Alumnus Chris Nelson to Help Set the Stage for the Revived Celebration

Chris “DJ Don Jr” Nelson has built a career that spans technology, music and event production, but this Homecoming, the Alabama A&M University Class of 2012 alumnus is bringing those worlds together for a tradition that holds special meaning. He is among the alumni helping revive Dusk 2 Dawn, the longtime AAMU Homecoming tradition returning this fall.

“I’m not just coming in as DJ Don Jr to perform,” Nelson said. “I’m a Bulldog coming home and helping create an experience for other alumni.”

Nelson lives and works in Huntsville, where he is an enhanced system support specialist and has supported NASA programs at Marshall Space Flight Center.

Outside of his technology career, he has built the DJ Don Jr brand and become an active event curator, helping create events including Rocket City Mimosa Fest and Ladies Love Lemon Drops, as well as R&B events, day parties and Homecoming celebrations.

For Nelson, creating an event is about more than playing music. It is about bringing people together and creating moments they will remember — an approach he plans to bring to Dusk 2 Dawn.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everybody come back together,” Nelson said. “Homecoming at A&M has a feeling that’s hard to duplicate anywhere else.”

Nelson will perform alongside alumni Andre Payne “Dre Smoove” and Craig Mitchell, with Mitchell representing Honor Thy Era. Nelson said the combination will bring different styles and energy while keeping the celebration centered on AAMU alumni.

The all-night alumni pep rally and after-party, Dusk 2 Dawn, returns Thursday, Oct. 15, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the AAMU Event Center, with the Renaissance Orchestra as featured entertainment.

For Nelson, the revival is about more than nostalgia. It gives generations of Bulldogs another shared tradition when they return to The Hill.

“The return of Dusk 2 Dawn means a lot because it gives AAMU alumni another experience that feels like it belongs to us,” Nelson said. “Homecoming is our opportunity to come back to The Hill, reconnect with old friends and classmates, and relive some of the energy that made our time at A&M special.”

That makes Nelson’s role in this year’s event a full-circle moment.

“I get to come back to my university not only as Chris Nelson, Class of 2012, but also as DJ Don Jr and contribute to the Homecoming experience for my fellow alumni.”

For Dusk 2 Dawn tickets and a complete list of Homecoming 2026 events, visit AAMU Homecoming 2026.