To borrow a query from Jagged Edge: Where is the party? If you’re D-Nice, the concert will be at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. He’ll be hosting his “Deck the Hall” holiday extravaganza here on New Year’s Eve (December 31st), starring D-Nice & Friends. In this special blowout, he’ll be joined by classic R&B/soul, hip-hop and pop producers to ring in 2024 and usher in 2025, including: Next, Big Daddy Kane, Case, Estelle, Jon B., Tweet, Lady London, Mike Philips, Nice & Smooth and Johnny Gill.
D-Nice (Derek Jones) on how upcoming show came about advertising billboard“Sometimes the curation is extremely random. Like the flow when I’m playing a set, I’m like, ‘Oh, this is really great for a show. “For example, Johnny Gill. I couldn’t believe he agreed to do my show, but I play his music a lot at my shows. When I reached out and told him what the concept was, he was instantly on board. Kane Same thing with Dad. I’ve never worked with Keith before and we’ve been working on it for a while and we finally did it on New Year’s Eve so I’m really excited about this show.
But the party doesn’t stop there. D-Nice will perform his first 2025 club quarantine live show on January 11 at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington, DC. Grammy nominee Big Daddy Kane Rapsody, Tank, Goapele, Rakim and Tweet. The black-tie event, produced by BrandNice and co-sponsored by BrandNice and the Kennedy Center, will be hosted by multimedia personality Kenny Burns.
“I use the word excitement a lot because I’m really like wow, I can’t believe this is happening,” said D-Nice, who is also a member of the Kennedy Center’s Hip-Hop Culture Council. “I curate all the shows myself to achieve what I want. Being able to bring all these different types of people and genres together makes me really excited about what I’m doing.
A boy who considers himself a fan – “I just like music and culture” – D-Nice was also interviewed advertising billboard On his most memorable moments from his popular Club Quarantine, which he launched on Instagram during the Covid-19 pandemic, which guest artists he hopes to invite are still on his wish list, and where his love for photography will be in 2025 Where does the year lead him?
What has been your most memorable moment during quarantine at the club? And talk about how you’ve grown the brand since then.
This important night of March 21, 2020 will always be unforgettable for me. But it has nothing to do with the number of people here, the millions listening. I was always in my usual position of DJing at other people’s events. Like I’ve done DJing for Rihanna, President Obama and others. But for me to have this virtual party and have all of them actually come to the virtual party that I’m hosting? It’s very special because they didn’t hire me for something. This is what I’m doing. They all jumped out to support people and show love to people. That moment was not only good for the music but also for people’s morale. We know we are all in this together; we all have to be locked together. But meeting some of your favorite people and actually just saying hi? Some got a response; They obviously can’t respond to everyone. But the way we felt then will always be the highlight for me.
In terms of the evolution of the brand, there’s nothing really tangible. It’s a feeling. The way I play is connected to the music. It’s about community, it’s about happiness, it’s about having fun, having a good laugh…it’s all of those things. The fact that we can still broadcast these shows live is exactly what I’m recreating. All I do is use the formula I rock on the internet and play a little bit of everything. So being able to put on a show that everyone from Nice & Smooth to Lady London (now a new artist) can attend. Or go to the Kennedy Center with Rapsody and Rakim. It’s incredible to be able to bridge the gap between all these eras of music. That’s the spirit of it all.
Which artists are still on your wish list?
I’m a big fan of Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan. If I could have them show up at one of my shows, it would mean the world to me.
As an avid music fan, what music trends do you think are on the horizon? Do you have an Afrobeat curated event on your to-do list?
Last week I got a call asking me to go to Africa to do a few shows. I’ve always played Afrobeats and Afrobeats. i love ferra [Kuti] And Burna Boy and that vibe. I love the soulful South African house vibe, amapiano… all of that. As far as trends go, it’s great to see people no longer sticking to just one thing. Create something and it will find an audience. Look what happened to Tyla and her music. Chris Brown, on the other hand, has sold out both nights in Africa. It’s great to see our culture being so global.
Is a book about your DJing experiences coming soon?
I am currently working on a photography book that contains the photos I took during my travels, and there is also a photography exhibition that I am already putting together, a kind of traveling exhibition that will start around June 2025. captured images. I’ve always had a camera with me since I started making records when I was little. I wanted something tangible to show my family and future children, so I decided I always wanted a camera. I literally experienced these great moments like a young Kendrick [Lamar]Mary J. Blige’s experiences in South Africa and her candid moments of prayer. Or when Dave Chappelle returned to perform at Radio City Music Hall. I captured his beautiful silhouette with his signature cigarette. I’ve had other moments, like when Tyra Banks asked me to document her day. So I wanted to focus on these great images, not just the music.
What advice do you have for aspiring DJs?
Everyone has something, so I think it’s very important to be unique. EDM DJs mainly play their own music, their own records. But when you think about people who are actually playing someone else’s pre-recorded music, you realize we all have the same songs. So it depends on how you play and the energy you bring. What’s gotten me further in my career is that it’s not just music. Sometimes you walk into a room and see an artist, DJ, or performer and you immediately feel comfortable because you know what that person represents. You know what that person’s energy is. I always try to tell people, especially young people, to not only focus on the music, but also focus on your personality. Pay attention to the feelings you get from others; focus on your performance.
