Yung Gleesh, aka Boogie and a former member of the TOB braintrust responsible for this cranking crankage, is a shitbag. In fact, he has been for some time, ever since he was "yay old" and "robbing niggas for their play-doh".
At least that's what he confesses in his newest project, Cleansides Finest, a trap/based (based trap?) [...]
Red Baraat’s musical approach almost seems too contrived: Bhangra meets New Orleans brass meets jazz and funk and go-go. But since this Brooklyn nine-piece group formed a little over three years ago, it's made this largely instrumental style work, and garnished a following to show for it. The group includes three percussionists and six horn [...]
The biggest go-go bands can be like small companies: Personnel comes and goes, but the overall brand generally retains its standing. Occasionally, however, a lineup change is a Really Big Deal in go-go circles, like rapper Killa Cal's recent decision to leave the WHAT? band and take his firm verbals to Rare Essence, one of the [...]
On Tuesday the Washington Area Music Association announced the nominees for the 26th annual Wammies, which take place Feb. 19 at the State Theatre. It’s no secret that I and others have long been critical of the local awards ceremony's mistakes, omissions, and policies. I'd hoped this year would be very different but, alas, I [...]
So here's this nice new video from DMV rapper Killa Cal, the dude known for freestyling in The WHAT? Band, and it's labeled as an "electronic press kit," which is basically a fancy way of saying "infomercial." So what's he selling? There's an album, right? Nah, not really. Maybe next year. Just lots of mixtapes [...]
With the hardcore kids all grown up and go-go frequently looking back, it might seem that nothing new is sounding in Washington. But right now, there seem to be more D.C. bands and artists playing challenging, thought-provoking music than ever before. And some of the best, most frequently rewarding ones are collected here [...]
Singer/bassist Meshell Ndegeocello hasn't had a hit since her 1994 cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night," a duet with John Mellencamp, but she's kept busy and maintained a devoted fanbase with various challenging, genre-spanning projects. With her “Gett Off: Meshell Ndegeocello covers Prince” tour, which arrives at the State Theatre in Falls Church tonight, she gets to be [...]
Earlier this week, WAMU's DCentric blog interviewed me about my story about punk and go-go shows. In that piece, I reported that it took Eckington residents a year to shut down a punk venue, and just a week to quash a go-go show, as WAMU's Anne Hoffman nicely summarizes it. And that conversation got me thinking: [...]
My editor suggested in a post yesterday on the Wammies awards ceremony that I might want to add my two cents regarding this year's nominees, and he’s right. The slate of nominees for the 25th anniversary Wammies contains a familiar ratio of impressive choices, mind-boggling omissions, and troubling mistakes (2008-formed Baltimore band Mama's Black Sheep as “New [...]
Love Nightclub has a new owner. Last week, the Alcoholic Beverage Control board approved the $7.8 million transfer of sale from Washington "nightclub impresario" Marc S. Barnes and his Okie Dokie LLC to Dean Smothers, a local real estate investor and owner of The Scene nightclub.
Barnes opened Dream in 2001 at 1350 Okie St. NE, and changed [...]
