The cancellation of Rick Ross’ performance at Chene Park last weekend has thrust the city and the hip-hop rules of a “No Fly Zone” into the national spotlight.
Until the June 21 incident, few outside the city’s hip-hop community knew about the so-called “No Fly Zone,” making Detroit an area where artists are not permitted to perform without including members of the local hip-hop scene.
Upset with how national artists have come into Detroit, made six-figure checks and left town, local rap artist Trick Trick has led the charge for several years.
The issue has taken center stage primarily because Miami rapper Ross is the most high-profile artist involved. But hip-hop observers and concert promoters said the “No Fly Zone” simply sends the wrong message for a city that’s already plagued by a negative perception of a municipal bankruptcy and the aftermath of the Kwame Kilpatrick corruption scandal.
“We shouldn’t even be having a discussion on who can come here or who cannot come here,” said David Rudolph, a spokesman for the Right Productions, which operates Chene Park.
“We all have issues about making sure Detroiters are getting a piece of the pie. We all should be having a seat at the table. But there’s a way to ask and demand that seat and you earn that. You don’t do that through an intimidating or corrosive nature. It doesn’t help the city. A lot of folks in this town are working hard to improve the image of Detroit and making it a welcoming place for all.”