Izzy The DJ On Music, Giving Back, And COVID-19

Derrick Isabell, better known as Izzy The DJ, is not only making music to connect with fans but is utilizing his talents to give back to the local community. For instance, in 2020, the 29-year old Norfolk resident teamed up with nonprofit The CROP Foundation to hold a holiday extravaganza unlike any other.

The DJ streamed live, mixing songs for 24 hours straight right from his living room. The goal is to raise money for two local families that have fallen on hard times during this challenging year. The stream was so successful, that he raised over $8,000 in under 24 hours with help from YFN Lucci, Antoine Bethea, Emannuel Hudson, and more.

To discuss his journey, I sat down with Izzy The DJ to gain more insight into his come up story and what is driving him to utilize music as a healer and a hope beacon for his local community.

What inspired you to enter the Disc Jockey arena?

My love for music at a young age inspired me to become a DJ. Traveling a lot as a child, my music influence became very diverse. My uncle taught me how to download music and burn CD’s when I was about 10 years old and I began creating mix CD’s with my favorite tracks. I also had an older cousin “T”, who was the first DJ I ever remember. One year for Christmas my stepmom copped me my first set of tables and the rest was history.

You’ve become very well known among the HBCU Community. How do you feel about that success?

I love that the HBCU community has embraced me so much! Anyone that knows me knows that I am a HUGE advocate for HBCU’s. I even created a HBCU specific entrepreneur scholarship in 2019 called the “IzzyPreneur Scholarship”. I’ve attended four HBCU’s before graduating from The Norfolk State University and often joke and say I was a professional black college student because I bounced around so much in that circuit. It’s a community like no other and I still have lifelong relationships and business ventures going with all the schools I attended, which eventually led to me working with schools and markets that I was foreign to because of those relationships. With that I am forever grateful.

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia how has the southern Hip-hip culture played a role in your career?

It has played a major role in my career. I believe the south has this sort of charm where people just gravitate to us. Maybe it’s the southern hospitality, however growing up listening to the likes of Outkast, Pastor Troy, Boosie, Webbie, Yo Gotti, UGK, T.I, Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Gucci, and many more, showed me how to rise from being an underdog to the cream of the crop. The south for the longest was considered the underdog region and I compare myself to that, because essentially, I feel like an underdog due to me not coming from a major city, but just like the south rose to prominence, I believe I will as well.

Recently, you curated a 24-hour fundraiser via Instagram live where you DJ’ed for 24 consecutive hours. You had a few familiar faces such as YFN Lucci and Emmanuel Hudson surprise your viewers; what inspired you to do this and what was that entire experience like?

Well, I’m big on community outreach and giving back so in 2019 me and my team had a holiday gala where we got dapper and socialized in hopes to raise money and donate all proceeds to a family for the holiday. Due to Covid this year, that became a little difficult to do. I always had this idea of DJ’ing for 24hrs consecutively on Instagram live. That stemmed from being in quarantine for however long and I would turn my Instagram live into “Club Izzy”, so I figured I’d give it a try in hopes to raise money to bless a family in need for the holidays. It went so well we blessed four families. The experience was amazing! I was very tired towards the 18^th hour, but I had great support the entire 24 hours, making sure I was hydrated, and I was eating properly. I was overwhelmed and humbled by the support this event received.

How did you build a relationship with Lucci and Emmanuel?

Me and Eman go back to our college days. We attended Albany State together. Even with his fame we’ve always kept a close relationship and have done comedy shows together every now and then, so we are likely family. Me and Lucci relationship is hugely influenced by my guy Dae-Dae, who spearheads Think it’s a Game Records. Real solid guy. Ironically before I even knew Dae-Dae signed Lucci as an artist, we were doing parties together in Miami for college spring break. We built our relationship, and I was able to help break Lucci in the DMV area and in return I received my first two plaques. Every time I run into Lucci, it’s always love, so even though we linked through my guy, he still keeps it solid. He will always have my support, and his music is dope!

You’ve been on 106 & park twice as a guest DJ, broke records for both Meg Thee Stallion, lucci, DJ’ed for artists such as DA Baby, Lil baby, Migos. What do you feel was your biggest moment in your career so far?

Even with all the celebrity events I’ve done over the years, I think it may be between 106 & Park and DJ’ing for Allen Iverson when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 106 & Park moments were when I had just moved to Virginia and it definitely propelled my name to some kind of notoriety, and it was also my first time going to New York. I was a fresh 21-year-old, and myself and a few homies drop up. The experience taught me a lot about the industry for sure. I definitely think it made me dream even bigger after those moment. The A.I. moment was crazy, because growing that was my favorite player and then as an adult to have the honor to DJ for a legend like him as he receives arguably his biggest accolade of his career was mind blowing to me. It was also my first time ever visiting Massachusetts lol!

What can we expect from Izzy The DJ in 2021?

2021 you can expect the world to know who Izzy The DJ is. Brand expansion and elevation… even in a pandemic! But all I’ll say is TOUR! I won’t go in to details yet but you all will most definitely want to tap back in with me a few months from now for the details because I believe it’s the one and not the two lol.

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About the Author

Clayton Durant Clayton Durant is the founder and CEO of CAD Management, an entertainment consulting company that focuses on event, tour, and strategic management for indie artists and brands. Email him at [email protected] to connect.