D-Nice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
D-Nice
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D-Nice in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Derrick T. Jones |
| Born | June 19, 1970 Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Origin | The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
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| Years active | 1986–present |
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Derrick T. Jones (born June 19, 1970), known by his stage name D-Nice, is an American DJ, music producer, and rapper. He started his career in the mid-1980s with the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions. D-Nice also helped discover the artist Kid Rock in 1988, which led to Kid Rock signing with Jive Records.
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D-Nice's Early Life and Music Career
Derrick Jones was born and grew up in the Harlem area of Manhattan, New York City. As a teenager, he moved to The Bronx. There, at age 15, he met Scott La Rock. In 1986, they formed the group Boogie Down Productions with KRS-One.
Becoming "The Human TR-808"
Early in his career with Boogie Down Productions, D-Nice was known by nicknames like "the Human TR-808" and "the 808." This was because of his amazing beatboxing skills, which sounded like a TR-808 drum machine. D-Nice also became very popular for producing the song "Self-Destruction." This song was part of the Stop the Violence Movement, which aimed to reduce violence.
Solo Albums and New Directions
After the "Self-Destruction" song was released, D-Nice signed a solo record deal with Jive Records. He released his first solo album, Call Me D-Nice, in 1990. This album reached number 75 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It also reached number 12 on the Top Black Albums chart.
In 1991, D-Nice released his second album, To tha Rescue. For this album, he worked with other famous artists like KRS-One, Naughty by Nature, and Too Short. After this, D-Nice decided to stop releasing music as a recording artist. He wanted to explore other creative paths.
Life Beyond Music
In the late 1990s, D-Nice became a web developer. He even started his own company in 2000 that offered creative services.
Photography Work
In the 2000s, D-Nice started working as a photographer while still being a DJ. He took photos for album covers for several artists. For example, he photographed the cover for Carl Thomas's 2007 album So Much Better. He also shot the cover for Pharoahe Monch's 2011 album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). In 2017, he photographed the album cover for Kenny Lattimore's album, Vulnerable.
Club Quarantine and Awards
In March 2020, D-Nice started hosting "Homeschool at Club Quarantine" on Instagram Live. This was a way for people to connect and cope during the COVID-19 global health crisis. His Saturday night dance party on March 21 lasted nine hours. D-Nice encouraged everyone to "take care of one another and wash their hands."
This event attracted over 100,000 viewers. Many famous people joined in, including Rihanna, Lenny Kravitz, Michelle Obama, and Mark Zuckerberg. The next day, his live stream had over 150,000 viewers at one time.
D-Nice won the 2020 Webby Award for Artist of the Year for his work with Club Quarantine. He also received the Shine a Light Award at the 2020 BET Awards. On March 27, 2021, he was named Entertainer of the Year at the 52nd NAACP Image Awards. On June 22, 2021, he received the ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award. This award recognized him for being a source of hope during the pandemic. His live DJ sets are still very popular online, and he has over 2.6 million followers on Instagram.
D-Nice's Albums
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Call Me D-Nice
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To tha Rescue
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See also
In Spanish: D Nice para niños
