Events

Somewhere Nowhere is a multi-level indoor lounge and open-air rooftop venue perched at the top of Chelsea’s 

, boasting panoramic views of the city. After opening in July 2021, the nightlife (and daytime) destination quickly became one of the hottest spots in Manhattan. The indoor Main Lounge’s Secret Garden is a whimsical pop of color against Manhattan’s majestic skyline and provides the perfect space for intimate events and shows.

Francis Mercier Live Afro House DJ Set At Somewhere Nowhere NYC - 8/15

Francis Mercier live at Somewhere Nowhere, New York City! 🏙️  

📲 Connect with Francis Mercier
https://instagram.com/djfrancismercier
https://www.facebook.com/djfrancismercier
https://twitter.com/francismercier

🎥 Junior García
https://www.instagram.com/djsfilms_

📲 Connect with Deep Root Records
https://instagram.com/deeprootrecords
https://twitter.com/deeprootrecords
https://facebook.com/deeprootrecords

Somewhere Nowhere NYC is the first rooftop in New York to feature a state-of-the-art sound system from 

. The venue has recently hosted world-renowned artists like Green Velvet, Francis Mercier, Bob Moses, Tini Gessler, Wax Motif, Sonny Fodera and Dombresky.

United States

Somewhere Nowhere

Mau P Afterparty VIP Edition

France

Dombresky

Australia

Wax Motif

Spain

Pablo Fierro

In the heat of the summer of 2021, as New York City slowly and safely reopened, a mystical fantasy emerged like an oasis in the heart of Manhattan.

, a multi-level indoor lounge, nightclub, and open-air rooftop pool perched atop Chelsea’s 

, became one of the hottest spots in the Big Apple. Now entering its second full year in operation, the nightlife (and daytime) destination is poised to expand its diverse slate of musical programming to an even wider audience – throughout New York City and the country.

 will immediately be struck by the venue’s incomparable panoramic views of the cityscape, which recently served as the backdrop to performances from world-renowned electronic artists like 

. Yet one of the founding principles of the venue was to create a space beyond the confines of genre. Somewhere Nowhere’s programming offers an eclectic mix of music, hosting everything from five-piece jazz ensembles for the after-work business crowd to high-energy house and techno sunset sessions that transition the space from an evening cocktail lounge into a VIP nightclub experience.

Green Velvet

Francis Mercier

Tini Gessler

United Kingdom

Sonny Fodera

“To elevate the experience, we like to bring different types of musical formats,” says Nathan Leong, managing partner, founder, and owner of Somewhere Nowhere. “From jazz to 

 to house and deep house to everything from all around the world, we create a melting pot of different styles of music.”

While house and hip hop were born from similar threads and hold their roots in Black culture, how they were historically expressed couldn't be more different. House music became a refuge for the Black and brown LGBTQ community and created a safe space where sexual freedom, hedonism, and radical inclusion were the norm. Conversely, hip-hop's hyper-masculine blustering made it a strong outlet for understanding the struggles of the inner city and  a powerful socio-political statement. At times this seems to put them at odds creating an invisible chasm between the two divergent genres.




Despite their differences, mutual respect has long existed between them. Both skillfully exploited sampling technology to borrow from the past and make groundbreaking music. They exist as a means to express inner struggle, the need for freedom, and form a foundation for community and counter culture. And so it should be no surprise that hip-hop and house have a long history of crossing over.




We pulled together a short list of our favorite hip-hop and house crossovers.




1. Jungle Brothers - I'll House You




The Jungle Brothers were part of Native Tongues, a New York collective of conscious MCs that included De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Queen Latifah. They were well known for jazz-sampling boom-bap offerings, so the 4/4 thump of "I'll House You" appearing on a vinyl reissue of their 1988 album Straight Out The Jungle may have seemed a bit leftfield.




The Todd Terry produced record came about when the Brothers were in the studio with Idlers record label owner Tony D who suggested they make a house record to capitalize on New York's then-growing fascination with the Chicago sound.




Todd Terry's "Can You Party" provided the perfect backing track, and within a few takes, the song was born. Others at the label laughed it off and, instead of a legit release, only offered it on vinyl. Nevertheless, it became a hit in the clubs, and later that year, Warlock Records re-released the album with "I'll House You" included. Over 30 years later, it remains one of their most popular songs.




2. Kid Cudi - Day N Nite (Crookers Remix)

The Crookers remix of Kid Cudi's "Day N Nite" is one of those tunes whose popularity almost eclipses that of the original. Its ubiquity in 2008 was unprecedented. The Italian duo made up of Andrea "Bot" Fratangelo and Francesco "Phra" Barbaglia was asked to remix the song by A-Trak for his then-fledgling record label, Fool's Gold. Initially released as a free download, it made the rounds on blogs before getting signed to Ministry of Sound, where it caught fire and peaked at number two in the UK Singles chart, tailing Lady Gaga's "Just Dance."




Despite its upbeat tones, “Day N Nite” was originally born from a dark period in Cudi’s life. And the Crookers dingy club vibes elevated the juxtaposition between tragedy and triumph.




In 2021 Bot recounted that when they first played it in Italy, it seemed like a dancefloor flop, and they vowed never to play it again. Yet, somehow they had caught the beginning of a movement. Its grungy wobbling bassline defined the early sounds of the blog house era, helping pave the way for the dance music explosion of the following decade.








3. Wax Motif & Diddy - Divided Souls

"I hate when a motherfucker play a four-minute version. You can't even get into your thing. You know? You can't even get into your thing on a four-minute version. You know what I'm sayin'?"




Diddy's passionate profanity-laced plea for DJs to take a chance on the extended mix punctuates a dark, bouncing beat courtesy of Aussie-born G house stalwart Wax Motif. The 2019 release marked the start of his Divided Souls label, which pulls its name from Diddy's speech. For Wax, who masterfully blends the swagger of hip-hop with the shuffling groove of house, it was a fitting proclamation.




This Diddy speech has been making the rounds in dance music for years. A shortened version originally appeared in a collaboration Felix Da Housecat did with Diddy in 2005 called "Jack U." And much to Felix's ire, DJ Hell used the acapella for "The DJ" in 2009.




Wax told Billboard in 2019 that he'd had the acapella sitting on his computer for years. After creating a loop for it, he sent it to Diddy via a mutual friend, and Diddy loved it. Diddy's plea for DJs to play a 20-minute version for "the two motherfuckers that understand it" went ignored for nearly two decades until Wax caved and released an ultra-extended version of "Divided Souls." It stretches just long enough for the DJ to put it on, use the bathroom, have a smoke outside, and still have time to spare to watch the dancefloor lose it before mixing in the next tune.









4. LION BABE - Harder (Shermanology Remix)

LION BABE's 2021 collab with Busta Rhyme's starts with a sneaky vocal interpolation of his 1998 track "Gimme Some More" over a sultry deep house beat before ripping into a duet that features the quickfire MC dropping a hot 16m that's punchy yet more romantic than for what most know him.




Brother/sister duo, Shermanology's penchant for lacing up tech house beats with soulful swagger made them the perfect choice to flip "Harder" for the peak hour dancefloor. They masterfully retain that Chicago-infused deep house aesthetic, building it into a dark, warbling bassline-fueled club monster that pulses beneath Busta's flow. It's a blissful modern clash of genres.










Four Times When Hip Hop and House Collided

Somewhere Nowhere is the manifestation of Leong’s childhood wonders. A lover of fairy tales, Leong helped design the space in the vision of his home country, 

DJ Sneak

“The whole concept was built around my favorite childhood books, movies, and concepts. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, a lush magical island. I always wanted to create something that brought home where I was born and raised.”

At its core, the 5,500-square-foot venue, says Leong, offers patrons an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city streets and transports them

into a world of culinary and sonic wonder. Equipped with a rooftop pool, in the summertime, the venue hosts poolside DJs and table service. In the winter, glass igloos where patrons can enjoy intimate dinner and drinks dot the roof. Meanwhile, the Main Lounge’s Secret Garden offers a whimsical pop of color against Manhattan’s majestic skyline year-round.

Somewhere Nowhere’s location in the clamor of Manhattan — on the border of the Chelsea and Nomad neighborhoods — is also part of its magic. During the past decade, much of New York’s nightlife scene has migrated to Brooklyn and Queens, outer boroughs that typically offer more retail space for nightlife.

“We definitely saw the [nightlife] shift into Brooklyn. And pre-COVID, a lot of music in clubs was hip-hop and Top 40 dominated,” says Leong. “There has also been a cultural transition into deep house and tech house. We wanted to build our music programming around that. We also wanted to offer a venue where people don’t have to leave the city to enjoy that type of music, bringing that experience back to where a lot of people live.”

In its tenure, Somewhere Nowhere has boasted a range of artists across the international house and techno spectrum. Leong, himself a DJ, knew the importance of having a state-of-the-art sound system to attract world-renown talent, especially ones known for hybrid live performances.

“We have KV2 sound systems. This is a sound system where you could talk like we’re talking right now and still hear the music. Super crisp. You can hear everything. The sound system is a very important feature of the immersive feeling we try to instill for the patrons.”

“One of our favorite things is finding unique artists who play live. Monolink. Bob Moses. Or going after guys like 

, who transitioned from trap to tech house and deep house. It’s about finding that specific sound that goes with our all-around vibe,” he adds.

Guatemala

Gordo 

Even with only a year and a half under its belt, the Somewhere Nowhere team has ambitions to take their vision nationally, with immersive pop-ups at arts festivals and sporting events nationwide. For now, any time of year, patrons can find unforgettable, premium nightlife experiences right in the heart of New York: winter or summer. Daytime, nighttime, or golden hour, Somewhere Nowhere has created a space for any fantasy – if you just know where to look.

In the heat of the summer of 2021, as New York City slowly and safely reopened, a mystical fantasy emerged like an oasis in the heart of Manhattan.




Instantaneously, Somewhere Nowhere, a multi-level indoor lounge, nightclub, and open-air rooftop pool perched atop Chelsea’s Renaissance New York Hotel, became one of the hottest spots in the Big Apple. Now entering its second full year in operation, the nightlife (and daytime) destination is poised to expand its diverse slate of musical programming to an even wider audience – throughout New York City and the country.




Any visitor to Somewhere Nowhere NYC will immediately be struck by the venue’s incomparable panoramic views of the cityscape, which recently served as the backdrop to performances from world-renowned electronic artists like Green Velvet, Francis Mercier, Tini Gessler, Wax Motif, Sonny Fodera, and Dombresky. Yet one of the founding principles of the venue was to create a space beyond the confines of genre. Somewhere Nowhere’s programming offers an eclectic mix of music, hosting everything from five-piece jazz ensembles for the after-work business crowd to high-energy house and techno sunset sessions that transition the space from an evening cocktail lounge into a VIP nightclub experience.




“To elevate the experience, we like to bring different types of musical formats,” says Nathan Leong, managing partner, founder, and owner of Somewhere Nowhere. “From jazz to hip-hop to house and deep house to everything from all around the world, we create a melting pot of different styles of music.”

Somewhere Nowhere is the manifestation of Leong’s childhood wonders. A lover of fairy tales, Leong helped design the space in the vision of his home country, Puerto Rico.




“The whole concept was built around my favorite childhood books, movies, and concepts. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, a lush magical island. I always wanted to create something that brought home where I was born and raised.”




At its core, the 5,500-square-foot venue, says Leong, offers patrons an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city streets and transports them

into a world of culinary and sonic wonder. Equipped with a rooftop pool, in the summertime, the venue hosts poolside DJs and table service. In the winter, glass igloos where patrons can enjoy intimate dinner and drinks dot the roof. Meanwhile, the Main Lounge’s Secret Garden offers a whimsical pop of color against Manhattan’s majestic skyline year-round.

Somewhere Nowhere’s location in the clamor of Manhattan — on the border of the Chelsea and Nomad neighborhoods — is also part of its magic. During the past decade, much of New York’s nightlife scene has migrated to Brooklyn and Queens, outer boroughs that typically offer more retail space for nightlife.




“We definitely saw the [nightlife] shift into Brooklyn. And pre-COVID, a lot of music in clubs was hip-hop and Top 40 dominated,” says Leong. “There has also been a cultural transition into deep house and tech house. We wanted to build our music programming around that. We also wanted to offer a venue where people don’t have to leave the city to enjoy that type of music, bringing that experience back to where a lot of people live.”









In its tenure, Somewhere Nowhere has boasted a range of artists across the international house and techno spectrum. Leong, himself a DJ, knew the importance of having a state-of-the-art sound system to attract world-renown talent, especially ones known for hybrid live performances.




“We have KV2 sound systems. This is a sound system where you could talk like we’re talking right now and still hear the music. Super crisp. You can hear everything. The sound system is a very important feature of the immersive feeling we try to instill for the patrons.”




“One of our favorite things is finding unique artists who play live. Monolink. Bob Moses. Or going after guys like Gordo, who transitioned from trap to tech house and deep house. It’s about finding that specific sound that goes with our all-around vibe,” he adds.










Even with only a year and a half under its belt, the Somewhere Nowhere team has ambitions to take their vision nationally, with immersive pop-ups at arts festivals and sporting events nationwide. For now, any time of year, patrons can find unforgettable, premium nightlife experiences right in the heart of New York: winter or summer. Daytime, nighttime, or golden hour, Somewhere Nowhere has created a space for any fantasy – if you just know where to look.












