A recent NBA YoungBoy concert in Oklahoma City has sparked a heated debate among local officials over policing decisions and racial bias. The 26-year-old rapper performed Saturday night at the Paycom Center, but preparations surrounding the show drew more attention than the performance itself.
Days before the event, the Oklahoma County Jail announced that it would increase staffing in anticipation of what it called a possible rise in arrests linked to the concert. Interim jail administrator Tim Kimrey described the move as a routine precaution.
“We want to be proactive in case there’s an influx of inmates,” Kimrey told the county’s Criminal Justice Authority during a public meeting.
But the explanation did not sit well with some members of the community. Rev. Derrick Scobey, a pastor and member of the jail trust, criticized the decision, calling it “overt racism.” Scobey noted that the jail had not taken similar steps for other concerts in the city.
“It is probably going to be about 75% African Americans at that concert,” Scobey said, arguing that the increased staffing implies a negative assumption about the audience. “All the other times we have not had extra staff come in. This is overt.”
During the meeting, Kimrey insisted that his intention was to boost staffing for any large event with heavy attendance. After continued discussion, he agreed to also increase staffing for an upcoming Christian celebration hosted by Life.Church, featuring gospel singer CeCe Winans — an event Scobey pointed out had initially been overlooked.
A 13-page internal memo circulated to officials ahead of the concert further escalated tensions. The document outlined NBA YoungBoy’s rise to fame alongside his legal troubles and referenced previous cities that canceled his performances over safety concerns. It also suggested extensive security measures, including tactical teams, drones, armored vehicles, and portable light towers.
Despite the memo, the Oklahoma City Police Department confirmed that it did not add any extra officers and said standard off-duty police were hired to work security, as is typical for concerts at the arena.
Lucy Albers, spokesperson for the Paycom Center, also said the venue was unaware of any heightened preparations.
“We were not informed of any increased measures, nor did we request them,” she said.
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