Gen Z Among House Music Fans at Chosen Few Picnic

Nonstop house music for 14 hours? What could be better???

For house music lovers worldwide, July is that one time each year you come together, specifically to Chicago, to enjoy a genre that’s celebrating its 40th year.

The Chosen Few DJs — Mike Dunn, Andre Hatchett, Tony Hatchett, Terry Hunter, Alan King, Jesse Saunders and Wayne Williams — have held the Chosen Few DJs Picnic and Festival for more than 30 years. The attendance was small in the early years and has grown to more than 50,000.

Each year, Chicago-born celebrities make their way home to enjoy the full day of music and fellowship. This year, actress LisaRaye McCoy and comedian and actor Deon Cole graced the stage on Saturday to dance along to the music. And for most who don’t know, Cole is also an emerging DJ. He started doing house music sets on Instagram Live during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The love for house music in Chicago dates back to the 1970s at The Warehouse and the world-renowned DJ Frankie Knuckles. Knuckles, affectionately known as the “Godfather of House Music,” would spin his mixes nonstop and wow legions of house heads, from teens to adults.

Over the last 15 years, house heads, as die-hard fans are affectionately called, brought their kids. Those kids, who were now mostly young Millennials and Gen Z, have a deeper appreciation for the music as it was played more than often in their households. And over the last five years, young DJs — including DJ Ameer, Babydoll and J Star — have added house music to their sets.

DJ Ameer and J Star were invited by the Chosen Few DJs to play at picnic’s pre-parties this year. 

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My "nephews" playing my song!!! The next generation of house music DJs…DJ Ameer and J Star!!!

Chosen Few Festival kickoff party is pic.twitter.com/rrCon2nlhv

— Danielle Sanders (@daniesanders20) July 13, 2024

Kaija Billingslea (she/her) is a Chicago-based journalist who attends an HBCU in Mississippi.

Edited by Kathy Chaney