Celebrities brighten W

IT WAS A typical Saturday at the W Honolulu last weekend, with the weekly "Remedy" party in full swing and the Diamond Head Grill's two rooms comfortably crowded with Honolulu 20-somethings looking for a good time.

Turns out a couple of celebrities were looking for a good time, too. After a stop at Fashion 45 earlier in the night, hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre stopped by with his entourage and R&B crooner Ne-Yo in tow. The group posted up in the main dining room, with Dre ensconced in a corner as Ne-Yo cut it up on the dance floor.

And while I saw him cruising at the Dub, Dre has also been known to hit the Honolulu Club for a workout. I'm told he "lifts late-night and large," with a lot of "old-school iron-pumping with lots of weight and lots of noise."

I wonder if this means he's getting in shape for an upcoming tour? If he is, I sure hope Hawaii gets a sneak peek before everyone else ...

CONGRATS TO Willard Chang, a Honolulu resident who spent his Fourth of July weekend in Las Vegas participating in a World Series of Poker qualifier at the Rio Hotel and Casino.

Approximately 1,900 people entered the $2,000 No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em event, and Chang beat out almost all of them to finish in fifth place. That was good enough to earn him $136,211 -- not bad for a couple of days of sitting at a poker table ...

HAVE YOU wondered what Ramit Islam has been up to in recent months?

Also known as DJ Archangel, he's kept himself pretty busy since leaving the Living Room earlier this year. NextDoor benefited from his promoter/artist connections in recent months, and now he's focusing his efforts on a new nightclub slated to open in Waikiki later this year.

In addition, Islam also helped launch what's believed to be the first Hawaii-based house music label, Propaganda in Paradise. He's teamed with Jimmy "Jun Jo" Lee, Jason "Akio" Burns, Nick "Miklos" Ybl and Raffaella Neggretti in an effort to raise awareness about the local scene.

"We want the international community to know that there is good (house) music coming out of Hawaii and that people here can 'keep up' with the rest of the world," Islam said. "Me and my guys have always wanted to put Hawaii on the map, and I think this is one way to do it" ...

In the Mix drops Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Star-Bulletin.
Reach Jason Genegabus at jgenegabus@starbulletin.com.