Twin Cities mourns loss of legendary DJ, Brother Jules
By Harry Colbert, Jr., editor-in-chief
A bit after midnight on Dec. 4 Brother Jules was replying to a message on his Facebook page … a message of praise for a reggae mix that aired on 89.9 FM, KMOJ “The People’s Station.”
The next activity on his page, just a few hours later, was a flood of messages of condolences and disbelief. Brother Jules was gone.
Jules, a product of North Minneapolis and world-renowned DJ who was the personal DJ to Prince, is being remembered as a both a pioneering DJ and as a friend.
Julian “Brother Jules” White was a beloved DJ and radio personality who DJed and toured for Prince. Photo by Harry Colbert, Jr., courtesy of Insight News
“This is a hard one for me to take,” said friend and KMOJ personality Walter “Q Bear” Banks, Jr. “He was one of the most humble dudes I know. He was an amazing friend and brother.”
Banks said from early on he knew Jules, born Julian White, was special.
“He is a hell of a DJ,” said Banks, still speaking of Jules in the present. “He’s one of the coldest DJs on the planet. He was a master mixologist. For him, it wasn’t just spinning a record; he knew how to mix music in ways like no other.”
It was that skill for mixing that led him to begin DJing for Prince. Jules was just a teenager at the time.
“I didn’t really know who he (Prince) was. I got a call from Sharon Smith (who booked for Glam Slam) to fill in for the regular DJ. After I did my thing two guys, Joey and Dwayne – Prince’s bodyguards – came up to me and said, ‘the boss wants you out at Paisley Park,’” recalled Jules in a June 2019 interview in Insight News. “I made my way out there and the rest is history.”
Jules would later DJ for two years for a club Prince owned in Tokyo. Following Prince’s passing in 2016, Jules would return to Tokyo and other international stops including London to spin special Prince inspired sets.
Jules was honored several times throughout his life for his contributions to music, including receiving a Lifetime Achievement honor from the Black Music America Awards.
Services for Julian “Brother Jules” White take place 11 a.m. Dec. 17 (North News publication date) at New Salem Baptist Church, 2507 Bryant Ave. N. A benefit party honoring Jules is scheduled for Dec. 19 from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Reign Nightclub, 2901 Hennepin Ave.