As our newest Creative Industry Liason, Darlene Jackson meets with students in Audio, Music and Music Business, two days a week. Make an appointment with her via Oasis, or by calling the front desk.
One of the hardest working DJ/Producers in the business, Darlene Jackson, a.k.a. DJ Lady D holds a special place among Chicago’s music community. No conversation about the Chicago nightclub scene is complete without at least mentioning her role in the city. A popular DJ and resident in several of Chicago’s top clubs, her status is celebrity-like in Chicago, with Chicago Magazine calling her, “Chicago’s House Music Queen”.
DJ Lady D has played nationally and internationally since 1995. Her appeal is diverse; she has performed versatile sets of house, techno, disco and open-format for fan-filled and celebrity events extensively in North America, Europe, Asia and Russia. Her now classic CD, “Naked Kaleidoscope”, put her on the map in addition to producing, remixing and supervising music while at Afterhours Music, where she acted as A&R and label manager. Lady D has directed her own record label D’lectable Music since 2004 with over 50 titles under her publishing.
A bit of a media darling, she’s been featured in Spin Magazine, Billboard, International DJ, Dance Music Authority, URB, Chicago Tribune, New City, Red Eye, UR, Chicago Scene and several more. Her career also encompasses writing and presenting in print/digital (Chicago Tribune, Metromix.com, Chicago Magazine, Urb, Venus) and broadcast media, hosting and appearing on shows for Chicago Public Media, Vocalo, WYCC-TV, WGN-TV, CLTV, Galaxy Radio UK, Q101, 101WKQX and many more. She is often asked to be featured in many documentaries such as: Slipcue, Godfather of Disco, Girl,Girls Gone Vinyl, Maestro, with more on the way.
Lady D is one of a few women DJs (three) who have played the DJ stage, along with names like Skrillex, AfroJack and the like, at the largest North American festival, Lollapalooza. Currently, she remains focused on studio work and an upcoming tour (2015) celebrating 20 years of being a DJ/Producer/Remixer. She is also a resident DJ, and the only woman resident DJ appearing on the 101WKQX FM popular Saturday night mix show, “Electric Playground”. You can catch her sets regularly at the House of Blues Foundation Room and the popular Chicago club, Untitled. Always in demand, forever the trailblazer, look for more to come from DJ Lady D.
