Biography
Revered as a legendary Hip Hop artist, Dana Dane helped pioneer the rap genre in the early 1980s. His 1987 debut album, Dana Dane With Fame, was the first rap album by a solo Brooklyn artist to be certified gold thanks in part to his landmark story raps on songs such as "Nightmares" and "Cinderfella Dana Dane." The project also garnered him a Soul Train Music Award nomination for Best Album of the Year, and celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2017.
Beyond making music and performing, Dana Dane has expanded his reach into other media. He had a cameo appearance in Brown Sugar - 2001, playing himself and providing new music for the soundtrack. In 2003, Dana Dane launched his own Def Beat Entertainment media company and is a published author (Numbers - 2009; Dwaffes - 2017), and a screenwriter and film producer, whose credits include: Da Stuy: 5 Part Series - 2007; Passive Aggressive - 2010; Jesus - 2014 (Ocktober Film Festival, Indie Night Film Festival), all independent film projects. He has also had reoccurring appearances on the TV One Unsung series.
Now based in Los Angeles, Dana Dane is developing and shopping film and television projects, including a documentary about his life story, as well as a Hip-Hop music based talk show. He is also a partnered on a fast-growing channel on YouTube, Unique Access Entertainment/UAE. UAE boasts some of the best interviews and commentary from legends in the music business and they are just getting started.
Dana Dane's robust creative output stems from his drive to consistently create. "One of the best feelings I've ever felt," he reveals, "is bringing an idea from conception to completion." Most recently, Dana launched Fan A Cake Blow A Cake(TM) products during the Covid-19 pandemic in June of 2020. Fan A Cake is the sanitary, best, new, fun way to blowout any celebration cake candles. No more spreading germs while you share your cake with friends and family. Through this new venture, Dana Dane is on a mission to save the cake celebration tradition!
Dana Dane spent more than six (6) years behind the microphone as an on-air personality for the Sirius Satellite Radio Backspin channel, and recently concluded an on-air personality stint for ScratchVision Radio's Full Circle show. In addition to his solo performances, Dana Dane also performs as a founding member of The Alumni, the super group consisting of Dana Dane, Kwame, Chubb Rock, Special Ed, Monie Love Tat Money and Greg Nice.
Dana Dane is deeply committed to helping others and sharing his blessings with those in need. He is a spokesperson and founder of the Hip Hop Humanism movement, whose mission is to reestablish the ties that bind us as "people" worldwide by using the culture of Hip Hop. Dana Dane's goal is for people to keep in mind that Hip Hop is more than the music, a style of dress or an attitude. It also encompasses the art of creative thinking, which he believes is one of the key components of a healthy society.
Dana also believes in giving back. Dana is also assisting his wife, Dr. Tana M. Session, with the launch of her newly formed nonprofit, From Foster Care to Fabulous Foundation. Tana's mission is to assist foster parents who temporarily take care of children aged birth to 4 years old until they can find permanent loving, nurturing homes. Dana also serves as a spokesperson for the Linda B. Pinchoff Foundation, which brings a voice and support to cancer patients and their family members
