I did not attend the Inside Steppin’ DJ Forum in person on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. However, I watched and listened to the live broadcast on Facebook. Ambassador Kevin Nevels and Brian Forbes co-hosted. Panel guests for the forum were DJ Calvin, DJ Lady Love, and DJ Mellow Khris. The show was hosted in Chicago at Tap That Ash Cigar Lounge. This is history.
Make no mistake. This was not a conversation about music, it was a conversation about Chicago Steppin’ history, the responsibility of the DJ, and learning and sharing from DJs’ personal stories. Andre Blackwell and Amanda Russell who were present, were recognized as new, aspiring DJs stepping out into the community. Dre will be DJ’ing at Rose Wellington’s set and she was also present. I learned some new information and the conversation cemented my respect for the unique DJ talent in our stepping community and the audacity of keeping it real.
To be sure, if you are reading this and did not watch the show, no problem. I only touch on the topics sparingly because I am not one for spoilers. These are my highlights and why I am glad I did not miss this conversation.
Key Forum Topics and Themes
The panel and audience covered several issues in this nearly two-hour conversation. Here are my top picks on the topics and themes. They kept the show interesting and revealed new history for me.
- The DJs’ definitions of the difference between Old School music and New School music
- Understanding music and playing for the people in front of you
- Describing the work it takes to be a DJ and sharing stories about the support among DJs
- Discussing why every stepper set is different and knowing the format of a stepper set
- Introduction of new music and how music affects the progression of Stepping
- Talking about career milestones, paying respect, and honoring DJs past and present
Highlights of the DJ Forum
The ladies stood out in a room of mostly men. Lady Love was asked a challenging question. What was her opinion on the idea of no dusties being played? I did not expect her first response and thought it was a sidestep. But, when she circled back to add to her first answer later in the show, I jumped out of my seat for her audacity and honesty. She said what was on her heart. I loved it! And she named names. Good for her! When Flyy Diva dished her double dose answer to address the question about being a female DJ, it was clear that she understood her lifetime assignment.
Kevin Nevels guided the conversation in a relaxing and enjoyable way. Keeping the forum on track, he created a safe space and atmosphere for honest dialog. The conversation was primarily about everyone else, their opinions, and their history. When Nevels rattled off the full street address for every set he mentioned without skipping a beat his memory and recall blew my mind. I enjoyed his hosting approach and grace. Everyone had their time to shine and plug their set and the questions revealed a lot of information. Very well done!
As I try to perfect AV logistics for live shows, I am in awe when someone does it very right. Small audio issues were quickly rectified, and Brian orchestrated a well-engineered experience for viewers to participate and feel like we were in the room too. The group discussion was easy to listen to and watch with changing camera angles throughout the broadcast.
Opportunities to Close Gaps
This forum represented Chicago well. However, it was impossible to talk about the journey and milestones of most of the DJs present without mentioning places where Chicago Stepping is outside of Chicago. Over time and opportunities, other cities have become integral to the dance’s history and legacy. I wish there was representation for the DJs outside of Chicago who are not from Chicago. However, I know that the day of the week, time, and place may have limited the options and possibilities. I appreciated DJ Sampsonite’s question, “What do Chicago DJs think about DJs outside of Chicago?”
I hope the conversations stay on course and reflect the different points of view of Chicago Stepping’s diverse framework in 2024. The knowledge sharing is helpful, inspiring, and beautiful. DJs are some of the best historians on the stepper set. They watch everybody and everything from a unique perspective. I wonder what other groups will be invited and what common ground future forums will come about.
A surprise to me was how the forum ended. I heard, “… about unifying the community right now –on a crusade to stop the division and the shenanigans… There is this misconception that keeps coming from people that are not from here in Chicago.” Going from talking about unifying one minute to thirty seconds later pointing at and blaming people not from Chicago, is a loud division that keeps coming up and can take any progress off track. Let’s end these talks on U-N-I-T-Y. We are from different places, but Chicago Stepping is the common ground that can keep us together.
Watch the DJ Forum on Inside Steppin
Participants in the audience I saw on live were Andre Blackwell, Amanda Russell, DJ Vell, DJ Flyy Diva, Rose Wellington, Josiah Burt, and Lamont Watts. If you missed the Inside Steppin’ episode, watch it here:
LEARN TO STEP
- Find an instructor
- Join the culture
- Enjoy the music
- Love the people
- Travel and learn
