Episode 357 | Becoming The World's DJ (w/ D-Nice)

Summary

Podcast Summary: "New Rory & MAL" – Episode 357 | Becoming The World's DJ (w/ D-Nice)

Release Date: March 28, 2025
Host: Reshawn McDonald
Guest: DJ D-Nice

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Introduction to DJ D-Nice

In Episode 357 of New Rory & MAL, hosted by Reshawn McDonald and featuring DJ D-Nice, listeners are treated to an in-depth conversation with one of hip hop's legendary figures. DJ D-Nice, known for his multifaceted career as a DJ, producer, photographer, and rapper, shares his journey from the Bronx to becoming a globally recognized DJ.

Early Career and Influences

Reshawn McDonald introduces D-Nice by highlighting his profound impact on hip hop, stating, “This gentleman today is one of the reasons that I think I fell in love with hip hop” ([02:51]). D-Nice recounts his beginnings in the Bronx, detailing how he met key figures like Scott LaRocque and KRS-One through Reshawn's cousin’s boyfriend, leading to his entry into the hip hop scene.

D-Nice [06:22]: “If they didn’t do that, I could have still been trying to shop a demo. I could have still been trying to be hip hop. And hey, no, no knocking anyone that's been in the game for a while.”

He reflects on the foundational experiences, emphasizing the importance of mentors like Scott LaRocque in shaping his path and fostering a sense of independence.

Club Quarantine and Its Impact

A significant portion of the discussion centers around Club Quarantine, D-Nice's innovative response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Launched as a virtual live DJ set, Club Quarantine became a beacon of connection and joy during a dark time.

D-Nice [46:28]: “Club Quarantine really wasn't about the music that I was playing. It was really about the connection that people had. The community and the conversations and that. That's what was just beautiful, bro.”

D-Nice details how he leveraged Instagram Live to host these sessions, which grew exponentially, attracting celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and even President Joe Biden. This initiative not only provided solace to millions but also cemented his status as a global DJ.

D-Nice [44:02]: “And that’s how it became Club Quarantine. I did not create that. It was literally people in the comments. This was before the world knew about it. It was people by day three.”

He shares heartfelt stories of how Club Quarantine brought together families and communities, highlighting moments that underscored the project's profound impact.

Experiences with Other Artists

D-Nice reminisces about his interactions with iconic figures in hip hop and beyond. From working with KRS-One and Grandmaster Flowers to sharing stages with artists like Jadakiss and Quest Love, his network spans multiple generations and genres.

D-Nice [72:24]: “I would always say that. And I forgot that, like, Philip Bailey and them were always on my IG. So when they found out that I was the music. They thought you were setting it up.”

He recounts personal anecdotes, including memorable DJ sets at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and the Oscars, showcasing his versatility and ability to blend hip hop with orchestral elements.

Reflections on Hip Hop Culture

Throughout the conversation, D-Nice reflects deeply on the evolution of hip hop, its cultural significance, and his role within it. He discusses the importance of authenticity, the challenges of maintaining relevance, and the shifts in the music industry's landscape.

D-Nice [16:05]: “But because I was kind of forced to figure out how to live and how to, you know, I didn't have money at that point. We weren't really making a lot of money in Hip Hop then.”

He emphasizes the enduring power of hip hop as a unifying force and its capacity to adapt and thrive amidst changing times.

Future Endeavors

Looking ahead, D-Nice shares his excitement for upcoming projects, including new live shows and collaborations with symphonies and contemporary artists. His commitment to fostering community and innovation in music remains unwavering.

D-Nice [95:27]: “I'm using the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with it. Love that. Incredible.”

He expresses gratitude for the continued support from both old-school peers and a younger generation of artists, underscoring his dedication to bridging gaps and fostering mutual respect within the industry.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with heartfelt acknowledgments from Reshawn and Mo, celebrating D-Nice's contributions to hip hop and his ability to adapt and thrive through adversity. D-Nice's story is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the unifying power of music.

Reshawn McDonald [97:35]: “This conversation has been great for me, man. This is like a dream come true for me, man.”

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Reshawn McDonald [02:51]: “This gentleman today is one of the reasons that I think I fell in love with hip hop.”
• D-Nice [06:22]: “If they didn’t do that, I could have still been trying to shop a demo. I could have still been trying to be hip hop.”
• D-Nice [16:05]: “But because I was kind of forced to figure out how to live... We weren't really making a lot of money in Hip Hop then.”
• D-Nice [44:02]: “And that’s how it became Club Quarantine. I did not create that...”
• D-Nice [46:28]: “Club Quarantine really wasn't about the music... It was really about the connection that people had.”
• D-Nice [72:24]: “I would always say that. And I forgot that, like, Philip Bailey and them were always on my IG.”
• D-Nice [95:27]: “I'm using the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with it. Love that. Incredible.”

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Final Thoughts

New Rory & MAL delivers a compelling episode that not only chronicles DJ D-Nice's illustrious career but also delves into the broader narrative of hip hop's evolution and its role in uniting communities during challenging times. Through engaging dialogue and personal anecdotes, listeners gain an intimate glimpse into the life of a true hip hop pioneer.

Transcript

[Reshawn McDonald]

You can count on T Mobile to.

[Mo]

Help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption.

[Reshawn McDonald]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[D-Nice]

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[Mo]

The volume.

[Reshawn McDonald]

No worrying all right Rory. Today is a is one of those days.

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Where we are privileged and honored to be joined by somebody who I think we both have an immense amount of respect for. Me personally, this gentleman today is one of the reasons that I think I fell in love with hip hop. I found hip hop being from the Bronx, his name was like, you know, a God in my city and growing up on Fordham Row and Creston in the Bronx. Today we are joined with legendary DJ, producer, photographer, rapper, rapper the Human TR808. He don't even think I know that.

[D-Nice]

Geez.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Legendary DJ D. Nice man like this.

[Mo]

Is like, oh, when he walked in and you know, thank you guys for having me. I was like, no, thank you.

[Reshawn McDonald]

What the f. C.K. don't thank us. This is. And I was just telling you off camera, I remember running home from school just so I could catch self destruction on video. Music box growing up, man, and that was like one of the reasons that I think I fell in love with hip hop growing up in the Bronx. To see all of those artists together on TV at such a young age and everybody representing the culture and the city to me was legendary and a dope cameo. One of my favorite movies. I'm gonna get you, sucker.

[D-Nice]

Oh, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

You know what I'm saying? That's like a legendary, legendary movie. So, yeah, we, we, we're honored to have you here today. And we just want to nerd out, man. Like, we just want to.

[D-Nice]

I'm about to nerd out, bro. When I was walking, when I was walking in the building and I turned around and saw you, I. I fanned out for a minute.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I don't know, like, they don't we not doing that.

[D-Nice]

It's the truth. It's like I, I think that's probably why I'm still here in part of the culture because. And I don't lose the spirit of like, of just honesty, you know what I mean? Like I, I see people, I'm like, oh, yo, what's up? I look at you the same way. I feel the same way. If I ran into like Barack or someone, you know, it's like people you admire, people were doing great things, right. But sometimes you see them from afar. It's my first time like really, like really meeting you guys.

[Reshawn McDonald]

You know, I've been at a few parties, you dj, but never had the opportunity to walk over and shake in.

[Mo]

Yeah, I gaze from ga. Yeah, yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mo]

No, those are some of my favorite parties in Brooklyn that you were doing at one time that I would, we would just stare, wouldn't even. We were just in awe. Didn't even dance. Was just like, this is the best DJ set I've ever seen.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, it's incredible.

[D-Nice]

They've been like quite. I mean, even for me where I'm like, you could, you could tell when you're in that zone. My favorite parties happen to be when I'm rocking with other people. You know, like when, when I would rock with Stretch Armstrong, Rich Medina, you know, Clark Kent, God bless the dead, you know, Tony Touch. When we all do back to back sets or just someone who I Know, loves music. And we don't have a set. We just play what we feel based on who's. Who's in front of us. Those are always, like, the best sets to me.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Mo]

We rarely do this style of interviews where we do, like, the Life Story shit, but Mo and I were both like, no, we got. We have to start at the beginning.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

Since you've seen this entire thing happen that we all fell in love with, like, where does it start with you? KRS, Scott LaRocque, BDP in general, man, it starts.

[D-Nice]

So Dave Chappelle is one of my friends. And one day I was sitting with him and three guys from Dayla, you know, peaceful, always to Dave from Dela. And we were just talking, and he asked me. He was like, yo, just random question. Like, I never thought about this. How did you meet krs? And I lived in the Bronx on Woody Crest Avenue at the time. I'm sharing this story with Dave, you know, living on Woody Crest Avenue near Yankee Stadium, and my cousin's boyfriend. We all lived together in, like, this tenement apartment, one bedroom. My great grandmother. I was sleeping in the living room for years, you know, and so he was a security guard at a men's shelter in the Bronx called Franklin Men's Shelter. So, you know, at the time, I thought, you know, I mean, I've always tried everything. So I thought I was gonna be a chef. So he asked me to bring him some. Brought some food over to him, and he said, hey, I want to introduce you to someone. And he took me into the office and introduced me to the social worker that worked there. And his. But, you know, Scott Sterling was his name, but at night, he was DJ Scott LaRocque. And Scott saw me and was like, yo, can you rap? I was lying. I had never written a rap song. I was like, yo, yeah, I can rap. Absolutely. He was like, yo, you're gonna be the LL Cool J of my group. You look like that kind of vibe. Like, literally, just like that. And then he introduced me to krs, who was living in the shelter at the time.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

And when I shared this story with Dave, Dave Chappelle, he was like, man, did you hear what you just said? He said, you walk three miles with food to feed your future. So had I not taken that journey, I'm not here right now. You know what I mean?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Crazy.

[D-Nice]

So, yeah, man, I'm forever grateful for those beginnings.

[Mo]

What was your first impression of Scott and krs?

[D-Nice]

KS And I, like, initially, I mean, we didn't. I Don't want to say we didn't get along. It was just like, why do we need this young kid? You know, because they were much, not much, but they were like seven, eight years older than me. Scott was, you know, I mean, he's the reason why I love, love just the business side, you know, of not just hip hop, but just any business. Just being in control of, like your own destiny. Because he was hip hop, but he was still kind of corporate. Yeah. He was walking around with his briefcase with, like, pair of Nikes on, you know what I mean? Like, so he, I mean, truly was like this big brother, you know, And. And part of the reason why I've maintained this, this kind of sense of independence was because, like, Scott Larock, you know, like, he was. He was the reason that I'm here. So I felt like me doing this, I'm always like, you know, reminding people of the incredible job that he did with music and also just inspiring people.

[Mo]

Yeah. What was. Go ahead if you want to say something.

[Reshawn McDonald]

So I was talking to my brother, Hip Hop last year, and we were laughing because it was the whole 50 year anniversary of hip hop a couple years ago. And there's been things online and a couple videos popping up where people are saying the actual first hip hop party was in Brooklyn. Like, somebody has a flyer where it predates the Kool Herc party in the Bronx. It's like a party that was in Brooklyn before Kool Herc and they had it on Cedar Ave. In the park. Where do you stand on that? Like, where do you feel like? Cause you obviously, you were there to see it become what it is today. Where did it start, as far as you concerned?

[D-Nice]

Well, I'm not that old to see the inception of hip hop, the very beginnings. But, you know, just from my understanding, and I also grew up near Cedric Avenue, near where he threw that party that's like maybe like 10 streets away from where I grew up. So I'm always going to lean to. Yeah. Be honest with you. Nothing else matters.

[Mo]

Even if the history's false, it's still Bronx.

[Reshawn McDonald]

No, no, I believe that too. But it is kind of interesting to hear those things, like, you know, because that's part of the history too. Like, if there was a party before the party that Herc did, it's like, okay, we need to know about that. What was that? Like, what did it sound like?

[D-Nice]

I mean, I've actually never heard that, but now I'm kind of interested in like, kind of going back and like, doing some research because there were DJs that I heard about, by the way. I'm not like, I wasn't deep into hip hop at that point. I was just deep into the hip hop because I was. I was young, you know, 13, 14. I'm chasing girls. You know, I was a kid.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know, when I got down with the group. But. But I did start learning more about Grandmaster Flowers and all these other people who were from other boroughs. But just to. To. From what my understanding is that it was. It was it all those parties started in the Bronx.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. With Hercules.

[Mo]

What were some of those early sessions like with Scott and Kara? Especially you being younger and lying that you even knew how to rap.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, those young sessions. I mean, two things. It could be young sessions in terms of studio or young sessions in terms of, like, the shows we were doing studio wise. It was just. I was fascinated by it, you know, like, we did. We produced. Well, I didn't produce it. I watched Scott produce our first single, South Bronx. We were like in Queens at someone's house, like on the 16 track. I knew it was Queens.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. We were out there, like. Yeah. And that was just. That was interesting to me because I had never been in the studio. I had never, like, that was in my life. You know, I kind of walked into this and that was. That was fun. But by the time, by the time when Scott passed, by the time the second album started, I actually knew how to make beats at that point because I knew how to dj, then. I knew how to sample. I was out digging for records because I'm a nerd dude. Like, if I. Anything that I'm involved in, like, I literally break it apart. Like, I'm not making this up. I like, open it up to see how it works, you know, and like, physically open this up, you know. And so I learned how to use all of the machines and, you know, I was doing tracks. When I would go out, find the samples for, like, if, you know, like BDP records, like, I'm still number one. You know, my philosophy. I was mixing records. You know, like I said self destruction. I did when I was. I was 18 years old. Because I just loved the music at that point. And I loved. I was fascinated by. By being in the studio because of what. What I learned with. With Scott Larocque. In terms of shows, man, we've had, man, we've. The thing that I love most about KRS and the experience of hip hop was that we didn't travel the way we travel now. You know, now we're like, all right, I need a first class ticket. I need. Yeah, I'm not staying at that hotel. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, bro, we would. We were on planes where we didn't even have money to get back. You know what I mean? Like, we were flying one way, hoping to get on back in.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

Not even back in. Hoping to get all of the money because no one sent deposits back then.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

And, you know, I do recall, like, the first time I was ever on a plane. We were going to Rochester, New York for a show. And it's my first time on a plane. I'm like, wow, like, this is great.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And we. When we arrived, we didn't have a hotel room. The promoter had a stand at his parents house, the three of us. Scott came with like a girl and dude's mom was like, super religious. She saw her, she was like, you guys can't stay here. She's gonna stay. You're not doing this. She came out with like holy water and started. I wish I was lying. Like, she started sprinkling holy water on us and literally kicked us out.

[Mo]

What was the girl's reaction?

[Reshawn McDonald]

She was just looking like, you know, we here now.

[D-Nice]

So we, me, Scott, Larocque and Kras ended up breaking into like a Motel 6. And we, like, we had no money, no credit cards. We broke into this joint and I slept on the floor. No, Kara slept on the floor. Scott had the bed, and I slept on top of the desk that was there. But we had to be out before housekeeping came, you know, and so those early days, like, that was pure hip hop to me.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[D-Nice]

What we experience now is kind of glorious. And it's great, by the way. Like, I'm not in the front, you know, still be here all these decades later. And the treatment is great, but like, those days were like the true foundation. Yeah. The true foundation even of just our group, man. There's some amazing experiences.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Talk about the. You know, we coming off of one of the biggest battles last year in hip hop, but you also being right there next to one of the earliest, most legendary battles with MC Shan and krs. What was the energy like?

[Mo]

And fuck y'all for Bridges Over.

[D-Nice]

Bridge Is over was crazy. A classic, by the way, as someone who. Listen, I don't. I'm not trying to say that I'm an expert on battle hip hop.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But I actually love the Drake and I love this Drake Kendrick vibe that was going on, you know, I hate to see where it ended up. I don't I don't agree with lawsuits and all that. I mean, like, to me, battling all is fair, you know what I mean? Because I came from that generation of KRS and Shan and Kumo D and LL and, you know, LL and Shan, like, that's what we saw. You know what I mean? Like, that was a part of. It was like, sparring.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know, I was never a great lyricist. I Literally, every song that I ever released were my only lyrics. Like, so I wasn't that kind of emcee. I never tried to be. Was never battling anyone. But to be in the presence of KRS and to watch him, it was just. It was just because, like I said earlier, I'm still a fan no matter what. Even if I, like, even being in the group, I'm still a fan. And it was just magical, like. Like, wow. Like, you know, But I also. It was also magical watching Shan because I was a fan of Shan.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

And like, to being a party, I remember being in this party. Bridges over was out. I was in the party in the Bronx on Tremont Avenue by myself, because I would always roll alone. And I watched Shan and the Juice Crew walk in, and the way they were walking, like, the swaggeredness was, like, crazy. And Shane with the rubber bands on his pants and walking with his kango on, and it was like, we're battling these dudes. It felt like BDP was much bigger than it was. It was really like three of us, but the Juice Crew, like, 17 of them.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

But it was just. It was just so dope to see, man. And I do kind of miss that energy of, like, hip hop, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

I mean, because we do have some younger listeners. How did the KRS and Shan Beef even start? Well, battle. Let me not say Beef.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, no, I don't. I don't really, you know, from my understanding, because it happened before I was a part of the group. I do remember Kara saying that, you know, There's a legendary DJ, Mr. Magic Radio DJ, who, you know, was a part of the Juice Crew. I think he was, like, one of the owners of the Juice Crew that Scott Larocque went to play him a demo. I know there's gonna be different stories about all of this, but just this is just what I remember that, you know, they laughed at the demo, like, nah, get out of this. It's trash, you know, And. And that kind of like, sparked the beef, you know?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

And, like, Karras has something to prove.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, absolutely.

[D-Nice]

And he did it, though.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Oh, absolutely. In A major way. Yeah, yeah, you know, major way.

[Mo]

What was his energy like in that session? Creating Bridges Over.

[D-Nice]

Ah, that's funny. I was only in there for South Bronx.

[Mo]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

The Bridge is Over is a funny session because I went over to Scott's house the next day. I didn't even know they were in the studio the night before. And Scott was like, listen, yo, here's our new record. And then he played the Bridges over, and I was like, whoa. It was just raw hip hop.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know, no one was, like, really singing on these records. No one was really like, I mean, krs, you know, I know Herc, and, you know, he's Jamaican, but a lot of people weren't really doing, like, just kind of like, infusing like, like, you know, reggae music with, like, hip hop. So, like, that bass line is like. I think that's like, old, like, super cat or something like that. Oops. And like. Yeah, but nobody was, like, really doing it like that, you know? So, like, to. To hear that record for the first time, I was like. I said I was like a fan, even though I was in the group. I was like, yo, this. This is incredible.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Incredible.

[Mo]

What. What was life like when South Bronx dropped, like, outside of being local? Local celebrities probably, but South Bronx, I think, probably took it way more global.

[D-Nice]

Nah, it actually didn't. It's funny, man. Like, for me, the excitement was I lived in the Bronx on a fifth floor walk up. And, you know, the first time it was on the radio, I was. I was in front of my, like, in front of the building on the stoop. And I just remember my cousin, like, my cousin, she just opened the window and yelled out, they're playing your song on the radio. Like, I didn't, you know, like that feeling. I will never forget that moment. Like, that. That was just like one of those moments you see in movies where it's like, that was the. That was the event that just sparked everything in terms of, like, one day. Biz Markey. When I started DJing, Biz said something to me, and he said, you know what will make you a great DJ is when you go into these towns and you also recognize the local hit records. He was like, because remember, nobody beats the biz in South Bronx. Those were local records. And I never thought about that. He was right. Those were like, really local hits. You know, the first BDP album, Criminal Minded, is a classic. But the core of it, it was really like an east coast record, you know? And so, like, I didn't. We didn't have that kind of global success until the second album came out, by all means necessary. And you know, then when I had my solo projects, you know, that was different. Hip hop was different and we had more radio play, but yeah, it was. Those were like local records.

[Mo]

What, what was the photo shoot like for Criminal Minded? Because one of the most iconic, so covers and artwork in general.

[D-Nice]

So I was a straight up hood kid, like, and I didn't want to do but sell drugs. I wanted to be that dude. I wanted to be in the streets. And Scott Larocque said to me, yo, if you don't get your shit straight, you can't be in this group. So. And I was like, man, fuck this group. I'm out here, I'm hanging with my boys, I'm doing this. And he was dead serious.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

So that photo shoot, I was not there because I was like, I don't want to be a part of this, you know, and it wasn't until, like, because I didn't grow up with a father, you know, like, you know, around. It was just all women. And then I was in the hood, I was trying to figure out how to get out of the hood. So that was the first moment of me realizing how. How someone really, like, cared about your well being, you know, which kind of like, that's why I live my life the way that I do now. Because if I didn't have those conversations with him, I wouldn't have been here. Now, I will say this about the album cover that I do know. The album cover was shot when we were on this record company called Rock Candy Records. So the album cover that you're looking at, that same desk by day, daytime.

[Mo]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

They were also shooting porns on top of that desk. A lot of sex scenes going on on that desk.

[Mo]

It's like when we stand the man John in la, I'm like, I've seen this porn scene before. Why do we keep staying in this hotel?

[D-Nice]

I don't think you'll ever look at that album.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

It's wild, bro.

[Mo]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Paige DeSorbo]

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[D-Nice]

Hi, this is Debbie, your blinds.com design consultant. Oh wow, a real person Yep. I'm here to help you with everything from selecting the perfect window treatments. Well, I've got a complicated project.

[Paige DeSorbo]

No problem. We make the complex simple.

[D-Nice]

And I can even help schedule a professional measure and install. I didn't realize you did that. Yeah. We can also send you samples fast and free. Wow. I mean, I always thought I needed.

[Paige DeSorbo]

A designer to come to my home.

[D-Nice]

But scheduling's always a nightmare. Notwithblinds.com, we're on your schedule. And there's no haggling, no pressure, no hidden fees either.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Hmm.

[D-Nice]

I just might have to do more. Oh, okay.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Whatever you need.

[D-Nice]

How about you tell me what you had in mind? Okay then.

[Paige DeSorbo]

So the first room we're looking at.

[D-Nice]

Is for guests coming.

[Paige DeSorbo]

Blinds.com has covered over 25 million windows.

[D-Nice]

All backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Shopblinds.com now and save up to 40%. Site wide rules and restrictions may apply.

[Paige DeSorbo]

PayPal lets you pay all your pals like your graduation gifters.

[D-Nice]

Who's paying for the mattress topper?

[Mo]

You mean the beanbag chair?

[D-Nice]

Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PA PayPal?

[Mo]

It lets us collect the money before we buy.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Ooh, yes, that's smart.

[Paige DeSorbo]

Glad we can agree on something easily. Pool split and Send Money with PayPal. Get started in the PayPal app. A PayPal account is required to send and receive money. A balance account is required to create a pool.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Why did you. Why did you stop rapping? Because my name is D. Nice. Was a. Was a joint.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. So.

[Reshawn McDonald]

And did you write all of it?

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I wrote everything except for part of the first verse of that song. KRS was the one who was.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I was going to say it kind of sound like a KRS yo, you.

[D-Nice]

Gotta flow like this.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

That song wasn't really supposed to come out. I kind of have an accidental career. I did that track the Beat for it. I did that in the song I'm still number one at the same time. And I played them both for krs and he chose I'm still number one beat. He's like, yo, this is crazy. I need that. And. And then I was giving that other beat to Kid Rock. Cause I got him signed to Jive and we were trying to figure out, like, well, what. Because I also was like, writing songs for Kid Rock. Because at that point I was like a writer. I wasn't like an incredible lyricist, but, like, I knew how to write.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And I wrote two songs on his first album. But that beat was I was giving it to him and I was like, nah, you could just rhyme like this. And. And I went in and recorded that. And then actually when I heard it, I was like, oh, this is actually kind of dope. And then we just kept it. I wasn't supposed to have a record out, but I did the crazy. Went up to like the radio station and played the record for Red Alert and then he went to the program director and let him hear it and then they put it on rotation. I didn't even have a release day, which was different back then. Like now you can just go in the studio, send anyone your mp3 and then you're good. But then you had to be in the system and you needed like a four month kind of like lead time in order to get the record. You can't even get it pressed up. So I kind of went against that. And then because the record became a hit in New York, my career kind of like was kind of forced on jive, so they had to put it out. The reason why I didn't have, you know, my career was kind of short in hip hop as a solo artist was hip hop started to shift. I was in this business for five years, since I was a kid at that point. Now everything is now is Pac and now it's Biggie and Bad Boy. And everyone had their crews and I wasn't really a part of anyone's. Anyone's crew. I was just D nice out on my own and you know, for jive, for, you know, signed a jive. At the time, you know, we just, we started to clash. I wanted to continue making the kind of music that I wanted. They didn't want to go in that direction and I couldn't, you know, at that time those, those deals were like ironclad joints, you know, like. So they shelved me. So I didn't. That's why I was saying like earlier about when the clapping stops, like, what do you do, right? But no matter what, I kind of look back at life like I'm not here right now. If they didn't do that, you know, I could have still been trying to shop a demo. I could have still been trying to be hip hop. And hey, no, no knocking anyone that's been in the game for a while. But I could have just been an old school rapper. But because I, you know, I was kind of forced to figure out how to live and how to, you know, I didn't have money at that point. We weren't really making a lot of money in hip Hop then, you know what I mean? Like, you know, 100 grand for the year, right? But if you're not, you have no shows, you have no records, and there's no income. So I had to sit back for like seven or eight years trying to figure out life, you know, and. And fell in love with photography and web development. And I started a company called called United camps with about $500. Picked up Motown as my first client, and I was building websites. Most people didn't even know that. So, like Diary of Alicia Keys, I built that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Wow.

[D-Nice]

You know, Crazy Tyrese, first album, his. His website, you know, Annie Lennox, Boyz II mentioned at&t. I was just working on everyone's websites, which is how I was able to change my life, you know?

[Mo]

Did they know D Nice was making their website?

[D-Nice]

Nah. No, they didn't know. The. The. The funny thing is I. I was not trying to be D Nice. So I. I did. I did the. The G Unit sneaker, right? So I was doing online marketing with. With. For. Through Violator, because Chris loved Chris Light. He loved what I was doing.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Rest in peace. Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yep. Rest in peace to Chris. And he brought me in to build the Violator website. So I did that site. And then he brought me in to do. To help them with online marketing for the gun issue. Because that was early online marketing days. And I was sitting in this meeting with Chris and Steve Stout and Paul Fireman, who started Reebok and like, his team. And then this. Now, I. I was anti D Nice. I was Derrick Jones, you know?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. This was. I was 10 years removed from hip hop.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And I hated hip hop. I hated the business. I was like, yo, this is terrible, man. Treat people.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But what made me fall in love with it again was the current Reebok CEO, Todd Krinsky walked into the meeting and he walked around the table, said hello to everyone. And when he got to me, he didn't say hello. He just stood there. So I stood up like, hey, I'm Derrick Jones. And then he all laughed because they all in on it. And he said. He was like, hey, man. He said, graduated from Boston U. And I wrote my thesis on song from your first album. Song called A Few Dollars More, my first solo album.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Wow.

[D-Nice]

And in that. In that moment, I was like, holy shit. Like the. My mind, you know, the wheels are always turning. I was like, yo, all these years I've been running away from D Nice. But that's the biggest asset that I have because the music that we all listen to when we're in school, right? Those are the songs that really define your life, right? And like, I was at that point in my life where wasn't a lot of hip hop then. And if you made it, the LL cool Js, Kumo D, public Enemy, you were special, right? Yeah, it wasn't like a one hit thing. Like we were like, literally we were a part of someone's life. And these people are now VPs and CEOs. And I was like, yo, right? I need to do it. After I thought about that in that meeting, I was like, man, I should do like after work mixers, like throw parties to just get the people to come out to like, yo. And then, you know, try to work it that way just so I could get more business as a, as a web developer, right? I couldn't find a dj, so I started playing the music myself. That's crazy. And then became like obsessed with it. Like really obsessed with it. Like, like, yo, I mean, nobody open format wasn't a thing then, you know, like you either played hip hop or you played. I mean, EDM wasn't really a thing either, but you either played hip hop or you play pop music or you play classics like Q Tip, you know, and Mark Ronson. But nobody was like really playing like everything like that or. I don't want to say no one, but, you know, not the places that I was going to, which was very limited, right? And I went to. I became obsessed with it and I went to. And I wasn't really DJing like that. I went to a party, Q Tip invited me to a party because no one was inviting me out. No one, because I wasn't, I wasn't hot on the scene and they didn't know what I was doing, right? But Tip invited me to a party where he and Mark Ronson were playing. They had this party in New York called Authentic Shit every Thursday night at a place called table 50. And when I walked in there and I just watched him and I was like, holy shit. Like you could play Blondie and then play Brand Newbiens. Yeah, you can play the old school, right? And the way it looked, it was like Tip was playing James Brown. And they would go, they would play 30 minute sets and Monson, Mark would get on and Mark was playing all 90s, early 90s hip hop. I had never been to a party like that, you know, and. And because of that, I really became obsessed.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

To the point where, you know, I stopped. Stopped. I stopped even focusing on my web company because I wanted to dj. I was very serious about that. And I, I called, I called Chris Lighty up one night and I told him. I was like, bro, I think, I think I just won a dj. And Chris said, are you sure you want to get back in this business? Because these are animals now. And I was like, nah, I think I really want to do it. And he was like, all right, I'll support you, like. And yeah, I just, I started DJing more and more. I would play in local clubs here in New York, but no hip hop clubs because no hip hop person wanted to hire me. But one dude, one dude, this cool ass white boy was like, yo, you play rock and roll? I was like, yeah, I grew up in 80s. Like, yeah, he's like, yo, play this party with me. And I started playing like rock sets all night. So I kind of reversed my way back into like hip hop clubs because I played everywhere else but hip hop, right? And yeah, man, just took off.

[Mo]

Did some of the resentment you have for the business.

[Reshawn McDonald]

There's anybody. That story is.

[Mo]

No, I think, I think I sitting.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Here like, I'm listening to watching a.

[Mo]

Movie, like, I like zoned out and forgot what you're doing.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Like, that is insane, bro.

[Mo]

The fact that DJing started from trying to network with websites is the craziest.

[Reshawn McDonald]

It's like insane, bro.

[Mo]

This is crazy. I would have never guessed that. And it also makes sense with you and Tip because I think producers make the best DJs.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I believe so too.

[Mo]

They're by far DJ differently than just regular DJs. They, they view because they're, they go through crate samples, everything like they live in per year.

[D-Nice]

That's literally what it is.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That's.

[D-Nice]

That's.

[Mo]

They. The resentment in the business outside of like being shelved and, and everything that a lot of artists go through. Did you have more resentment because of the Kid Rock situation? I've heard the story that he told of how you discovered him, but the fact that Jive wouldn't compensate you or even shelve you at that time when you brought somebody that was one of their most profitable artists to date.

[D-Nice]

Well, it wasn't. Kid Rock wasn't profitable for Jive. He only had one album on Jive and that was the album that too short. And I, you know, we did the production on and then after that they, they dropped him. And then he, he started doing independent stuff and then he signed to Atlantic Records.

[Mo]

I thought it was all through Jive that.

[D-Nice]

No, no, no. He was, he was. So all his big albums were through Lava. Lava. Jason Flom's company. Yeah, but. But listen, at the end of the day, bro, like, I was playing. Not physically playing, obviously, I'm not an athlete, but I was DJing. ESPN Super bowl party. This was, like, maybe around 10 years ago, and the former CEO of. Of. Of Jive Records was there at the party and was like, wow, like, you're. I hadn't seen him in forever. You know what I mean? He's like, yo, this is crazy. So he watched me play this Big ear. This is. This has nothing to do with Club Quarantine. Like, you know, I know a lot of people think I was on the scene because of that, but I was already playing.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, absolutely.

[D-Nice]

Inaugural ball. I had already done all of this stuff, which is why this whole journey is so beautiful. But I will say this, that I remember when. When CQ happened and, you know, the guy. I ended up like, a year after Club Quarantine, I. I was the music for the Oscars. Like, for, you know, like, l. All of the music until. Until they started using the live band, which was like the second half, but for the entire beginning of the Oscars, the infamous, you know, that Oscar, I was the music. And then that same guy who signed me to Jive sent me a text while the show was on, and he was like, wow, who would have ever thought this? Like, D. Nice at the Oscars.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know, and it's. Yeah, that's why I always tell people, man, like, my journey.

[Mo]

Did you have petty reply? They say again, did you have a petty reply?

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I said, I did. Yeah. Yeah.

[Mo]

Fucking the awful CEO. If you didn't see the talent that I had, like, what the fuck?

[D-Nice]

He said, who?

[Reshawn McDonald]

The marathon.

[D-Nice]

Me, you know, And. Yeah, that was a great feeling, though.

[Mo]

Yeah, no, for sure.

[D-Nice]

That's why I said, I can't be mad at that, because.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, no, it allowed the space and opportunity for all these other great things to happen for your career, man. This is like. I don't even know what to ask at this point. How did you get. Let's talk about. Because, like you said, he was already DJing and doing some of the hottest parties in the city before Club Quarantine happened. But Covid happens. How does D. Nice become the world's DJ at that point? Because that's exactly what you were. Anybody during Quarantine, that had to be home. And we were on our phones, we were waiting for D. Nice to go live. So we can just all, for a second, for an hour or two, just get away from it all Feel better. And how did it feel knowing that you literally had what felt like the world waiting for you?

[D-Nice]

I was having dinner last night with one of the guys who worked at Meta at the time, who kind of helped, you know, me be able to do that, which I didn't know. I knew him for years. He was my guy, but I didn't even realize he was over there. And he saw what I was doing on the first day. I think the reason why my situation worked versus what anyone else was doing was that one, I was very vulnerable, you know, Like, I. I mean, I was in front of this camera. You know, I never used Instagram before. I mean, I use Instagram. I never used Live before. You know, they had Periscope and all this craziness. I'm like, yeah, who wants to watch someone go live? You know? And I'll tell you the crazy story about. It was. So this was March, so maybe like eight months prior to that, I was. I was. I was playing the main stage at Essence Festival. Janet Jackson was performing. I was the main stage dj. And before, like, a day or so before the show, someone from Facebook reached out to me and said, hey, we got this new feature on. On Facebook called Live. Which I don't think I ever even told this story, but it's like, yo, we got this new feature called Live. You should use it. And I was like, well, how much are you paying?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah?

[D-Nice]

And he's like, we're not paying anything. It's a feature. Open your phone. But once again, my mind was like, wait a minute. Somebody was squatting on the name D. Nice on Instagram. And I knew they own Instagram. And I was like, I sent the text, the email back, like, look, if you give me my name on Instagram, I'll go live on. On. On Facebook Live. You know, when I was off of the main stage, right? So two days later, she said, I couldn't promise you. I can't promise you that. But two, three days later, I opened up my IG and it no longer said DJ D Nice. It just said D Nice. And I was like, yo. And I couldn't even. Cause the dude was blocked. He had one follower. I couldn't even send him a message like, yo, I'll buy one. I mean, I am DJ D. Nice, but I want D Nice.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, right?

[D-Nice]

And so when that happened, I was like, yo, I gotta go live. I went live from. From Essence. And then a few days later, she emailed me and was like, you got to see your analytics. Like, people like you it's kind of interesting. I was like, no, I'm good. I didn't want to do that again. I was like. I felt crazy walking around with a phone. Like, yo, you see this?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

Because that's what I thought it was supposed to be, right? Man, I didn't know eight months later that, you know, I woke up that morning and I. I went live on IG for the first time because I didn't have anything else to do. I was like, I'm gonna go live. I wasn't DJing. I was like, yo, I just want to tell some hip hop stories. And then I would. I went live. I would play, like, the original sample to South Bronx, and then I would tell the story about being in the studio. Yeah. Then I would play South Bronx, and I just kept seeing these names in there.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

It was like, all of my friends. It wasn't even like. I mean, there was some famous people, you know, John Legend or whatever. Like.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But it was like, really? Like, Chuck Bone and, like.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Jessica Rosenbloom, who used to throw all of the parties in New York.

[Mo]

That's the only.

[D-Nice]

She's in there. And they're like, yo, this is crazy.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yo, Jamil, what are you doing in here? Like, it was like, I'm reading these comments, but I'm telling stories and I'm playing records and. Or playing songs from my laptop. And then it just felt good. And by the time the end of the day, I was like, wow. Like, that was different. And then I. I did it again, and there was more people.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And, you know, that first day I went live without be sure he was the first person. The crazy thing is, I was calling all of my friends because I heard that you could split the screen. This was the very first day I went live.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Called Kane. Called Dougie.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

They were all. Kane went on. He went live with me, but Dougie was like, man, it sounds like I want to do this with the screen. Like, I don't want to do this.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Ye. Yeah.

[D-Nice]

I was like, I don't know, bro. This is fascinating.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. Yeah.

[D-Nice]

So then I hit John Legend up, and then I went live with John and his daughter Lula.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Is it Lula or Luna?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Luna.

[D-Nice]

Luna.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

She was on his shoulders. I went live with him, and then my numbers spiked from, like, the 300 to was like 6,000 people.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

I'm tech dude. So I'm like, wait. Yeah, it's telling people, his followers now. I'm obsessed with that part.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

I was Like, I just gotta keep going live with people.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

And yeah. And DJ Clark Kent was like, you should actually DJ now. I was like, wow. He was like, you should actually DJ. I didn't even have DJ Garrett home. I didn't believe in DJing at home. And then I ran out to Guitar center, came back home, created a flyer. Yo, I'm going live, D. I treated it like it was a party.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And that should change everything.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That's incredible.

[Mo]

I mean, taking that approach, I think.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Is we could feel behind some more. Like, Clark is always. Clark is always behind some of the most iconic in our culture.

[Mo]

And if he was here, would make sure you knew that that was his idea.

[D-Nice]

So much. Actually dj. I'm like, bro, I was already playing music live. I was just playing it from my laptop. I was playing the same song. He's like, but now you should actually mix the records now.

[Mo]

Yeah, but I think that approach you took with the party flyer to made it a party. Like in the comments, it became a party.

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Mo]

Because it was approached that. That way.

[D-Nice]

That's how it became Club Quarantine. I did not create that. Yeah. It was literally people in the comments. This was before the world knew about it. It was people by day three. People in the comments like, like, Jessica's like, yo, I'm at the door. You're not on this. It literally became like this party.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And then Jay Valentine, J. Valentine was like, you should stop calling it homeschool. Because it was called homeschool. Because I was talking about the samples and everything that I produce. I'm like, yo, I'm educating people on hip hop.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

He was like, you should not call it that. You should call it Club Quarantine. And I was like, damn, that sounds hot.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, Fire.

[D-Nice]

And then that's how. Yeah, that's. That's. That's what it became, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That's.

[Mo]

Yo, people in the comments were having like full blown conversation conversations. Like they was at the bar, you know, my homegirls in the section now. Like.

[Reshawn McDonald]

You had the most. Like, it wasn't Barack in there. At one point, you had one. Like it was names.

[Mo]

And it became. It got so big. It became like a marketing thing for brands.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

Like, you would see Geico in there trying to have their moment in the comments. Like it was a. A thing, bro.

[D-Nice]

Today. Today marks the exact fifth anniversary of that. So before I came here, I posted something on. On ig and you know, I just want. Just swiping a couple of things because my mind was actually Just blown away by how massive this thing was. And I'm like, this is like Forbes. D Nice is breaking the Internet, lifting spirits worldwide. Then you switch again. D Nice hosted a live social distancing. Beyonce's there. Then Oprah is like, best party one of 100,000 I've ever been to. Then you get the DM from someone. Hey, major congrats. Oprah just asked for your number. She wants to talk to you. Then it's like a rejuvenator. Then it's Mark Zuckerberg. Like, yo, D. Nice to do the best. I'm. I was today. I was sitting here like, Jesus Christ, this is crazy. Look, Joe Biden stopped by. D Nice Social distance party.

[Mo]

Social distance party.

[Reshawn McDonald]

It's called Club Quarantine, Joe.

[Mo]

He was six feet away from the door. Did you talk to Oprah?

[D-Nice]

I did talk to Oprah, yeah. Called me and we talked and then she interviewed me for her Apple show.

[Mo]

Yeah, I remember that.

[D-Nice]

And then, and. And then later on in the quarantine, she had her. Her. You know, she had the book club. And then her and Gail were like walking on Oprah's property. And then they. They went live on Instagram with me. So we talk about books while I was DJing.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Like, it was crazy, man.

[D-Nice]

The time, I'll say this Covid, was horrible for so many people, which is why I still do. I'll go live on IG when I'm home. If I'm not doing anything or, you know, I go and I'll do my Club Quarantine live shows. Because the time was like, so dark, man. But the beautiful part was, yo, we were so nice to each other.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And we were creative. We found ways to stay connected. Like, Club Quarantine really wasn't about the music that I was playing. It was really about the connection that people had. The community and the community and the conversations and that. That's what was just beautiful, bro.

[Mo]

Especially since it's the anniversary today, which is also crazy. The way you were sitting in Violator and that guy from Boston University came up and said that you realized that that music had stuck with him as a kid. You do realize you have that same with people now with Quarantine. Like, that was a moment that's going to stick with us forever. Cuz it was a. It was a awful time that brought so much joy that I don't know if you realize that that really will stick with people the same way South Bronx did.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[Mo]

Like that was.

[D-Nice]

I think it will stick with people even longer. And it's more heartfelt.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Than a record. You know, I. This is funny, that same essence. I met a woman, you know, not even. Not even a flirtatious situation. It was just like we happened to be in the same hotel in the lobby and you know, those festivals is just a lot of people. And she was just nice to me and didn't exchange numbers or anything. But when club quarantine happened, I was like, oh, that's the doctor. Oh, yo. And I would always shout out every single day. It would be the same. It'd be a lot of people in here, but I would see, like sometimes it would just be the same people.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

If I was there playing a 19 hour set, Melvin Moore was in there for 19 hours and this doctor was in there for 19 hours. I had never seen her again other than that one time until like a year and a half in the COVID when the world started to kind of reopen. She happened to be in LA and she said, I know this is gonna sound crazy. Do you mind if I stop by your house? I wanna introduce you to someone. And I'm like, stop by my house? Like, that's crazy. But then I'm like, wait a minute, I don't really know this person. I would never just give someone my address. But I know she's a doctor and she rolled with me.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

During cq.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Like every single day. And I was like, yo, you know what, you can stop by. I'll come outside. She was like, I really want you to meet someone. I got. She came over to the house, I came. I was like, all right, I'm coming out. Went out, I had my baseball cap on. She's like, no, you need to put the other hat on. I was like, all right, cool, put the hat on.

[Mo]

It's a crazy request from a stranger. Like, the fact you got me out my house is one thing.

[D-Nice]

So I walk over to the car and the back window rolls down so I don't see a body. So I'm like, I lean in and I see car seat. It was like two year old kid in there and his mom was in the front seat. And his mom looked back and was like, baby, who's that? And this kid was like, it's D. Nice. Yo. I'm almost tearing up now just thinking about it. Because that's crazy, yo. For that kid.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

That's all he watched.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

During COVID Yeah. With his parents.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

That's what they had on the screen because they were dancing all day.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

And to know that you that something like that was done. That started in my kitchen.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

That brought families together and brought communities together is like, it's probably the highlight of my entire career. I feel like everything that I've done in my career was to lead up to a moment like that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

Because Barack or Michelle, they weren't in there because they just heard about D. Nice. I was literally calling people, you know, because I DJed for them. Call this one's assistant. Like, hey, hey. There's something magical happening right now. Like, you should just listen.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know, and you know, in the beginning, it was kind of hard to. I mean, how do you tell somebody I got a party on the phone?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mo]

Trying to explain that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Like, how do you explain that that was normal. It was completely normal.

[D-Nice]

Now it's like, how do you explain that? But like, people, when they saw what was happening, they took a chance and they just came in and just changed the world, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely. Definitely did. Absolutely.

[Mo]

I mean, what were some of the responses after you had to, you know, explain that and the experience it. What were those follow up phone calls? Like, even if it wasn't celebrity related, just.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, not a phone calls, you know. You know, there's one celeb, nameless, you know, that called and offered me the morning of the 21st, was like, yo, can you promote this for me? I got $100,000 for you. And I wouldn't do it. I was like, it's not that I didn't need the money. Like, who. None of us were working. You know what I mean? Like, I could have used 100 grand, but for me, it was like there were two things. I've always been like the side dude to someone, you know, in bdp KRS was the face. He was. He was the guy. I was not that lyricist.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

For every DJ gig, I had to fight to be someone's opener or to, you know, or was it my party? Because I was doing private events. So, yeah, I'm playing Jay's party, but this is Jay's party. Ain't nobody coming here to see me and to have that kind of career since 86, until a moment of March 21, 2020, where people were literally coming to my IG for me. I didn't want to promote anyone's thing. I didn't want that to be done. Yeah. Like, so I was very, like, aware. I was like. And I said this to that person. I was like, bro, this is the first time in my whole career that this is actually for me, man. And then I didn't want to promote anything. People were hurting.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know, so that at when this thing exploded on, on the 21st, 2 o'clock in the morning, that that person called me and was like, wow, congratul. You made the right decision. You just became one of the biggest DJs in the world.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Incredible.

[D-Nice]

And I'm glad I stuck with that, you know. And yeah man, it's great feeling.

[Mo]

I'm sure that came from the decades of having to reinvent yourself, going through business knowing what it's like to be broke and go, I could use this 100k but I know it's not going to make sense for the bigger picture here. Like I struggled before. I could skip over this. Yeah, that's, that's beautiful man. You can count on T Mobile to.

[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[D-Nice]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

How about you tell me what you had in mind?

[D-Nice]

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[Paige DeSorbo]

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[D-Nice]

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[D-Nice]

Who's paying for the mattress topper?

[Mo]

You mean the beanbag chair?

[D-Nice]

Aren't we getting a mini fridge?

[Mo]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

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[Paige DeSorbo]

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[Reshawn McDonald]

Talk about cause you sold out some of the Most iconic rooms DJing. Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center. What is that like as a DJ for a guy from the Bronx that, you know, grew up in this culture and to where you are today? What is it like to be in those rooms where honestly, you know, our culture, hip hop is really not, not maybe accepted in those rooms all the time? Like nobody has really ever had a hip hop concert at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center. Like, so what is it like for D. Nice to be in these rooms bringing hip hop culture?

[D-Nice]

I mean, it's. Yeah. I always think about that kid from the Bronx, you know, like I never imagined selling out the Hollywood bowl as a dj even before I even mention anyone that's gonna be a special guest, you know, sold that place out in four days. You know, Carnegie Hall. Sold out Carnegie hall twice. I played it three times. Twice just as my show and then once I played and sold out. But I was a part of like Jerry Seinfeld and like, and Kevin Hart. Like it was a whole collective and that was great. But like to be able to. To play like these iconic stages in from hip hop but also respecting those stages.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[D-Nice]

So like I sold out like Kennedy Center Opera House. Like I just sold it out in January. But like that Was my third sellout, you know, where I rock with an orchestra, you know, so it's not like, my thing was like, if. If they're gonna let me on these stages, I gotta bring something different, you know? You know, I don't. I don't want to just be a DJ up there and just take all of the money I want to invest back into my show.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And to do something different with it. So. You know, I remember I called Too Short up, and I was like, bro, I'm playing. No, this is the one. I called Jadakiss hit Jada up because it was the. It was too short. Was the Kennedy Center. Jada was Carnegie Hall. And I was like, yo, I'm playing Carnegie. He was the first person that I hit up. And it wasn't based on, like, knock yourself out or any. It was all based on we gonna make it. Because when. When I stood on that. That stage, like, when we did the deal and I. I did a venue walkthrough, I was standing on that stage in Carnegie Hal. Like, yo, I made it. I'm gonna bring hip hop like this to this. But I want everybody to be fly. Like, they had hip hop there before Jay played it, Nas played it. MC Light was the first person to play it as a part of a collective. But, like, it had only been Jay and. And Nas, like, for a full show.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

I was like, but it was no DJs, like, hip hop DJs, none of that. I was like, yo, I need Jadakiss because of those strings. I'm was like, I'm gonna. I'm gonna bring the orchestra and the woman from Carnegie's like, wait, you're really gonna use an orchestra? I was like, yeah, absolutely. Like, full strings, everything. While I'm DJing, track is gonna still be playing, but I'm just gonna add the energy to it. And I told Jada that. He was like, I don't know about this, man. The day he came to rehearsal and we were all sitting there talking, I was like, all right, yo, let's go. And I started playing a record. And then the strings came in, yo. He was like, yo, another level. I never heard my music like this before. This is crazy.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

I was like, yeah, but we all gotta wear tuxedos. He brought Styles P out with him. Jada had his tux on, but Styles Styles had a tuxedo made out of, like, track wear. It was flat over. He had a drawstring. He's like, yeah, I had to have this made. You know, I ain't about that life, you know, like I gotta be.

[Mo]

I'm hip hop Styles himself at every moment.

[D-Nice]

But it's great to be able to like not. Not just as D. Nice. But to be able to be someone to bring people who have never played some of those stages.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

Deserve to that.

[D-Nice]

Deserve that stage in their own way. Come on, bro. I had to ask too Short, you know, to do. I'm like, bro, I need you to do Blow the whistle. Was gonna be with the orchestra. I don't know how that's gonna sound.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That sounds crazy. Like I it to me. D Nice. I'm with you, but I can't see it, bro.

[D-Nice]

Yo, it was crazy. Crazy was like he. He's like, I wanna. I just wanna sit in the crowd before cuz I had him going on last.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, man.

[D-Nice]

By the time he watched the whole show epmd, I had everybody on this joint hip hop. I bro, I had digable planets, like everybody with the orchestra with me DJing, man. Short was like, I never see anything like this. This is crazy. So be able to bring our icons in hip hop on. On the onto because I know listen, I'm hip hop, but I also know that I'm more popular culture these days.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And I respect that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But I love my hip hop culture as well is like the producer side. So to me it's important to combine that my hip hop side to always remember, you know, like tomorrow night I got Nice and Smooth sharing the stage with Melba Moore and Shirley Jones of the Jones Girl. But I got De La Soul and I have Rakim closing. But I have Tracy Spencer going on first with me. Rocking, singing Tender Kisses. You would normally. Normally you'd be like, yo, this show's a little all over the place, but when you think about what Club Quarantine was, it was all of those people in there. And to have a fifth anniversary and to not find a way that we can all share the stage and share the love and Deborah Cox and to be able to do. I think it's important and I think it's just like breaking new grounds by doing something.

[Mo]

Did any of the producers from those songs hit you? Like, did Alchemist? Like, I wish there was a video of you on facetime with Alchemist when those strings were playing.

[D-Nice]

The funny thing is it wasn't like Alchemist has been in the live when I was DJing. But it wasn't the hip hop producers that reached out to me.

[Mo]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

It was Jimmy Jam was now Rogers. It was like. Like the. The not that you Know, Alchemist. And they're not icons. Definitely icons in their own right. But like, Jimmy Jam is Jimmy Jam.

[Mo]

Terry Lewis are different.

[D-Nice]

Jimmy Jam is in there every day. And I'm playing a song. I mean, I was playing like, you know, I'm sure y'all know Alexander O'Neal and Cherelle Saturday Love. I'm playing the song. Jimmy's in there telling the story on when he rocked it like, yo, oh, we. We're in this studio.

[Reshawn McDonald]

You can't pay for this type of. That is incredible.

[D-Nice]

You know, I started playing chic records and all of a sudden, like, I had opened up for now Rogers, like years. Maybe like 2012 a Nantucket. But it wasn't like now was my Got a guy. Yeah. But then we became close because I was playing so much chic records. And now would come in there and Madonna would be in there and then. But then Fat Joe was in there. It's just like.

[Reshawn McDonald]

It's crazy.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

By the way, I know this all sounds crazy, and I hope no one takes this and, you know, like, I'm like, I'm bragging anything.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But to see all of these people from different eras of music and different genres and, like, you know, I would have randomly. Like, I woke up one Sunday morning and, you know, I was like, man, I just want to play gospel music. Like, who the heck. I just started playing a gospel set. Then all of a sudden, all the gospel artists were in there. Fred Hammond and like, so. So for Club Quarantine or just my IG Live to have been this space of like. Like community, but also this kind of safe space for artists, too, you know, to be able to still share their love of music and tell their stories and, you know, which is why, you know, 99% of the music that I played, I tried to play the clean versions just because you never know who's listening, who's on the other end, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

Do you think Meta. Let me not even put it on. Meta. Do you think the major labels are stepping over a dollar to get a penny by now striking and copyrighting all music on IGN Live?

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Mo]

Is that hustling backwards?

[D-Nice]

I think it's. I think because it's. All their whole business is all based on streaming, so for them, that is taking away the business from them. But technically, I looked at it more from a radio station perspective, you know, like, if I'm playing these songs, it's. I played a lot of old school music, you know, because I wanted this kind of nostalgic feeling and then to have, you know, so, you know, people on these, some of these platforms to just not allow people to play the music. It's like, bro, it's only playing a snippet of it. You're playing two minutes. That person may want to just go and buy this. This was so that was like my argument during COVID on how I was able to still play because I went to them, I'm like, yo, you can't. You can't shut this off. You know, like, this is saving lives.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And then they kind of like help make that happen.

[Mo]

And. And to me, because they're supposed to be smarter than all of us to. But again, to me, it's hustling backwards because after you would do a set, I would go on my timeline and find the nerd that. That made the D. Nice playlist for this day. And the streams went up for every song. It was like promotion. Like, I don't understand why they're trying to do this now. I'm done with IG Live because I can't play music on it.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, it.

[Mo]

It makes no sense to me. It's promotion. If somebody hears this now, what you think they're not going to want to go listen to that song again?

[D-Nice]

So I don't have any shares of Meta. I don't have any Met, but I will say this, man. It's like, it's not necessarily just their fault.

[Mo]

I think the major labels more than.

[D-Nice]

More on the music side, because it's not. That's not a streaming platform, you know, so major labels probably don't feel like, you know, well, how are we benefiting from it? You know, like. But I'm like, bro, this is like promoting the music.

[Mo]

Yes.

[D-Nice]

That's how you're benefiting, you know, that's how the artist benefits, you know, but.

[Mo]

Even like a program, the way they do with verified checks, if there was a way, way a verified DJ would get all free range to play whatever that. Like, I don't understand why majors aren't trying to make a program like that. Like, I, me and Maul used to do battles of different artists during quarantine back and forth. That was getting 20,000, 30,000 people in there playing mixtape Wayne and Fab Shit. I don't understand why certain people, if you're verified to some degree within the music industry, that you're not allowed to do that because it's going to be promotion for everybody. Like, you're not gonna lose money on.

[D-Nice]

This platform's allowing you to do it. That's just not the platform that you chose, I guess, you know. Yeah. Because YouTube did whitelist a lot of people. Fair. No, they did allow people to play music, obviously. Twitch.

[Mo]

Oh, I mean, Twitch, they smoke Instagram's boots after that.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. You know, because his own, you know, Amazon, you know, like, so it was more like IG wasn't really. But IG was just. IG is the perfect platform, you know, especially at that time for playing music. Because it was like one stop shopping.

[Mo]

Exactly.

[D-Nice]

You know, you open your phone, you check in Instagram, you see someone live, you're like, oh, I'm gonna click on that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

That's why it pisses me off that IG went that route, because I get Twitch and YouTube were like, damn, this was. This was the. The best community I had was here.

[D-Nice]

And. Yeah. And Twitch. Even though, sonically, it was better, you know, because you had stereo sound, IG was just mono. Like.

[Mo]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Everything about IG was just wrong. But it was just the best platform. The grittiness. Yeah.

[Mo]

It was a feeling.

[D-Nice]

And then like, yo, I'm looking at my pictures. And then, oh, let me go. Oh, all right, all right. Mom's on. All right, let me see that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Oh, yo. Oh, Shannon's live.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, you.

[D-Nice]

It was like radio, like a TV station.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Just, you know, Twitch. You had to go there because you wanted to hear that person where, you know. But, yeah, man. But hey, listen, I. I wish. I wish it was a lot easier. I wish people had free rein to play what they wanted to play. You know, it just makes it that much easier and. And, you know, not promoting their platform. I will say this. The music changed their platforms.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[D-Nice]

You know, but on the flip side, I think. Think it's just me. I'm not a doctor, none of that. But I personally feel like suicide rates would have been higher if we didn't have that connection during that time.

[Reshawn McDonald]

One million.

[D-Nice]

If we didn't have. If we couldn't dance. You know what I mean? If we. If we couldn't just talk to people, I think depression would have been a lot higher.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Anxiety levels through the roof.

[D-Nice]

Because you. You really think about how many people were like, here's the deal. Like. Like, you have kids, you have a job, you wake up 7, 6:30am Getting your kids ready for school, drop them off to school. You go into work from nine to five, kids come home. You know, from six to eight, it's the only time you actually spent with your kids. Dinner, go to bed, repeat. So you really didn't spend that much time with Your family quarantine hit.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

Stuck 24 hours with everybody. Abusive relationships, like, couldn't go anywhere. Some people put headphones on to escape.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[D-Nice]

Like, it was magical. You know what I mean?

[Mo]

Like, gave you something to look forward to as well.

[D-Nice]

Absolutely.

[Mo]

A flyer meant something at that time. Like, three more hours. All right.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I know what I'm doing tonight.

[Mo]

People were getting dressed up in the crib.

[D-Nice]

Getting dressed up in the crib to dance in their living room in their socks with full gowns on.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right, right.

[D-Nice]

And on top of it, the silly that I was doing during. I. I can't imagine. Just. I used to get up in the middle of the night when a bathrobe and PJ is like, yo, this is After Dark.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

I can't. I. I'm like. I look back, I'm like, what was I thinking? But we didn't have a choice. We had.

[Reshawn McDonald]

We were stuck out, figuring that out.

[D-Nice]

I mean, I had this character. I was Chinchilla Jones. Somebody sent me a Chinchilla Jones cup.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

With the diamonds on it. I looked at that the other day. I'm like, what is that?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Figuring it out.

[D-Nice]

But in that moment, it was crazy. It's like, yeah, yo, we needed the entertainment.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[D-Nice]

But for people, they were doing the same thing.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

I remember saying, like, I so crazy. I got a DM from someone from NASA. Literally, from the NASA handle. Like, yo, it's crazy. Remember during quarantine.

[Mo]

That's not nuts. That's not nutsy.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Says that.

[D-Nice]

NASA, remember, they lost a rocket during quarantine. I remember, yo, they. They were like, we want you to be the theme music. What? My IG Live, we had, like, yo, I was playing David Bowie while they.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Were lunch.

[D-Nice]

Ground control, you know, it's wild. Holy. The whole experience of, like, Crazy man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Getting a DM from NASA is. That's ridiculous.

[Mo]

Like, who sent it that crazy?

[D-Nice]

What's up now?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah. Like, how do you.

[Mo]

Can I get your first name?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Like, what? The backtracking a little bit. Just a personal question. Why wasn't Time to Flow as big as My name is D? Cuz that.

[D-Nice]

I thought that was my Time to Flow was a better record than Call Me D. Nice.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Sonically, I think the problem was I didn't know myself as an mc Me.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay?

[D-Nice]

So I went into it trying to compete, trying to keep up with. With Tretch.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

Because I was doing that. I was rhyming like him. Yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

You know what I mean? Like, I only notice now because looking back, I Was a kid when I did that, you know? But I was trying to like, yo, I'm. I'm just as nice, but that's not why people like me, you know? I mean, so I don't think I had my own personality in that record.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

I think it sounds of like. Which is so crazy because everyone raps the same right now, but during. Yeah, everyone's doing the same flow, same cadence, everything.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

But then that was like a no, no, you know.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Oh, no.

[D-Nice]

That.

[Reshawn McDonald]

We talk about that a lot. Like, back then, you got clowned for sounding like anybody.

[Mo]

So I think the record is so unique as well.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. That. The record for. For the people that like D Nice or call me D Nice, that just wasn't it for them, you know what I mean? But for me, that was like.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That was.

[D-Nice]

That was my.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That was my. Like, it was time to flow was my.

[D-Nice]

You know? And I did that track with. With K. He came in with the drums and all that. He had Dave, who played piano on their records. It was, like, fun. But it would have. Probably would have been a bigger record if it was just a Tretch record.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay, that makes sense.

[Mo]

Do you have any Tretch stories?

[D-Nice]

One of my favorite people, man, Tretch and Pac. Listen, the two of them, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I don't know who has better stories, by the way, between D Nice and Preem. One day I just. I asked Preem where the bathroom was and then found out through that question that him and Pac was roommates on tour. Once I said Preem, I just wanted to know where the bathroom is.

[Mo]

The amount of times I just would go to pre studio just to ask one simple question, knowing I was about to get a three hour, and I would just sit there like Indian style.

[D-Nice]

Just because you. When you're living the history, you don't even realize it. You know what I mean? Like, I remember, you know, this is a POC story. I'm in. I was in Atlanta. My cousin who was my DJ, we called him McBoo. He was in BDP. He was like in the crew. BDP. We were in Atlanta. I didn't smoke weed. We're at this party. Pac is like, yo, the music is loud. Pac like, yo, you got a blunt? And I was like, no. So he got a blunt from someone, split it open, rolled it up, talking. You got. You got a light? No. Got a light from someone, did. He went to pass me the blunt, and I was like, no, I don't smoke, yo. He was like, yo, you don't smoke the chronic. You don't smoke. Smoke the chronic. I'm like, n. Now I'm feeling bad. So my cousin was like, yo, he. He wanted some. So Pac handed him the blunt, the flashlight. It was the cops. You and you come with us. You're under arrest. Literally, like clown me in. Two minutes late.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Not even two minutes later, you getting arrested.

[D-Nice]

Getting arrested.

[Mo]

This is why Pac shot those cops in Atlanta. It all makes sense now.

[D-Nice]

So we're now there in the kitchen of the club. What I will say about Pac, bro, he was a stand up dude, man, because he wouldn't let them arrest my cousin.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Solid.

[D-Nice]

He was like, yo, don't arrest him.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Solid.

[D-Nice]

It was mine. It was mine, it was mine. Don't. No, I don't arrest him. I'm seeing all this from afar, right? And they let my cousin go and they arrested him. You know what I mean? Like, he was a solid dude, man. You know? And Tretch. Tretch was the same way, bro. Like, Tretch not even. But Tretch is a solid dude, you know, like, like he, you know, he was just. He was just wild, though. Yeah, he was just different. Like, who goes performs on stage with a machete? Like, literally with a machete. Change the, like, yo. But it was fly. Absolutely his thing.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[Mo]

And Tretch, of course, comes across, rightfully so, as one of the scariest people. Also one of the nicest human beings.

[D-Nice]

But don't cross him, though. You know, I used to.

[Mo]

I would never.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I used to go where they lived in East Orange. 118th Street. I mean, on 18th Street. I grew up on 118th street in Harlem. But like, I would go out there and hang out with them because, you know, even when before they got that deal, because Shaqim, Shakim and Queen Latifah and I were like, like, I mean, obviously they still the best friends and business partners, but I was always with them, you know, like. Like Dana and I, we all lived in the same building in Jersey. This old pencil factory. Factory called Dixon Mills.

[Mo]

Like right in Jersey City.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, we all lived there. Yep. She had her video store. And remember back then, you didn't. You didn't. You couldn't wire your. Your rent money. It was all rentals.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

So if, if she was on tour, if I was on tour, if he was on tour, like, we would pay each other's rent. You know what I mean? Like, just get it back from each other. But like, we just have all these stories of.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Of like, that's crazy.

[D-Nice]

Great time. So I would always hang with Shy and like, yo, let's go. Let's go to East Orange, hang with Naughty and, like, so. Yeah, man, it's. But my stories, bro, like, just to have been in hip hop this long and. And. And to still be here and to still be respected by my peers, old school and younger cats, you know, it's just beautiful.

[Reshawn McDonald]

It's. I mean, just. Just sitting here and just kicking it with you today, man. It's just, you know, it's a testament of. Of exactly how much the culture will take care of you if you take care of it. And I think and just listening to you and your story, you always had respect with you. Whatever you did, you respected it. Like, you said, you took things apart. You wanted to learn it, how it works, how it functions. And I think that's just reflective of. Even with Club Quarantine, again, not knowing it, but then once you figured out what it was and how to do it, became the biggest DJ at a time where we all needed music to get us through.

[D-Nice]

The other part, for me, it's like how much the younger generation rock with me, you know, like, I'll be 55 years old, bro. I don't feel it. I don't. You don't look.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Don't look it at all.

[D-Nice]

No.

[Mo]

Give me your skincare routine. Probably melanin.

[D-Nice]

I'll be 55. And to have been around this long and, like, to. I remember when I was. When I told you before, like, a lot of hip hop DJs weren't really trying to let me open up for them or, you know, and this was like, early on, the one person that reached out, Jermaine Dupree. I'm like, jermaine. I even know Jermaine, like, that. He had a so, so deaf holiday party in New York, and Jermaine was like, yo, I want D. Nice. Yo, I got a call one day from Axe Deal Deodorant. One of the execs was like, yo, Mr. TI wants you to open up for him. I was like, TI knows who I am. I love that.

[Mo]

They said, Mr. TI, by the way.

[D-Nice]

Mr. TI wants you to open up for him. I'm like, yo, he knows who. Cause I felt seen, you know what I mean, to be away from hip hop for so long, to feel seen by the younger people, you know what I mean? Was like. Or the newer artists. I don't want to say the younger people, but the newer artists was like, yeah, yo. So it made me always want to incorporate their music with what I grew up with, to the records that we sampled to so that's why my sets, y'all, I. I play everything Jay to Sammy Davis Jr. If it feels right, right. I was gonna throw a Sammy Davis song, but if it. If the beat flows with it and I can get it in there and, like. And, like, take you on this journey, then I'm gonna do that. Because.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Is that how you approach. Approach? Yeah, you approach every party differently. Like, you gotta feel it while you're there.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I don't have any, like, playlists at all.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Damn.

[D-Nice]

Like, I don't have a playlist. Literally, like, the only thing that will look like a playlist on my computer is because sometimes at the end of the night, I'll be like, damn, that show, that set was crazy. I just kind of want a reminder in case. I'm like, yo, what did I play that night? That. That one song that I just randomly put on, Then I'll go to that folder from that day. I'm like, oh, my God. Gosh, that's what it was. Like, I forgot how dope. What's his name? Derek Bentley. Joint was with Andre 3000.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Got you. Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Literally the other day, I had not heard that song in years.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And like, last, like, two weeks ago, I was at home and I. I'm playing a set on IG for fun, and I started humming that. I'm like, yo, what was that? And then I figured it out and just dropped it. Now I'm like, I gotta make this a part of my set.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

There's three stacks went off in that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And the beat is crazy.

[Mo]

Yeah, that record is.

[D-Nice]

But that's how I dj. It's like, I'll feel, I'll remember something.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Got you.

[D-Nice]

And then it's like, I gotta go there. But the. The other part that's beautiful is I'm not a hip hop dj, so I get to play whatever it is that I want. So that feeling doesn't just have to be with any one specific genre.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right.

[D-Nice]

I can be playing like, you know, hov. And then I'm like, oh, oh, this. This. This goes crazy with this Bowie record. You know, fame because of the drums. Like, oh. And, you know, I'm gonna blend it in based on that. And then it. It. It's just magical. It's like painting, you know, I know.

[Mo]

You probably signed some NDAs, but what's the craziest record that you saw Barack just knock his head to?

[D-Nice]

All right, the craziest Barack record story would be because Barack likes. He actually likes hip hop. Like. Like trap hip hop. And like, you know, but he loves music. His. His playlist that he. You know, the list he puts out is truly a reflection of, like, what he likes, you know, and definitely have an NDA. But I. I can say this because this is just one of those moments where I was like, yo, this is crazy. Now. I'd already DJ the. The inaugural ball. This was before COVID He wasn't in. No, he was still. He was still president at the time. So. No. And so I didn't play because I played, like, the second to the last party at the White House. There's, like, a viral video with everyone swag. Surfing in the house. Yeah, I was DJing that joke. But we're on Martha's Vineyard. This. This was the craziest scene to, like, see a sitting president, like, on vacation. We're at someone's house, one of his boys. I'm DJing this party, and I just. You. I had to get there for soundcheck. It's like mass Secret Service coming in. Like, yeah, I get to see how crazy that situation is. Yeah, they had, you know, artillery I've never seen before with, like, very specific scopes.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I was like, yo, shoot your mustache off.

[Mo]

This is even in Call of Duty.

[D-Nice]

I was like, yo, this is crazy. Yeah, so now I'm DJing the party. It's like 50 people, you know? So I'm. I'm playing a party, and he came over to me. He was like, hey, man, what's that song you playing? And I was like, oh, it's called Candy Rain. Then he walked. Then he came back. He's like, who sings that? I was like, so. For real?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And then he started laughing and joking and, you know, like, if you. You homies. He put his arm around me. I put my arm around him. I'm laughing. And then in this one moment, I remember where all of those people were set up.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And I was like, if I do.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Anything wrong, I'm done shooting that hat. Shooting that hat off. Getting your.

[Mo]

Your head blown off to Candy Rain. It's crazy.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Oh, but that's dope, though. Did Barack with Kandy Rain. Yo, that was a jam. That was a joint. That was a joint right there.

[Mo]

That's hilarious. Before we get out of here, what. What was your favorite verses during quarantine? Because that. It was. It was you. And versus Outside of the DJ that ended racism. I forgot his name.

[Reshawn McDonald]

What was his name?

[Mo]

David Guetta tried to end racism.

[D-Nice]

Oh, he tried to end racism.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Crazy.

[D-Nice]

She liked David Guetta.

[Reshawn McDonald]

No, no, we do too that was.

[Mo]

The craziest clip I've ever seen in my life.

[D-Nice]

Was crazy.

[Mo]

Like.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, yeah. But he's still trying to recover from that, as he should.

[Mo]

Yeah, that was crazier than us wiping our groceries down, for sure.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[D-Nice]

Oh, my gosh.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Absolutely.

[Mo]

But, yeah, Ver. I mean, versus it was you, and versus, in my opinion, what was your favorite one?

[D-Nice]

My favorite versus. I mean, I'm gonna be biased because I was on the verses. So I. Yeah, I curated the Earth, Wind and Fire versus Isley Brothers. So, you know, like, I put the songs together. The crazy part about that was I was very vocal. I love Earth, Wind and Fire and. But I love the Isley Brothers.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And I would always say that. And I forgot that, like, Philip Bailey and them were always on my ig.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

So when they found out that I was the music.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Oh, they thought you were setting it up. They like, oh, he's setting it up.

[D-Nice]

We don't want him to do that. We don't. Yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

He go, it's rigged. And I'm like, yo, I love both of them.

[D-Nice]

I'm gonna.

[Mo]

But I love that they. They approach a battle, which is great. You would think a rapper would approach that way. Earthworm. Like, nah, that.

[D-Nice]

We're not doing that.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That's crazy.

[D-Nice]

But I was pairing the songs based on what the feeling was, you know, like, yo, and then on. On top of it, they gave me. They said, we want to do a different kind of verses. We want.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Which is producing, by the way. That's not deep. That's producing 100.

[D-Nice]

But they gave me a break of, like, I could play six songs back to back of my own mini verses of their songs.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Oh, wow.

[D-Nice]

So in that verses, I. I just played a whole set where it was like I was going back and forth from one Iz to this one, and it was like, yo, that was fly, man. So, personally, I'm gonna say that one was my favorite.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, that. That I'm not even. Yeah, that's. That's it for me. That's.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I mean. I mean, that's. You told Earth, Wind and Fire. I mean.

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Who's gonna argue with that? Who's gonna argue with that?

[Mo]

Let's put you on the spot quickly. Doesn't have to be order top five DJs of all time, excluding yourself.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I'm definitely not top five, so I wouldn't even do that. But that's different. Depends on the genre, you know, like, yeah, it's all different because, listen, I like Calvin Harris a lot. Yeah. So he. But he's not Grandmaster Flash. But I like. I go to his show and I'm like, yo, this is crazy. Like, so if I just stick to, like, hip hop. Okay, let's take the hip hop, man. Damn. That's different. Then it's party DJ versus.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

But everything you're saying, like, people like Clark or Scratch, like, you could put them in any scenario. It doesn't have to be hip hop and they're going to shine. So to me, that's really why I'm asking your top five DJs, it doesn't have to be a genre, period.

[D-Nice]

DJs, no matter where they go, they will shine. I love Mark. Russell Johnson.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You put Mark in any room for anybody and Mark is gonna shine.

[Mo]

Producers make the best DJs.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Clark, Ken, for sure. I love Stretch Armstrong.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yo, Stretch with Shine.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Don't let him play reggae. Said right. He's bodying you.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You're looking at this white boy like, yo, how the hell does he notice?

[Mo]

I did the corniest. I introduced myself to Stretch on the G Train. He was sitting there and I was like, I can't not say. Like, hello. Yeah. I was like, yo, I just want.

[D-Nice]

To say what's up?

[Mo]

I'm a fan. Like, I, like. I felt like I played myself once I got off the platform, but I was like, there's no way. I'm just sitting on the train.

[Reshawn McDonald]

You gotta say what's up to Stretch.

[D-Nice]

Trying to think, who else do I like? I. I really like. He DJs for Usher now, but he's like, older generation, but he's still rocking. DJ Mars.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Hell yeah. I go to Atlanta, man. He would. Yo, bro. He was having the parties crazy. Like, to the point where I didn't want to get on with him because he knew those records.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

And, man, who else? I got one more. I got one more. Rich Medina is a different.

[Mo]

Oh, okay.

[D-Nice]

Rich Medina is part of the reason that I play with the soul. Now, I know I named a lot of New York DJs because that's who I was going to hear.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right?

[D-Nice]

You know, And I got to spend a lot of time and I see the love of music, but, like, Rich Rich's knowledge, you know, he's. He. I mean, he doesn't brag about it, but he's like Cornell. Dude with Cornell. He's like, literally, like, just this brilliant mind. But he's this guy that fully loves music. I think he loved music. Clark was more of a showman. He did Love music. But it was the. The showman.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, Rich.

[D-Nice]

Just the music, bro.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

And like. Or Quest. Love. Like, Quest. Quest is crazy to me. It took me a minute to understand his DJing, because I couldn't figure out. I'm like, why is he doing that? Like, what is he playing? And one day I went to a party. Quest would be my sixth man. I would say that because I. I went to a party and totally changed how I dj. I went to a party. I walked in, he was DJing, and he was playing. He was mixing Nirvana and Poison and Bel Biv devoe. Poison. I'm like, in that moment. Moment, he was like, the Poison drum. And then he would switch it to the. And I was like, oh, my gosh, he's a drummer, right? He's not playing from the baseline. He's playing from the drums, right? He not. Not falling the floor. He's playing, like, the feeling of the drums. Holy shit.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right?

[D-Nice]

And then totally changed everything. I was like, oh, no. I gotta, like, really pay attention to these guys.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That's Incredible.

[Mo]

Quest. Quest DJs. The way J Dilla produces. It's the most unorthodox. I would just go. I'd go to Brooklyn bowl by myself sometimes just to see a Quest Love DJ set.

[D-Nice]

Like, I tell you this. I know, I know. We gotta go. I'm sorry to take up the.

[Reshawn McDonald]

I'm good.

[D-Nice]

So two years ago, I was supposed to DJ Jay and Beyonce's Gold Party Oscar joint. And. And it was the night. So, yeah, that was two. So it was three Oscars. So, yeah, it was the night that I was DJing on the Oscars. So, like, I DJ the Oscars. Then I played the Governor's Ball right after the Oscars. Then I left there. I played Vanity Fair for one hour, and then I was supposed to end up at Jay's party, but Jay found out that I was also doing Madonna's party and Madonna and Gal series. So Jay's like, yo, those are the. Those are the parties that everyone want. They all want to go to. So Jay is like, nah, you. You can do that. We'll do you another time.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

So then the following year, when he hit me up, it was like he put this pressure on me because he said, yo, you ready for the Go party? Why am I trying to sound like.

[Mo]

Cadence and everything?

[D-Nice]

You know, this is a special party. Say, no regular party.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

No regular party.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

What Quest Love did was masterful.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

You sure? You sure you can handle this? My Ego was like, man, I can handle such an. Yo. Lydias was like, yo, Jay, what are you doing, bro?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

He was like, no, I gotta know. You know? Like, this ain't. No, this ain't. This is the gold party.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Yo, what he said was right. It is the gold party. I. Now I'm nervous, and I'm like, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Now you second guessing.

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

So I called Questlove because Jay said Questlove played the best set that I've ever heard ever. So now I called Amir up, and I'm like, yo, Jay said you played the best set he ever heard.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Mm.

[D-Nice]

I probably shouldn't say it's been said. Anyway. Amir is like, you want to hear the set? I recorded it. I was like, wait, what?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Then I listened to it, and it was probably one of the most perfect sets that I've ever heard because he didn't stay with one thing. But I was like, it's the fucking way. I already DJed over it.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Right, right, right, right.

[D-Nice]

I was like, oh, man, this dude putting all this pressure on me.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. This is what I do, man.

[D-Nice]

I played the Go party last year. Like, after that, after hearing Amir said, I was like, nah, I'm gonna do me. And it was me and Clark, and I played my set. Yo. Clark tapped me on. He was like, yo. He was like, yeah, bro. Actually, he didn't say that. He said, nigga, Yo. He was like, nigga.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, yeah.

[D-Nice]

Cause it was. It was the zone.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

You know what I mean? To find that zone and to be comfortable, it's like, as a defense dj, you know, when you play a song where you can feel that everyone loves it, when all you could do is just smile because you can do no wrong at this point. It's like the people, once they believe in you. First of all, when you walk into the door, if you're a fantastic dj, the fact that you walked into that door, that changes everything. Because part of that set is them seeing you like, yo, yo, Stretch Armstrong is here. Oh, this is about to be some. So part of the work is done by you just showing up. Part of the work was done when I walked into the ghost. They're like, oh, yo, are you rocking?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

Oh, then it's different. Yeah, they're not. You get to play and to be in that zone, man. And I. I'm. I'm forever grateful that Jay can put that kind of pressure to make you want to be great.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But I'm also grateful that. That Amir was like, yo, you want to Hear it?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, that's fire.

[D-Nice]

And I was like, yo, this is crazy.

[Mo]

So I'm gonna break an NDA with this entire thing. I think Jay Z put that pressure on you because Jay Z secretly wants to be a dj.

[D-Nice]

Probably.

[Mo]

We, we. I mean, I don't dj, but our Paloa crew, JMB booked us twice to do parties for them, like private. The Paloa crew.

[D-Nice]

Yes.

[Mo]

The entire time Jay Z was hovering over the DJ booth on us making every. I was like, yo, do you just want to get on the. The wheels of steel here, bro? Like, Jay wants to be a dj.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, I can see he was like.

[Mo]

Yo, you should blend this with this. I'm like, yo, awesome. Yeah, he got it, producer.

[D-Nice]

I actually see that, yo.

[Mo]

No, I loved it. It was very interesting to see him in a vulnerable place of just being a music lover. Like, I think Jay Z wants to be a dj.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. Because even like during that set, you know, of course I had an NDA for that too. You know, during that set, like, I was. What's Kendrick cousin name?

[Mo]

Keem.

[D-Nice]

Keem. I never even heard that record. You know what I mean? Like, you talking quarantine. Yeah, I'm playing all the classics. Like, new record was like, that wasn't my new record zone. You know what I'm saying? Like, that time I didn't even know anything about it. He's like, yo, you gotta rock that. Yeah, yo, joint went off. And I was like. So I think he probably secretly does one.

[Mo]

Oh, no. The amount of requests he made in the two parties that we did for him in real time. Also, computers is Jay Z's favorite song. I just want to let you know, he made us play computers three times in a row.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. Get the party rocking.

[D-Nice]

That's is fun though.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Wow. This has been. Yeah, this has been, this has been incredible. This conversation has been great for me, man. This is, this is like a dream come true for me, man. Just growing up watching you, you know, following your career and everything that you've done in the culture, hip hop. We just thank you for coming by today and kicking with us, man. Like, this is this, this is like I'm. I'm all over the place right now. The. The stories and just the, the. The knowledge and everything that you've given us. We appreciate, appreciate it. And thank you for Club Quarantine. This is the five year anniversary. You rocking the Apollo this week and then where you. I seen you somewhere else next week, I believe.

[D-Nice]

Oh, that I just promoted. No, I'm doing, I'm doing Club Quarantine in Baltimore. Baltimore during the Preakness.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay.

[D-Nice]

Yeah, that's actually a big one too, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah. That's crazy.

[Mo]

Do you have. Do you have Baltimore Clinic Club Music?

[D-Nice]

Yeah, but I'm gonna have a little bit of that.

[Mo]

I could give you a folder if you need one.

[D-Nice]

I'll call Jay Z.

[Mo]

I can send you the WAV file to swing that.

[D-Nice]

If you need me to. As long as I can. They can. I can rock that song with the orchestra. Cause I'm using orchestra with that too.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Okay, fine.

[D-Nice]

I'm using the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with it. Love that. Incredible. But, yeah, man, like, I'm excited about it. So even with that, you know. You know, I got the call from the first lady of Maryland. It's like, like, hey, you know, like, literally her calling me like, hey, we think. Want to bring Club quarantine stay Q5. She didn't call it Club Quarantine. That's how I know she really follows. I think we want to do CQ5 doing the Preakness.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

I was like, oh, well, let's do it.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[D-Nice]

But, yeah, man, but I do want to say thank you. I'll be 100, honest. I was like. When I got the call, I was like, I know who you guys are, and I'm following. I'm like, man, they're not gonna find my story interesting. You know what I mean? Like, this is probably gonna be what you heard me ask. I was like, how long? One of your producers. I'm like, yo, how long is this? What we got? The option for the day is quick.

[Reshawn McDonald]

They said D nice. I was like.

[Mo]

They were like, damn, you cool. That was Dance was like, what? Why would you ask me?

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, that's. That's. This is. Yeah, this is a dream for me, man. Like, I said, I. You know, you. You are definitely one of the reasons I fell in love with hip hop, man. So thank you for coming by, kicking with us today.

[D-Nice]

Yeah. And.

[Mo]

And first time meeting you, I also understand why Club Quarantine worked. Outside of your DJ skills, you have great energy.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Like, one minute.

[Mo]

I think that that probably, probably somehow was involved in one million moment.

[D-Nice]

I agree with you.

[Mo]

It was. It was not just the blends.

[D-Nice]

Yeah.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Like, yeah, that was D Nice.

[Mo]

I also get it now.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah.

[Mo]

This is a good person.

[D-Nice]

Thank you, man.

[Reshawn McDonald]

That was D Nice. The legendary D Nice. Hopefully y'all enjoyed that as much as I did. If not, I don't give a. Because this is just personal for me. This was a great.

[Mo]

He didn't have to leave. We could have won another three.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Yeah, this is. This is personally great D. Nice. We thank you and we salute you and we supporting you forever, brother.

[D-Nice]

You know I gotta pull this camera out. Oh, love y'all have great lighting here.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Got that peach. Yeah, the nice took my photo. Y'all can't tell me nothing.

[Paige DeSorbo]

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[D-Nice]

You know, some people say that Odoo business management software is like fertilizer, the way it promotes growth and all. But other people say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and it's also magically affordable. And there's some people who would even say Odoo's individual software programs come together to build the perfect, perfect sweet like building blocks. Well, Odoo is all of these things. Fertilizer, magic beanstalk building blocks for business. So sign up [e-mail] o d o.

[Paige DeSorbo]

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[D-Nice]

When it comes to playtime, never let your squad down.

[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

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[Paige DeSorbo]

Upgrade to smooth high quality streaming with.

[Reshawn McDonald]

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[D-Nice]

Performance with enhanced overclocking.

[Reshawn McDonald]

Win the tech search and head to Lenovo.com.