YOU KNOW YOU’RE A PRETTY big damn deal when you’re expecting more than 2000 people at your birthday party at an Atlanta mega-venue featuring one of the biggest national DJs.
If you weren't sure before, be told that drag diva Nicole Paige Brooks has arrived. Just don’t ask her how old she is.
“We’re going with 28. I'm eternally 28. Is that a problem with anybody?” she asks. “Twenty-eight says I’ve done all my partying, and I'm looking forward to my 30s when I settle down.”
Luckily, she has just enough of whatever it is that keeps her going to get her through July Fourth Weekend’s biggest party, conceived by newbie party producer Jason Snead and his company 2getha Productions.
Well aware that first impressions are everything, Snead isn’t messing around. Wildly popular Atlanta-based DJ Vancronkhite warms up the tables before the party packs the penultimate punch with a set by megastar DJ-Producer Offer Nissim. Nissim steps in to replace an ailing Peter Rauhofer, who cancelled several dates including Atlanta as late as June 29.
SNEAD ACTUALLY RUNS his own electrical contracting business, but you’d never know that by the flurry of phone calls that all get the same description of the event:
“This is my first big event, so it’s got to be absolutely the craziest thing these people have ever seen," he says. “I don’t want people to think we can’t do it right the first time.
Snead and Brooks met through the House of Brooks — one of Snead’s closest friends is Janelle Brooks, Nicole’s drag granddaughter. Their friendship blossomed from there, and even though this is their first huge party together, both are wholeheartedly dedicated to YouthPride, Atlanta’s gay youth group.
“I see a new generation being misplaced with no places to go, but 18-and-older parties gives these kids a place to go,” says Snead, whose party 18 to enter, 21 to drink.
“Kids get in more trouble when they don’t have a place to go,” he says.
Always hoping to give back to the community that supports her, Brooks says she found the perfect organization in YouthPride because it fills a void and appeals to her maternal instincts.
“I'm a big ol’ Momma,” she says without hesitation. “If there wasn’t an organization that helped these kids, I’d have them all living in my house.”
Brooks was compelled to help after reading a Time magazine article about gay youth, and that’s when she was inspired to partner with Snead and YouthPride to throw monthly youth-only parties with club-quality entertainment.
Brooks says her future is clear: she’ll perform until there’s no one to perform for.
“This is my goal,” she says. “I’ve gotten the right charity, and if YP wants me to be an old lady with a walker doing YP parties, then I’ll do it. There’s no due date for Nicole.”
2getha Productions celebrates Nicole Paige Brooks’ Birthday with DJ Offer Nissim on Saturday, July 1, 9 p.m. at Woodruff Arts Center, 1293 Peachtree St. www.2gethaatl.com
