In March 2020, when COVID-19 sent people around the world into quarantine, DJ D-Nice created Club Quarantine. On Friday, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined him on Instagram Live to proclaim it “Club Quarantine Day.”
“It’s no secret that the Bronx was hit hard by this pandemic, and many of us lost family members, friends and neighbors, but in the darkest of times we also saw great strength, creativity and compassion here in our borough and around the world,” Diaz said. “Through the creation of “Club Quarantine,” DJ D-Nice brought us all a needed outlet to come together safely and enjoy music at a time where many felt isolated. I want to thank D-Nice for holding us down in the Boogie Down Bronx, for showing the world why Hip-Hop culture has become a global art, and for bringing this to our homes during some of the hardest days. I am proud to proclaim March 19 as “Club Quarantine Day.”
On March 21, 2020, D-Nice played for nearly nine hours straight. Club Quarantine drew over 100,000 viewers, including some major names such as Bun B, Rihanna, Lenny Kravitz, Roland Martin, Corey Gamble, Kris Jenner, Nile Rodgers, Snoop Dogg, Willie D, Ellen Degeneres, Missy Elliott, Steph Curry and Magic Johnson.
One of his goals was to unite people through music by having these virtual gathering while also raising awareness on social distancing, hand washing and more.
“This is truly an honor,” the DJ said. “When I started doing this it wasn’t about rewards. This was about finding ways for people to stay connected, for people to hear the music and to distract people from what was going on, even just for a moment.”
