ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Now that large gatherings have been banned to slow the coronavirus pandemic, people are getting creative, hosting virtual house concerts, drag shows, happy hours. You might send performers virtual tips on Venmo or toast your friends in a grid like the Brady Bunch smiling back at you on screen.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Well, on Saturday, a much larger party took place. More than 100,000 people joined a nine-hour virtual dance party on Instagram Live hosted by hip-hop veteran DJ D-Nice.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CALL ME D-NICE")
DJ D-NICE: (Rapping) My name is D-Nice. My name is D-Nice. My name is D-Nice.
SHAPIRO: He called the party Homeschool at Club Quarantine, and while there was no velvet rope, plenty of celebrities stopped by - Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Jennifer Lopez, even the club's owner, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Remember; Facebook owns Instagram.
CHANG: But the music stopped when a former first lady made an appearance.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
DJ D-NICE: Oh, my gosh. Michelle Obama's in here. Michelle Obama's in here. Michelle Obama's in here. Yo; I swear I don't even know who to play right now. I'm so light. My mind's completely blown.
CHANG: He settled on "Shining" by DJ Khaled with Jay-Z and Beyonce.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SHINING")
BEYONCE: (Singing) Shining, shining, shining, shining, yeah - all of this winning, I've been losing my mind.
SHAPIRO: DJ D-Nice says he plans to keep the club's doors open, a reminder that as much as social distancing keeps us apart, it is keeping us connected, too.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SHINING")
BEYONCE: (Singing) Don't try to slow me down, slow me down. Yeah. I drop the top out the coupe. They try to get at me. Ooh, they say I'm sweet just like juice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Say, yeah, yeah, yeah. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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