Hip hop in Washington, D.C.

Hip hop music in Washington, D.C. has been an important part of the culture of the area. The traditional style of hip hop in the city has been described as not quite the same as New York City hip hop and not quite the same as Southern hip hop. Rather, it has been influenced by both regions to form its own unique style of music. The population of D.C. is not large enough to support as many distinct subgenres of rap as other metropolitan areas, and as a result, the sound and style of D.C. hip hop is very mixed and blended.[1] Prominent D.C. based hip hop artists include Philippe Prosper, Phil Ade, Bass.Love.Treble, Wale, Fat Trel, Oddisee, Shy Glizzy, Lightshow,Primetime (King Prime), ANlo, Marlow, Ransom Razina and a few newcomers Niko Khalé, GoldLink and Droyd.

Hip hop music in Washington, D.C. has been greatly influenced by go-go music, a post-funk type of music that is only relevant in the District of Columbia. Go-go music was created in the D.C. area and remains a very significant aspect of the culture of the city and surrounding areas. Go-go emphasizes large percussion sections and incorporates call and response and shout-outs into its songs. This results in a crowd that is very active and involved with the music, responding by dancing and echoing the words. Chuck Brown is known as the "Godfather of go-go"[2] but the genre is still alive today, with groups such as The Backyard Band, TCB, and UCB enjoying great local success.

Chuck Brown

Chuck Brown achieved significant fame in and around Washington, D.C. for being the most popular artist in go-go's earlier days. He influenced a generation of new bands and was the driving force behind popularizing go-go. To many in the area, Brown and his music represented a culture and attitude that was representative of life in Washington, D.C.[3] Chuck Brown died in May 2012. Shortly after his death, nearly every radio station in D.C. played his music. There were many tributes in the following days that came in the form of funerals, concerts, and vigils.[4]

Wale

Main article: Wale (rapper)

Born in Washington, D.C. to Nigerian parents, Wale is notable both for being the first major hip hop label signing from Washington, D.C. and for the way he has fused go-go music with rap music.[5] Having grown up in and around D.C., Wale has tried to include elements of go-go in his music. This comes in the form of the type of percussion beats, shout outs, and subject matter of his songs. Wale's song "Pretty Girls" most notably contains a sample and hook from the song of the same name by The Backyard Band. In 2009, Wale and go-go band UCB performed together at the MTV Video Music Awards show. This gained a lot of attention in D.C. as it showed that rappers and

Oddisee

Oddisee is the most famous member of the both the Low Budget Crew and the Diamond District Group, both groups of rappers from Washington, D.C.[6] Oddisee's music is very percussion based with lyrics that talk about life in D.C. and Prince George's County, a suburb located in Maryland.

Pharaoh Jonez

Pharaoh Jonez[7] is Washington, DC born rapper/producer whose name will ring a bell for very few people in the DMV. That's mainly because most of Pharaoh Jonez' accomplishments have been behind the scenes and outside of the DMV completely. As a Freshmen at Fairmont State University during 2011-2012 Pharaoh Jonez gained a average fan base in West Virginia primarily in Fairmont. In 2013 Pharaoh Jonez released his first solo project titled "Psilocybin" which was released on his Reverbnation[8] page only. Later that year he teamed up with Team Epic's, Davon King out of Brooklyn,New York. They instantly cliqued and the two recorded a song the first night titled "Mastersound"[9] which was produced by Freddie Joachim who also produced the track titled Waves[10] for fellow Brooklyn MC Joey Badass. Pharaoh Jonez is a member of YNWV[11] a local Hip Hop collective who is on the rise in DC.

Grand Skeem

Grand Skeem is a D.C.-area rapper from PG County, Maryland.[12] As the featured rapper of the local Hip Hop collective "Skeem Or Die," Grand Skeem has a recognized and growing following in the Washington Metropolitan area (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia).[13][14][15] Skeem Or Die as a collective has released one mixtape titled "Skeem Or Die Vol. 1".[16] Grand Skeem's highly anticipated debut solo mixtape "Arrival Of the Fittest" was released this May 2014, including features with D.C. Rapper Shy Glizzy[17] and Atlanta Rapper Young Thug.[18]

Joe L Da Vessel

Christian Hip Hop Artist under the label DAAS WUZ UP ENTERTAINMENT. Winner of independent music awards and nominated for Gospel Music Stellar Awards [19]

References

  1. ↑ "A glimpse at the future: the D.C. rap scene". The Georgetown Voice. 2009-11-05. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
  2. ↑ Crockett, Stephen A. (2012-05-17). "Chuck Brown, go-go legend, dies - The Root DC Live". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
  3. ↑ Crockett, Stephen A. (2012-05-17). "Chuck Brown, go-go legend, dies - The Root DC Live". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
  4. ↑ http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/05/chuck-brown-dies-godfather-of-go-go-passes-away-at-75-76052.html
  5. ↑ "Wale Hope To Bring Go-Go Mainstream With 'Attention Deficit'". Billboard. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
  6. ↑ http://oddiseemusic.blogspot.com/
  7. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/artists/pharaoh-jonez/biography/ /
  8. ↑ http://www.reverbnation.com/pharaohjonez /
  9. ↑ http://www.spitfirehiphop.com/davon-king-ft-pharaoh-jonez-master-sound-prod-freddie-joachim/music.41381.php/
  10. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/videos/joey-bada/810305/waves.jhtml /
  11. ↑ http://www.vladtv.com/video/176932/ynwv-vlog/ /
  12. ↑ http://www.patisdope.com/2013/11/patisdope-one-on-one-with-grand-skeem.html/
  13. ↑ http://dmvraps.com/?s=grand+skeem/
  14. ↑ http://www.dmvfollowers.com/grand-skeem-life-party-feat-roger-beat/
  15. ↑ http://dmvheat.com/video/skeem-or-die-family-420-grand-skeem-ft-neno-skeem-no-loaffin-musi
  16. ↑ http://dmvraps.com/2014/03/29/grand-skeem-skeem-or-die/
  17. ↑ http://www.hipwiki.com/Shy+Glizzy
  18. ↑ https://spinrilla.com/mixtapes/grand-skeem-arrival-of-the-fittest
  19. ↑ Stellar Awards