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Cakes Da Killa, Nita Aviance, Rochelle Jordan and Eli Escobar discuss the current climate of dance music, being inspired by the nightlife of New York City, and how to turn painful experiences into music.

Brooklyn-based rapper Cakes Da Killa’s music blends ‘90s grit with club beats, with witty, unapologetic lyrics that promote Black excellence and LGBTQIA+ visibility in the hip hop world. Nita Aviance is a producer and DJ who is one of the most prominent figures in New York’s LGBTQIA+ nightlife scene. Originally a trained percussionist, jazz singer and dancer, she was inducted into the legendary House of Aviance and has had DJ residencies across New York City. Rochelle Jordan is a singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada, whose gritty and experimental R&B sound has seen her gain a cult following. She’s released four albums since 2011, and collaborated with the likes of Childish Gambino and Jimmy Edgar. Eli Escobar is a DJ and producer who has been tearing up clubs in New York and beyond over the last two decades. He’s built a unique sound that combines his love of hip-hop, disco, dance music and remixing, and also runs his own label, Night People NYC.