So another DJ has offended people and we are not surprised.
On a scale of one to Ten Walls, this is ranking highly with a lot of people.
Berlin-based techno DJ, Dax J, has been charged with public indecency and offending public morality by a Tunisian court and been sentenced to a year in prison.
Dax caused major controversy after playing a track sampling the Islamic call to prayer at Orbit Festival in Tunisia – which sparked a full-blown investigation and had the club shut down.
Luckily for the London-born lad, he had already left Tunisia before authorities caught up with him, and probably doesn’t intend to return anytime soon – but does he deserve to go back and do time for the crime he committed?
I’m thinking no.
As insensitive, offensive and downright stupid as it might have been to play said record; serving time in a Tunisian prison would be extremely harsh. That is of course unless he meant to rile up the locals.
You’d think a DJ planning his or her set for the night ahead would look at two key things; the belters they will drop regardless, purely because they get the place rocking – and ensuring they bring a decent back catalogue of tunes because the vibe of the place could go thumping or deep.
It strikes me as highly unlikely that Dax J chucked in a third key motive: must bring this one track that’ll make authorities want to scratch my eyes out and ensure I never get another booking in this part of the world again.
Of course, there is the argument that the crime has been committed regardless of if he did it purposely – and that the just thing to do is go back and take what is coming to him; but this is not going to happen.
There has been an apology: “I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone who may have been offended by music that I played at Orbit festival in Tunisia on Friday. It was never my intention to upset or cause offence to anybody.”
In this instance, you’d be forgiven for taking the view that less is more. If he tried to explain himself and the reason the song was played, he may risk acknowledging he knew what it was about and in turn look culpable. That or he’d come across and ignorant and stupid in terms of religion and beliefs.
Perhaps Dax should take this a lesson learned. Be more responsible with the tunes you drop when in an unknown part of the world.
Maybe listen to some of the lyrics once in a while too. If it’s all “heart breaks and promises, I’ve had more than my share” you’re good as gold. If it is a language you don’t understand, look it up
