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Now This Is How It Started

EarHustle411 and the writing staff has had a very busy 4th of July weekend and we must say it has been a WONDERFUL experience.  We had the pleasure of being part of the official media for the event.  EarHustle411 Media Correspondent “SunShyne” our quintessential “Househead” on the team arrived on the scene about 8am just in time to hear DJ Greg Gray get the early arrivals welcomed, adjusted and warmed up to be prepared to get their “jack” on.  DJ Greg Gray has been very influential to the House movement and his crew Nu Bang are always keeping themselves abreast of new music to share with the House community. In addition, DJ Greg Gray has been the only DJ to spin at the Chosen Few Picnic consistently every year.

The Chosen Few DJs laid out the red carpet for the picnic attendees in a fashion that would make Queen Elizabeth green with envy.  Guest DJ Keith Fobs found himself to be in a state of utopia as he did his thing on the turntables and we were well on our way to getting housed down for the day.  Stan Zeff brought the house down with his unique style and “Londonesque” way of catering to the crowd. Then low and behold it was time for the stars of the event to do their thing.

Chosen Few DJ Terry Hunter had the crowd going insane and dripping with sweat and it wasn’t even 10am.  Terry always in his own plays what his adoring fans want to hear but with so much passion and tenacity.  Having been on the team just a few short years he fits in like from day one!!

After being beaten by the bass with Terry Hunter the Chosen Few’s silent but deadly bomb member, attorney by day and DJ Extraordinaire by night DJ Alan King addressed everyone with a subtle beginning to his set and then he laid the sonic boom on the crowd so tough, we had a most difficult time maintaining our media composure.  As much as we tried to be professional in our roles Alan King took us to another stratosphere in a short 55 minutes.

The more things really got underway guest DJ Derrick Carter graced the precious turntables and he got down like nobody’s business.  EarHustle411 caught up with Derrick post performance check out what he had to say:

As we were making our way around the VIP area and back stage, EarHustle411 came across one of our fans named Clifton Towns.  We had a moment to capture his thoughts on the festivities.  He most certainly had some great things to say and he has been a Househead since the very beginning.  Check it out:

The House community prides themselves on being able to have a great time together without all the added drama that is seen in some of the other genres.  Die-hard househeads like “SunShyne”, Clifton Towns and another EarHustle411 fan favorite motivational speaker & author Allen Bryson truly embrace the culture and all that comes with it.  Househeads also have a very unique way of letting the world know that they represent House.

Househead Gear

Every year househeads get their fashionable items ready whether it’s custom designed shorts, free-flowing dresses, tanks, funky socks, hats or suspenders but no one drives the message home better than Allen Bryson.  In his own special way he and his buddies come up with some of the most creative shirts to debut at the picnic.  If you think last year’s shirt was classic

Take a look at this year’s shirt:

***DANCE LIKE EVERYONE IS WATCHING***

Interestingly enough Allen’s creative shirts have been a hit year after year and his mission has rubbed off on other people like  “DJ Jesus Martinez” take a look:

Funny thing about Allen’s message on his shirt, truth is a Househead does not care who is watching you dance.  A true follower of the genre will dance by themselves and it will be welcomed.  Those who are avid followers of house look forward to the CFP Event as Allen always puts it so eloquently “it’s like having Christmas in July”!!  If you didn’t know “Christmas in July” cometh with a stern warning, now you do:

The Masters Are Here

If you are a lover of house music and follow the many DJs that play the genre, we cannot forget the Masters At Work.  Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez and “Little” Louie Vega had this tag team thing going on and we couldn’t help but put the camera down for a moment or two...(Alright already it was 15 minutes…geesh!!)…any who MAW had a bit of a celebration going on as well.  They were also celebrating 25 years together and when we tell you this production/remix duo has been making hit after hit, they showed their a** off at the picnic.  Most people who had not been avid followers definitely were after their performance on July 4th.

The Performances

This year the performances were so electrifying, we are still have that bass thumping feeling going through our bodies.  Just so you know standing in the orchestra pit with that music going ain’t for the weak or faint at heart but it is so awesome!!!  The first musical guest performance of the day was Cory Daye of the Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band. She hit that stage with full force and made sure that everybody in attendance knew that she was still a force to be reckoned with.  Ms Daye and all of her 68 years of age still has it going on.

After the phenomenal Cory Daye heated up the stage and got the crowd ready for more housin’ the next musical guest came in with an explosive, take me back to Studio 54 discotheque performance. It was none other than the beautiful Evelyn “Champagne” King.  She took us back to when she was shimmying and high kicking on the performance trails.

Evelyn having been discovered at the young age of 15 while working with her mother cleaning offices at Philadelphia International Records founded by the legendary writing and producing duo Gamble & Huff and as they say the rest is music history!!  Check out snippets of Evelyn Champagne King’s #CFP25 performance:

Evelyn “Champagne” King took us back to the days of disco but Stephanie Mills came in on her horse-drawn carriage and blew everyone away and made all of us truly appreciate classic R&B.  Stephanie Mills with her small 4ft 9in  frame and that powerhouse voice and her phenomenal backup singers rocked the Chosen Few stage and left no room for anyone to come behind her and steal her shine.

She sang an acapella version of “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin” and literally made the people in attendance bow down and give her props.  Check out Stephanie Mills’ #CFP25 performance:

The Recognition

Every year the Chosen Few DJs gives out awards to those who have been supportive of not only what they as a team have done over the years but also who have been contributors to the House Movement.  EarHustle411 is so proud and elated that some of our biggest supporters received the Frankie Knuckles Lifetime Achievement DJ Hall of Fame Award this year like DJ Lil John, Khris “First Lady” Hutchinson, DJ Celeste Alexander, DJ Paul Johnson, DJ Stacy Kidd & DJ Gary Wallace.  The recognitions didn’t stop there, The Chosen Few DJs along with the CFP Queen Kim Parham received the ultimate recognition from the City of Chicago.  Cook County’s Board Commissioner Toni Preckwinkle and Alderman Leslie Hairston announced that the 63rd & Hayes Drive was going to get an honorary name change to Chosen Few DJs Way.

Now that’s what WE call a well deserved honor!!

The Finale

Well after all of that excitement of the great awards recognitions and street renaming, we had to get back to the business at hand of getting our “jack” on and who better to take us to another stratosphere but Wayne Williams.  Wayne must have had a feeling the crowd was feenin’ for some old school-house because he took us way back and even made us “perculate” (whew our knees were on fire…LOL) Lawd Hammercy!!

Just when we thought we could get a breather, here comes Andre Hatchett and Mike Dunn to make us move our bodies in ways we never thought would be possible and the crowd had the best seats (if they ever sat down) in the house. Mike Dunn and Andre Hatchett’s set was the beginning to the end for our poor knees.  We had not felt such pleasurable pain and it was all worth it.

Everyone including the media was in the dark about this “special guest” The Chosen Few DJs had on the lineup.  So WVON’s Robin Robinson who had graced the stage throughout the day, however this time she was keeping the crowd pumped up and engaged.  As she maintained the crowd’s attention a video begins to play on the video monitor and the crowd goes completely bananas as the President of the United States begins to speak…well we won’t spoil it for you see it for yourself:

EarHustle411 was on cloud 10 right along with Wayne, Jesse, Alan, Tony, Andre, Terry, Kim and Mike after that special surprise guest. How often does any one get a personal videotaped acknowledgement from the President not to mention a shoutout to the greatest music genre community ever created and a fantastic fireworks display afterwards…NEVER!!! The Househead Community got that and it is most definitely one for the House history books.  We were glad to have been a part of this historic occasion.

EarHustle411 and the writing staff would like to thank The Chosen Few DJs for the amazing opportunity to cover their 25th Annual Chosen Few DJs Picnic.  Special thanks goes to Kim Parham for her warm welcome, The Chosen Few DJs Public Relations person Lehia Franklin Acox for all of her assistance with obtaining media credentials (we apologize if we bugged you to death…LOL) and an extra special thank you to Mr. Alan King we appreciate your referral and all that you have done for EarHustle411 to make our first time covering the picnic a memorable one, we cannot say thank you enough.

In closing we leave you with some great photos we took as we captured Chicago’s most talked about event for the summer…ENJOY!!!

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Source: Obama Video (Chosen Few DJs) Househead Dancing (LaTyra Lewis)