Young Jeezy arrives just before his event ends

Young Jeezy (Credit: Michael Blackwell)

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“When Young Jeezy is in the house, you’ll be able to tell,” said JD from Power 98.3, the radio station co-sponsoring with VIP Enterprises at tonight’s Power’s All Star Party at Sugar Daddy’s in Scottsdale. “A swell of people will be either here,” he said pointing to the VIP room, “or there,” pointing elsewhere.

At 10:20 p.m.,  Jeezy was still elsewhere, finishing off a show at the Celebrity Theatre while the afterparty he was billed as hosting started without him.

The kickoff event of VIP’s All Star Weekend 2009 promised great things.

“This is bigger than the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is just one day,” said Steve Turner, whose nephew works for VIP Enterprises.

Chris Brown controversy: Turner, along with many people at the event, also had thoughts about hip-hop's biggest news story of the week, the abuse allegations against pop star Chris Brown by his girlfriend, the singer Rihanna.This was what many discussed while waiting on the rapper.

 “Until they convict Chris Brown , it’s all hearsay," Turner said. "He’s young, everyone makes mistakes and we ought to stay positive.”

“He’s suffering enough,” said a pretty girl named Mo, short for Monique. "He just lost the Doublemint endorsement; that’s like losing two sponsorships.”

Only two pretty girls allowed access in the VIP room and sipping complimentary Ciroc vodka offer the punitive “You don’t hit your girlfriend," but collectively allowed  “If he really did it, and he apologized to the nation, maybe he’ll be forgiven.”

I heart Jeezy: Then one of the girls, Sasha, admitted that she had a homemade sign she left in the car for Jeezy that read, “Give back to the country. Will you be my valentine?” She never went to her car to retrieve the sign and her prospective valentine was already showing signs of tardiness so early in their imaginary relationship.

 “He will be here,” assured a promoter who wished to remain anonymous since he wasn’t promoting anything tonight. As to whether all the women in tight black minis would have any success making a connection with the star, he laughed and said, “I’m only interested in me connecting with these ladies. There is a 10 to 1 ratio of women to men in here and Phoenix is a party state. I came all the way from Tennessee to be here and my friend came from Alabama."

Jeezy's quiet arrival: While the DJ repeatedly claimed Jeezy was in the house, it turned out that he arrived at 1:20 a.m., and remained chillin' in his Lincoln Navigator until his seven-person entourage was ready to come in with him.

Those expecting a mini-concert or even to hear a few words from his lips went away disappointed. Wearing a big bling dove medallion, he stood onstage, smoked cigarettes and drank from any can or bottle giddy girls offered up. At one point he shrugged his shoulder as if to say, “don’t blame me.”

The DJ then proceeded to play Jeezy records while the rapper stood there without mouthing even a singe lyric.

The last call lights came on, he shook a lot of hands and it was all over. Opinions were mixed. One woman who saw Ludacris at the Celebrity and at Club Rain on the same night last year was miffed that that same dynamic didn’t happen tonight. Another man exclaimed, “I feel bamboozled.”

One man strongly disagreed.  “I don’t care about him not rapping. Just him being here is a blessing.”