Friday, November 28, 2008
David Moses Jassy and John T. Osnes: Rap’s Murder of Music Now a Dead Metaphor
By Nicholas Stix
Already 20 years ago, it was clear that rap aka hip-hop would be the death of music. And now, the metaphor has come to death: A rapper has (allegedly) murdered a musician.
David Moses Jassy, 34 alias Dave Monopoly, is in custody in Osnes' death.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, John T. Osnes, a 55-year-old, Minnesota-born jazz pianist, was about to cross a street in Hollywood, when a rented SUV driven by “Swedish” rapper, David Moses Jassy, 34 alias Dave Monopoly, came barging into the pedestrian crosswalk. Osnes slapped on the vehicle, to let the driver know he was out of line, but the driver refused to recognize any lines, at least where his own conduct was concerned.
According to witnesses, Jassy jumped out of the SUV, slugged the older man, knocking his glasses off, and kicking him in the head, when Osnes bent over to pick them up. Jassy, alias Monopoly, then jumped back in the rented SUV, and deliberately ran down Osnes, killing him, and fled.
Someone at the scene took down the SUV’s license plate, and police were able to trace it. Jassy was arrested, and is being held on $1 million bail.
Jassy has been charged with assault and battery, and leaving the scene of an accident. Those are “holding charges,” in order to get the thug, er, artist, under lock and key, and give the LAPD time to put together a case for either murder 2 or felony murder, depending on whether the A&B charge is a misdemeanor or a felony. Felony murder is, in theory, death penalty-eligible, but as a member of the rap/hip-hop “community,” there is little danger of Jassy paying properly for his “alleged” act.
The L.A. Times’ Harriet Ryan writes, “Bystanders, including an off-duty Anaheim police officer, witnessed the assault and tried unsuccessfully to detain Jassy, according to authorities.”
They couldn’t have tried very hard.
The news reports have all called this a “road-rage incident,” which to my ears suggests that someone had done something to set off Jassy. But if anyone had a right to be enraged, it was Osnes, whom Jassy had clearly sought to intimidate.
Jassy already knows how to play the game. He is being defended on the American taxpayer’s dime, and though he had no problem responding to the American judge at his first court hearing, has demanded a Swedish interpreter.
Jassy’s Myspace page has the title, “Dave Monopoly - The Gambia-Sweden-L.A, California Hip Hop / Rap / R&B.” Jassy calls himself “CEO of Jassy World Entertainment,” and says he’s Gambian-Estonian; it’s not clear how long he’s been in Sweden.
Since Gambia’s official language is English, and Jassy appears to do his preening and “songwriting” exclusively in English, I guess he’ll next demand an English interpreter, to translate from the Swedish.
The Web memorial that Osne’s friends posted includes a recording of him playing Gershwin. Meanwhile, the cache for Jassa’s disabled MySpace page presents what some might charitably call “urban sounds.”
But why be charitable?
Tags: John Osnes, David Moses Jassy, John T. Osnes, Dave Monopoly, jazz, rap, hip hop, road rage, murder, black-on-white crime, and Hollywood.
By Nicholas Stix
Already 20 years ago, it was clear that rap aka hip-hop would be the death of music. And now, the metaphor has come to death: A rapper has (allegedly) murdered a musician.
David Moses Jassy, 34 alias Dave Monopoly, is in custody in Osnes' death.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, John T. Osnes, a 55-year-old, Minnesota-born jazz pianist, was about to cross a street in Hollywood, when a rented SUV driven by “Swedish” rapper, David Moses Jassy, 34 alias Dave Monopoly, came barging into the pedestrian crosswalk. Osnes slapped on the vehicle, to let the driver know he was out of line, but the driver refused to recognize any lines, at least where his own conduct was concerned.
According to witnesses, Jassy jumped out of the SUV, slugged the older man, knocking his glasses off, and kicking him in the head, when Osnes bent over to pick them up. Jassy, alias Monopoly, then jumped back in the rented SUV, and deliberately ran down Osnes, killing him, and fled.
Someone at the scene took down the SUV’s license plate, and police were able to trace it. Jassy was arrested, and is being held on $1 million bail.
Jassy has been charged with assault and battery, and leaving the scene of an accident. Those are “holding charges,” in order to get the thug, er, artist, under lock and key, and give the LAPD time to put together a case for either murder 2 or felony murder, depending on whether the A&B charge is a misdemeanor or a felony. Felony murder is, in theory, death penalty-eligible, but as a member of the rap/hip-hop “community,” there is little danger of Jassy paying properly for his “alleged” act.
The L.A. Times’ Harriet Ryan writes, “Bystanders, including an off-duty Anaheim police officer, witnessed the assault and tried unsuccessfully to detain Jassy, according to authorities.”
They couldn’t have tried very hard.
The news reports have all called this a “road-rage incident,” which to my ears suggests that someone had done something to set off Jassy. But if anyone had a right to be enraged, it was Osnes, whom Jassy had clearly sought to intimidate.
Jassy already knows how to play the game. He is being defended on the American taxpayer’s dime, and though he had no problem responding to the American judge at his first court hearing, has demanded a Swedish interpreter.
Jassy’s Myspace page has the title, “Dave Monopoly - The Gambia-Sweden-L.A, California Hip Hop / Rap / R&B.” Jassy calls himself “CEO of Jassy World Entertainment,” and says he’s Gambian-Estonian; it’s not clear how long he’s been in Sweden.
Since Gambia’s official language is English, and Jassy appears to do his preening and “songwriting” exclusively in English, I guess he’ll next demand an English interpreter, to translate from the Swedish.
The Web memorial that Osne’s friends posted includes a recording of him playing Gershwin. Meanwhile, the cache for Jassa’s disabled MySpace page presents what some might charitably call “urban sounds.”
But why be charitable?
Tags: John Osnes, David Moses Jassy, John T. Osnes, Dave Monopoly, jazz, rap, hip hop, road rage, murder, black-on-white crime, and Hollywood.
