For an artist, the hardest skill to master is the ability to transcend, be it the era that created them, the work that defined them, or even the fame that elevated them, but those who are successful are rewarded with a title that can only be earned: legend. Derrick “D-Nice” Jones, with a multi-decade music career that has taken him from the Apollo to the Singapore, and seemingly everywhere in- between, can proudly say he’s earned it.

To understand why D-Nice can be spotted spinning all over the globe you need to know where he began—the Bronx. At just 16 years old, D-Nice was a founding member of the iconic ‘80s rap group Boogie Down Productions. By 1990, he had a Billboard number one single off his self-produced debut album, “Call Me D-Nice.” But as the landscape of hip-hop and New York itself began to shift, D-Nice recognized the need to transcend.

A proven talent behind the turntables, D-Nice sought a creative outlet in famed downtown clubs such as Selena and Table 50. The venues where pioneering DJs, like Mark Ronson and Q-Tip, were blending old school tracks and dance classics with the latest rock soon became his home away from home, and it wasn’t long before he had his own night. Suddenly, the MC from uptown was the hottest DJ downtown—and around the world. At events from Oscar night galas to parties thrown by Diddy, D-Nice could now be heard in Paris, Singapore, South Africa, Miami...

It was also around this time that D-Nice discovered he not only possessed an ear for a mix, but an eye for capturing images as well. Strapped with a Leica camera from his expanding collection, he began documenting his life. A visit to D-Nice.com can yield a portrait of Halle Berry or Kid Rock as easily as an artful street scene of Brooklyn. Music and photography became two expressions of the ever-expanding BrandNice.

D-Nice moves seamlessly between gigs, whether he’s rocking the Apollo Theater’s Spring Gala with Stevie Wonder or appearing as a featured photographer on Tyra Bank’s “America’s Next Top Model.” Currently a brand DJ for Hennessy, he also holds a DJ residency at Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino and had the distinct honor of playing President Barack Obama’s 2012 Inaugural Ball.

Positive and always creative, the father of two continues to evolve BrandNice into new territory. He looks forward to his upcoming solo photography exhibit and an international DJ tour. “I love music festivals. It amazes me that people will come watch a DJ explore with music. They show up for me to take them on a musical journey and it’s something I will never take for granted.”

In other words, they look to D-Nice for something transcendent.

Born and raised in Belize, now living in LA. Started Djing in 2006 and kept at it. Been on radio stations, private parties, weddings, Belizean clubs, etc. Still working at it tryna get better because there's always something one can improve on. Hope y'all enjoying the music cause I sure am! #belize

https://linktr.ee/wearedelasoul

De La Soul is back—but did they ever really leave? After delivering their seminal debut 3 Feet High and Rising in 1989 with the production genius of Prince Paul, the New York City-bred trio of Posdnuos (Pos), Dave and Maseo went on to further impact Hip Hop culture with five more groundbreaking albums: De La Soul Is Dead (1991), Buhloone Mindstate (1993), Stakes Is High (1996), Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (2000) and AOI: Bionix (2001). But once the digital age exploded in the late ‘90s, De La Soul’s celebrated catalog was unavailable to stream. As the decades passed, the tight-knit group forged ahead anyway—touring the world, connecting with their adoring fanbase and making music on their own terms. Following 2004’s The Grind Date, De La Soul took a hiatus from making albums, but joined The Gorillaz on the track “Feel Good Inc” which won them a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration.  In 2015, the group raised over $600,000 on Kickstarter from fans to independently release their album and the Anonymous Nobody, which was their first #1 on the Rap Albums chart, and was also nominated for a Best Rap Album Grammy.   

However, the demand for unreleased De La Soul music was palpable and the cry for access to the first six albums grew louder. Unfortunately, De La Soul was stuck riding a roller coaster of stalled negotiations, dashed hopes and dead-end conversations with their old label, and the group nearly gave up. 

"We have lived without the music up for long, these six albums haven’t been up—ever,” Pos says. “We got used to knowing they weren’t up.” In June of 2021, Tommy Boy Music was acquired by Reservoir, giving De La Soul’s catalog a new home.  In March of 2023, the six missing albums were finally available to stream.  But sadly, right before the catalog release, Dave, the beloved member of De La Soul, passed away. Though bittersweet, De La Soul preserves his legacy and the ongoing impact of their music. 

As iconic songs such as “The Magic Number”, found new life in the film Spiderman: No Way Home in 2021, De La Soul continues to resonate with a diverse population of people. 

As Pos notes, “We’ve noticed over the past several years of tour like, ‘Wow, there’s a father here with his child who also is here with their child. ‘We’re generational. To me, there’s nothing more gratifying than that. That means something. That’s telling about a group. What we were doing wasn’t just stuck to that time.”

“We really naturally been that group for everyone,” Pos says. “It was never about we’re just here for this community, that community, this set of people or these certain fans of Hip Hop culture. We see music as music. We’ve been very resilient, even being a group that didn’t have our music up [on streaming platforms]. We still had these beautiful opportunities through young people finding out about us through a commercial or Spider-Man. Now that it can all be there for people to gravitate to, I’m really happy about that.” 

De La Soul's impact on the musical landscape is immeasurable, with 3 Feet High and Rising widely regarded as one of the most influential albums of its era. Pioneering inventive sampling, playful lyrics, and eclectic beats, the album broke new ground and set a standard for creativity in the genre. Recognizing its cultural significance, the album was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.

Roe Mance is following