While the vast majority of Americans were understandably happy to be home this week while nationwide quarantining became the norm, social distancing is a term many have begrudgingly accepted. It was this line of thinking that convinced Maurice “Moetown” Lee, who serves as the director and vice president of marketing and promotions for One Music Fest, that something had to be done to relieve the stress.
“I saw all the deejays [were] at home and I see a lot of [them] going live or posting about DJing and stuff,” Lee explained. “So I talked to a couple of cats and was like, ‘Why don’t y’all start going live more?’ Once they started going live and I saw people at home viewing, I was like, ‘Man, people [are] at home frustrated. They need something to do.'”
Because DJs need clubs and tours to make money, they too expressed frustration and at the moment, Lee jokingly suggested they do a “marathon of some sort” and dubbed it a “Quarantinathon.” He pitched the idea to a few more DJs across the country and the reception was overwhelmingly positive.
“It just kinda took legs of its own,” he revealed. “So I was like, ‘All right man, let’s do it. Let’s do it for 24 hours on Saturday and then we just may extend it based on the reaction and how people feel about it.'”
The “Quarantinathon” is set to begin Saturday, March 21, at 9 am and will feature some of the hottest DJs from coast to coast. Moreover, with over 300 submissions in the can, which extend to Europe, Canada and Africa, Lee will have a huge decision to make as the likelihood of an extended Quarantinathon rests on the ears of the listening public. What’s certain is, should he decide to keep the party going, he won’t have a shortage of DJs that want to participate.
To view the watch party on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/quarantinathon or do a simple search for “Quarantinathon – DJs saving you from social distancing.”
Flip the page for a full list of DJs set to perform tomorrow, their respective performance slots and listen to the entire interview.
