place to keep things safe before, during, and after the concert but say they were never notified of a problem outside of the location. A spokesperson from Chene Park states that the concert itself was peaceful with no disturbances, so they too were caught off guard by the blockade. The individuals that manage Chene Park and it’s events sent out an extensive apology to Ross as well as the patrons who were hoping to see him perform. They maintain that nothing negative has ever happened at the venue before and that they are putting the appropriate measures in place to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again in the future. They pride themselves on being a company of integrity and have a no tolerance policy for violence, bullying, etc. The guests in attendance are being gifted with discounted tickets for an upcoming show at Chene Park. Details on said tickets can be found here.
While Ross may not have been welcome, the event still managed to crank out over four plus hours of Hip-Hop/R&B performances from other acts. Artists who were allowed to do their thing include: B.o.B, A$AP Ferg, Sevyn Streeter, Rico Love, Scarface, and more. That’s still a pretty good night of music even without Ross headlining. This isn’t the first time Ross has ran into trouble while on the road though. He’s been run out of other cities in the past due to: shootings, threats, etc. His rumored CO past coupled with the illegal glamorous lifestyle that he raps about seems to really be rubbing some folks the wrong way. It’s unfortunate but at least no one was hurt. Check out Trick Trick’s “No Fly Zone” anthem below.
**My Two Cents: I’m not even sure what to say about this. Rick Ross made his own bed hard by pretending to be something he’s not. And I know a lot of rappers do so but I think he goes a little overboard with it. At the same time, Trick Trick and whoever else participated in this mess was just being petty. So Ross didn’t perform, he isn’t hurting for money. He didn’t need that check. What did they actually accomplish? If they can come together to carry out something so insignificant, imagine what the people of Detroit could do if they came together to actually do some good for their city. I bet they could really put a dent in some of the various problems that plague the D. Oh well, it is what it is. -MinM
