The DJ Behind the Dem’s Role Call Dance Party

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As a music enthusiast who has been fortunate enough to witness some of the most iconic events in recent history, I can confidently say that DJ Cassidy’s performance at the DNC was nothing short of electrifying. His ability to curate a playlist that resonated with each state and evoked such strong emotions from the audience is truly a testament to his artistry.

During TV coverage of political conventions, even avid politics enthusiasts often take a break to grab something from the fridge. The roll call, where each state announces their delegates’ votes for a specific candidate, is generally a formal, ceremonial process, similar to the Price Waterhouse segment at the Oscars, but perhaps even more tedious.

Not this time. 

Last night at the Democratic National Convention, the Democrats transformed their roll call into an energetic, celebratory dance party, with skilled DJ Cassidy playing unique tracks for each state. Arkansas grooved to Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop,” California danced to a mix of Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, and Kendrick Lamar, Montana rocked out to Lenny Kravitz’s rendition of “American Woman.” And so forth, continuing for approximately 75 minutes filled with excitement.

DJ Cassidy received a phone call from Ricky Kirshner, who’s the DNC producer, and he asked him if he would like to become the first musical maestro for a convention roll call. DJ Cassidy admits that he initially wasn’t completely clear about what that role entailed.

Podell is far from a novice when it comes to significant events, including politics. He was involved in arranging the music for the Democrats’ convention in 2012 and Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, as well as providing DJ services at Barack Obama’s 50th birthday celebration at the White House. Beyond politics, he also made waves by DJing at Jay-Z and Beyonce’s wedding in 2008.

However, nothing the 43-year-old DJ with a boater hat, known for his successes such as the hit BET show “Pass the Mic” (which has been transformed into a live show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas), had achieved before, has ever resonated quite as powerfully as his performance at the DNC on Tuesday. This event was largely uninterrupted by political pundits on CNN and MSNBC (it’s uncertain about Fox) and was extensively highlighted in cable news’ daily recaps of the convention, an even more significant achievement given that these highlights also included electrifying speeches from both Obama and his wife, Michelle.

In his own words, Michael Steele – a former RNC chairman and current MSNBC commentator who used to be a DJ during his college years – couldn’t help but praise Podell’s talent when he appeared for a brief interview on Jen Psaki’s show following the convention. Steele admired the “creativity” displayed in the production, expressing his admiration by saying, “This man truly excelled in putting this together… Kudos all around.”

“Podell was surprised by the scale of the response, but he spent a whole night engrossed in tweets and Facebook comments about his music. Many people shared how they were deeply moved by it. It wasn’t just trendy music; it had a deep emotional impact. I always aim for that kind of effect, but I didn’t realize my work would resonate so strongly.”

Assembling the playlist required an extraordinary level of effort, given that he had less than three weeks to complete it following Biden’s departure and Harris becoming the candidate. Notably, Podell, who typically works independently, found himself collaborating with numerous contributors for this project, including not just the DNC producers but representatives from each state and territory taking part in the roll call. Each of them sought their preferred song to represent their region.

Podell mentioned that some suggestions were straightforward, such as ‘Empire State of Mind.’ However, certain states required more thought. For example, the initial ideas I proposed for Florida – Pittbutt, DJ Khaled, Flo Rida – didn’t end up being chosen. Instead, we opted for Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down,’ which surprisingly emerged as a kind of state anthem that I wasn’t previously aware of. Yet, I was content with the change since the song title perfectly encapsulates our decision.

As a fervent admirer, I’d say:

And if they did, what might Podell tell them?

“He proposes we chat privately some time, perhaps the day following the upcoming Oscars.” (In this case, I’ve tried to rephrase it as if you were describing someone else’s suggestion.)

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2024-08-22 02:24