March 4, 2008
This Week In Hip-Hop
For our purposes, the definition of hip-hop will be broader than it’s typically constructed, and will include R&B, soul, certain electronic, or whatever else is deemed appropriate by the author.
WEDNESDAY
>> It was only a few weeks ago that Emily King performed in the District. The Grammy-nominated guitarist/singer/songwriter will be performing an acoustic set featuring music from her debut album, East Side Story, at Bohemian Caverns. She’ll be joined by singer/songwriter Peter Hadar. 8 p.m., $12 in advance/$15 at the door.
>> D.C.-based artist Ne'a Posey will be on stage at Busboys & Poets in the District as a part of Hump Day Groovez. Typically focusing her lyrics on the ins and outs of everyday, life, Posey recently portrayed Billie Holiday as a part of the recent “When Harlem Came to Paris” cabaret. 9 p.m., $10.
THURSDAY
>> The @ttic is a recurring event at Station 9’s The Lounge. HBO Def Poet Sunni Patterson will be the night’s featured performer. Part of the proceeds from the night will benefit The Young Women’s Project. 8 p.m., $10.
>> Detroit’s Dwele is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer. He recently earned a Grammy nomination for his work on an Earth, Wind, and Fire tribute album and sang the hook on Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights.” With more attention on him than ever before, he’s prepping the release of his third studio album and will be playing at the Birchmere. 7 p.m., $35.
>> Chicago-bred, Brooklyn-based emcee Nemiss (pictured) made an appearance at last year’s “Can A Sista Rock A Mic?” festival. She’ll bring her unique abilities as a rapper and singer to the Artmosphere Café in Mount Rainier for a special show. 8 p.m., $5.
>> WAMMY-nominated DJ Nitekrawler specializes in funk, Afrobeat, and anything else with a good rhythm. He'll be at Bourbon for the Bionic dance party. 10 p.m.
FRIDAY
>> Since she broke out in the late 1990s, Portsmouth, Va. native Missy Elliot has been viewed as one of the more innovative producers and performers in the music industry. To build buzz for her forthcoming album, she'll be holding a show at Ibiza. 9 p.m., $20.
>> The Disco City party at the Rock and Roll Hotel's Hotel Bar returns. Joining regulars Chris Burns and Max Dunbar will be Mike Tee and Ed Dudes. As usual, the spirit of Larry Levan and other underground disco legends will be in the building. 9:30 p.m., Free.
SUNDAY
>> D.C. native Alice Smith is building a name for herself on the "urban alternative" scene with the help of her 2006 release, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me. A Grammy nod and TV appearances have put her in the public eye lately. Now based out of Brooklyn, she'll be returning home for a show at the Black Cat. 8 p.m., $15.
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uhmmmm...why not just call it "This Week in Music" then??? seems kinda silly.
Is somone going to comment every week just to complain? I actually like this feature, along with the jazz one, as nice compliments to inde rock-centric going-out posts on this site and many other DC blogs. Props to the classical music agenda as well, but I don't really read it (not my scene).
Sukaluski: Couldn't agree more.
Yeah, This Week in Hip Hop doesn't work as a title for this column. I like the event listings it brings under its purview, but Hip Hop is not something you can just redefine because some local blog editor wants you to group all the non-indy hipster rock, non-classical music under one umbrella of music that tends to mainly be performed by and appeal to people of color.
Why can't hip hop events be included in the Weekly Music Agenda post? It seems to me that maybe you guys don't seen the unintended consequences of this whole thing.
Because I'd rather not have to sift through the indy hipster rock events to find this stuff. And I'm sure the hipsters don't want to sift through hip hop events to find events that appeal to them.
No, I don't. Is the universe going to fall apart or something? I'm about as OCD as they get, and even I don't have a problem with stretching the definition of hip hop here.
Also, thanks for the heads-up about the Emily King show; I was bummed that I missed her last time. Her album is really good, and what a hottie!
All im saying, it doesnt help DCist overcome the impression that it's a blog for transient interloping wannabe hipster poseurs when it ghettoizes all the music for brown people and the white people who love and want to consumer their culture thats not indy rock, jazz or classical, in a misnamed This Week in Hip Hop column. That said, I have my own blog, so party on Wayne and Garth.
UPSETTHESETUP
Having had to compile the Weekly Music Agenda, I can say that with the flood of press releases, artist requests, etc. there's a tendency for things to get lost due to the sheer volume of events. Breaking out some of them, like jazz and classical, makes sure they'll be seen. That's a quick and dirty explanation. I understand the issues that can arise from this "segregation," and I've debated them, but it boils down to making sure folks and events get exposure.
Part of the reason I have events that aren't "strictly" hip-hop, per se, is due to hip-hop's overwhelming influence on other genres (e.g. R&B) and that there are genres that have influenced hip-hop (e.g. electronic and disco). Plus, if I focused solely on hip-hop music events, I don't know if I'd have as much to include.
That said, the title has been a point of many comments. I had my reservations about it but haven't been able to find something more apt for what it covers that sits well with me. Plus, it looks like it's caught some people's attention.
I suggest a new name to stop the whining:
This week in rap-hop&Bsoulelecetera
It loses the magic when there's a server error & this posts twice after it doesn't show up upon refreshing:
I suggest a new name to stop the whining:
This week in rap-hop&Bsoulelecetera
W. Jacarl, I feel you and the dilemmas of the editorial decisions you are faced with, so here's a few options from your friends at UpsetTheSetup.com
This week in hip hop and stuff
This week in music white people love
This week in urban musics
This week in post hip-hopsoultronica
This week in non-rock based underground
This week in music for kids with nice sneakers
This week in music with hot black girls
*upsetthesetup
My only beef with the column this week is that you neglected to include a mention of Cadence Weapon. Yeah, he made the cut for the Weekly Music Agenda but it couldn't hurt to have mentioned him again in the hip-hop post; especially since some folks (engineergirl) may not look at the other music columns.
Obviously you're listening to what people who like your contribution to DCist have to say so feel free to ignore the whiners about this non-issue.
@djeurok
the impression that it's a blog for transient interloping wannabe hipster poseurs
DCist is light years away from changing that impression, I'm just glad that they finally made some sort of effort to include hip-hop.
Part of me likes hip-hopsoultronica. Hmmm...
Cadence Weapon was a miss on my part. I saw it int the WMA but forgot to add it.
Sorry Cadence, if you're reading.
I miss the burgeoning dc genre of browntempo
I definitely like what your doing with this, but I agree the title is off-base. You could group most of the things in this section into "Soul", but "This week in Soul" would exclude much of the electronic. Maybe you might consider calling it "This week in Soul" and then use a seperate section for all the classic electronic, jungle, pure house and drum and bass nights which this city is littered with. I'm sure you could fill that section no problem. Just my 2 Cents. :)
I definitely like what your doing with this, but I agree the title is off-base. You could group most of the things in this section into "Soul", but "This week in Soul" would exclude much of the electronic. Maybe you might consider calling it "This week in Soul" and then use a seperate section for all the classic electronic, jungle, pure house and drum and bass nights which this city is littered with. I'm sure you could fill that section no problem. Just my 2 Cents. :)
This Week in Rhythm, Blues, Rhymes, and Breaks?
Part of me likes hip-hopsoultronica. Hmmm...
I like it too, but a part of me wants things to stay as they are so I have a weekly occasion to fire up the flamethrower.
Whatever you decide is cool, so long as you keep putting this stuff out there because I swear I was having a bitch of a time finding it compiled anywhere else.
Peace & Blessings,
HR