• Posted: October 27, 2023
• 50 Cent, Andre Hodges, better communities, better construction, Chicago Area Electrical Contractors, Chicago Electrical Contractors, Community Building, Crucial Concflict, Cultur5, DJ Andre Hodges, DJ Dre, Electrical Contractors in Chicago, Elgin, IBEW Local 134, Illinois, live-streaming, music festival, music industry, music studio, Superior Ambulance Service, United Center, We in the Basement, Wing Park

Music has a unique ability to bring people together and create lasting memories. That’s why IBEW Local 134 member and part-time DJ Andre Hodges (also known as DJ Dre) started “Black and Brown Get Down,” an annual free music festival in Elgin, Illinois. 

“A lot of people hear music all the time growing up. There’s single mothers or fathers trying to do their best, and you have these kids who never get to go to a concert and enjoy it because either it costs too much, or timing doesn’t work out, or whatever the case may be,” said Hodges. “So, I always wanted to have free concerts for families, at least once a year.”

The music fest is a day-long family event featuring live performances, food, and a market giving community members a chance to shop for locally-made products. This year’s festival was held on September 23rd at Wing Park in Elgin and included a performance by hip-hop group Crucial Conflict. Crucial Conflict recently opened for 50 Cent at the United Center in Chicago. 

“They were like, ‘we couldn’t go to Chicago without coming here with you guys.’ The crowd was going crazy,” Hodges said about Crucial Conflict’s appearance. 

Hodges works year-round to organize the music festival, lining up sponsorships, securing permits, booking musical acts, and promoting the event. He starts planning six months in advance but will start even earlier for next year’s fest in order to bring in more sponsors and bigger talent. 

“As a DJ, I have access to music that’s not even out yet. So I play remixes, old school stuff, classics and disco,” Hodges said.

In addition to music, Hodges hopes to incorporate a carnival next year to take the event “to another level” for families. 

The music festival is a labor of love for Hodges, who does it out of his heart and funded it himself in the early years. Now he has support from sponsors like Superior Ambulance Service, which has been the main sponsor for several years. 

“When [Superior Ambulance Service] saw the vision and saw everything I brought out, people who wanted to change their life and become a paramedic were signing up right there,” Hodges said about Superior’s involvement in the festival. 

In addition to Superior Ambulance Service, Cultur5 and the City of Elgin also helped to sponsor this year’s event. 

Hodges works as a DJ and owns the entertainment company We in the Basement. The name comes from when his kids first discovered he had a music studio in their basement and started live-streaming him on social media. 

“The only thing I could think of was just tell them where you are. I’m in the basement. Next thing you know I got 6,000 hits on Facebook,” Hodges recalled. 

We in the Basement has since grown into Hodges’ brand and lifestyle. As an IBEW Local 134 member, he’s able to follow his passion for music while also providing for his family. The annual music festival allows Hodges to give back to his community and create special memories through the power of music.