VIDEO: "Don't Text Me," Boobe co-starring Da'Livia , Directed by DJ J-Scrilla and Chop N Shoot Films

MIXTAPE: Boobe Trap Gangsta Grillz Edition (Hosted by DJ Drama) on Oy Boyz Recordz

... a couple of things contributed to me leaving. I don't think we were on the same page as far as goals, and I feel like communication could have been a lot better. I just felt like it was time to move on. And luckily I was blessed with some major offers as far as bands. Of course in the end I chose RE (Rare Essence).

Cal, who lately has been pushing his rap ghostwriting enterprise, Rhymesolvers Unit, says he sees himself as a "missing piece" for Rare Essence—which is probably more a comment on where RE wants to go, and not where it's been already. (There's video of Cal's first official gig with RE, and an iTunes single.)

I think producers in the DMV have the skill and talent to produce for anyone in the industry. The DMV is often overlooked when it comes to creating music. This area is known to the majors as a big music consumer area. You can count on one hand the number of artists that have achieved major label status. But its just not about getting on a major. The producers I hand-picked for the project care about the music that represents them. Quality over quantity. You look at any terrestrial radio best MC poll, and you will never hear Oddisee, yU, Kaimbr, Kenn Starr or XO mentioned. We have a long way to if the people here don't know who we are. I picked Ghostface because he is undoubtedly one of the best MCs at picking good beats. Almost every producer shared the same sentiments. The producers on the project are by no means the only talented producers in the area. Some were busy and couldn't make the cutoff date in time. The project was created for two reasons: To showcase the producer talent in the D.C. area and to hopefully have Ghost hear the project and want to rhyme over every track!

Mims also runs Digital Hustle Films, which has shot a lot of DMV-related footage over the past few years.

1. SmCity featuring Pro'verb, "My Own Boss"
Of all the rap videos that prominently feature Malcolm X imagery, at least 99 percent are sincere.

2. Young Sir, "Don't Stop"
Back-alley cinematography. Humble body language. A midsong work-ethic monologue. A Ben's shot.

3. Phil Adé feat. Casey Veggies "P.O.P. Music (Paper Over Pussy)"
FACT: You might say that you put money ahead of sex, but sooner or later sex is gonna work its way back to the top of the priority list.

4. Laelo featuring Paradise, "Fly With Me"
Frank Sinatra was on the "Come Fly With Me" tip like 50 years ago. Oh wait, this song is about weed.

5. Luegar, "The New DC"
His shirt says "Captain Kirk." The ladies' shirts say "Goony Girls." He calls himself a warlock. It's all good, though.

6. Garvey The Chosen One,  "Beat It Like A Dog"
The outtakes from this shoot are probably hilarious.

Arts Desk has written a lot about Kokayi over the years, because he's talented and prolific and all that jazz. The D.C. rapper/singer/producer even did a Snow Day Session. But his latest gambit—offering a free house concert to the 1,400th person who Likes him on Facebook—seemed a bit outré, even for a guy who is known to shamelessly use the Internet to promote his work. We asked him about it:

1. Is this for real? It's like something MTV would do in the '80s.

It is absolutely real. And yes it's a throwback contest. I figured why not do something that would benefit my real fans, something fun and relatively easy to accomplish.

2. Are you desperate?

I am not desperate at all. Like me. I'm not begging. [Please Like me.] ... Subliminal messages really don't work that well in print. Honestly, I mean, I could be on the corner with a "will rap for Likes" sign, but I'd look mad thirsty for love or Likes, as it stands. I looked at the disparity between "friends" (5000) that I have on Facebook and the Likes on my artist page and figured, why not call some attention to it and help them to match, but without spamming folks. I generally want folks to hit the button that actually like the music, not just pressing buttons for the sake of analytics or because they like me as a person.

3. How can you be sure that people won't try to cheat the system? Y'know, Like and Unlike a lot?

There will always be cheats, but how do you know that you'll be the 1400th person? I keep track of all the folks that have already Liked the page, and if i see the numbers drop and see a familiar name, then it's: "Got busted/That cat in the hat"

4. The contest rules say the winner has to provide snacks and beverages. What should they buy for you?

Pez and Van Gogh espresso vodka. No, I mean, whatever they want. No pork though. But the Van Gogh is always welcome. Nine out of 10 livers agree (I need a sponsorship with all this product placement I'm giving, yeesh). I'm not into Twinkies and all that, though one could assume given my lovely physique. However, I'm on my healthy de-fat regimen so, I'm into healthy green rabbit food, power smoothies from Robeks ... all that biz. Frankly, with the recent passing of my hero.. Heavy D (RIP) and comedian Patrice O'Neal, it's really important that everyone take a look at their health and make good choices accordingly. To anyone reading this, I say schedule your doctor's appointment and get your health in order. And it's World AIDS Day today, so get tested and check out your overall health.

At first glance, D.C. rapper SmCity seems all confused in this video for "Twilight," a track from his upcoming The Indie Life: Hate, Love & Money. He's sportin' a limited-edition Nats hat, but that hometown W kinda gets lost in all those Brooklyn Bridge shots. And his sideman is Brooklyn MC Skyzoo. Why shoot the video on his turf? The New Yorker rhymes about getting D.C. love, so let him express it down here, right? It all works out in the end, though, trust us. Here's the important stuff: That wonderfully off-time, conga-heavy beat is by D.C.'s Best Kept Secret, the hook is sung by D.C.'s Kokayi, and the vid itself is a viable example of how to introduce a gargantuan gun and an attractive female into your visuals without dulling their metaphorical power.

D.C.-based rapper/producer Gregory "Grap Luva" Phillips grew up around hip-hop royalty in New York, and is probably best known for his appearances on 1992's Mecca And The Soul Brother, by Pete Rock (Grap's actual brother) and C.L. Smooth. (That's Grap at the beginning of "On And On.") We had a hunch that he'd want to talk about the late Heavy D, so we asked him for some recollections. Here's what he sent:

Dwight "Heavy-D" Myers was a great dude because he was a real dude. He helped or tried to help so many folks in the city of Mt. Vernon, NY. He also was the dude that would come in my Mom's house, clanging her pots on the stove looking for goodies from Mom. From there, he would go upstairs and kick it with my sisters and oldest brother all while giving my brother and I all of 5 minutes to get ready so we can go on a "Heavy-D tour" in his latest ride. This time it's the drop-top Saab and we end up at Al B. Sure's "Rescue Me" video at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NY. So many fond memories and so many things were taught to me...some I paid attention to and some I forgot. He was not flawless because, like I stated previously, he was real. But his good ALWAYS outweighed his bad with me. We have had an argument before but it ended in him showering me with love and me returning that love!!

Grap Luva

The first time I went to California, first time on a tour bus, first time I met some of my favorite artists (Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane) Hev was responsible for that.  He put me in his videos and gave me shine and shouts on his records. He sampled my voice for the "Sister, Sister" record on the "Peaceful Journey" album (I'm saying "sister, sister" on the record). Shoot, he gave me my name!! "Grap" came from Hev. He just started calling me that one day. He then solidified it in the song "Gyrlz They Love Me" off of the "Big Tyme" album. It is a condensed version of my full name. Dope! He was a spiritually strong person as well. He was a child of Jah for sure. I am sure he would want us to celebrate his life instead of mourning his transition. It's just too surreal for me right now though.  I want to have a BIG party for him one day soon! Man, I could talk for days about the things he did for his community, but the greatest thing he did for his community was make you proud to be from Mount Vernon, NY and Jamaica (WI) at the same time! The great things that I state in this writing are just the tip of the iceberg when explaining or defining his character as a man. I will never forget the moments that I spent with him and I will love him iternally!! Jah Bless Dwight "Heavy-D" Myers....love you cuz! I am gonna make sure your legacy rocks on!! I cannot thank you enough!!!

Got to go and listen to some Hev joints!

While you were sorting out your feelings about Wale this morning, P.G. County's DTMD was releasing this thumped-up remix of the first chunk of "The Flame," the track that wraps up its nifty DTMD: Makin' Dollas album. The original is all huggy synths and hopefulness; the remix by Seattle's Def Dee flips it into something defiant. So when rapper Toine says he's "astral traveling, zoning," it sounds more like a galactic perspective than a head-in-the-couch-cushions trip. Not that there's anything wrong with those.

The Fader (mostly) took Andrew Noz from us, but that's OK, because the music mag is obviously trying to make up for it by showing love to X.O., one of our favorite D.C. rappers. He and several other locals did a show in May that was sponsored by the magazine and a soft drink brand; the followup will be a mini-documentary about the Diamond District member, who most recently dropped a 17-track mixtape in late summer.

Yup, that's a hat.

The firehose of DMV hip-hop videos at D.C. Mumbo Sauce sometimes spurts out a hidden gem, like Ike Da Kid's "Fast Life," which, beyond its big-ass beat and general good-natured-ness, left us with more questions than answers. So we posed five of them directly to Ike himself, a recent University of Maryland graduate and Hyattsville resident who has Nigerian roots. (He says he was born Ike Obioha in New York, lived in Lagos for a while as a child, and then settled with his family in Maryland during his teens.) Here's our Q&A with the man:

1. What the hell is that on your head?

Haha that's the homie "Ike's Fur Hat." I actually started wearing it last year when it got cold and people seem to love it. It has its own Twitter page, it gets more girls than me, and sometimes I think people come to my shows to see it instead of me. Sad, really.

2. Who are those dudes in the background?

Those are a group of swagged-out individuals who showed love for both the song and the mixtape.

3. Which parking deck is that?

It's actually Mowatt Lane parking garage at the University of Maryland.

4. Whose Jeep is that?

That's one of the homies'. We randomly decided to shoot the video at the last minute, and he happened to be around so we went with the flow.

5. The song is about how fabulous your life is, but it doesn't look too fabulous in the video. Please explain.

The original idea was to have a whole bunch of cars, girls and bottles of champagne everywhere but i figured that would be too cliché. The video is simple but it still captures me having fun with the homies. My videos have always been simple and random, anyways, so it worked it out well.

(NOTE: There is at least one girl and one empty bottle of Patrón in the video.)