Never underestimate the power of music.
Like so many Americans, DJ D-Nice (also known as Derrick Jones) has a career that can’t exactly be done like normal during the Coronavirus pandemic.
But over the weekend, the talented artist decided to get creative and build a “club quarantine” online concert where he spun countless hits and got fans feeling good. How many fans you ask? How about 160,000 people.
“This is pretty much the equivalent of two stadiums listening to music,” D-Nice shared on CBS This Morning. “I literally just played what feels good. I wanted people to feel good. I wanted their experience to be lifted through music just one song at a time.”
Everyone from Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey, former Vice President Joe Biden and Mark Zuckerberg joined the fun. But there was one special guest who was a step above the rest. “The part that touched me the most was I put in a call to get the First Lady in there and the moment she popped in, I just froze,” D-Nice shared when reliving Michelle Obama‘s support. “And it’s not like I haven’t DJed for her before but I just froze up. I didn’t know what to play.”
He continued, “But then I remembered what she loves. She loves Beyoncé. It was awesome though.”
While the DJ was initially planning to take a break from his gigs, Gayle persuaded him to start the party again tonight at 6 p.m. EST on his social media.
And while some of his neighbor’s complained about the noise, D-Nice says the show will go on.
“No matter what your problems are, you can put on a good tune and it just takes you away and I was trying to do that,” he explained.
D-Nice added, “The whole experience was fun. It wasn’t just the music, it was the whole experience and everyone escaping what’s going on today just for a few hours.”
CBS This Morning airs weekdays at 7 a.m. only on CBS.