Ozone Awards: Poor Organization Underlies Controversies

There certainly seems to be a wide range of responses to the Ozone Awards event aspect of the 2008 TJ's DJ's Tastemaker DJ/Music Conference & 3rd Annual Ozone Awards that occurred last weekend in Houston though the phrase "hot ghetto mess" seems to be popular.

A variety of dramas occurred at the performance event that I don't want to really dig into.  But I should point out that a certain amount of the drama being associated with the Ozone Awards happened over the weekend during the Conference but the Awards are getting the credit.

The strongest statement regarding the Ozone Awards that I've encountered came from Isis Wisdom who puts all sorts of people on blast.  You can decide if there's some race baiting at work here but the concerns about poor organization and chaos were echoed by other attendees.

For example, Rizoh stated:

"[Isis Wisdom] makes a legitimate point about poor planning and organization at the event. I witnessed it first-hand and would rather not get into my own share of disappointments. Let’s just say I have no interest in attending the next one."

I actually find that more damning than the Isis Wisdom piece because Rizoh isn't one to make such statements lightly.

Gyant wasn't there but heard from folks that were:

"I got a few emails and phone calls yesterday from industry peeps that are fighting mad over what they claim to be a horrible hood event. From numerous physical altercations, to a sudden abrupt ending to the award show itself."

Writer's Block Media, who was there and working with the Ozone Awards, considered not blogging about it due to "all the bad press and hate about the event" but then turned around and dropped RE’s Personal Ozone Awards which focuses on violence and controversy.

It's important to consider that a lot of stuff happened at both the Conference and the Awards that better organization could not have prevented.

How are you going to keep one big dummy and his crew from jumping another big dummy who agreed to the meeting?

How are you going to stop one big dummy from punching another big dummy when they are both guests at your event?

But, given that there were real organizational issues at the Ozone Awards, it becomes difficult for someone like Julia Beverly to deflect criticism about the stuff for which she shouldn't be held responsible.

And since the Awards event encapsulates the weekend for most folks, you'll continue to hear about controversy at the Ozone Awards rather than at the 2008 TJ's DJ's Tastemaker DJ/Music Conference & 3rd Annual Ozone Awards.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
OZONE Awards: Complete List of Winners
TJ's DJ's & Ozone Awards: The Jasmine Crowe Experience