By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — D-Nice, the DJ who gained worldwide notoriety by hosting “Club Quarantine” on Instagram Live, where he spun a variety of music for hours weekly during the pandemic, will deck the halls on New Year’s Eve with D-Nice & Friends, set for Dec. 31, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
D-Nice, whose “Club Quarantine,” attracted A-listers and even saw former first lady Michelle Obama join the mix, has invited his friends to ring in the new year.
The show, hosted by actress Tisha Campbell, includes Next, Big Daddy Kane, Johnny Gill, Jon B., Nice & Smooth, Case, Tweet, Estelle, Lady London, Kenny Burns and Mike Phillips.
D-Nice, 54, whose real name is Derrick Jones, said there was a method to his madness of selecting the artists for his show.
“A lot of times, my artist selection is based on the artist,” said D-Nice, a photographer and rapper in addition to being a DJ. “I love playing a lot of Johnny Gill, New Edition, and as a soloist. When I knew I had New Year’s Eve, I sent [Gill] a message and told him I would like to work with him. I called them all — I wanted them to feel like my mixes.”
D-Nice is looking forward to spinning in the new year.
“I’m a big fan of New Year’s Eve,” he said, admitting he would be at home watching “New Year’s Rockin Eve” if he wasn’t working that night. “I love it when you want to get dressed up, feel good, and start the year off the right way. It’s a celebratory time.”
The night will be a nonstop party.
“There won’t be any breaks,” he said. “That lends itself to a level of excitement. It’s a party for two hours. It’s a seamless party. It’s a celebration. I don’t know what the show order is yet. I need to do that. I love spontaneity.”
D-Nice likes to let the music flow when he DJs.
“It’s all spontaneous,” said the native New Yorker, who has lived in Los Angeles for six years. “One day, I was playing ‘Water’ by Tyla, and the crowd went crazy. Then I threw in Stevie Wonder’s lyrics for ‘Do I Do.’ It’s on the fly. I create fun moments. He took me on this musical journey. You gotta keep mixing it up.”
When he thinks back, D-Nice, who has a friendly and cheerful personality, says ‘Club Quarantine’ happened accidentally.
“It’s a long story, but essentially, I relocated to L.A. a year prior to COVID,” he said. “I moved in 2019. I had no family out here at the time. I wanted to break into film and TV. I was turning 50. I didn’t want to be 50 in the clubs.
“When we were hit with staying at home, I felt defeated,” he continued. “I couldn’t quarantine with anyone. I couldn’t travel. I would wake up and be extremely sad. I felt the same way everyone did. I didn’t have food or toilet paper.”
D-Nice said he turned to what he knew best — music.
“All I had was my laptop,” he said. “I wasn’t in a relationship. I opened my laptop to share stories, not really DJing. About 200-300 friends were on Instagram. There were all these random people. It was cool. DJ Clark Kent, rest in peace, said on day three that he knew something magical was happening.
“I went to get turntables,” he added. “Two days later, I changed the world. It had this way of feeling like a real community. I felt lonely. I went on Instagram and played music. I felt connected. It had an impact on me, too.”
A prominent music enthusiast, D-Nice doesn’t DJ when he’s at home.
“I don’t DJ at home,” said the father of two. “I only play music on Instagram. When I’m at home, I listen to talk radio. I listen to different podcasts. I can’t tell you who I listen to, though. Well, one person is Howard Stern. He recently did Bruce Springsteen. I love interviews. I love listening. I also love ‘All Things Considered.’ I like storytelling podcasts.”
D-Nice doesn’t listen to much music at home because he wants his DJing to feel “in the moment” when he is performing for an audience.
“If I listen to the music at home, then it won’t feel fresh when I’m in front of the crowd,” he said. “I’m just as excited to hear a song as you are. You owe it to people to give them a feeling.”
Since the 1980s, D-Nice has been giving people a feeling.
From the streets of Harlem to touring and recording with Boogie Down Productions to the White House, D-Nice, has moved millions on wax with timeless records on stage at unforgettable gigs, and online with his revolutionary “Club Quarantine” Instagram Live series.
The BET Awards named him an honorary recipient of the “Shine A Light” Award, while he took home the 2020 Webby Artist of the Year award in “Special Achievement.” Most importantly, “Club Quarantine” positively impacted the globe, raising millions for first responders, historically Black colleges and universities, the Center for Disease Control, and Apollo Theater. He has appeared at the 94th Academy Awards, Carnegie Hall and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Teaming up with Issa Rae’s Raedio, he even co-curated the Official Playlist of the Biden + Harris inauguration. Shortly after, he performed at the official Super Bowl LV pre-show at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. His blend of hip-hop, soul, and R&B sound-tracked President Barack Obama’s 2012 inaugural ball, Academy Awards parties, the Essence Festival, and BET’s “Love and Happiness” Concert at the White House in 2016.
D-Nice, whose popularity continues to grow, sometimes has to pinch himself when he thinks about his career, which has sent him worldwide.
“I have far exceeded my dreams,” said D-Nice, who has DJ’d for four presidents, co-hosted New Year’s Rockin Eve, and sold out The Hollywood Bowl and Radio City Music Hall. “I’ve always felt like myself. I’ve always been curious. I like to try new things. My whole life has been working for myself. I’ve never had a job.
“If I wasn’t doing music, I did something with my company. Whatever I set my mind to, I do it, and I don’t screw anyone over. I did it with grace. My dream was to see the world and be surrounded by my family and friends. I have all of that. I’ve truly been blessed.”
D-Nice said he doesn’t just throw the word “blessed” around.
“I mean that,” he said. “I have a feeling of gratitude. To be loved by people because of how I make them feel — you can’t predict that. Every day is a new and beautiful day for me. Now, I’m creating new expectations. What else are we going to do? What are we going to do for people?”
Music has been a big part of D-Nice’s life for decades.
“The rhythm in music, in general, calms the soul,” he said. “It takes you to places. It can change how you feel. It changes your energy. Music is life.”
The name D-Nice has become synonymous with good vibes and good music, but the name came by accident.
“When we were in the studio in the 80s working on the song South Bronx, KRS-One had his name, and Scott La Rock had his name,” D-Nice said. “In the 80s, every rapper had ‘Ice’ in their name. They asked me what I wanted to be called. I said it’s going to be ‘D-Ice.’ He heard me wrong. While in the studio, he accidentally said, ‘D-Nice’ over the airwaves. It stuck.”
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
