A funny thing happened when two local DJs launched their family dance party, the Beatbox, at Charm School Social Club a few years ago.
Seems the parents were as eager to dance as the little ones. “Dancing? Ice cream? It was kind of a no brainer,” says Rudy Lopez, aka DJ Rudeboi, a full-time professor at VCUarts Fashion, and dad to two boys ages 9 and 1. “It was a smash and the vibes were great. That’s where I saw parents were having just as much fun as the kids.”
Anthony Bryant, aka DJ Ant Boogie, was 18 when he started DJing. His best friends moved away for college, so he began hanging out with his slightly older next-door neighbors, who’d been spinning for a while. “They had two shows on University of Richmond’s WDCE 90.1, back in the pre-WRIR days,” Bryant explains. “From there, I was thrown into the culture and never looked back.”
Although most people focused on the MC, Bryant was attracted to who and what was making the repetitive “scratchy” sounds in the song. He equated the DJ to the drummer, the one that held it all down. “As a shy dude who loved music,’ he says, “I saw DJing as a way that I could flex my creative muscles and express myself.”
Lopez started DJing in the late ’90s when he was 22 and met Bryant around the same time thanks to the Richmond hip-hop music scene. He was immediately drawn to the opportunity to share music he loved with people. “To be able to control a room and its energy level with music is a surreal feeling,” he says. “My first gig was an all-DC go-go set at a Nick Kuszyk art opening. You could see the socket beat pulling something out of the crowd.”
The duo had some great momentum going with the Beatbox before the pandemic. But the lockdown, with its non-stop wiping down of groceries, social distancing, and wearing of masks, was underway, challenging people who were cooped up inside with their partners and kids. “Using technology available to us such as Zoom, Twitch, and Instagram live, we wanted to provide an opportunity for all of our friends and family and community to let loose at virtual dance parties,” Lopez says. “It was amazing seeing everyone dancing with their loved ones in their ‘Brady Bunch’ boxes.”
With the success of their Noon Years Eve Party, the two were motivated to make sure to schedule another party soon as part of their goal to host the Beatbox on a regular basis this year. A Valentine’s Day edition of their party for parents, kids, and extended friends and family is coming to Triple Crossing Beer in Fulton this month. “February is a great time for a party because with January being three months long, cabin fever starts to set in,” Bryant says. “We all need something to look forward to, so we thought it’d be an ideal moment to celebrate friendship.”
Entry to the Valentine’s Beatbox is free. In addition to music and dancing, there will be family-friendly vendors such as Bryant’s modern kid’s shop, Little Nomad, and Baby and the Beat. Triple Crossing will be serving pizza and beer and food truck, El Taconazo, will be offering alternatives to pizza.
Because children are a major component of all Beatbox parties, timing is everything. “We have to think about what families may have planned for that weekend, as well as their daily routine: lunch time, naps and such,” Bryant says. “We’re always looking for that sweet spot, asking parents and caregivers what time works best for them. At the moment, 10:30 in the morning to 1 p.m. seems to be ideal.”
When it comes to what to play, Bryant and Lopez steer clear of what families already listen to in the car, standard stuff such as Kidz Bop or The Happy Song. What gets entire families dancing? “It’s always music that the parents loved back when they went out,” Lopez says. “Throwbacks always get kids and parents going, like Mary J. Blige and Biggie’s ‘Real Love Remix’ or Missy Elliott’s ‘Work It.’ Nineties house music also gets the dance floor moving.”
Bryant, whose children are 11 and 9, says that Beatbox attendees show up in good spirits, and ready to have a great time, which makes their job (to call back memories from when parents and caregivers had a life) a whole lot easier. “From the kiddo side, they love to dance, but couldn’t care less if we’re playing Le Tigre,” he says. “They’re just stoked to have their ‘big’ paying them all this positive attention.”
With any luck, Beatbox dance parties at Triple Crossing Fulton will be a regular happening. The duo admits that finding a welcoming space where families will feel comfortable has been a bit of a challenge. “The team at Triple Crossing Fulton has been great to work with, so hopefully the search for a Beatbox home is over,” Lopez says. “The challenge isn’t what music to play, but with making sure that we get our scheduling right. Families are busy, and we want to make sure that we’re not wasting anyone’s time.”
Least of all their own. The rewards of DJing are great, but so are the rewards of parenting. “With DJing, there’s more of an instant gratification like getting a coveted residency, watching a crowd feel your set, or nailing a transition that you’ve been working on,” Bryant says. “With parenting, the rewards can oftentimes be a bit of a slow burn, which is totally fine. Teaching fractions can be a journey, am I right?”
The Beatbox, a family dance party, takes place on Sunday, Feb. 11, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Triple Crossing Beer Fulton, 5203 Hatcher St.
