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Studio 1784 / Blog

D.C. Cries Out Over Wale’s Negative Comments to MTV about Go-Go Music!!!

An outcry is being heard in the D.C. Facebook Community over Wale’s comments during a recent interview on MTV’s Rap Fix Live. Shout out to Crank Brothers for bringing this to my attention! This is what people are saying: “SMH!!! Thank you Wale for diggin a deeper hole for GoGo. With the platform that he has and represents, he is in a position where whatever he said is a stampage. Music is never violent. Yes…the meeting place for violence is at the gogo but saying gogo is violent on an international TV station (MtV) is reckless and disrespectful. That’s like dialing 911 and telling the police you rob banks. Now they got u in a scope not trustin your every move. Crazy how he forgot his “first hit” was a gogo song and sec was too. had to share this fam..” Crank Brothers ”That was straight self hate, or selfishness. It seems he was so busy trying to be hip and have some knd of swag, that he wasnt thinking intellegentlly enough to know the damage that speach caused a whole genre of music. He didn’t even answer the question? That was like someone asking you “how’s the family” and you start talking about your crazy cousin. The host asked him to promote GoGo music, and he blew it!! Sometimes we give the wrong people the spotlight and the mic.” Ignatius Mason “Wow!! That was very disappointing! My Unc must be turning in his grave!!!” Fase Miller “If it wasn’t for Go-Go he would be a bigger NOBODY!!! #BammaAss#” MsQue Asifudidntno “He didn’t have to put the negative out there. How can go-go move forward if National artists r saying it is violent? If I wasn’t familiar with the genre I wouldn’t invite bands anywhere smh” Jason MrHollywood West “Yeah he blew that! He was given an opportunity to educate folks on gogo but he didn’t rep well at all.” N’Diya Pinkney “How disrespectful smh and Wale wow” Desmond Decker Aka Young D ”Wale Lost My Respect!!! He Must Of Forgot Where He Came From!!” LaSha Burks ” Wow!!!! …But go-go has come a long way. A lot of well known, famous artists have used our sound. Look at Beyonce’s crazy in love record. Ameri’s record Salt n pepa. Go-go has surpassed even Wale’s career. Talking bout violence stunts the growth of go-go. Get outta here. Smh” Ladie Love Melifonwu “Right, I heard a countdown of the ten top joints that put rap on like, “Rock The Bells, and five had the go-go swing, think Salt-n-Peppa, think E.U… Slim a bamma.” Faheem A. Khabeer Check out the interview for yourself!!! http://thesnsnightlife.com/2013/03/d-c-cries-out-over-wales-negative-comments-to-mtv-about-go-go-music/

Wale Resets the Clock With ‘Folarin’ Mixtape

Here’s the long-standing perception of D.C. hip hop: Rappers who aren’t in the spotlight tend to hate on the ones getting attention. As a result, those poised to break out of the nation’s capital never really get the city’s full support. Instead, they’re nitpicked for “not being D.C. enough” or the music doesn’t incorporate the homegrown sound — go-go — the way it should. Wale‘s familiar with this. His first mainstream single “Chillin’” shouted out D.C. and its surrounding counties, but was ultimately chastised for its Lady Gaga feature and watery pop sound. His second single, “Pretty Girls,” was an evocative nod to go-go music, but Wale came under fire for choosing mostly light-skinned women for the video. Still, Wale was poised to put the nation’s capital on the rap map and solidify it as the next go-to place for underground hip-hop. Sure, the city had a handful of MCs with star potential, but Wale was thought to have it all: impressive wordplay, spins on local radio, and a cosign from British tastemaker/producer Mark Ronson, who signed the rapper to his Allido record label in 2007. The following year, Wale’s Seinfeld-themed Mixtape About Nothing and 2009’s Back to the Feature heightened anticipation for his forthcoming major label debut Attention Deficit, which found him sharing space with everyone from Jazmine Sullivan and Rihanna, to rappers Gucci Mane and Bun B. Wale’s success was supposed to open the floodgates for record execs to come looking for other great D.C. rappers to sign. But when Deficit tanked, Wale’s attitude tanked along with it. On his subsequent mixtape, More About Nothing, he tried to explain the album’s flop: “My shit was submarine-like, under-shipped/ Look at what I’m up against, scrutiny, criticism, everybody judgin’ off a single I ain’t even pick.” Fair enough. So maybe that explains Wale’s personality shift for Ambition, his 2011 album and first release as a member of Rick Ross’ boutique Maybach Music Group. While Attention Deficit sought to pacify wide swaths of fans, Ambition played like the glossy ramblings of a man struggling to comprehend his newfound fame. On it, Wale was more self-congratulatory than usual and naysayers were shrugged off as “haters.” It’s a motif that would characterize his online persona, whether he engaged in Twitter fights with Amanda Diva or Osama bin Laden’s former mistress. That made Wale tough to cheer for, although you could understand his cantankerous approach. Folks wrote him off after the Deficit debacle; aligned with the likes of Rick Ross, he wanted to rub it in our faces a little. On Folarin, Wale’s late-2012 mixtape, he finally sounds comfortable in his skin. On its 20 songs, he shows flashes of his former self: the guy who could breeze through double entendres so quickly that you needed a few playbacks to absorb the meaning. And Wale’s finally achieved the “ambition” he sought previously, as this mixtape boasts some big names for a free project: Trinidad James infuses “Flat Out” with his polarizing blend of ratchet rap; Scarface helps Wale recall better days on “Limitless.” He’s discussing topics that hold weight, like his public school upbringing and the gritty side of D.C. He shouts out Bowie State University and Georgetown. Elsewhere on Folarin, Wale acknowledges his inadequate recent output, atoning for it with a heavier soundtrack that better accentuates his potential. .

City Paper Critics’ Poll: The Best Music of 2012

See the poll results below. Also: Read about local critics and fans' favorite moments in local music this year. Best local albums of 2012 1. Oddisee, People Hear What They See (listen) 2. The Evens, The Odds (listen) 3. Elikeh, Between 2 Worlds (listen) 4. Chain & the Gang, In Cool Blood (listen) 5. Buildings, Everything In Parallel (listen) 6. Kokayi/CZRS, Pro Deo et Patria (listen) 7. Tie: Pig Destroyer, Book Burner (listen) and Ilsa, Intoxicantations (listen) 8. E.D. Sedgwick, We Wear White (listen) 9. Tie: Lorelei, Enterprising Sidewalks (listen) and Imperial China, How We Connect (listen) 10. Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang, En Yay Sah (listen) Best local songs of 2012 1. Oddisee, "Ain't That Peculiar" (listen) 2. Tie:The Evens, "King of Kings" (listen) and America Hearts, "You Don't Fit In" (listen) 3. Chain & the Gang, "Certain Kinds of Trash" (listen) 4. Tie: Protect-U "Slow Ultra" (listen) and Protect-U "Motorbike" (listen) 5. Tie:E.D. Sedgwick "He's the One" (listen) and Priests "Diet Coke" (listen) Honorable mentions: Black Clouds, "Santorum Sunday School"; Harness Flux, "Stockholders"; Lyriciss, "Get It and Go"; Ploy, "Fool"; Substantial, "See Hear"; Black Sparks, "The Sad Watermelon"

Blue Line Festival at Empire

If you grew up here, you know all about Metro’s Blue Line, that seemingly endless route that took you from Prince George’s County to the Smithsonian to Pentagon City, then all the way out to Fairfax County. The Blue Line also unites members of the DMV rap community, many of whom live in the neighborhoods it runs through. That sense of unity is probably what organizers were thinking about when they planned the Blue Line Festival, a massive two-day showcase with more than 40 rappers on the bill. The lineup includes popular acts like Phil Ade, Shy Glizzy, Lyriciss (shown), and Kingpen Slim next to relative unknowns—and in a venue as intimate as Empire (formerly Jaxx), attendees might get a chance to feel like they’re part of that community, too. All that remains to be seen is just how many people will actually ride to the end of the Blue Line to catch the show. The festival runs Dec. 29-30 at Empire, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. $15-20. bluelinefestival.splashthat.com.

Fat Trel's Real D.C.

For the prankster prince of DMV hip-hop, the authenticity wars still matter. To Trel, authenticity matters. “I’m bringing the street life back into the mainstream,” he says. To Trel, authenticity matters. “I’m bringing the street life back into the mainstream,” he says.Photograph by Darrow MontgomeryFat Trel is watching a roomful of seniors do the electric slide. It’s a miserable Saturday in February, and inside Kuehner House, a brick fortress of a retirement community on Good Hope Road SE, D.C.’s fastest-rising hip-hop star stands out like a Parental Advisory sticker: Fat Trel—born Martel Reeves, aka the Fat Fool, aka the leader of the Slutty Boyz—has a tall frame, broad shoulders, a mess of dreads covered by a San Francisco 49ers beanie, and bright green eyes his mother swears aren’t contacts. Tattoos blanket most of his corpus. Under his right eye is a winged “W,” for Washington. Swag is turned up. Trel is courting the ladies—in this case, a group of seven or so young women who’ve shown up, apparently uninvited, to the Valentine’s-themed dance the rapper is facilitating along with Bless All People. The nonprofit is run by his friend Roc Carmichael, the Houston Texans cornerback and Clinton, Md., native. For several weeks, Trel’s management has invited me to these service-oriented activities. The message is clear: Trel is really out here. “I go to the high schools, I talk to the kids,” Trel says. “I’m at the train station with them. Kids shop and eat with me when I’m at the mall. They come and see me.” Marvin Gaye’s silken voice is livening limbs on the dance floor, although most people are playing Checkers or Uno. It’s a party all the same: There’s a comically over-equipped disc jockey, a full-service bar on the kitchen island, a cameraman with limited edition Michael Johnson sneakers, mad Hershey’s Kisses. “I linked up with Trel through [recently signed Washington Redskin] Josh Morgan,” who’s another local, Carmichael says. “Trel is a guy with so much power. The youth, man, the kids are downloading. My little brother told me about Trel before I met him just off the strength of his Internet presence.” Soon, our hosts are interrupted by cane-wielding revelers with requests for autographs and T-shirts. Trel, who is 21, makes combative, evocative, trunk-rattling trap music for his neighbors’ little brothers and their cousins. In the past two years, he’s gone from a basement-level rapper selling CDs from the back of a car to a who-the-hell-is-that? stringer in Wale’s posse to a breakout ’hood favorite. These days, he’s the rare local hip-hop artist making national murmurs. Trel was the hottest rapper in the DMV in 2011, according to the list-makers at WKYS-FM. He opens for Rick Ross and sports beats from producer-of-the-moment Lex Luger. Somewhat mysteriously, his tracks get crossover shine from Pitchfork—never mind that indie tastemakers don’t ordinarily praise parochial rap about buying cocaine on Rhode Island Avenue. On weekends, Trel’s in New York doing interviews for MTV and BET, or in L.A. taking meetings with industry execs. Spend some time with Trel back home and it’s easy to understand his appeal. He offers a compellingly unfiltered persona—evidenced by a crazily unhinged Twitter feed that’s amassed 34,000 followers and his habit of rarely wearing a shirt. His lyrical themes are simple and street-bound, but he has a deep, confident flow and occasionally betrays an attention to craft. Recent hip-hop trends may suggest you don’t have to be authentic to be a successful gangsta rapper—witness the unlikely career of former corrections officer Rick Ross—but to Trel it’s clearly important. As he boasts over and over, he’s about representing “the real D.C.”

The Howard Theatre: Fully Loaded

Even surrounded by fences and construction materials, The Howard Theatre has obviously gone from decaying eyesore to palatial jewel. It's a much-deserved second chance for a local landmark that was once the prestige venue for African-American artists and audiences. Construction is still underway on the building's interior, but we got a chance to tour the venue Tuesday evening. Unfortunately we can't show you what we saw—photographers aren't permitted until work is done—but we can give you our impressions. Make no mistake: The place is opulent. Designed by D.C. firm Marshall Moya, the new Howard is less conventional theater, more lounge, with a modest stage (its original size) suited to small ensembles and stand-up acts. Capacity is 650 seated, 1100 standing. There are no rows of movie-house-style seats; the first level is flanked by two rows of elevated seating areas, but the front-of-stage area comes equipped with a hydraulic floor. Within 40 minutes, the floor can be fully converted from standing to seated. "The facility has a lot of flexibility now," says developer Roy "Chip" Ellis. "It's built for the 21st century." The balcony above smacks of "VIP area," fitted with leather chairs and tables with a Brazilian-marble bar behind. (There is also a bar on the main floor.) Stage-side box seats have been removed entirely, soon to be replaced by 200-inch HD jumbo screens. Ellis says the monitors aren't for stage views—there isn't really a bad seat in the house. The TVs are for advertising. That could make some audience members cringe. But while the transformation upstairs is dramatic, the downstairs got an even bigger makeover. The Howard Theatre, formerly basementless, now has a basement with a green room, dressing rooms, offices, bathrooms, a waiting area, and, crucially, a 2,400 square-foot, banquet-sized kitchen. This is key. Ellis was quick to point out that The Lincoln Theatre, to which the Howard is still compared, doesn't have anything like it. That hurts Lincoln's income, big time. The new Howard, by contrast, will feature full restaurant service, with Harlem restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson designing the menu. Those evolutions aside, the renovated Howard is awash in its own legacy. Its new facade isn't new at all, but the original 1910 exterior, cleaned up and refitted with new ornamentation. The interior lobby and theater walls will be adorned with images and memorabilia from the venue's heyday. But its lineup is relatively contemporary, skewing toward R&B, jazz, and hip-hop, with a handful of legacy acts thrown in for good measure. Howard's booking and operations are handled solely—for the next 25 years, as per their contract—by Blue Note Entertainment, owners of the eponymous Manhattan jazz club and a clutch of other big venues in New York. (Though the city, which owns the Howard, retains 12 days a year for its own functions.) So while questions still linger about the Howard's troubling similarities to the Lincoln Theatre—both are city-owned and have a long history of mismanagement and neglect—the Howard is already working with significant advantages. Its professional management and multipurpose facilities put it several tiers above Lincoln, a fairly one-dimensional, and—for now—city-operated venue. Oh, and the Brazilian marble doesn't hurt.

Musicians' Digital Performance Royalties at Risk

Recording artists and indie labels: there’s a movement afoot to change the way that you would receive your digital public performance royalties, and it’s not a good one, especially for recording artists. Back in August, we blogged about the news that Sirius/XM was considering doing a direct licensing deal, expressing our serious displeasure with the move. In recent days, the artist community — including AFTRA, AFM, The Recording Academy, A2IM and SoundExchange — has been broadcasting the message to their members about the negative consequences of direct licensing deals for digital performance royalties. We applaud our artist colleagues for urging their members signed to indie labels (or self-released artists) to not accept these direct licensing deals. We here at FMC wanted to join in the chorus and explain to musicians and labels why the current statutory licensing structure is better for all stakeholders.