May 29, 2025 • 17 mins
In this special episode of Queue Points, Jay Ray sits down with Wilmington, Delaware’s own Darnell Miller—musician, community builder, and creator of the Live @ The Loft series. Darnell shares the inspiration behind “Pride @ The Loft,” an event dedicated to celebrating Black queer artistry and creating safe, vibrant spaces for music lovers. Tune in to hear about his journey, the importance of supporting independent Black artists, and how intimate venues are changing the landscape for live music. Plus, get the inside scoop on Indie Planet, Darnell’s radio show spotlighting Black indie talent. Whether you’re a music fan, an artist, or just love positive community vibes, you don’t want to miss this insightful conversation!
Darnell Miller is singer, songwriter and music curator located in Wilmington, Delaware. He’s the founder of Live @ The Loft and the host of Indie Planet on WJVS Radio.
Follow Darnell Miller
Instagram: https://instagram.com/darnellkmiller
Chapter Markers
00:00 Intro Theme
00:06 Welcome and Event Announcement
00:31 Meet Darnell Miller
01:07 The Importance of Pride @ The Loft
02:26 Creating Safe Spaces for Artists
03:57 Performers at Pride @ The Loft
04:51 The Vision Behind Live @ The Loft
07:30 The Future of Intimate Venues
08:13 Why You Should Attend Pride @ The Loft
12:21 The Loft's Inviting Atmosphere
13:25 Indie Planet Radio Show
16:06 Closing Remarks and Gratitude
17:24 Closing Theme
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jay Ray (00:06):
What's up y'all?
It is Jay Ray, co-host of QueuePoints, the podcast, dropping the
needle on black music history.
And I am.
So excited, thrilled, honored that.
On June 7th, an event is gonna behappening in Wilmington, Delaware,
hosted by the amazing Darnell Miller,and it's called Pride @ The Loft, and
(00:29):
it's part of his Live @ The Loft series.
And right here on Queue Pointsright now, Darnell Miller is here.
What's up man?
Darnell Miller (00:37):
I'm good.
I'm good.
I'm glad.
I'm glad to be in my space doing this.
Jay Ray (00:41):
Yes.
Darnell Miller (00:42):
And, uh, you know, I'm excited about Live @ The Loft in general.
Yeah.
But, uh, I, I guess moreso Pride @ The Loft,
Jay Ray (00:50):
man.
Yeah.
So first of all, thank you so much forinviting me to be part of the experience.
So for those of you who are comingthrough, uh, I will be here hosting
the event that night hosting.
And, um, I'm so grateful.
So thank you for that.
What, why Pride @ The Loft now?
Darnell Miller (01:11):
Well, um.
I felt like the time was right inthe Live @ The Loft series because
I had been doing it for sometime and I kind of got a rhythm.
I'm not where I want to be, but I kindof got a rhythm and it was a idea I've
always had because just based on myresearch, excuse me, a lot of the.
Um, a lot of the black queerpopulation in Wilmington, Delaware
(01:35):
specifically are always saying like,well, we don't have anywhere to go.
Where can we go?
Where can we go to hang out?
And then not be crazy?
Or not be like, you know, and it couldjust be about music or just to be about
fun, or just to be about whatever.
And so I figured, you knowwhat, why not do something?
About it.
(01:55):
Yeah.
And I know in this area that hasn'thappened and people could debate
me if they want to, but I, I'm oldenough to remember, or to even know.
Um, but something like thathasn't really happened around
here in probably 30 plus years.
Wow.
You know, when there were multipleplaces for people to go and in
Delaware now there's only one.
(02:16):
And it's, you know, defined by one thing.
And if you're not into that one thing.
And then, you know.
Jay Ray (02:23):
From your perspective.
Why is it important that we have spaceswhere folks can go to be themselves?
Darnell Miller (02:34):
I, I think that with, especially my, my main
thing is music, and it's the musicindustry and the artists in general.
Um, I think that because the musicindustry is so crazy right now.
It's insane.
And we don't get to be, we don't get tohear like real, authentic live music.
(02:55):
Yes.
And then a lot of times artists arenot in a space where they could be
vulnerable and powerful at the same time.
Yeah.
And people forget that artists are.
Out there on stage, night afternight, or getting night after night,
whatever they're doing, and they'rewalking outta that thing sometimes
broke, not even breaking even.
And they're tired, they're mentallydrained, but there's not their, there's
(03:17):
not a moment where they can get everythingthat they, that they poured out to people.
Yeah.
And so I Live @ The Loft is like, Iwanted to make it a space where the artist
is heard and the audience is engagedand, but also the artist gets fed too.
Jay Ray (03:32):
Yes.
Darnell Miller (03:33):
You know, it's, it's an interesting thing.
Every time an artist comes here,they say, wow, this was great.
Yeah.
You know, I feel a whole lot better.
Or, I didn't know it wasgoing to be like this.
And, you know, it's just agreat night of engagement.
It's a, it's a, it's a two way street.
It's not just gimme,gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme.
But it's really a giveand take the whole night.
Jay Ray (03:54):
Yeah.
Um.
So we're gonna have, Janay Keysis gonna be here performing
Janay Keys,
Marcus G
Darnell Miller (04:03):
Marcus G.
Jay Ray (04:04):
Big Grizz.
And Big Grizz.
Darnell Miller (04:06):
Yes.
And I didn't know that Big Grizzand Marcus G did a song together.
You see how spirit
Jay Ray (04:12):
comes together, just work itself out.
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (04:14):
And my thing with this whole, just these past few Live @ The
Lofts, that specifically this one, youhave a vision, but it's not necessarily
the vision that's supposed to happen.
Yeah.
But like the universe said, no,you need what's needed in there.
You know what I'm saying?
Yes.
And so that's how I just, after a while,I just let those pieces fall into play.
(04:36):
I let 'em fall into play.
Yeah.
You know, I was like, well,who can I get the hostess?
I don't know what to do.
And a little birdie spoketo my ear and said, that's
Johnnie.
Hey.
Hey.
Yeah.
So let's talk a bit about.
Live @ The Loft in general.
(04:58):
When did the idea come to you to do this?
Well, I don't know if I shouldsay this, but what, uh, so, um,
I was doing like a run of shows.
First of all, I'm gonna back it up'cause I didn't really just get it from
this situation, but I grew up in a.
Church where when artists would come totown, you would host the artist and the
(05:21):
artist would sometimes do a house concert.
Yes.
So I grew up on the house concert, uh,philosophy, and I've always done stuff
like that, but informal, like I've hadfriends over, I cook and we just play.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
Just a night.
So, but me and my drummer at the time,we were doing this run of acoustic
(05:41):
shows and we were doing these sofar events and up until that point,
and again, it was the universe.
I refuse to play where anyoneis talking over me anymore.
I don't work too hard and I done,
Jay Ray (05:55):
don't come up and Live @ The Loft talking over the artist.
That's a rule though.
Darnell Miller (05:58):
That's a rule when the artist is playing.
You don't move around, youdon't talk, you listen.
So I refuse now at this point inmy life to to play a room where I
gotta battle with conversations.
And so we were doing this run ofshows and uh, you know, I was like,
Wayne, they're listening to us.
Yeah.
(06:20):
Like they li they listening and they'relike engaged and they're, they're,
you know, they're laughing, you know,they're laughing at my corny jokes and
all that kind of stuff, and, and, and,and we would leave and like, no kidding.
I mean, we would leave as we're packingup to leave like our igs, we get like,
(06:41):
like 80 to 90 followers in that night.
Jay Ray (06:43):
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (06:44):
And then the next night, same thing.
And I was like, okay.
I was like, let me investigate this.
I was like, okay, so these arelike elevated house concerts.
Yeah.
So I was like, I, youknow, I, I wanna do that.
Yeah.
I love that idea.
I love a intimate space,you know what I mean?
Because you get to know theartist in a more intimate setting
(07:05):
without, you know, all the protools and the stems and everything.
It's just them and maybe another.
Musician or whatever, you know?
And I was like, you knowwhat, I wanna do that.
'cause I like that and maybe Icould get a little coin off of it.
Amen.
Amen.
Jay Ray (07:20):
Yes, yes.
Darnell Miller (07:21):
You know?
Well that's
Jay Ray (07:22):
important.
'cause you know what?
When we, we have to keepspaces like this a alive.
Darnell Miller (07:26):
Yeah.
It's needed right now.
Absolutely.
My prediction is like.
I mean, I don't claim to be no guru, nowisdom, but I predicted that, you know,
ticket prices go higher and they will.
You know what I mean?
Venues are closing.
Yep.
Artists and independent artists need tostart thinking about alternative venues.
Yes.
And the smaller venue, the moreintimate venue is gonna be the
(07:49):
way that you win your audience.
It's like evangelism.
Yes.
I go from town to town proselytizing.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
And that's how it's gonna be.
Now as an indie artist, it's gonna be alittle rougher 'cause it's all on you.
Yeah.
You know what I'm saying?
But that's the, that's the wayyou're gonna build your fan base or
when your audience is that smallervenues like this or things like this.
Jay Ray (08:11):
Mm. So.
In speaking to, if you could speakto folks out there in the world, in
Wilmington, Delaware about why they needto be in this room for Pride @ The Loft
on June 7th, what would you tell them?
Darnell Miller (08:25):
I would say that because it needs to happen in light
of whatever things I've been hearingfrom that's been happening around
in the area, it needs to happen.
You need to support these spaces, notonly independent artist spaces, but other.
Queer spaces, like, you know, andI'm, I'm gonna make that call to
(08:45):
all my church folk and my believers.
'cause my question is,what Bible are you reading?
Are you reading the sameBible that I'm reading?
Because like Jesus always.
Went to the non, the
Jay Ray (08:58):
nons.
Yes.
Darnell Miller (08:59):
His disciples were made up of nons.
Yes.
He talked to women in publicwhen women weren't supposed
to be addressed in public.
So like, you know, I'm put in acall to just this area in general.
Number one, Wilmington, free yourself.
That's the problem.
This is a repressed, oppressed area.
You can feel the cloud.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
You know, free yourselfand open up your mind.
(09:20):
Open up your opinion.
Come out and celebrate.
It's not gonna be what you think about,it's not gonna be what you think.
Mm-hmm.
When you get here.
So don't be coming in here andthinking like jokers is gonna be
vogueing the house down and stuff.
Mm-hmm.
That's all stereotypical.
Mm-hmm.
It's music.
Jay Ray (09:34):
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (09:34):
It's music.
It's music.
Come enjoy this music.
Jay Ray (09:38):
Absolutely.
So.
Come out Pride @ The Loft, we're gonnahave, uh, Janay Keys, Marcus G Janay Keys.
Darnell Miller (09:48):
She can sing, man.
My
Jay Ray (09:49):
God.
So she can say opera.
Oh, my funny Janay Keys storyis I went to a Juneteenth event
with my mom two years ago.
Oh, wow.
Jena Keys was singing, andof course I have to meet the
performers like, who's singing?
Yeah.
I was like, oh my God,girl, you killed it.
She met my mom.
We had the best conversation.
(10:09):
She's the sweetie lady.
And so she, we remembered eachother, so this is like, oh,
that we get to be in this space.
Marcus G met randomlyas I was, uh, shooting
my brother was spending that,uh, Queerapalooza last year.
Ended up meeting Marcus G'cause I was shooting pictures.
Mm-hmm.
Big Grizz is the only one I haven'tmet and I haven't met Eddie.
Eddie is going to be here.
(10:29):
Eddie doing the, he's the bartender.
He kind of looks like,you know what Eddie?
Eddie does?
Look.
Zo is here.
Y'all is.
Shout out to Zo.
I could not do this without Zo.
He, it is like, I was like,
Darnell Miller (10:40):
he
Jay Ray (10:40):
looks like Eddie.
Yeah, that is true.
Um,
Darnell Miller (10:43):
my only question is like, what is Eddie gonna wear?
But Eddie has a, he created, hedid exactly my normal bartender.
Her name is Danita.
We call her Danita Jo.
Yeah after Janet Damita Jo, I love.
But um, you know, I was like,Danita, like I got a vision.
You can, you don't have to come to,you don't have to work at this one.
But my vision was to havean all queer team from the
(11:05):
door person to the bartender.
'cause I just want people tofeel, you know, comfortable.
And so I was like, Eddie, who can I get?
You know, at first I was going, Iwas, I talked to your brother, Eddie
Jay Ray (11:16):
Uhhuh.
Yes.
Darnell Miller (11:17):
And I was like, no, no, no, no.
He was like, I don'tknow if I can make it.
But I was like, no, Eddie.
The next day Eddie sent me thedrink menu and I was like, he did
exactly what needed to be done.
So it's gonna be yes, colorful.
And if you need to get there,he gonna get you there quick.
Jay Ray (11:34):
Yo, please be here, Live @ The Loft, June 7th, Wilmington, Delaware.
Check Darnell's page, check, uh, my page.
All the information will be there.
But more importantly, y'all.
Support these kinds of events.
We will, we need them.
Like the thing I love about theLoft before we get outta here too,
(11:57):
uh, Darnell is, well y'all talkabout the radio show now, right?
Oh, we, we cannot go anywhere.
Ain't
Darnell Miller (12:03):
nobody right.
We
Jay Ray (12:04):
gonna definitely talk about the radio show and, um,
this space has such energy in it.
And that's also the thing too.
The loft is, is part of thefa part of the family that is
Darnell Miller (12:21):
happening here?
Mm-hmm.
Well, you know, I remember when Ifirst moved in here, I was in the
middle of like being on the road, soI didn't spend a lot of time in here.
But after I got settled, um, allI did was just have friends over.
And I would cook and we would jam,or I would, we would just hang out.
And even now, like I have a, a, a buddy ofmine that's in from la, you know, who's in
(12:45):
the middle of like, working on his album.
He just came to this side of theworld to, you know, hang out.
And, uh, it's always, I've alwayswanted to make it an inviting space.
Now it's a work in progressbecause now it's, uh.
It's, I know what I wantthis to be, you know?
'cause I, I teach here, I record here.
(13:06):
We do Live @ The Loft here.
You know, all those things.
And, um, so it's a work in progress.
Like I'm, you know, I'm trying to work,I'm, I'm trying to get funding Yeah.
To make it exactly how I want it.
Uh, money cometh now.
Jay Ray (13:20):
Absolutely.
And the fact that you put that out mm-hmm.
In this format is important.
Before we get outta here, wemust talk about your radio show.
Darnell Miller (13:28):
Yes, indie Planet, uh, I am.
It's Indie Planet.
It, it airs every Mondaynight on wjvsradio.com.
You can log on, and we haveour own app, WJVS Radio.
WJVS Radio is a black owned station.
Jay Ray (13:46):
Period.
Darnell Miller (13:47):
And that's, that's the first thing I want to say.
It's a black owned radio station.
And, um, they had approached me, youknow, like, do you wanna be on radio?
And I was like, no, I don't.
You know, but secretly, but secretly,secretly, I was like, well, you know, I
could, I could be, I could play Questlove.
I could be that guy because I'vealways had ambitions to like.
(14:09):
Do that kind of stuff.
Yeah.
But I'm the type of person, like Ihave the ambition, but if you bring
it to me, I'll be like, no, I'm okay.
But like, I really want,I'm that guy, I'm that guy.
So he came to me and uh, I waslike, well, let me think about it.
And, you know, about a couple weeks laterI was like, well, I'll do something.
I want to be, I wannaplay independent music.
Yeah.
Independent artists,independent black artists.
(14:30):
Now, I, I love all genres and I'mall for, listen, I love everything
from death metal to hair metalto country, to, I love it all.
This particular show, I wanted tofocus on the black indie artist because
whenever you look, when you, wheneveryou go to the, uh, DSPs mm-hmm.
And you say you type in indie,it's like all these, you
know, alternative type bands.
(14:53):
So no one thinks that a blackartist is, can be a independent
artist, but to me, the ultimateindependent artist is Eric Robeson
Jay Ray (15:01):
Abs.
Yes.
Darnell Miller (15:04):
And still independent.
Absolutely.
So it's like I wanna lift up allthese wonderful black indie artists,
and we're in a great age, a greatspace now where there's so many,
you have Kevin Ross, you have.
People like El mean you have peoplelike Cleo Soul, you still have your
Jay Ray (15:21):
font foreign exchange.
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (15:22):
You know, yes.
I play the heck out of font.
Like I love, I'm a FTE fan.
Like for Real Little Brother.
Yes.
I'm sorry.
They, this is their farewell tour.
But, uh, so I wanted to lift up those.
And now you have people like Ann Nesbe.
Yes.
Jagged Edge Brownstone.
They're also now independent artists.
Yep.
You know, and so.
I just wanna lift all of them up andto show that it's not just rock and
(15:45):
alternative rock, but it's some good soul.
And the thing I like about Black andthe artists is that it's not monolithic.
Yes.
It's, it runs the gamut.
So I'll play the Sheela who I love.
Jay Ray (15:55):
Oh my God.
Shout out to you.
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (15:57):
I'll play all of that.
And, and, and some in between.
Yeah.
So every Monday night, 8:00 PMto 10:00 PM w JVs radio.com.
You heard it?
Jay Ray (16:06):
Yo, thank you for continuing to do all the work that you do.
For what you do here in thecommunity in Wilmington, it
is necessary and appreciated.
I know you, I mean, youare a legend, so not
Darnell Miller (16:20):
really.
You
Jay Ray (16:21):
are okay, but you are.
Listen,
Darnell Miller (16:24):
he been, I knew your music.
He been doing some good heroin right now.
So
Jay Ray (16:27):
I knew Darnell's music before I knew you.
So, mm-hmm.
Listen, you out here doing your thing.
Um, so definitely checkout the radio show.
Definitely be here forPride @ The Loft on June 7th.
Gotta be here for that.
You gotta be here.
And, um, thank you man for invitingme to be part of this journey.
It's my pleasure.
Appreciate
Darnell Miller (16:46):
you and I hope this will not be the last No.
That last thing that we do together.
Jay Ray (16:50):
Listen, we cooking, you know what I'm saying?
We gonna get this pot that,that kitchen back there.
We gum be cooking.
Darnell Miller (16:56):
Gumbo.
Gumbo.
Yes.
Fish and grits.
Yes.
All that except everything.
Except for okra.
Jay Ray (17:02):
No okra.
Oh, we gotta have a conversation offline.
Oh my God.
Darnell Miller (17:06):
I love okra.
Anyway.
I knew something y'all.
I knew something waswrong with I knew Okra.
Jay Ray (17:11):
Y'all, thank y'all so much for tuning in for
this episode of Queue Points.
Definitely follow Queue Points.
Definitely follow DarnellMiller and be here on June 7th.
We appreciate y'all.
We love y'all.
Peace.
What's up y'all?
It is Jay Ray, co-host of QueuePoints, the podcast, dropping the
needle on black music history.
And I am.
So excited, thrilled, honored that.
On June 7th, an event is gonna behappening in Wilmington, Delaware,
hosted by the amazing Darnell Miller,and it's called Pride @ The Loft, and
(00:29):
it's part of his Live @ The Loft series.
And right here on Queue Pointsright now, Darnell Miller is here.
What's up man?
Darnell Miller (00:37):
I'm good.
I'm good.
I'm glad.
I'm glad to be in my space doing this.
Jay Ray (00:41):
Yes.
Darnell Miller (00:42):
And, uh, you know, I'm excited about Live @ The Loft in general.
Yeah.
But, uh, I, I guess moreso Pride @ The Loft,
Jay Ray (00:50):
man.
Yeah.
So first of all, thank you so much forinviting me to be part of the experience.
So for those of you who are comingthrough, uh, I will be here hosting
the event that night hosting.
And, um, I'm so grateful.
So thank you for that.
What, why Pride @ The Loft now?
Darnell Miller (01:11):
Well, um.
I felt like the time was right inthe Live @ The Loft series because
I had been doing it for sometime and I kind of got a rhythm.
I'm not where I want to be, but I kindof got a rhythm and it was a idea I've
always had because just based on myresearch, excuse me, a lot of the.
Um, a lot of the black queerpopulation in Wilmington, Delaware
(01:35):
specifically are always saying like,well, we don't have anywhere to go.
Where can we go?
Where can we go to hang out?
And then not be crazy?
Or not be like, you know, and it couldjust be about music or just to be about
fun, or just to be about whatever.
And so I figured, you knowwhat, why not do something?
About it.
(01:55):
Yeah.
And I know in this area that hasn'thappened and people could debate
me if they want to, but I, I'm oldenough to remember, or to even know.
Um, but something like thathasn't really happened around
here in probably 30 plus years.
Wow.
You know, when there were multipleplaces for people to go and in
Delaware now there's only one.
(02:16):
And it's, you know, defined by one thing.
And if you're not into that one thing.
And then, you know.
Jay Ray (02:23):
From your perspective.
Why is it important that we have spaceswhere folks can go to be themselves?
Darnell Miller (02:34):
I, I think that with, especially my, my main
thing is music, and it's the musicindustry and the artists in general.
Um, I think that because the musicindustry is so crazy right now.
It's insane.
And we don't get to be, we don't get tohear like real, authentic live music.
(02:55):
Yes.
And then a lot of times artists arenot in a space where they could be
vulnerable and powerful at the same time.
Yeah.
And people forget that artists are.
Out there on stage, night afternight, or getting night after night,
whatever they're doing, and they'rewalking outta that thing sometimes
broke, not even breaking even.
And they're tired, they're mentallydrained, but there's not their, there's
(03:17):
not a moment where they can get everythingthat they, that they poured out to people.
Yeah.
And so I Live @ The Loft is like, Iwanted to make it a space where the artist
is heard and the audience is engagedand, but also the artist gets fed too.
Jay Ray (03:32):
Yes.
Darnell Miller (03:33):
You know, it's, it's an interesting thing.
Every time an artist comes here,they say, wow, this was great.
Yeah.
You know, I feel a whole lot better.
Or, I didn't know it wasgoing to be like this.
And, you know, it's just agreat night of engagement.
It's a, it's a, it's a two way street.
It's not just gimme,gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme.
But it's really a giveand take the whole night.
Jay Ray (03:54):
Yeah.
Um.
So we're gonna have, Janay Keysis gonna be here performing
Janay Keys,
Marcus G
Darnell Miller (04:03):
Marcus G.
Jay Ray (04:04):
Big Grizz.
And Big Grizz.
Darnell Miller (04:06):
Yes.
And I didn't know that Big Grizzand Marcus G did a song together.
You see how spirit
Jay Ray (04:12):
comes together, just work itself out.
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (04:14):
And my thing with this whole, just these past few Live @ The
Lofts, that specifically this one, youhave a vision, but it's not necessarily
the vision that's supposed to happen.
Yeah.
But like the universe said, no,you need what's needed in there.
You know what I'm saying?
Yes.
And so that's how I just, after a while,I just let those pieces fall into play.
(04:36):
I let 'em fall into play.
Yeah.
You know, I was like, well,who can I get the hostess?
I don't know what to do.
And a little birdie spoketo my ear and said, that's
Johnnie.
Hey.
Hey.
Yeah.
So let's talk a bit about.
Live @ The Loft in general.
(04:58):
When did the idea come to you to do this?
Well, I don't know if I shouldsay this, but what, uh, so, um,
I was doing like a run of shows.
First of all, I'm gonna back it up'cause I didn't really just get it from
this situation, but I grew up in a.
Church where when artists would come totown, you would host the artist and the
(05:21):
artist would sometimes do a house concert.
Yes.
So I grew up on the house concert, uh,philosophy, and I've always done stuff
like that, but informal, like I've hadfriends over, I cook and we just play.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
Just a night.
So, but me and my drummer at the time,we were doing this run of acoustic
(05:41):
shows and we were doing these sofar events and up until that point,
and again, it was the universe.
I refuse to play where anyoneis talking over me anymore.
I don't work too hard and I done,
Jay Ray (05:55):
don't come up and Live @ The Loft talking over the artist.
That's a rule though.
Darnell Miller (05:58):
That's a rule when the artist is playing.
You don't move around, youdon't talk, you listen.
So I refuse now at this point inmy life to to play a room where I
gotta battle with conversations.
And so we were doing this run ofshows and uh, you know, I was like,
Wayne, they're listening to us.
Yeah.
(06:20):
Like they li they listening and they'relike engaged and they're, they're,
you know, they're laughing, you know,they're laughing at my corny jokes and
all that kind of stuff, and, and, and,and we would leave and like, no kidding.
I mean, we would leave as we're packingup to leave like our igs, we get like,
(06:41):
like 80 to 90 followers in that night.
Jay Ray (06:43):
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (06:44):
And then the next night, same thing.
And I was like, okay.
I was like, let me investigate this.
I was like, okay, so these arelike elevated house concerts.
Yeah.
So I was like, I, youknow, I, I wanna do that.
Yeah.
I love that idea.
I love a intimate space,you know what I mean?
Because you get to know theartist in a more intimate setting
(07:05):
without, you know, all the protools and the stems and everything.
It's just them and maybe another.
Musician or whatever, you know?
And I was like, you knowwhat, I wanna do that.
'cause I like that and maybe Icould get a little coin off of it.
Amen.
Amen.
Jay Ray (07:20):
Yes, yes.
Darnell Miller (07:21):
You know?
Well that's
Jay Ray (07:22):
important.
'cause you know what?
When we, we have to keepspaces like this a alive.
Darnell Miller (07:26):
Yeah.
It's needed right now.
Absolutely.
My prediction is like.
I mean, I don't claim to be no guru, nowisdom, but I predicted that, you know,
ticket prices go higher and they will.
You know what I mean?
Venues are closing.
Yep.
Artists and independent artists need tostart thinking about alternative venues.
Yes.
And the smaller venue, the moreintimate venue is gonna be the
(07:49):
way that you win your audience.
It's like evangelism.
Yes.
I go from town to town proselytizing.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
And that's how it's gonna be.
Now as an indie artist, it's gonna be alittle rougher 'cause it's all on you.
Yeah.
You know what I'm saying?
But that's the, that's the wayyou're gonna build your fan base or
when your audience is that smallervenues like this or things like this.
Jay Ray (08:11):
Mm. So.
In speaking to, if you could speakto folks out there in the world, in
Wilmington, Delaware about why they needto be in this room for Pride @ The Loft
on June 7th, what would you tell them?
Darnell Miller (08:25):
I would say that because it needs to happen in light
of whatever things I've been hearingfrom that's been happening around
in the area, it needs to happen.
You need to support these spaces, notonly independent artist spaces, but other.
Queer spaces, like, you know, andI'm, I'm gonna make that call to
(08:45):
all my church folk and my believers.
'cause my question is,what Bible are you reading?
Are you reading the sameBible that I'm reading?
Because like Jesus always.
Went to the non, the
Jay Ray (08:58):
nons.
Yes.
Darnell Miller (08:59):
His disciples were made up of nons.
Yes.
He talked to women in publicwhen women weren't supposed
to be addressed in public.
So like, you know, I'm put in acall to just this area in general.
Number one, Wilmington, free yourself.
That's the problem.
This is a repressed, oppressed area.
You can feel the cloud.
Yes.
You know what I mean?
You know, free yourselfand open up your mind.
(09:20):
Open up your opinion.
Come out and celebrate.
It's not gonna be what you think about,it's not gonna be what you think.
Mm-hmm.
When you get here.
So don't be coming in here andthinking like jokers is gonna be
vogueing the house down and stuff.
Mm-hmm.
That's all stereotypical.
Mm-hmm.
It's music.
Jay Ray (09:34):
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (09:34):
It's music.
It's music.
Come enjoy this music.
Jay Ray (09:38):
Absolutely.
So.
Come out Pride @ The Loft, we're gonnahave, uh, Janay Keys, Marcus G Janay Keys.
Darnell Miller (09:48):
She can sing, man.
My
Jay Ray (09:49):
God.
So she can say opera.
Oh, my funny Janay Keys storyis I went to a Juneteenth event
with my mom two years ago.
Oh, wow.
Jena Keys was singing, andof course I have to meet the
performers like, who's singing?
Yeah.
I was like, oh my God,girl, you killed it.
She met my mom.
We had the best conversation.
(10:09):
She's the sweetie lady.
And so she, we remembered eachother, so this is like, oh,
that we get to be in this space.
Marcus G met randomlyas I was, uh, shooting
my brother was spending that,uh, Queerapalooza last year.
Ended up meeting Marcus G'cause I was shooting pictures.
Mm-hmm.
Big Grizz is the only one I haven'tmet and I haven't met Eddie.
Eddie is going to be here.
(10:29):
Eddie doing the, he's the bartender.
He kind of looks like,you know what Eddie?
Eddie does?
Look.
Zo is here.
Y'all is.
Shout out to Zo.
I could not do this without Zo.
He, it is like, I was like,
Darnell Miller (10:40):
he
Jay Ray (10:40):
looks like Eddie.
Yeah, that is true.
Um,
Darnell Miller (10:43):
my only question is like, what is Eddie gonna wear?
But Eddie has a, he created, hedid exactly my normal bartender.
Her name is Danita.
We call her Danita Jo.
Yeah after Janet Damita Jo, I love.
But um, you know, I was like,Danita, like I got a vision.
You can, you don't have to come to,you don't have to work at this one.
But my vision was to havean all queer team from the
(11:05):
door person to the bartender.
'cause I just want people tofeel, you know, comfortable.
And so I was like, Eddie, who can I get?
You know, at first I was going, Iwas, I talked to your brother, Eddie
Jay Ray (11:16):
Uhhuh.
Yes.
Darnell Miller (11:17):
And I was like, no, no, no, no.
He was like, I don'tknow if I can make it.
But I was like, no, Eddie.
The next day Eddie sent me thedrink menu and I was like, he did
exactly what needed to be done.
So it's gonna be yes, colorful.
And if you need to get there,he gonna get you there quick.
Jay Ray (11:34):
Yo, please be here, Live @ The Loft, June 7th, Wilmington, Delaware.
Check Darnell's page, check, uh, my page.
All the information will be there.
But more importantly, y'all.
Support these kinds of events.
We will, we need them.
Like the thing I love about theLoft before we get outta here too,
(11:57):
uh, Darnell is, well y'all talkabout the radio show now, right?
Oh, we, we cannot go anywhere.
Ain't
Darnell Miller (12:03):
nobody right.
We
Jay Ray (12:04):
gonna definitely talk about the radio show and, um,
this space has such energy in it.
And that's also the thing too.
The loft is, is part of thefa part of the family that is
Darnell Miller (12:21):
happening here?
Mm-hmm.
Well, you know, I remember when Ifirst moved in here, I was in the
middle of like being on the road, soI didn't spend a lot of time in here.
But after I got settled, um, allI did was just have friends over.
And I would cook and we would jam,or I would, we would just hang out.
And even now, like I have a, a, a buddy ofmine that's in from la, you know, who's in
(12:45):
the middle of like, working on his album.
He just came to this side of theworld to, you know, hang out.
And, uh, it's always, I've alwayswanted to make it an inviting space.
Now it's a work in progressbecause now it's, uh.
It's, I know what I wantthis to be, you know?
'cause I, I teach here, I record here.
(13:06):
We do Live @ The Loft here.
You know, all those things.
And, um, so it's a work in progress.
Like I'm, you know, I'm trying to work,I'm, I'm trying to get funding Yeah.
To make it exactly how I want it.
Uh, money cometh now.
Jay Ray (13:20):
Absolutely.
And the fact that you put that out mm-hmm.
In this format is important.
Before we get outta here, wemust talk about your radio show.
Darnell Miller (13:28):
Yes, indie Planet, uh, I am.
It's Indie Planet.
It, it airs every Mondaynight on wjvsradio.com.
You can log on, and we haveour own app, WJVS Radio.
WJVS Radio is a black owned station.
Jay Ray (13:46):
Period.
Darnell Miller (13:47):
And that's, that's the first thing I want to say.
It's a black owned radio station.
And, um, they had approached me, youknow, like, do you wanna be on radio?
And I was like, no, I don't.
You know, but secretly, but secretly,secretly, I was like, well, you know, I
could, I could be, I could play Questlove.
I could be that guy because I'vealways had ambitions to like.
(14:09):
Do that kind of stuff.
Yeah.
But I'm the type of person, like Ihave the ambition, but if you bring
it to me, I'll be like, no, I'm okay.
But like, I really want,I'm that guy, I'm that guy.
So he came to me and uh, I waslike, well, let me think about it.
And, you know, about a couple weeks laterI was like, well, I'll do something.
I want to be, I wannaplay independent music.
Yeah.
Independent artists,independent black artists.
(14:30):
Now, I, I love all genres and I'mall for, listen, I love everything
from death metal to hair metalto country, to, I love it all.
This particular show, I wanted tofocus on the black indie artist because
whenever you look, when you, wheneveryou go to the, uh, DSPs mm-hmm.
And you say you type in indie,it's like all these, you
know, alternative type bands.
(14:53):
So no one thinks that a blackartist is, can be a independent
artist, but to me, the ultimateindependent artist is Eric Robeson
Jay Ray (15:01):
Abs.
Yes.
Darnell Miller (15:04):
And still independent.
Absolutely.
So it's like I wanna lift up allthese wonderful black indie artists,
and we're in a great age, a greatspace now where there's so many,
you have Kevin Ross, you have.
People like El mean you have peoplelike Cleo Soul, you still have your
Jay Ray (15:21):
font foreign exchange.
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (15:22):
You know, yes.
I play the heck out of font.
Like I love, I'm a FTE fan.
Like for Real Little Brother.
Yes.
I'm sorry.
They, this is their farewell tour.
But, uh, so I wanted to lift up those.
And now you have people like Ann Nesbe.
Yes.
Jagged Edge Brownstone.
They're also now independent artists.
Yep.
You know, and so.
I just wanna lift all of them up andto show that it's not just rock and
(15:45):
alternative rock, but it's some good soul.
And the thing I like about Black andthe artists is that it's not monolithic.
Yes.
It's, it runs the gamut.
So I'll play the Sheela who I love.
Jay Ray (15:55):
Oh my God.
Shout out to you.
Yeah.
Darnell Miller (15:57):
I'll play all of that.
And, and, and some in between.
Yeah.
So every Monday night, 8:00 PMto 10:00 PM w JVs radio.com.
You heard it?
Jay Ray (16:06):
Yo, thank you for continuing to do all the work that you do.
For what you do here in thecommunity in Wilmington, it
is necessary and appreciated.
I know you, I mean, youare a legend, so not
Darnell Miller (16:20):
really.
You
Jay Ray (16:21):
are okay, but you are.
Listen,
Darnell Miller (16:24):
he been, I knew your music.
He been doing some good heroin right now.
So
Jay Ray (16:27):
I knew Darnell's music before I knew you.
So, mm-hmm.
Listen, you out here doing your thing.
Um, so definitely checkout the radio show.
Definitely be here forPride @ The Loft on June 7th.
Gotta be here for that.
You gotta be here.
And, um, thank you man for invitingme to be part of this journey.
It's my pleasure.
Appreciate
Darnell Miller (16:46):
you and I hope this will not be the last No.
That last thing that we do together.
Jay Ray (16:50):
Listen, we cooking, you know what I'm saying?
We gonna get this pot that,that kitchen back there.
We gum be cooking.
Darnell Miller (16:56):
Gumbo.
Gumbo.
Yes.
Fish and grits.
Yes.
All that except everything.
Except for okra.
Jay Ray (17:02):
No okra.
Oh, we gotta have a conversation offline.
Oh my God.
Darnell Miller (17:06):
I love okra.
Anyway.
I knew something y'all.
I knew something waswrong with I knew Okra.
Jay Ray (17:11):
Y'all, thank y'all so much for tuning in for
this episode of Queue Points.
Definitely follow Queue Points.
Definitely follow DarnellMiller and be here on June 7th.
We appreciate y'all.
We love y'all.
Peace.
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