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On a breezy Saturday evening in South L.A., the sounds of heavy kick drums and electric claps trail down the block from a tan, two-story house with a well-manicured lawn.

Through the large front window, passersby can catch a glimpse of a DJ in a dimly lighted living room, meticulously turning knobs on a mixer and blending house records together. In the dining room, about 15 people dance and socialize under a crystal chandelier. Dark liquor flows into red cups.



A man sits between a woman’s legs as she braids his hair into cornrows, while another guest taps a tambourine to the beat of the music. From a distance, this scene may look like a typical house party, which is exactly the allure of “ Black House Radio ,” a YouTube show and L.A.

event series spotlighting Black DJs who specialize in house music. Throughout the gathering, no one pays much attention to the cameras recording, and for the hundreds of thousands of viewers at home, watching the videos feels like you’ve been ushered into a high energy kickback. At a time when DJs are showcasing their skills in creative ways and in sometimes unexpected settings — at parks , on elevators , at the beach , inside loft apartments , in the subway and at laundromats — “ Black House Radio” stands out because of its familial charm and devotion to the genre it highlights.

“I want ‘Black House Radio’ to feel like a warm, nostalgic hug from a grandmother,” says founder Michael Donte, who’s also a filmmaker, produce.

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