2435
What is Chicago’s obsession with Mary J. Blige? Chi-town’s Emmaculate, Terry Hunter, and now Derrick Carter have remixed her latest chart-topper. Carter’s version jumpstarts the party with kick drums, hi-hats and the Queen of Hip Hop cooing “Good Morning Gorgeous.”
And gorgeous, they are. The femmes and doms are out! For Atlanta’s 51st Pride Celebration. The must-attend Queen Butch’s “The Last Ball” closes the weekender. Queen Butch dressed in all black leather. His furry chest exposed, unzipped biker jacket, fitted pants, and tipped beret brings the boys to his backyard. Their painted nails, protruding eyelashes and ass less chaps.
2430
Enter the room. Sniff the testosterone. The smell of leather and sweaty crevices.
Cast underneath a rainbow laser light show. There stands a colorful rainbow of characters. Their drinks in hands. Chatting. In groups of pockets spread thin from the rear bar to the front DJ stage. View their bulging biceps. The men dressed in next to nothing. Anyone for dental floss covered groins?
The soundtrack, Lisa Stansfield singing “I’m Leaving,” (Hex Hector Club Mix) signals the transition. NYC’s William Francis makes way for the headliner the people came to see.
“Derrick Carter.” She says. “That’s him playing.” That a lady with blonde strains falling beneath her ball cap has to explain who the DJ is to a starry-eyed pupil bouncing on counts one and three to Carl Bean’s “I Was Born This Way,” is whack.
When Queen Butch brings out his boy toy, @theetwercules. Who jumps center stage. Drops low. His booty bouncing around in circles. That jelly shakes!
In the city of twerk and trap, an underground house music DJ playing Pride is rare. Even rarer is a POC underground house music DJ playing Pride. And most rarest is a POC and queer underground house music DJ playing Pride. Therefore, this event has it all. Inclusivity. But eyeing the room, where are the Carter zealots?
In this current climate, people attend parties reflective of the event’s promoter(s). If gay, the gay crowd attends, if white, the white crowd attends and if Black, the Black crowd attends. There no longer exists a cross-pollination of tribes. Today’s tribal segregation is real.
“The sound is not loud in this club,” The blonde lady from out-of-town states over HNNY’s “Sneeze” that slows to a crawl. “The speakers should be positioned on the floor.” You whole-heartedly agree. “To dance in front of.”
After all, you did not come to show your ass. You came to get down. To the sounds of Don Armanda’s “Deputy of Love.” The 2nd Avenue Remix is giving blue lights in the basement disco.
On the speaker box sits a suspicious figure wearing a camouflage backpack. His head buried underneath the hood of a Boyz N the Hood black sweatshirt. Time to grab two waters from the cashless bar. Cause this mid-tempo disco number bores.
His Shoes
When one is not fully appreciated in their hometown, they go elsewhere and are celebrated. Words spoken true of Derrick Carter. A famed legend around the globe whose roots are cemented in Chicago. His loyalty to a city that at times has misunderstood his outspoken impact. Derrick packs out international venues but not often his hometown. Albeit, his Sunday night Queen Party at Smartbar in Chicago is legendary. Where his name might be just one of too many DJs playing music at any given location on any given weekend. An ability that caused him to jet set for greener pastures of play in his early career. If not for his love of the Windy City. The pull of the music. The people. The food. His dogs. His shoes. Someone had to stay behind and rep the Midwest. Right? And who better than the mixologist who crafted his own lane? Where his sound and play separated him from his contemporaries. A sound of jackin’ mixed with disco that ravers can’t get enough. Like the kitchen sink is thrown into his playlists. The surprises in a Derrick Carter sermon are legendary.
0200
Take the instrumentation from one track that loops over lowly drums, your body tries to escape the rhythm’s grasp. Thumping percussions simmer that drives your feet to journey toward the center of the floor. Intuitively, you hold back yourself, trying to escape the rhythm’s pull. You break free, for a minute, as you notice your shoes sliding towards the epicenter, again. Your legs spinning semi-circle. “Work It Out.” You faintly hear in the distant soundscape. As you shuffle front and center the entertainment stage. Yelling, “Derrick.” – Who not once acknowledges the crowd. His head crowned by a fro. His gaze kept low. His fingers moving across the black lit hardware. – “Work It Out,” the chanting builds until the Karizma anthem climaxes.
Surprise! Derrick unleashes the Holy Ghost. Sneakers stomp. Torsos bent over at the waist. Hands raised. One guy dances his Sunday best.
When the event’s prospectus advertises a nun, her blue-eyes, her gag covered lips, her black laytex dress, standing in front glass stained windows: Derrick understands the assignment. The minister of music brings the church to the club. He drops another surprise! Baltimore banger, Booman & DJ Spen’s “God’s Got It.” Even the twinks tonguing stop to clap their hands.
Wait! Boi don’t play. Your friend does the wide-legged splits on the hard floor to Karen Young’s “Hot Shot” (Joey Negro Sure Shot Mix).
0230
Queen Butch’s dancers are giving. The crowd not so much. Twenty-five rhythm-challenged individuals part space. Their bulging eyes. Their “oohs” and “awes” heard over Evelyn “Champagne” Kings’ “Shame.” As a Mega Hero 6 costume with nipple rings wobbles about. On The MuthaFunkaz featuring Sheila Ford’s “Gotta Hold On Me (That Skate Thing)” (MuthaFunking 12 Inch), @j_bellabankz flips her tress. She is here to look cute. The best voguer goes to the House of Lanvin’s Havoc. Who dips, twirls, and death drops to Mighty Mouse’s “The Spirit.” @havoc7569 wins an applause of cheers. And the people are giving. Andrew Jackson’s placed into his thong.
When Teddy Pendergrass’ “The More I Get, the More I Want” (Dimitri From Paris Super Disco) closes the night of too much fun. Derrick wearing a cross body bag appears ready to ghost. After slaying with one of his best sets ever experienced this south of North Avenue. The self-proclaimed OG even made the venue’s slack sound system work for his good. After all, he is a LAW – legend at work. The DJ who best said, ‘My aim remains the same every week: I come in, blow your party the fuck up, and then break out.”
wrds: aj dance
grphc: aj art
Share this:
Tags: #dancefloormagic #housemusicexcellence, Atlanta Georgia, Atlanta Pride Weekend, Chicago house music, Derrick Carter, Future, house music, Queen Butch, Underground Atlanta