Oklahoma Station Apologizes for Cutting Rapper from Morning Show

By Mark Joyella 

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Oklahoma City station KSBI has apologized to performer Jabee Williams after he was asked to leave instead of appearing on the station’s morning show, “Oklahoma Live!” Williams told NewsOK he was invited to appear on the show Monday morning, but the show’s executive producer told him “Hi Jabee. There’s been an oversight, and I need you to leave.”

We all thought he was joking. We asked if he was serious and he said “if you need help, we can help you load your stuff.” Jabee asked if they were expecting a country act, and he said ‘honestly, yes. Upon seeing you, we realized there was an oversight.’

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When we asked what exactly the oversight was, he said he had not realized Jabee was not a country act. He said the station is moving in a new direction and could not have him on the show.

Williams says it was “a blatant form of discrimination.”

Station president Vince Orza apologized in a statement Monday to The Oklahoman:

“Jabee should have been allowed to perform. He is a professional, who showed up on time, ready to entertain our audience as he has in the past,” Orza said in a statement. “I wanted him to hear directly from me that he is welcome to perform on ‘Oklahoma Live!’ and KSBI. I apologized to him, and he very graciously thanked me for calling.”

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