Breaking the Silence: Derrick “D-Nice” Jones on Music, Movement, and the Legacy of Club Quarantine

What happens when culture becomes a form of leadership?

In this episode of Breaking Precedent, Leah Solivan sits down with Derrick T. Jones, better known as D-Nice,  legendary DJ, photographer, and cultural connector, to explore how music, joy, and shared experience can shape communities and create belonging at scale. From his early days in hip-hop to the global phenomenon of Club Quarantine, D-Nice reflects on the responsibility artists carry, the power of gathering, and how creativity can serve as social infrastructure in fractured times.

The conversation spans art, entrepreneurship, cultural stewardship, and what it means to hold space for people, not just entertain them.

D-Nice is a world-renowned DJ, photographer, and cultural curator whose career spans decades at the intersection of music, art, and community. Rising to prominence as a pioneering hip-hop artist before becoming one of the most influential DJs of his generation, D-Nice is widely celebrated for creating Club Quarantine, a global virtual gathering that redefined connection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through his work, D-Nice demonstrates how culture can be a unifying force — building bridges across industries, generations, and identities.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to Breaking Precedent!

01:00 Introducing D Nice: A Multifaceted Innovator

05:40 Early Life and Hip Hop Beginnings

16:52 The Influence of Scott La Rock

32:34 Stop the Violence: A Call to Action

35:49 The World and Democracy

37:17 Political Involvement and Personal Reflections

39:02 The Birth of Club Quarantine

40:53 The Evolution of Club Quarantine

49:39 From Club Quarantine to Carnegie Hall

53:12 Breaking Precedents in Entertainment

01:03:35 The Role of AI and Technology in Creativity

01:07:01 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. She founded TaskRabbit in 2008 after beginning her career as an engineer at IBM.

Connect with Leah

Website: breakingprecedent.com
 Instagram: @labunleashed
 X: @labunleashed