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Gerald Knight: Versatile DJ Will Put His Spin on TWG 2022 at Legion Field

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — TWG 2022, which will draw elite athletes from more than 100 countries around the globe, will take place from July 7 through July 17, 2022, at various venues across the Birmingham metro area—including Protective Stadium, Legion Field, the Birmingham CrossPlex, and the Hoover Metropolitan Complex—and is expected to have an estimated $256 million in economic impact.
The post Gerald Knight: Versatile DJ Will Put His Spin on TWG 2022 at Legion Field first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
The post Gerald Knight: Versatile DJ Will Put His Spin on TWG 2022 at Legion Field appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 years ago

July 6, 2022

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By Nicole S. Daniel | The Birmingham Times

The World Games 2022 (TWG 2022) kick off in Birmingham next week, and not only is the city prepared but one of the area’s premier DJs for the event—Gerald Knight, aka DJ New Era—is prepared, as well.

Knight announced in late May on social media that he was selected to be one of the DJs at Legion Field, site of the flag football competition. His daily responsibilities will include hyping the crowd, playing music during warmups and when a team scores, making sure the music matches the vibe, and most importantly keeping everyone entertained.

TWG 2022, which will draw elite athletes from more than 100 countries around the globe, will take place from July 7 through July 17, 2022, at various venues across the Birmingham metro area—including Protective Stadium, Legion Field, the Birmingham CrossPlex, and the Hoover Metropolitan Complex—and is expected to have an estimated $256 million in economic impact.

Supportive Home

Knight, 35, who also DJs basketball and softball games at the University of Alabama (UA), grew up in a very strict two-parent household with two brothers—one older, Eugene, and one younger, Randall—in Fairfield, Alabama. There were no video games on school nights, and the boys had to be in bed by 8:30 p.m.

Knight describes his parents as very supportive and notes that they play a major role in his life. Both his mother and father are members of historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs) that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council, collectively referred to as “The Divine Nine”: his father is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, and his mother is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

When Knight decided that he wanted to become a DJ, he turned to his parents for financial support to buy equipment.

“My parents would help me get bookings for Greek events, and they would support me by showing up and cheering me on,” said Knight, adding that his father, who worked at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center, would often recommend his son for corporate events.

Growing up, Knight loved shoes and clothes. Because he had expensive taste and wanted to buy certain name brands, he had to find a way to make money while at Fairfield High Preparatory School and when he went to college at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).

“I wanted to become a DJ when I saw how much money I could make,” he said.

At the age of 21, he sharpened his DJ skills after his parents invested in turntables for him. He also watched videos on YouTube, where he learned the basics of mixing. Eventually, he had the opportunity to shadow a few DJs and learned how to hook up speakers and better work his turntables.

Word of Mouth

Becoming a DJ enabled Knight to both express himself through fashion and earn money. While in college, a lot of his income came from selling CDs and mixtapes to students, as well as through his bookings, most of which came from word of mouth. Although he was a student at UAH, he was also popular on the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) campus.

“I was always [at AAMU] passing out business cards and selling mixtapes,” said the DJ, who notes that his preferred type of music is old-school R&B and lists Anita Baker, Brian McKnight, Joe, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and the Isley Brothers as some of his favorites.

Knight also earned his moniker, DJ New Era, during his college years. He was known for wearing headgear by the New Era Cap Company, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, that has been the exclusive baseball cap supplier for Major League Baseball since 1934. According to Knight, his name stands for new beginnings. When a person hears his name, he said, he wants them to think of him being cool, sexy, talented, humble, self-made, and God-fearing.

“With age comes growth, and you have to grow with your age,” said Knight. “Change is good, and it’s needed when you want to grow.”

Knight graduated from UAH in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems. He chose the major because it was in the business field, and he knew he wanted to do something that involved computers and marketing. “I use that degree when it comes to marketing and branding myself,” he said.

After graduation, Knight went on to build a name for himself with appearances in Alabama, New York, Georgia, and Texas, as well as in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Miami, Florida—all of which attracted the attention of large corporations, such as Victoria’s Secret, Macy’s, DSW, and Abercrombie and Fitch.

Knight currently co-hosts the “Alabama in the Morning” show with female host Amber “Alabama” Cole on 103.7 The Q (WQEN-FM); the program airs Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Knight delivers an open format style of mixing, successfully blending different genres of music, including hip-hop, rock, reggae, house music, and more.

“God Is Good”

Like many in the Birmingham metro area, Knight is looking forward TWG 2022. “When I received the email, I was excited because [it] read, ‘The World Games.’ It took me an hour to reply back [because] I didn’t want to seem too eager,” Knight laughed.

He was recommended for TWG 2022 by faculty and staff at UA, where he is contracted to DJ for basketball and softball games. Reminiscing, he remembers that his favorite UA gig was DJing a Welcome Week event for freshmen, which led to a contract with the school’s athletic department specifically to serve as DJ for the basketball and softball teams.

“Networking is key in my book for success. God is good and right on time,” he said.

When TWG 2022 event coordinators reached out to UA for DJ recommendations, they recommended Knight. Asked if this will be a challenge, Knight said, “Not at all. I’m very versatile.”

“UA has made me become comfortable due to the diversity the school has, and my music catalog is enormous,” he said.

You can listen to DJ New Era on the “Alabama in the Morning” show, which airs Monday through Friday, from 6 a.am to 10 a.m., on 103.7 The Q (WQEN-FM).

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

The post Gerald Knight: Versatile DJ Will Put His Spin on TWG 2022 at Legion Field first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

The post Gerald Knight: Versatile DJ Will Put His Spin on TWG 2022 at Legion Field appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

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Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.