Petaluma Bans Hyphy....News At 11.

A Petaluma, California teen center is canceling rap concerts from its venue because of the crowd that hyphy music draws to it.

According to The Press Democrat, officials of the Petaluma Phoenix Theater said yesterday (February 12) that they were pushed to enforce the ban on rap shows after a teenager was arrested with loaded gun following a fight outside the venue last month when Hyphy music was on the bill.

Tom Gaffey, the Phoenix Theater's manager, said that the ban is a safety measure until the center can determine which styles of rap music it will allow.

“We need to really think about whether hyphy and hip hop can exist,” Gaffey said. “We have too many kids down here to take that kind of a risk.”

Rap fans outside the Phoenix Theater's Tuesday called the venue’s ban on rap excessive and unfair because it lumps all rap music into one category.

“That sucks,” said Mike Snow, an 18-year-old junior college student. “It’s lame that all rap shows are canceled for a couple of idiots.”