Insane in the Brain
Play the Hits, Not the Deep Cuts
No one wants to hear cool music at a wedding. I learned that over a decade ago when I DJed my friend’s wedding in Seattle. As a record store nerd, I thought I knew the formula: slightly obscure, danceable tracks that would impress the music snobs and still get people moving. Turns out, I was wrong. No one rushed to the dance floor for Neu. Even New Order’s “Blue Monday,” which I thought was a sure thing, fell flat. I threw in Shuggie Otis, and while two other nerds appreciated it, the rest of the crowd wandered off to the bar. Lesson learned: weddings aren’t about proving your musical taste—they’re about getting people dancing.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when I was invited to do a 45-minute DJ set at a friend’s wedding. This time, I wasn’t going to repeat my past mistakes. Sure, the guest list was full of musicians and creative types, but I knew better. It wasn’t about impressing them—it was about impressing partners, parents, and cousins by playing hits and bangers that everyone could sing along to.
I inherited a crowd that had just heard Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” which was a surprising hit. So, I kicked off my set with Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own.” Immediately, people smiled, they sang along, and most importantly—they danced. Next up, Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” which brought out the exaggerated, robotic dance moves and a full crowd sing along. That’s when I decided to have a little fun. I pulled the classic DJ move: grinning confidently while pointing dramatically at specific people in the crowd while nodding. It’s the kind of thing that looks ridiculous in clubs (at least on TV shows, which is as close as I get to the club), but it’s shockingly effective in real life. People love to feel seen on the dance floor. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend it.
Then came the peak of the night: Cypress Hill’s 1993 hit, “Insane in the Brain.” When that opening squeal hit, the crowd lost it. I hoped for a good reaction, but I didn’t anticipate how hard people would rush to the dance floor. Couples, groups, even solo dancers—everyone was getting weird in the best way possible. I bounced harder, grinning and pointing, playing the part of the mythical club DJ. At one point, I tried to film the crowd with my phone, only to accidentally cut off the music for a couple of seconds. Panic set in, but when the song kicked back in, the crowd erupted with cheers, and it somehow made the moment even better.
Nothing I played after that could top the chaos of “Insane in the Brain.” Every song that followed felt like a letdown. I kept smiling and nodding, but the magic had already peaked. The next day, I dug deeper into the song and found a 2022 interview where Cypress Hill summed it up perfectly: “When that song comes on, the beat starts, and you hear that squeal—I don’t got to do nothing. Just look at the crowd and yell that out.”
And that’s exactly how it felt that night. Beyonce was great. Michael Jackson was great. George Michael was great. But “Insane in the Brain”—a less obvious track that I added to the mix at the last minute—hit hard, and for those few minutes, everything else just didn’t matter.
All 20 episodes of Identified Season 1 are live now. Episode one is with Karen Ayers, a living descendant of the man who enslaved my paternal ancestors. After that, it’s a rapidly growing list of musicians, comedians, authors, chefs and friends talking about family. Identified is available on all major podcast platforms, 100% free and ad free. You can watch short video clips on YouTube and Instagram. Watch for Season 2 in 2025.
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My memoir is called My Life in the Sunshine. You can order it here, or listen to the audiobook on Spotify.
I hope to see you somewhere soon. Upcoming events are always listed here.
Nabil Ayers / Brooklyn
Love the pig mascot 😂
Dude the DJ pic!!!!!