Last Friday, D-Nice brought together a few comedian’s friends to bring some laughs to the DMV as part of his Club Quarantine Live series. However, Saturday, October 7th, was about the music as Club Quarantine Live with D-Nice and special guests turned the Kennedy Center into a full-on party.
The special guests on tonight’s bill included Camp Lo, Frédéric Yonnet, Jadakiss, Kem, Machel Montano, MC Lyte, Muni Long, Shanice, Tracie Spencer, and Vin Rock of Naughty by Nature. While I am a Hip Hop head and was aware of D-Nice’s two solo albums, like many, I witnessed his career resurgence in 2020 during the COVID-Pandemic when he began hosting Homeschool at Club Quarantine on Instagram Live from his home as a coping mechanism.
Due to scheduling obligations, I missed experiencing Club Quarantine Live, so I was anxious about this event. Upon entering the venue, attendees were dressed elegantly and ready to enjoy themselves. After some warm-up jokes by our host, Chris Spencer, D-Nice kicked off a DJ Set to get the party rocking, While D-Nice was playing the nineties classic “Hip Hop Hooray,” Vin Rock, who performed on the track, made his way to the stage as the evening’s first performer and would later remain on stage to serve as a hype man between the acts.
As for the performers, each performed two songs, and D-Nice essentially would play music. Given the impressive catalog of some of the performers, what songs would make their way into the setlists?
I won’t go into much detail about the performances, but everyone brought their A-Game. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how crisp Shanice’s vocals were on her signature song, “I Love Your Smile,” and Jadakiss’s energy on “We Gon Make It,” with the Orchestra backing him up.
Last November, D-Nice, formerly of Boogie Down Productions, made history as the first DJ and hip-hop artist to headline the Kennedy Center Opera House. As a council member of the Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture, D-Nice has a dynamic love for the genre, incorporating turntablism, photography, and community into the genre.
Here’s hoping Club Quarantine becomes an annual event at The Kennedy Center.
Final Grade: B+
Songstress Ashanti was experiencing significant success with two platinum albums at the time of the release of her inaugural holiday project, “Ashanti’s Christmas,” on November 18, 2003. Her label head, Irv Gotti, produced most of the album. This project comprises four original songs co-written by Ashanti, in addition to six cover versions of traditional Christmas standards and carols.
Vocal quartet A Few Good Man contributed two songs to the project: a cover of “Silver Bells” and the ballad “Merry Christmas My Dear,” both of which were produced by Daryl Simmons. Demail Burks, David Morris, Aaron Hilliard, and Tony Amey were the members of the group, and after introducing themselves in the festive video for “Silver Bells,” it was only fitting that they delivered a ballad on the album.
R&B legend Luther Vandross had already solidified his place in R&B when he released his first holiday album, “This Is Christmas. Arriving in stores on October 24, 1995, “This Is Christmas” validates Vandross’s ability to sing anything.