Perhaps we skewed a little too heavily toward garage-friendly indie rock, what with Maybe, Baby, The Cheniers, Foul Swoops, and the like, but it was hard to ignore the lo-fi influx around town. Shock Diamond and Bluebrain were some of the few electronica-oriented acts to make the cut; with the opening of U Street Music Hall, you'd think we'd have covered more techno-savy artists. We caught up with Oddisee, X.O., Fat Trel, and a few others, but what hip-hop acts did we miss? Were there killer releases from D.C. in 2010 that we should've worked into an OTM? Who should we be paying attention to in 2011?

Here's every OTM from last year:

1. Sketch – "Betta Watch Yo Self"
2. Nu' the Mayor – "Whole Time"
3. Felt Letters – "600,000 Bands"
4. Imperial China – "Corrupting the Integrity of the Grid"
5. the beatin's – "Cool Clear Water"
6. Oddisee – "Blizzard of 09"
7. Birds & Wires – "The Sea and the Hills"
8. Daddy Lion – "Just Die Young"
9. Frau Eva – "Don't Wait for Me"
10. Jonathan Mudd – "Run Amelia"
11. The Moderate – "Small Pills"
12. Midnight Kids – "Undertow"
13. Aloha – "Cold Storage"
14. No Second Troy – "Black & White Movie"
15. Bellflur – "Insect Politics"
16. Elikeh – "Jondji"
17. Stripmall Ballads – Woman With a Black Eye"
18. Hume – "Grip"
19. X.O. – "I Got Doe"
20. The Cheniers – "Here Come's Trouble"
21. Shock Diamond – "Now (ShockD)"
22. Harmony Muzik – "Temporary Heartbreak"
23. Kingpen Slim – "My Life Is a Movie"
24. Authorization – "Full Flight"
25. The Cornel West Theory – "Hustler's Boogie"
26. America Hearts – "Home"
27. Badio – "Kiss the Sky"
28. Carolyn Malachi – "Orion"
29. The Torches – "Mr. Vampire"
30. Foul Swoops – "Colossal Sized Picassos"
31. Substantial and Marcus D. – "Star Child"
32. Ra Ra Rasputin – "Electricity Through the Heart"
33. Fat Trel – "Deep Thought"
34. Moon Pie – "What a Time to Be Alive"
35. Shat Shorts – "Liveblogging the Loss of My Virginity"
36. Screen Vinyl Image – "New Visions"
37. Bluebrain – "Restriction"
38. Alvin Risk – "Safe"
39. Shortstack – "Lamborghini Nights"
40. Brothers – "Waves"
41. Painted Face – "Undreamt"
42. Janel and Anthony – "Big Sur"
43. Joe Falero and the DC Latin Jazz All Stars – "¡Latin Flavor!"
44. Lejeune – "Not My Song"
45. Maybe, Baby – "All I've Got"

Oddisee, the group's founder, was more tempered, simply retweeting Kokayi's announcement, then typing his own version of the news. yU, whose Before Taxes album also made the Pre-Grammy nomination list this year, thanked a host of artists who helped his group along the way. X.O.'s first response, a caps lock proclamation to celebrate with his label head Kenny Burns, gave way to more subtle excitement when he realized the group wasn't actually nominated for a Grammy. "YALL LUCKY I DONT DRINK NOMORE...LMAO!" X.O. typed.

But while its Grammy nom isn't official, the trio is now one step away from making the final cut. Recording academy members, industry players, and, well, anyone else can submit names for the pre-nomination list—those artists' recordings are then sent to academy members. The pre-nomination list isn't public, but as an academy member, Kokayi would've been able to get his hands on one.

Speaking yesterday, Diamond District's members said they're honored by the Grammys' recognition of the group's In The Ruff album from last year, but it won't influence the direction of their next album, March On Washington, which is in production. (During an interview, Oddisee says he's already recorded "six or seven" beats for the project.)

"You don't think an institution like the Grammys would pay attention to indie music in the first place, so to be recognized is a great feeling," said Oddisee, adding that he learned the news from Kokayi's tweet.

The MC/producer also says that he doesn't pay attention to mainstream music, and that he was "extremely surprised" by the nomination. "I'm a business man, but to my fundamental core, I still stick my middle finger up to the industry," Oddisee said with a laugh.

yU has made the pre-nomination list once before, and said he has "mixed feelings" about the recognition. "In some ways, you feel as though indie hip-hop doesn't get to that level, but to be recognized means we must be doing something right," yU said.

X.O., who will release Monumental 2 next year, is apparently still beaming from the news. "I was shocked, then I thought, 'Wow, we deserve this,'" he said. "This is good music that has spread. They can't force these things on us no more with radio. We're going against the grain, and it's working."

Oddisee's not bragging yet: His blog's been silent since the Austin festival started last week. But there's a couple of cool nuggets near the top: A snippet of a collaboration with TiRon and a video preview of the upcoming K-Beta collaboration with Diamond District, Inglorious Beta.

K-Beta – DTLR (Down The Line Rhyme) feat. Diamond District ("Inglorious Beta" Studio Session) from Inner Loop Records on Vimeo.

This week, haterate spewed everywhere. The dudes behind Fan Death Records aren't impressed with D.C.'s music—and they named names. Check out what they had to say, and the 100-plus comments—angry, amused, confused—that followed:

1. Fan Death Records to D.C. Bands: "Stop Sucking"
2. Twitter Adds Local Trending; D.C. Tweeting Skews Scatological
3. Arts Roundup: Michelle Rhee at Sundance Edition
4. New Songs for 2010: Free Music from Wale, XO, and Future Times
5. The State of the Union for D.C. Newspaper Cartoonists

Last week, Tabi Bonney got a request to perform at a benefit concert for the victims of the Jan. 12 Haiti earthquake, to be held at the 9:30 Club. It was an easy decision for the local rapper. “I just got a call & agreed to perform for the people of Haiti brother,” wrote Bonney in an e-mail last week. “ I am sure that the proceeds will go to the PEOPLE OF HAITI. God is too great!”

Whatever God’s prowess, Bonney’s assurances came just as the credentials of the benefit were called into question. The event, titled “DMV Supports Haiti,” was slated to hand over some of the proceeds to a group called Yéle Haiti, which had paid unusual amounts of money to the person who started it, former Fugees member Wyclef Jean. A few days before the concert, the Smoking Gun reported that Yéle’s tax filings for 2005–07 showed that Yéle had made six-figure payments to a Manhattan recording studio and a Haitian television station, both of which are owned by Jean and Yéle board member Jerry Duplessis. Jean, who was born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, has been dividing his time between the island and the States since the quake.

So would “DMV Supports Haiti” support a misguided charity?

Denials came from all involved in the benefit. On Monday, event publicist Candice Mackel told Arts Desk, “We stand firm in our decision. We’re just looking to have a wonderful show and to keep in mind that this is for Haiti. This is for a good cause. We just want to keep it positive.” At a press conference later that day to address the questions about the proceeds Jean and Yéle’s president, Hugh Locke, said that the controversial payments to companies Jean co-owns—$100,000 for a Wyclef Jean performance at a benefit in Monte Carlo in 2006, for instance—were made in good faith. In a statement Friday evening, Locke offered a similar defense for the $31,000 Yéle pays each year to rent space in the kitchen of Platinum Studios, which Jean co-owns.

The event came together late last week after Yodit Gebreyes, a Georgetown University graduate student who runs the Web site TalkofDC.com, convened a meeting of young professionals via Twitter to discuss raising money for earthquake relief. The group quickly contacted the 9:30 Club and the artists, who were eager to put together the benefit. “For us it was a natural thing to say yes to,” Audrey Schaefer, a spokesperson for the 9:30 Club, said last week. “We were dark on Monday. Wale was available on Monday.” All the evening’s proceeds—as well as employees’ wages and the percentage that usually goes to ticketing services—would be split between Yéle and Partners in Health, a Boston-based organization that operates a number of hospitals in Haiti, including, as of this week, the public University Hospital in Port-au-Prince.

DMV Supports Haiti discussed misgivings about Yéle in several conference calls over the weekend and concluded that money donated to the organization would be well-spent on recovery.Yéle Haiti is currently collecting supplies for an airlift out of Miami sometime this week. At the press conference, Locke said that because of Jean’s iconic status among Haitians and the group’s on-the-ground knowledge of the country, Yéle should play an essential role in relief and rebuilding efforts. He said a law firm, DLA Piper, and an auditing firm, Grant Thornton, will oversee Yéle’s relief efforts. Locke said the group hopes to raise $1 million a day. (Monday’s concert raised $36,000.)

“I think it’s fair for every organization to meet a standard and we’ll continue to watch it, but from what we’re seeing so far it’s an organization that’s run well,” Schaefer said. “And frankly, we don’t want people to get distracted. There’s a great need there. Even Wyclef said [in a YouTube video defending Yéle], ‘Examine us; if you want to give somewhere else, just give.’”

Inside the capacity club on Monday, some of the District’s biggest names in rap performed: Wale, Bonney, XO, D.C. Don Juan, Kingpen Slim. Questions about the propriety of Jean’s charity fetched varying responses. “I really can’t say,” said D.C. Don Juan. “I’m not the one who cuts the check. I can only do my best. I hope it’s true [that Wyclef’s doing the right thing].” D.C. Don Juan also asked that Arts Desk mention he’s on Twitter.

Neo-soul crooner Raheem DeVaughn said the accusations were a distraction. “I think it’s very disrespectful in a time that couldn’t be worse for a guy who’s bringing attention to Haiti,” he said. “The timing couldn’t be worse on that. They do that to all artists who speak their minds. It comes with the territory.”

During the show, there were a couple moments of silence, but mostly the atmosphere was light, like when a painting that artist Demont Peekaso created during the show got auctioned for $600, and sometimes strangely off-key, like when Bonney launched several beach balls into the crowd.

Attendees appeared to share the views of the performers on the cloud hanging over the event. “It’s already a poor country and any money helps,” said Jessica Raymond, 24. Remarked another woman: “I have faith that this will work out.”

Raheem DeVaughn, right, made a surprise appearance; artist Deemont Peekaso created a work that was auctioned for $600.

Yéle came under fire over the weekend after the Smoking Gun reported that the organization's tax filings for the years 2005-2007 showed a series of dubious payments to for-profit companies associated with Jean. Yéle's president, Hugh Locke, responded to that report and others in a statement, and Jean recorded a video that the organization uploaded to YouTube. According to Yéle's Web site, the organization "uses music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development."

In a press conference this afternoon, Locke and Jean apologized for what they characterized as accounting mistakes but defended the intent of the organization's actions—including paying $100,000 to a recording studio owned by Jean for the production and performance of a 2006 benefit concert in Monte Carlo, and paying $250,000 for airtime for educational programming to a Haitian television station owned by Jean. "Have we made mistakes before? Yes. Did I ever use Yéle money for personal benefits? Absolutely not," Jean said. Locke said that in the past, Yéle used companies partially owned by Jean and board member Jerry Duplessis for cheaper, quicker access to services, but that it would not do so in the future.

A spokesperson for the 9:30 Club, Audrey Schaefer, said the venue has been following reports on Yéle. "We feel a very strong sense of confidence [in Yéle] in terms of the reaction to the report and in terms of what Wyclef himself is saying."

"I think it’s fair for every organization to meet a standard and we’ll continue to watch it, but from what we’re seeing so far it’s an organization that’s run well," Shaefer said. "And frankly, we don’t want people to get distracted. There’s a great need there. Even Wyclef said [in his video], 'Examine us, if you want to give somewhere else, just give.' "

Members of the group organizing the event, DMV Supports Haiti, held several conference calls over the weekend to discuss the allegations that Yéle has mishandled its finances. "We’re very confident in responding the organization. We stand firm in our decision," said Candice Mackel, the publicist for the event. "We’re just looking to have a wonderful show and to keep in mind that this is for Haiti. This is for a good cause. We just want to keep it positive."

The concert, which will feature performances from Wale, Tabi Bonney, D.C. Don Juan, Phil Adé, XO, Kingpen Slim, and others, will also benefit Partners in Health, a Boston-based nonprofit that operates nearly a dozen hospitals in Haiti. The organization is helping rehabilitate the public University Hospital in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital which was decimated by the earthquake last week. The top U.S. military commander in Haiti, Lt. Gen. P. K. Keen, has estimated that 150,000 to 200,000 have died since the quake hit.

The concert will likely sell out, Schaefer said.

Yéle Haiti is currently collecting supplies for an airlift sometime this week out of Miami. At the press conference, Locke said that because of Jean's iconic status among Haitians and the group's on-the-ground knowledge of the country, Yéle should play an essential role in relief and rebuilding efforts. He said a law firm, DLA Piper, and an auditing firm, Grant Thornton, will oversee Yéle's relief efforts. Locke said the group hopes to raise $1 million a day.

Jean, who spent three days last week in Haiti, said he hopes that Yéle will assist with an eventual evacuation of Port-au-Prince. “I give you my word, if I tell them to go, they will go,” he said.

This just in:  Wale, Tabi Bonney, XO, Phil Adé, Kingpen Slim, and a number of other area rappers will perform at 9:30 Club on Monday to raise money for Haiti relief efforts. All proceeds will go the Partners in Health Organization and Yéle Haiti, the charity founded by Wyclef Jean. Tickets went on sale... about three minutes ago.

Check out our list of other arts-related Haiti benefits. Press release after the jump:

JUST ANNOUNCED AT THE 9:30 CLUB

Wale Headlines Haiti Benefit Concert

Monday, January 18th 2010

D.C. Artists and Venue Band Together, All Proceeds Go to Haiti Earthquake Relief Washington, D.C. (January 15, 2010)- D.C. artists are coming together Monday, January 18th at the 9:30 Club to raise much-needed financial support for earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Wale, coming off of two sold-out shows at the 9:30 Club earlier this month, will headline. He’ll be supported by other D.C. area artists including D.C. Don Juan, Tabi Bonney, Phil Ade, XO, Kingpen Slim, K-Beta, Que (formerly of Day26) – and special surprise guests will take the stage as well. The benefit concert will be hosted by Chris Cole of BET’s College Hill South Beach.   Organized by DMV Helps Haiti, all ticket sales will be donated to the Partners in Health Organization and Yéle Haiti, founded by Wyclef Jean.   The artists are donating their performances, the 9:30 Club has donated the use of the venue, club employees are donating their wages and the advance ticket sales service charge also will be donated.   General admission and VIP tickets are available at the 9:30 Club box office and at http://www.930.com. The 9:30 Club is located at 815 V St NW, Washington, D.C. Doors for Monday’s show open at 6pm.   About Yéle Haiti: Founded in 2005 by Grammy Award winning musician, humanitarian and Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti Wyclef Jean, Yéle Haiti is a grassroots movement that builds global awareness for Haiti while helping to transform the country through programs in education, sports, the arts and the environment. Yéle’s community service programs include food distribution and mobilizing emergency relief.  

About Partners In Health: Partners In Health (PIH) works to bring modern medical care to poor communities in nine countries around the world. The work of PIH has three goals: to care for our patients, to alleviate the root causes of disease in their communities, and to share lessons learned around the world. Based in Boston, PIH employs more than 11,000 people worldwide, including doctors, nurses and community health workers.

About DMV: Just one tweet on Twitter by Yodit Gebreyes grew into an initiative to help Haiti.  Gebreyes, together with other young entrepreneurial professionals in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) area, many from Haiti or with family ties there, created DMV Helps Haiti. At first it was to be just one event at Busboys and Poets, but as the discussions continued, the group knew they would have to have a larger event, the mother of them all: the DMV Helps Haiti Benefit Concert. "Never before have I felt like I needed to do something to help. After watching the news and seeing images of people who have lost everything, I knew that it was our duty as mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, citizens, human beings to do the right thing and get involved whether its through volunteering, sending an email, a text message, donating to a cause, or telling a friend." — Says Yodit.

About the 9:30 Club:  Multiple winner of both Billboard’s and Pollstar’s Nightclub of the Year awards, the 9:30 Club (www.930.com) is the inimitable place bands aspire to play and music fans love to attend – a destination for locals and people from across the country. Gracing the stage have been legends Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Al Green, and James Brown; recently discovered acts like The Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, Katy Perry and Lily Allen, and arena acts looking for an intimate club play such as Justin Timberlake, the Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters.  The 9:30 Club is located at 9th and V streets, NW, Washington, D.C.

1. Boozing Along to Contra: The Vampire Weekend Drinking Game!
2. Teddy Afro, Ethiopia's Bob Marley, at the Armory Saturday
3. Arts Roundup: Are Vampire Weekend Jerks? Edition
4. New Songs for 2010: Free Music from Wale, XO, and Future Times
5. Critical Appreciation: Robert H. Smith, Arts Patron

One. One. Ten, his second proper full-length for Studio 43 (the area label that first put out Wale), plays like a stream-of-consciousness love letter to D.C.—quite literally, in fact, in the case of “City Loves Me Back,” a checklist of the city’s underground and black touchstones, from graffiti legend Cool “Disco” Dan and mambo sauce to one-time drug kingpin Cornell Jones and the legendary go-go venue Ibex.

Read the full review, and download the album for free here.

Quickly, a few goodies for the first day of 2010:

• Rapper XO dropped his new album, One. One. Ten., today, and he's posted a digital version that you can download for free. Check back here next week for our review. The album's release party is tonight at K Street Lounge.
• Wale has a new remix of "Pretty Girls" featuring Raheem DeVaughn and Phil Adé. Grab it here.
• I've had these in my inbox for a while, and they're worth checking out: free live sets from the Future Times dance label's Maxmillion Dunbar and Protect-U (the latter features City Paper contributer Aaron Leitko). Protect-U's new "Double Rainbow" 12-inch is out now.