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 [...]
Connoisseurs of The Sleigher know D.C. Ty the Monster and Lady Moet Beast as progenitors of the awesomest DMV Christmas song ever, but a more accurate title might be "the DMV's most unpredictable rap squad." The Southeast-based husband-wife duo, which runs the Draztick Measurez label, is now pushing what it calls "crudd rock." For Ty, [...]
D.C. legend Black Indian told us this summer that his Judah-produced comeback I Tried to Tell You would sound grown-up but not totally old-ass, and he was right. The 14-track mixtape is a cohesive, professional statement from a dude who decided emphatically not to let his legacy wither. He generally sticks to three themes: 1) [...]
It's still quite possible that Wale is full of shit. And Rick Ross is almost certainly full of shit. But together they might've made the Sleeper Hit of the Summer, at least around the DMV way. A completely unscientific sampling of the WPGC and WKYS playlists* reveals the slinky "That Way" to be inescapable, and [...]
Chocolate City listen up!
This Saturday, yours truly is hosting the Return of Power Moves Party at Ras Hall. The original Power Moves party was a fixture on the D.C. hip-hop scene, showcasing the best local talent in a consistently packed Kaffa House for nearly a decade during D.C.'s hip-hop golden era.
We have a special treat [...]
He was one of the few 1990s D.C. rappers to get national exposure and a major-label deal, but Black Indian has been relatively quiet in recent years. That trend will reverse itself in September, when he releases I Tried To Tell You, a new mixtape produced by Judah, best known for working with Wale and [...]
Has it really been more than four years since we've written anything about Darren Harper? The man who labels himself as "the Official Skateboarder of Washington, D.C." and "Southeast D.C.'s Own First Black President Skater" has done some rapping in the meantime, and it's possible that he's got some actual skate-career moves to make in [...]
The DMV's Pro'Verb takes the "Money to Blow" beat and does his own thing with it. If anything, he gets points for not being Drake. This is nice: "If you don't want no drama, then go take off the Mary Kay."
HO HO WHO: Southeast D.C.'s Lady Moet Beast & D.C. Ty The Monster aren't just a rap duo; they're married, too. And through their own label, Draztick Measurez Recordz, they've released the 12-song Urban Christmas.
TODAY WAS NOT SUCH A GOOD DAY: The album's pièce de résistance is "Bad Santa," a wry, bottom-heavy slow-roller that depicts [...]
We still haven't decided if Chris McDonald can rap, but it's possible that we love his Sal Buckley car-salesman character. And it's obvious that Chris loves Sal, because the new Sal video isn't about selling Chris' songs, it's about selling Sal. And that's not a bad thing, if you're comfortable with watching McDonald do at least [...]
