When it comes to giving people what they want, actor Idris Elba has developed a reputation for doing just that — giving people precisely what they want. Whether that’s delivering a strong on-screen performance, or oozing sexuality during magazine photo shoots, Elba has seemingly mastered the art of pleasing the public … women in particular.
That same skill set has seemingly translated into his second life as a DJ. When Elba is away from Hollywood production sets, it’s a good bet that he’s somewhere manning the turntables in a nightclub while spinning under the moniker DJ Driis. Rolling out recently caught up with Elba, and as we began to chat, the conversation instantly turned to his passion for music. As he continued to elaborate on his true love, Elba revealed his foolproof strategy for turning the party out, no matter the situation. Once again, Elba was out to prove that he knows just how to give the people exactly what they want.
“It doesn’t matter what the situation is, if you play ‘Before I Let Go’ by Frankie Beverly and Maze, good things are going to happen,” Elba explains. “Other than that, I’m a hip-hop head, so I’m always going to play some Jay-Z to get the crowd moving. That and some KRS-One. You can’t lose with those choices.”
So that’s the crowd-moving strategy for Idris Elba when he’s performing as his alter ego DJ Driis. On a personal note, I respect his choices, but I don’t think there’s anything that can match the energy that’s injected into a crowd when you play “Poison” by Bell Biv Devoe. But hey, that’s just me. –dewayne rogers
