The DMV rap scene is one of the nation’s most underrated music communities. Many of the country’s favorite hip-hop artists have roots in D.C. and its surrounding neighborhoods, but the city is frequently overshadowed as a hub for the genre by massive markets like Atlanta, New York, and L.A. This fall, D.C. will maintain its role as an unsung hero in hip-hop, hosting a slew of both national and local acts in major music venues, midsize clubs, intimate event spaces, and art galleries.

JPEGMAFIA at the Fillmore on Sept. 11

The Baltimore native and bar-raiser of contemporary experimental hip-hop JPEGMAFIA brings his LAY DOWN MY LIFE TOUR to Silver Spring. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Fillmore, 656 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. $55.

Common and Pete Rock at the 9:30 Club on Sept. 15 

The world-renowned MC and producer duo Common and Pete Rock will perform their first and only joint album, The Auditorium Vol 1., in one of D.C.’s most historic music clubs. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $75.

Show Love at the Pocket on Sept. 16 

The open mic platform-turned-music consulting service Open Gem USA hosts a recurring showcase of exciting up-and-comers in the DMV. This month features local genre breaker Miss Gavri, Northern Virginia’s SmooveDonn, Go Ezko, and NAI, who is known for her alternative R&B pop and hip-hop sounds. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Pocket, 1508 North Capitol St. NW. $10.

Miles Ave at HOMME on Sept. 21

Though this D.C. rap artist is currently based in New York City, Miles Ave will come home for a free one-man show at HOMME. The show starts at 7:30 pm at HOMME, 2000 L St. NW. Free.

Dazegxd with gum.mp3 and nedaj at the Pocket on Sept. 26 

New York DJ Dazegxd will spin an intense mesh of jungle, drum & bass, hip-hop, and more at the intimate NoMa venue. He’ll be joined by North Carolina’s digital record-spinner gum.mp3 and D.C.’s own nedaj, a jungle and drum & bass artist. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Pocket, 1508 North Capitol St. NW. $17–$22.

Rapsody at the Howard Theatre on Sept. 26 

This past May, North Carolina rap icon Rapsody released her first album in five years, Please Don’t Cry. On this tour, she’ll be performing tracks from the album and classics from her extensive discography. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Howard, 620 T St. NW. $20–$95.

Bigbabygucci with MDMA and Lil Surf at Songbyrd on Oct. 2 

Bigbabygucci, a seasoned vet of Atlanta’s underground rap scene, will showcase his newest evolution in sound as his Baby 5 persona. The multidimensional artist’s latest album carries the same name. He’ll be joined by two other buzzing Atlanta artists MDMA and Lil Surf at his D.C. show. The show starts at 8 p.m at Songbyrd, 540 Penn St. NE. $20–$25.

Larry June’s Howard Homecoming Concert at the Howard Theatre on Oct. 15

Bay Area wordsmith Larry June brings his unrivaled energy and positive attitude to Howard University’s Homecoming festivities. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Howard, 620 T St. NW. $50.

Big Flock at Union Stage on Oct. 20

The Prince George’s County MC, and a key innovator of the “DMV flow,” Big Flock headlines his first show at Union Stage. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. $25–$35.

BigXthaPlug at the 9:30 Club on Nov. 4 

Dallas’ rising star BigXthaPlug plans to familiarize our city with Texas’ buzzing hip-hop scene. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $32.50.

Chief Keef at Echostage on Nov. 24 

After canceling his summer tour due to health issues, Chief Keef is back on the road, performing tracks off his highly anticipated and appreciated album, Almighty So 2. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Echostage, 2135 Queens Chapel Rd. NE. $56–$76.

billy woods + Kenny Segal at Union Stage on Dec. 8 

New York underground rap legend billy woods celebrates the five-year anniversary of his critically acclaimed project Hiding Places. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. $25–$40.

Lazer Dim 700 at DC9 on Jan. 21 

Though January definitely falls outside the scope of “fall,” we’re excited that this Atlanta underground trailblazer is bringing his deep-fried, 808-heavy hip-hop, dubbed “Crashout Music,” to the District this winter. The show starts at 8 p.m. at DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. $22–$25.

Check out more of our 2024 Fall Arts Guide here.

Oh He Dead, Ugly

On 2023’s Pretty, D.C.’s alt-soul band Oh He Dead gave us the lighter side of love with tracks full of gleaming pop melodies and lyrics comparing relationship partners to cherry blossoms and honeybees (for real). On their follow-up, Ugly, things are no longer sunshine and lollipops. Actually, they’re downright … ugly. The album, released today, Aug. 23, was written and recorded prior to guitarist and co-founder Andy Valenti’s departure from the band earlier this year. (In an email, the band’s manager stated “In January, Andy moved on from Oh He Dead to pursue other projects.”) On Ugly, the band’s strongest attribute as songwriters is their ability to keep the listener guessing. Much like “Doll,” the opening track on the Foo Fighters’ 1997 album, The Colour and the Shape—aka Dave Grohl’s divorce album—Ugly’s first track, “John Song,” sets the tone lyrically. It’s short but not sweet, with lead singer CJ Johnson’s raspy tone asking “Tell me why?/ Tell me how?/ I let a love/ I let him go so easy.” While the majority of the lyrics on the album deal with the ups and downs of relationships, the soundscape expands exponentially with each track. “Strange Love” puts the listener through their musical paces, starting as an ethereal sunny pop song that quickly transforms into distorted guitars, denser drums, and even a firm tambourine shake enters the mix. On “Moonshine,” the guitars go from Tom Petty-esque to California surf (complete with handclaps) within the first minute and, good lord, there’s even a guitar solo (how old school!). “Is It My Love,” a slow, short groove, wraps up at a mere two minutes, and unfortunately, due to its brevity, lands like an unfinished musical thought. “Every Last Trail,” a contemplative acoustic ballad where Johnson, sounding a bit stalkerish, looks for a lost love, singing “I’ll hike up every last trail/ I won’t stop ’til I find you standing there.” By the time the album wraps with the five-and-a-half minute blues opus “Cover Me,” every emotion associated with heartache has been touched upon. Is it cathartic? Not exactly. But if you’re in the midst of heartbreak, and are looking for some musical companions to assist in your wallowing, Ugly will wrap you like a codependent musical blanket. Oh He Dead play at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 23 at the Atlantis. theatlantisdc.com. Sold out. —Christina Smart

Fat Vaughn, Road To Riches

Northwest D.C.’s Fat Vaughn uses music to make sense of his own chaotic reality. A seasoned vet of the local rap scene, Vaughn has released more than 25 projects and dozens of singles since his 2016 debut EP, The Journey. His tunnel-vision approach to making and releasing music turned him into one of the most consistent artists in the city. He’s not concerned with landing on a Spotify playlist or trending on TikTok, and fame is a nonfactor. “Struggle, death, and the people I love is what motivates me to keep making music,” he tells City Paper.

On July 4, Fat Vaughn released Road To Riches, a six-track EP that provides a solid introduction into the MC’s reflective and vulnerable music. There’s a continuous theme of embracing the pain that comes with loss, and acknowledging one’s own flaws and shortcomings.

On “Self,” Vaughn mourns friends and family who tragically passed away, rapping, “Thinking bout my dogs and it made me drop a tear/ How the fuck you 6 feet deep/ You was just right here.” His struggle with death is even more prevalent on the closing track, “Stargazing,” where he details coping with the loss of loved ones, and persevering through hardships in their honor. His vulnerability throughout the EP is matched with candid honesty. On “For the Win,” he doesn’t shy away from his drug abuse and involvement in violent street culture. “15s, 30s, and up, I ain’t popping no 10s/ Stainless steel on my hip, nigga don’t wanna get cleansed,” he raps. Although Vaughn mentions living a dangerous lifestyle throughout the EP, he doesn’t glorify it with vulgar exaggerations and outlandish punchlines. His street-related bars are relatively sparse and come across as sincere and realistic.

Fat Vaughn is no stranger to singing, but Road To Riches finds the MC flexing his vocal chops. He sings every hook on the album, switches registers in his verses, and harmonizes his ad libs. The light coat of Auto-Tune on his vocals makes the sentiment in his heartfelt lyrics more palpable, and the project’s spacey and melodic production hammers this home. He’s using hip-hop to process pain, which explains his extensive discography. He’s not rapping for fame or money, he’s doing it to express himself. This attitude is clear throughout Road To Riches, reflecting Vaughn’s dedication to his craft and unrelenting spirit. —Amari Newman

Zen Warship, The Renewal

For Zen Warship’s second studio album, they’ve decided to capitalize on sounds sure to leave listeners bouncing to the infectious beats the band have become known for. But while The Renewal has the upbeat spirit of modern pop, that feel-good energy is only scratching the surface of the band’s musical influences and sounds. The seven-track release features a mix of funk-disco, funk-rock, soul, and ska elements.

The decision to emphasize these sounds on The Renewal, alongside deeper, introspective lyricism, came out of COVID. Zen Warship’s debut album, Anything That Grooves, was written before 2020 and relied on a grittier guitar and jazz-infused sound. While there are hints of these same elements in their newest work, joy is the overwhelming takeaway. Vocalist Preethy Kolinjivadi notes that the feel-good vibe was a result of the eight-piece band coming together again after the pandemic. Their first release was written by a smaller group while The Renewal gave more members songwriting credits and a chance to collaborate. The result has a more classic funk feel with nods to James Brown, funk-rock pioneers Parliament Funkadelic, Jimi Hendrix, and even the type of funk-soul-pop that Stevie Wonder helped to create. But it’s not all throwback beats. The band also credit Jamiroquai, Nile Rodgers, H.E.R., and Dua Lipa as influences. There’s no sophomore slump here. —Heidi Pérez-Moreno

Outerloop, EP 02 

It’s hard to believe that post-punk band Outerloop’s new EP is a mere 15 and a half minutes long. The EP, released on June 21, packs a dense and eclectic array of lyrics and instrumental layers into just six tracks. The wide-ranging release bears testimony to Outerloop’s expansive roots, from straight rock to jazz. EP 02 is Outerloop’s first multi-track release since parting with their old bassist in May 2022 (the band did cover Slant 6’s “Double Edged Knife” on a Dischord-inspired compilation featuring Teen Mortgage, the Dismemberment Plan, and other local groups in January). The subsequent addition of a new drummer, Marty Risemberg, and bassist Erik Sleight spurred the group’s subsequent departure from a consistently heavy rock sound into a more genre-bending direction. Risemberg, like vocalist Taisha Estrada, comes from a primarily jazz background, while Sleight brings sizable electronic experience to the project. The band step outside of their established sound in particular on “Electric Alibi,” a relatively sparse track with minimal rhythm and bass and delicate vocals compared to Estrada’s typical style. This restraint morphs into a sustained, fuzzy guitar drone on Sleight’s subsequent “bass solo.”

Perhaps most striking on EP 02 is Outerloop’s use of English and Spanish to infuse their lyrics with social commentary. On the second track, “Huracán,” they use the two languages to capture a power dynamic within Estrada’s native Puerto Rico; she sings in Spanish from the perspective of residents pushed out of their homes and in English from that of the land-grabbers: “No, I do not feel your pain/ You have 30 days.” While most of EP 02 is a listener-directed call to address issues like sexism and social media surveillance, Estrada also uses Spanish to turn inward. The final track, “Estremecido,” compares leaving a lover to Moses’ birth mother leaving him to float down the Nile River with guilt-laden lyrics like “Te dejé/ Estremecido” (“I left you/ Trembling”). 

Outerloop’s new EP may go in too many directions, but it does so with musical and conceptual integrity. From delightfully unpredictable instrumentals and moments of melodic dissonance to poignant subject matter, the project lays out a promising blueprint for perhaps more cohesive releases to come as the band continue to settle into their new lineup. —Dora Segall

Truth or Dare, “H.S.B.F.” 

If you’re looking for a pop-punk anthem to close out the summer, look no further than Truth or Dare’s debut single, “H.S.B.F.” Released on Aug. 9, the just-shy-of-4-minute track has the pulsing beats, sing-along lyrics, and sassy angst that makes you want to drive fast or dance while screaming the song’s chorus: “And if Virginia is for lovers/ And Maryland’s for fun/ Then D.C.’s for the kids who won’t sit still for anyone.” Truth or Dare is clearly a homegrown act. So is “H.S.B.F.,” which was recorded at 38North Studios in Falls Church, produced by Reese Clutter, who’s worked with D.C. bands Beauty Pill, and Cherub Tree, and mastered by Baltimore’s Mat Leffler–Schulman (Dan Deacon, Jon Batiste, De La Soul). It’s unclear who among these names is responsible for putting some more gloss on the band, whose three-track demo from January has a much fuzzier, granulated DIY sound that’s a little more punk grit than pop polish. 

“H.S.B.F.” stands for high school boyfriend and the song charts the course of teen romance and growing up. None of it’s groundbreaking, but the driving, and sometimes distorted, guitar gives you the thrill you listen to pop-punk for and shouting along with vocalist Tori—especially if you grew up in a small town like I did—feels especially cathartic. This is a track to listen to on your last road trip of the season or even on your headphones as you head out for a late August run. But it will certainly be best experienced live in a small venue where you can dance out your angst. Either way, it’s guaranteed to make you want to move. —Sarah Marloff

Strutman Lane, “Restless Nights”

Summer’s coming to an end and while I’m glad the record-breaking heat is dying down, I’m feeling restless. There’s so much of D.C. summer left to enjoy before Labor Day: outdoor concerts and movies, dips in your local public pool, bike rides, kayaking on the Potomac, sweaty Sunday mornings at the Dupont Circle farmers market, and more. “Restless Nights,” the newest single by pop funk band Strutman Lane, released July 19, is the perfect soundtrack to these last sweet dregs of summer. The band’s accompanying music video pulls back the curtain on the song’s recording and helps you see the funk instrumental arrangement come together. The song’s smart use of piano and saxophone is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder’s iconic “Superstition” and similarly makes you want to dance. —Serena Zet

Listen along to all these new tracks with our Spotify playlist.

Hopping out a minivan, toting a box full of sea moss, Naeem Khaliq, musically known as QP Knockout, rattles off bars highlighting the health benefits of the mineral-filled superfood in the music video for his track “Randy Seamoss.” “Put it in my auntie’s drink, it get her real strong!” he raps before the video cuts to him giving a concocted sea moss drink to his aunties. Cut back to Khaliq. “Really who y’all n*ggas think/ I sell sea moss!” he raps.

QP Knockout (QPKO for short) is carving a new lane in D.C.’s rap scene, which has recently been associated with violence. Many of the city’s prominent young rappers make Drill music, a subgenre of hip-hop with lyrical content centered around conflict. They speak about ongoing beefs in the city and taunt rivals who have been hurt or killed during their feuds.

At its best, the music illustrates the D.C. street lifestyle in a raw, authentic way. It’s a vehicle for young people, who often hail from some of the remaining predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city, to express their unfiltered life experiences. But at its worst, Drill can be fuel for an unending cycle of violence. People seek retribution for being dissed, and artists feel obligated to uphold the bloodthirsty image they’ve created for themselves. A recent report from D.C.’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council cites rap music videos as a significant factor escalating feuds between crews and contributing to the scourge of gun violence in the city. 

QPKO provides an alternative to this self-destructive loop. His music spreads knowledge and his lyrics stress the importance of holding oneself to a code of honor. He’ll often rap over Michigan-inspired production with thumping 808s and complex melodies, and talk about supporting friends and family. His positive lyricism is rooted in D.C.’s reality.

Tracks like “Small Town” and “Cars and Clothes” are packed with area-specific lingo and references only understood by those familiar with D.C.’s culture. He cites alternative rap artists such as Dom Kennedy, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-soul as influences. 

“A lot of these artists impacted the way that I thought about myself and my transition into [the person] I’ve been becoming for the past 10 years,” he tells City Paper. He wants to do the same thing for the next generation of young Washingtonians. “They might need to hit that road, to figure themselves out. And if [my] music is the fuel to get them to venture out into the world, then my mission is accomplished.”

Khaliq has been involved in D.C.’s music scene for years, working as a manager for local talent before pursuing his own rap career in 2021. “[My peers] always used to tell me that my voice and what I gotta say is important for the folks to hear too,” he explains. Knockout recorded demos for over a year before releasing his debut EP, QP KO & The Wizard of Za. He’s released nearly a dozen projects since 2021, and plans to put out an album and short film Nov. 11. 

“The project is called Mr. Pay Me. It’s the official soundtrack to the motion picture Mr. Pay Me For My Nose,” Khaliq says. The short film will work as an on-screen intro to the Mr. Pay Me For My Nose character that Knockout has been developing since 2021’s Mr. Pay Me Vol 1, and last year’s Mr. Pay Me For My Nose. 

“We got some partners we might [connect] with in the near future to put together a larger project,” he says. The 10-minute short, co-directed by Nadia Stanley, will be released alongside the 14-track album, executive produced by BlockBoy202.

Although music is Khaliq’s primary focus at the moment, he’s been a stalwart of D.C.’s cultural development in nightlife and fashion for more than a decade. Hailing from the Kennedy Street NW neighborhood, he’s part of the generation that experienced the city’s major economic and social changes in the 2010s. “When I graduated from high school, it was like the peak moment of equilibrium for the gentrification movement in D.C.,” he says. 

Khaliq specifically recognized a shift in the city’s go-go community. “I came out of the bounce beat go-go era,” he recalls, proudly. “I was really knee-deep in it as a young person. From 13, all the way to 18 years old.” By 2012, police crackdowns, and shifting demographics led to the closure of go-go venues Khaliq attended throughout his adolescence.

Adjusting to this new reality, he found a promising business opportunity in throwing house parties. They were initially aimed at college students, but grew into a series of parties throughout D.C. for teenagers and young adults. This created a new social space for Khaliq, his peers, and the city’s younger generation who felt the cultural void from the decline of go-go.

Most of his events took place in mansions, luxury condos, and commercial buildings. Attendees assumed Khaliq’s collective of party-throwers were landlords who owned the spaces, so they embraced the title and shortened it to Lordy. 

“It started becoming a title of endearment. [It became] something that we could stand on,” he says. “It’s like a badge of honor if you’re a Lordy, you hear me.” He created a clothing brand under the name around the same time his childhood friend, painter-designer Franklin Thompson, established Rent Is Due in 2014. The Lordy and Rent Is Due brands played off one another, and became staples in D.C. streetwear throughout the mid 2010s. Since the clothing could only be purchased directly through Thompson or Khaliq, only people within the city’s underground nightlife and art scene could acquire their product.

At the end of 2015, Khaliq moved to New York City to embed himself in the fashion industry. He learned how to screen print from artists he connected with in the city, and attended major brand activations. Meeting fashion icons like Virgil Abloh and Heron Preston, Khaliq gained a better understanding of the business models behind their brands.

He returned to D.C. in 2018, starting his brand UUV (the name is an acronym for D.C.’s stolen car law, officially called unauthorized use of a motor vehicle ), a callback to 2009, when, as a young kid, he and some friends from his neighborhood would get into trouble. Khaliq describes it as his “adrenaline activity.”

The UUV clothing brand plays on this concept with designs that make subtle references to D.C.’s Black culture such as an homage to the Twin Dragon Carry-Out on a bomber jacket, or a cartoon design of local emcee Baby 9eno on a sweatshirt. Trucker hats, ski masks, and mechanic jackets are some of UUV’s most popular pieces, which can be seen on tastemakers throughout the city.

Khaliq also officially expanded UUV into the cannabis industry in 2020. During frequent trips to California in the late 2010s, Khaliq and his friends studied the cannabis cultivation process and developed their own method to produce high quality marijuana. They call their product “The One, Not The Two,” indicating top-tier bud. Thanks to connections they made with West Coast-based distributors, UUV cannabis products are sold through major retailers throughout California. 

If that wasn’t enough, Khaliq also founded a studio space for up-and-coming rap artists who showed potential. “The city needed a safe haven for certain artists that were serious about their craft to be able to intimately and privately develop it,” he explains. By the end of 2019, an insular community formed around the multiroom studio tucked away in the Ivy City neighborhood, which prioritized their artists’ well-being. 

“We got a hot plate in the back, a clean bathroom, a nice couch, you can catch some Zs real quick, you don’t gotta worry about nothing,” he says. 

Artists have recorded more than 325 songs since the studio opened, including Southeast rap-pioneer Ankhlejohn, and Northeast’s El Cousteau, who was recently brought out to perform his single “Nitro” (also recorded in the studio) during A$AP Rocky’s Rolling Loud Miami set. The studio closed down when the building underwent renovations last year, but the experience inspired Khaliq to pursue his own rap career. 

With the album and short film set to release, Khaliq sits at an exciting point in his creative career. Adding ground tobacco, locally known as funnel, to the list of products UUV supplies, the brand is bigger than ever. He’s also established his own record label, Route 1 Records, where he releases all of his music. Stepping out of his normally behind-the-scenes role, Khaliq is now the face of his newest venture, using rap music to educate and inspire the people of his city.

“When you invest into yourself and learn the skills, and then invest into a group of people by telling their story, you benefit from them wanting to buy and support whatever you’re trying to do,” he says.

Friday: Tex Rubinowitz and the Bad Boys at the Birchmere 

Rockabilly, that frenetic combination of rock, country, blues, and jazz swing, had its prime in the 1950s, but in the 1970s and 1980s it came back, with artists such as Robert Gordon and Stray Cats hitting the charts. Locally, Tex Rubinowitz and the Bad Boys were one of the genre’s most prominent bands. On Jan. 20, the group, circa their 1979 to 1980 lineup, reunite. Born in Abilene, Texas, Rubinowitz moved to Virginia when he was 10 and—after a college stint in Mississippi and some years traveling—returned to the D.C. area in the ’70s. The 1979 Bad Boys included guitarist Eddie Angel, who now plays in Nashville-based neo-surf act Los Straitjackets. With Rubinowitz on rhythm guitar and vocals, the band developed a repertoire of originals and covers that reflected their collective interest in up-tempo rock songs and honky-tonk ballads. The Rubinowitz-penned “Feelin’ Right Tonight,” with his deep-voiced twang, catchy chorus, and shouts to his bandmates, helped propel the track, which received local radio airplay. The band were soon getting gigs at Georgetown’s Cellar Door, the original 9:30 Club on F Street NW, and even opened for psychobilly behemoths the Cramps at the Psyche Delly in Bethesda. Rubinowitz’s slicked-back hair and guitarist Ratso’s pompadour also helped establish the band’s style. Their tuneful rock song “Hot Rod Man” was featured in the 1984 Judge Reinhold movie Roadhouse 66 (and in a Anco windshield wipers commercial), and Rubinowitz played a handful of gigs in France, but the group’s popularity never reached beyond cult status. By the end of 1988, Rubinowitz quit the band and performing all together. Other band members continued together for a time as Switchblade, and then parted ways and formed other groups. Rubinowitz spent the next few decades repairing guitars, mics, and amps, while caring for ailing members of his family. But music finally drew him back. In 2012, he began working on a rockabilly meets Dixieland jazz project with onetime Bad Boy Bob Newscaster; the project reached fruition with a 2017 album Old Man Mississippi. And, in 2018, Rubinowitz began doing occasional gigs with some former Bad Boys. While he tells City Paper that a back impairment, Parkinson’s disease, and chronic fatigue have significantly impacted him in recent years, he also says that “there’s a place of magic that takes place when you perform and you feel it and you just feel everything’s clicking and you feel connected to the audience.” Tex Rubinowitz and the Bad Boys play at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. birchmere.com. $35. —Steve Kiviat

Saturday: Verdi’s Requiem at Strathmore

“Giuseppe Verdi‘s Requiem Mass has been called his greatest opera, although it is no opera at all,” says James Conlon, the artistic advisor to Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. “It is virtually the only major work he wrote that was not intended for the theater. But that it defies categorization is emblematic of its universal character, which has led it to be one of classical music’s most admired and beloved works, by both musicians and the public alike.” In its time—the 1870s—Verdi’s Requiem was considered by some as too operatic to be performed in a liturgical service yet too devout in its Latin lyrics to be a secular opera. It’s part Baroque fugue, part Gregorian chant, and utterly rapturous. Segueing between the passion of high operatic drama and the somber beauty of a Catholic mass for the dead, it is by turns bleak and brilliant. To appreciate this complex work is to grapple with the inconsistencies and contradictions, the depths of despair and soaring angelic heights. This co-presentation between the Washington Chorus and the BSO will bring Verdi’s enthralling work to the Music Center at Strathmore with four outstanding soloists: Michelle Bradley, one of the most promising Verdi sopranos; lead soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, mezzo-soprano Yulia Matochkina; one of the most sought-after American tenors, Russell Thomas; and the impressive bass Morris Robinson. The performance will be conducted by Conlon and directed by Washington Chorus’ Artistic Director Eugene Rogers. Verdi’s Requiem plays at 8 p.m. on Jan. 21 at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Ln., North Bethesda. bsomusic.org. $35–$90. —Colleen Kennedy

Sunday: Ocean x KungFu at Capital One Arena

This Sunday, hip-hop heavyweight Future brings his star-studded Future and Friends Party Tour to Capital One Arena. This will be the first headlining tour for the “WAIT FOR U” artist since 2019, and he’ll be joined by a slew of household names and up-and-comers in the industry. A noteworthy act taking the stage is the Atlanta-based rap duo Ocean x KungFu, who are 19 and 21, respectively. The sisters have been immersed in hip-hop since childhood, partially thanks to their uncle, who pursued his own rap career. They naturally gravitated toward MCing, and received positive feedback from their community in their early teen years. The two continued honing their sound while building a significant following on social media for viral prank videos and vlogs. Since 2020, Ocean x KungFu have released only a handful of tracks, but they’re currently preparing for their major label debut on Interscope Records. They’ve rolled out two singles in recent months, maintaining their fiery confidence as they lean in to the current southern sound of heavy drums, simple melodies, and flamboyant lyricism. Their latest track, “Gangsta,” displays this evolution as they effortlessly dish out piercing insults and clever flexes over sharp 808s. Those attending the concert should prepare to be captivated by the raw energy and charisma these emerging MCs exude. Attendees will also get the chance to enjoy performances from BabyFace Ray, Kodak Black, EST Gee, Rob 49, and Trippie Redd. The Future and Friends show, with Ocean x KungFu, starts at 7 p.m. on Jan. 22 at Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW. livenation.com. $115–$575. —Amari Newman

Sunday: Nick Hakim at Union Stage

Some of us are feeling the effects of seasonal depression, despite the undoubtedly mild winter we’re having. The soulful stylings of D.C. native Nick Hakim are the remedy we need. Hakim left the area to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, originally as a music therapy major, before relocating to Brooklyn after graduation. The crooner’s first local performance since the October release of his new album, Cometa, promises to be restorative. “I love coming back to my hometown and seeing my family and friends,” Hakim tells City Paper. “It makes me feel at home. I always get some fries and mambo sauce wherever I can.” Longtime fans will notice Hakim shaved his head ahead of his return, and his fresh collection of romantic songs allow his buoyant voice to shine unadulterated. Hakim may have traded in some of his psychedelic sound for one that’s decidedly more indie folk, but the subjects of his songs—love, desire and longing—remain familiar. “Feeling Myself” juxtaposes ’70s soul vocals with a trippy bass line and synths exuding a dreamlike quality, and Hakim’s imagery is at its most confident. “Perfume,” a personal favorite, features more haunting vocals reminiscent of indie singer James Vincent McMorrow’s, and the music itself perfectly captures the fleeting scent of an amour. Similarly, the chance to see Hakim perform at an intimate venue like Union Stage might not last. Recent work with the likes of Alex G and DJ Dahi and features on Claud and Pink Siifu’s albums prove the talented musician’s cometa (Spanish for kite) continues to rise. We know at least one song likely to be on the set list. “The song ‘Qadir’ always reminds me of D.C. and growing up there,” he shares. “This song is named after my late friend, and I always feel like he and everyone we grew up with is present when we perform it.” Nick Hakim plays at 8 p.m. on Jan. 22 at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. unionstage.com. $20–$40. —Dave Nyczepir

Thursday, Jan 26: Franny Choi and Danez Smith, virtual

Despite what the New York Times foolishly published last month, poetry is not dead. It is nowhere near death! If anything, poetry is experiencing a modern renaissance as the genre becomes increasingly accessible to the masses and as a new generation of poets write about pressing issues of identity, politics, past traumas, current joys, and what our collective future holds for us. Franny Choi and Danez Smith, two of the most prominent voices in this revolutionary generation of poets, are bringing their important work to the DMV through a virtual event hosted by Lost City Books on Jan. 26. Choi will be reading poems from their acclaimed 2022 poetry collection, The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On, named one of Time’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2022, and included on NPR’s 2022 list of “Books We Love” and Vulture’s “10 Best Books of 2022.” The collection’s poems tackle questions of dystopia and utopia as Choi reminds readers that, while this current time period can seem dire, the world has often been apocalyptic in myriad ways for marginalized communities. Similarly, Smith’s 2020 book, Homie, explores friendship, loss, and grief in a time of crisis. Rather than harp on the dystopian, Choi and Smith’s work invites us to explore the tensions of our lives and inspires us to seek hope, community, and care as we work to build a future together. If you want to know more about the state of not just the poetic world but our world at large, look no further than these two voices. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 26 via Lost City Books’ YouTube channel. lostcitybookstore.com. Free. —Serena Zets

Alex Vaughn, a Prince George’s County native, continues her breakout year with a sold-out, one night only show this Sunday, Nov. 6, at Songbyrd. The event will be Vaughn’s first live performance since releasing her mainstream debut album, The Hurtbook, last month. The flourishing R&B singer moved to L.A. and joined the Love Renaissance (LVRN) record label in 2021, quickly becoming an up-and-coming star in the industry. Her single “Mirage” has accumulated more than 3,000,000 streams on Spotify since its February release, and various publications including BET, Essence, and VIBE have endorsed her talent.

Growing up in the Capitol Heights and Brandywine neighborhoods played a significant role in Vaughn’s development as an artist. “There’s a lot of community in the DMV, and that energy helps me as a performer, a writer, and a human overall,” she tells City Paper. Vaughn graduated from Suitland High School’s performing arts program, and briefly attended Hartford University on a scholarship for Classical Voice and Music Education. But the young singer did not see classical music in her future, and returned to Maryland to pursue a career in R&B. She released her first project in 2015 titled The 4pm Mix, produced by the veteran duo FootsxColes. During that time, Vaughn maintained an active presence in the DMV music scene that lasted for more than half a decade, performing at marquee venues, and frequently working with local creatives, such as Matt McGhee and Odd Mojo. 

In 2018, Vaughn, alongside one of her management team members, Lena Lavonn, launched AV Sessions, an open-mic series that takes place on the third Wednesday of every month at Pie Shop. The duo was inspired by an L.A.-based event series called Unplugged. “People would go onstage and vibe with the band, versus the usual open-mic where people just come up and plug in,” Vaughn says of the west coast iteration. They applied the live band aspect to AV Sessions, and introduced an Artist Spotlight section to promote local creatives. As Vaughn notes, many up-and-coming artists struggle to land gigs if they aren’t well connected. “The objective was for people to create their own community, so they wouldn’t feel like they have to break into another one to get their 10,000 hours in,” she says. “People need to get the opportunity to shoot in the gym, so I made the gym.”

AV Sessions still takes place every month, and has featured dozens of musicians from across the DMV, including Innanet James, Anguesomo, DBassline, Ayotemi, and Henri B. Styles. Although Vaughn currently lives on the west coast, she assists in organizing the open mic events, and uses the showcase for her own musical pursuits. “I find people to work with through AV Sessions,” she says. In fact, the opener for her Songbyrd show was determined through a contest held at a recent session. The winner, local soul vocalist Amaiya Holley, played some of her first performances at Vaughn’s open mic. 

Vaughn’s experience organizing AV Sessions, while releasing music as an independent artist, prepared her for the challenges that came with joining LVRN in 2021. The abundant resources, high-profile networks, and frequent creative involvement of major labels can often overwhelm new artists, and cause them to question their own abilities. Vaughn did not succumb to the second-guessing, noting, “for a long time I was under the assumption that I have to do [everything] myself, so I’ve kept that muscle instilled in me while entering these new spaces, and it is helpful.” She views her time coming up in the local music scene as a reminder: “I have been doing this work for a long time, and I know what I’m talking about.”

After releasing her Voice Notes EP through the label in early May, Vaughn’s debut album for LVRN/Interscope Records dropped Oct. 7. The eight-track project consists of stand-alone stories that detail troubled relationships in the singer-songwriter’s life. Each relationship issue stems from a shared inability for either party to confront their emotions. (Prior to being signed, Vaughn wrote all her music, and she wrote six of the eight songs on The Hurtbook.)

“We would either ignore how we feel, smoke it away, or double back. We’d do everything except address how we felt,” she explains. Vaughn made The Hurtbook to unpack these relationships. “I [wanted] to show that it’s okay to say how you feel, and to feel it out loud. It’s okay to feel different things, you just need to accept that you feel them,” Vaughn says, concluding, “[That’s] what The Hurtbook is about. If you want to make it to the next chapter you’ve got to tap into yourself.” 

The introspective and story-driven tracks provide a comprehensive introduction to Vaughn’s unique vocal and songwriting abilities. It also features melodic production from local music savant DJ Money and Grammy-winning producer Rodney Jerkins.

Those planning on attending the sold-out concert Nov. 6 can expect to hear Vaughn’s first live renditions from the album, alongside older cuts. “I plan to take us all for a ride. The Hurtbook is the most current representation of where I am, but I didn’t start here, and I want people to see the whole journey.” Holley will join Sunday’s performance, along with special guests. Those who were unable to grab a ticket need not worry. Vaughn confidently assures us, “You can expect more music, or my face, in the near future. I plan to just be anywhere and everywhere God wants me to be.”

The Hurtbook is available on all streaming services. Alex Vaughn plays at 8 p.m. on Nov. 6 at Songbyrd. songbyrddc.com. Tickets are sold out, but the wait-list is open.

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with the correct dates for AV Sessions, which falls the third Wednesday of every month.

From the moment Joony first put a pen to paper, the 21-year-old artist knew he would make rapping his profession. “I kept saying to myself and other people, ‘I’m gonna be a rapper,’” Joony tells City Paper. 

The Silver Spring native began making music in 2014, writing to Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Mac Miller instrumentals he found on YouTube. “I’ve always been planning to be a rapper,” Joony says. “I guess it’s been like that since I was 14.” Joony stuck to his word. In the seven years since, he’s released more than 15 projects and 150 songs. Only a year after he released his biggest album to date, Joony dropped his latest project, Pretty in Black, on May 27, with an emphasis on “all Black. Everything Black.”

While the young artist would be defined as brand new by mainstream standards, Joony’s consistent output over the years earned him the support of many local creatives early in his career. In 2019, Prince George’s County “superproducer” Sparkheem, alongside frequent collaborator Spizzledoe, produced Joony’s mixtape Youngest OG.  “[Sparkheem is] a legend in the DMV,” Joony says. “He’s like a checkpoint everybody gets to in their career out here.” The 2019 project amplified the Maryland rapper’s presence throughout the region, labeling him an up-and-comer to keep an eye on. 

Although Joony built a sizable following since his Sparkheem co-sign, the release of his 2021 project Silent Battles brought in an avalanche of new supporters. His incorporation of multiple genres on the album—ranging from pop, hip-hop, indie, and R&B—expanded his appeal across different audiences. On Spotify, the versatile artist sees more than 111,000 listeners per month. He’s also been featured in music publications such as Audiomack, Billboard, and Office Magazine, which has only added to his growing acclaim. At less than 30 minutes, Silent Battles also landed Joony a feature on Maryland singer Brent Faiyaz’s Do Not Listen EP (also released last year) and connected him with rising rap stars Kankan and Yeat. Joony has worked with both artists on remixes and several yet-unreleased projects. 

Though the 2021 album plays with genres, experimenting with different sounds wasn’t exactly new to the emcee—who’s always used more alternative, melodic, and experimental production in his music—then or now. (A 2018 track on his SoundCloud features him singing over instrumentals from R&B meets dream-pop artist Steve Lacy.)

When asked about his diverse discography, Joony says nonchalantly, “I pick out a beat that’s cool, take it to the studio and let loose.” He’s often inspired to make music by different sounds or situations he encounters throughout his day. Joony kept that same open approach on his new album, Pretty in Black.

“I have a couple songs on the album that have a ’70s type vibe,” he explains. “I was listening to Silk Sonic and I was like, ‘I wanna make some [stuff] like this,’ so I did. It’s really that simple … I really feel like I can do all of those types of music, I just need the instrumental.”

In light of the growing stream of support Joony received in the past year, he believes he’s only scratched the surface of his potential success. “It feels like I’m [still coming up]. It’s not really at a peak at all,” says Joony. “It’s just now settling in that it’s gonna keep getting bigger.” 

He admits that there have been some changes to his everyday life. “I just went to the store with my mans, and the [person] who rang me up asked me for a picture when I was leaving the joint. Stuff like that just started really happening more often.”

This buzz led to his inclusion in D.C.’s Broccoli City Festival earlier this month. The organizers reached out to Joony’s team looking to fill a performance slot with a local artist. He performed in between multiplatinum rapper Gunna and Grammy-winning Afrobeat superstar Wizkid’s sets on the main stage. Once Gunna finished, everyone from his stage came to Joony’s mid set. 

“It was lit, bruh,” Joony says about his set, elaborating: “It was a lot of fun, man. My fans enjoyed themselves and enjoyed the music live.”

Though Broccoli City marks Joony’s first festival performance, he wasn’t fazed by the new setting—he’s been performing live since he was 15. But he does admit to noticing a couple changes. “I’m more seasoned and polished for sure,” he says. 

The performance also sparked even more momentum to the rollout of Pretty in Black. The artist started working on the 11-track project last November. “‘OK, let me start this album,’ it’s nothing like that,” Joony says of his unconventional recording process. “It’s more like I go to the studio when I’m out of town and record, then I go to the studio in another city and record, and when I’m back home I record too. I just record all the time.” 

After a few months of recording in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and D.C., Joony sorted through his new music to pick his favorite songs to release. For Pretty in Black, he was recording tracks for five months before sitting down and selecting which songs would go on the album.

Building off his effort on Silent Battles, Joony uses Pretty in Black to fully immerse himself in different genres, but this time it feels even more succinct and thought-out. Each song runs about two minutes, and the project features elements of hip-hop, R&B, funk, drum and bass, dancehall, and Afrobeat.

Joony credits part of his ability to hone different sounds to his newfound access to more professional recording studios. “When you have a nice studio, it gives you more freedom to try some random [sounds] out,” he explains. “It gives you more leeway to be creative because you know whatever you do it’s gonna sound at least decent because you’re in a nice studio.”

The record features a large team of producers, with each song boasting a different beat-maker. A few notable names include CashMoneyAP, Charlie Heat, Young Flavor, Ben10k, and Danes Blood. The project’s diverse cast of producers feeds into its overall variety—every song has the potential to be a stand-alone single. 

On Pretty in Black, Joony also improves his songwriting. Most tracks have thought-out intros, buildups, climaxes, and outros, compared with his more simplistic song structures on previous releases. Likewise, Joony’s lyrical content is more serious and reflective than ever. 

On “Not Going Back,” he details his recent success, vowing to keep pressing forward rather than settling or regressing in his career. The Rascal-produced dancehall track “Be OTW” has the project’s only feature, with Atlanta-based musician Lily Rayne singing back and forth with Joony about the bittersweet experience of falling in and out of love. Joony identifies “I’m in Love” as one of his favorite songs on the album. “[It’s a] lil’ ’70s R&B joint,” he says, laughing. “This [album is] boutta wake people up, bro, I’m telling you.”

Joony has already released a music video for his single “Drifting in Tokyo,” a PinkPantheress-inspired drum and bass track off the album. The video shows Joony and his friends driving around Atlanta in fast cars. “There were literally cars drifting around me in circles. I almost got hit by the back of one,” he says. “It was mad fun.” He plans on dropping a few more videos for songs on the album as it’s rolled out in the coming weeks. 

Although many people are just now tuning in to him, Joony has been persistently pursuing a rap career for more than a third of his life. He’s more experienced than most of his contemporaries, and has a keen self-awareness that almost guarantees his future success. When asked about the title of the project, Joony explains, “I titled [the album] Pretty in Black because it could mean a lot of different things. It could mean like you’re pretty in black, or you’re pretty and Black.” He goes on,“[My girls] are pretty in black, and they’re pretty and Black. I look pretty in black, and I’m pretty and Black. My whole team’s Black. My lawyer’s Black, my manager’s Black, my business manager’s Black, my accountant’s Black, you know we’re all Black. Everything Black.”

Pretty in Black is available on all streaming platforms.

We Shall Not Be Moved: Stories of Struggle from Barry Farm-Hillsdale at Smithsonian Anacostia Museum

After being denied entry to the White-only Sousa Junior High School, a group of Black students from D.C.’s Barry Farm-Hillsdale community filed a legal case against the institution. Bolling v. Sharpe would be unanimously decided the same day as Brown v. Board of Education by the Supreme Court, in a monumental decision that deemed segregated schools unconstitutional. Activism and resistance run deep in Barry Farm-Hillsdale, also known as Barry Farms. But the historically Black neighborhood has undergone a systemic removal of its culture and people by both the government and private investors. We Shall Not Be Moved: Stories of Struggle from Barry Farm-Hillsdale, a new online exhibition from the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, details the community’s history, from its establishment in 1867 through today. The exhibit is divided into two main sections. Explore the Neighborhood delves into the early history of Barry Farms. Originally founded to house African American refugees from the Civil War, the neighborhood grew into a bustling community of merchants, lawyers, artists, and poets by the 1900s. During the civil rights movement, groups such as the Band of Angels and Rebels with a Cause came together in Barry Farms and fought for better living conditions, schooling, and food within their neighborhood, and throughout the city. The second section, Investigate What Happened, examines four significant time periods in the neighborhood: the 1870s through 1900s, the ‘40s, the ‘60s, and the mid 2010s. These were times of drastic land and community restructuring led by D.C. and federal governments, often through the use of eminent domain. Accompanying before-and-after images demonstrate the consequences of these events. The section ends with a look into the 2019 demolition of the iconic Barry Farm Dwellings, a cornerstone in the community since the buildings’ construction in the 1940s. Residents of the dwellings were some of the last people with ties to the historically Black neighborhood, and many still do not know if they’ll be allowed to return. We Shall Not Be Moved gives Barry Farms the spotlight it has long deserved—it shines a light on the community’s activism and inspiring ability to overcome adversity, while highlighting the important history and culture in D.C. that is being systemically erased, destroyed, and pushed aside in the pursuit of redevelopment and urban renewal. We Shall Not Be Moved: Stories of Struggle from Barry Farm-Hillsdale is on view throughout 2022 virtually at anacostia.si.edu. Free. 

On March 20, Capitol Heights MC Odd Mojo will host her third annual One Very Odd Show at Songbyrd’s new Union Market location. She’s been organizing the yearly showcase since 2018, but had to delay the event for two years due to COVID lockdowns. Over drinks with City Paper, the 27-year-old artist discussed the details for her upcoming show, and how the isolation of the pandemic pushed her to new heights within her artistry. 

Odd Mojo, aka Mahogany Pearson, entered the rap game as a teen in 2011. While binge-watching interviews with professional models on YouTube, she came across a Drake instrumental. “I don’t know what came over me,” she says, “but I just started writing.” She received positive feedback from her friends and family on her Drake remix, and decided to further explore her rapping capabilities. 

After graduating high school in 2012, Odd Mojo continued to work on her craft. She wasn’t proclaiming herself a rapper yet, but she spent her free time writing and free-styling at different open-mic events. But it was another side project—photography—that ended up connecting her to Keyari, a member of the impactful DMV rap collective Kool Klux Klan, who asked her to photograph one of his shows in 2014. Mojo continued shooting for Keyari, and eventually told him that she was a rapper too.

Keyari responded by inviting her to a show where she met local rap pioneers Cal Rips and Sir E.U. In addition to growing her musical network, Mojo also witnessed a performance that night by Felixia (aka Sugg Savage) and Sloane Amelia under their Akoko moniker. She notes that seeing the two women perform inspired her to pursue her own music career: “When I saw these women rapping in Maryland, with a crowd, and music out, I was like, ‘I’m about to do this too.’” 

Two years later, Mojo released her debut EP, 94, followed by a series of singles leading up to her breakout project Channel Yo Mojo in 2018. Her sample-heavy production, reminiscent of ’90s boom-bap, accompanied by her relatable lyricism on topics ranging from anxiety and depression to self-love and positive affirmations, quickly cemented Mojo as one of the most exciting up-and-coming artists in the District.

But since Channel Yo Mojo’s release, she has significantly slowed down her musical output, only releasing a handful of singles in the past four years. Yet, each of her releases, such as “555,” has received critical acclaim from local magazines and newspapers: In May 2021, the Washington Post called the track one of the “most essential rap and R&B music” projects of the season. Mojo attributes part of this noticeable drop-off in content to the awful timing of the pandemic. For her, it seemed like the stars had finally aligned at the beginning of 2020. She was gaining traction both locally and online, and had a plethora of shows lined up for the upcoming year. Unfortunately, the pandemic took hold a couple months later—practically halting Mojo’s momentum as all of her shows were simultaneously canceled. 

This year’s One Very Odd Show at Songbyrd will take place nearly two years to the day after the D.C. government ordered people to stay home. The resilient MC has regrouped and returned, headlining an eclectic lineup of rappers, singers, DJs, and musicians. 

The Odd Show’s origins stem from Mojo’s struggles to establish a name for herself early in her career. She was often turned away from local promoters and venues, who she says preferred to book their friends, or artists they already had relationships with. Mojo says it’s an ongoing issue that still affects the local music community and can make shows seem exclusionary.

“That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to create One Very Odd Show,” she explains. “I want to put together acts that you don’t normally see. I want you to see different people you don’t expect me to work with, or you haven’t seen me work with yet.”

This show will feature a joint set of Mojo rapping, Sir E.U DJing, and FootsXColes providing live instrumentation. When Mojo held her first Odd Show in 2018, DJ Tomiyeyo mixed her live set while FootsXColes played the drums and pianos. “This year [FootsXColes and I] are working with Sir E.U. I’ve been watching his journey, and really admire how he’s getting into more things with his artistry,” she says.  

KyleOnTheMic will host the event, which will also feature sets from local rap collective 20NVR, Brooklyn singer-MC RillyRil, and other special guests. “I’m giving you a new experience,” says Mojo. “I want to give you an odd experience.” 

Like the Odd Shows before this, aliens remain an ongoing theme, which Mojo credits to Pearl Rose, a graphic designer who made the flier for the inaugural event. “I just connected with the cover art on the flier, and I was like, ‘alright imma go with this.’” Since making aliens the motif of her first showcase, she’s gravitated even closer to them, incorporating extraterrestrials into her recent promotional videos and photo shoots. When asked about this consistent branding, Mojo admits she’s working on an album centered around aliens titled Something Odd Is Coming.

“After we had the last Very Odd Show [in December 2019], I started having visions [about aliens], which led to me creating the album,” says Mojo. She was studying screenwriting at the time, and began developing a script around the concept. The COVID lockdowns forced her to stay at home and reflect, not only on her career, which was abruptly halted, but on all the relationships in her life, good and bad. The unending confinement pushed Mojo to find an outlet to express herself, so she decided to fully explore the alien idea. “When I was in my room, isolated, while everything was shut down, this story came about,” she says.

Mojo’s narrative details a solo trip into the woods, where the protagonist intends to reflect on life, but instead is abducted by aliens in the middle of the night. It’s within this solitude, however, that Mojo finds herself. Her album, which she’s currently finishing mixing and hopes to release by summer, functions as the soundtrack to this story. 

Despite the alien-centered storyline, the general message of the project revolves around Mojo’s struggles with self-doubt and her tendency to negatively overanalyze herself and those around her. She uses the alien abduction as a way to confront these issues. While “Earth To Mojo” explicitly describes her interactions with aliens, other songs such as “Inception” and “Runnin’” touch on deeper issues, as she reflects on past decisions and addresses her bad habits, such as being overcritical of herself, making false assumptions, and escaping her problems through marijuana and alcohol. Though a few songs, including “555” and “Action,” were recorded before the alien concept was fully developed, all 11 tracks on the album fit within her intricate narrative. 

“Something Odd Is Coming has two meanings. It’s saying something odd—me, Odd Mojo—is coming,” she says. “I know people say I don’t drop enough music, but I plan on releasing content a lot more consistently after this album.” The second meaning is more spiritual. “I believe a higher power is coming back,” Mojo explains. “It’s gonna be very odd for us because we’ve never seen anything like this. Like, we’re gonna see something in the sky.”

She wants her upcoming album to function as a wake-up call to prepare for a world-changing event. Mojo believes the only way to prepare for this is through finding peace within yourself. “Y’all have to get closer to yourselves because once you get closer to yourself, you can get closer to God,” she says. “Know that whatever happens, if you have yourself, you won’t feel lost or scared.”

Something Odd Is Coming has a fairly small list of contributors with 7G, Dejuan Cooks, John Tyler, and Owen Gomory handling production on the album. Southeast rapper Ankhlejohn will be featured on the project alongside Odd Show performers RillyRil and 20NVR.

Odd Mojo will premiere a couple tracks from the album at the March 20 event. In addition, One Very Odd Show will feature an open-mic rap cypher, and Mojo guarantees some spontaneous go-go music. “[Playing go-go at my shows] is such a freeing and unifying experience. And that’s what I want to do. I want to bring odd artists together and I want to unify us all to create a loving energy.”  

One Very Odd Show takes place March 20 at Songbyrd Music House. $12–$15. songbyrddc.com.

Landover native Xanman kicked off the year with a new project; the appropriately titled Rap Like The Rent Due was released Jan. 27. The 21-year-old artist has been consistently releasing music since 2016, but received a tidal wave of local and national support in 2019, partly due to his hit single “Gucci Down,” featuring local rappers Rico Nasty and YungManny. But Xanman solidified his fanbase long ago with his infinite supply of off-the-wall punchlines, and unique interpretation of the “DMV flow”—where engineers arrange a rapper’s vocal tracks to start before the previous one ends, creating a distinct pattern that falls on and off the beat.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Xanman released over 25 projects, tallying up hundreds of songs and features across various digital streaming platforms. In the last two years, however, the singer significantly slowed his output. Rap Like The Rent Due is only his third release since 2020. 

The 12-track project finds Xanman more polished in both his singing and rapping than ever before. “Blind,” the first song on the album, begins with Xanman explaining “I made this song while I had a headache/ reason why I’m talkin’ quiet.” He then proceeds to calmly spazz over a simple two-bar, 808 pattern provided by L.A.-based producer Deedot Will. Xanman catatonically flies through a long list of punchlines on the track that includes references to TED Talks, the most recent Jake Paul match against Tyron Woodley, World War II, and the classic anime One Piece. Although his references span several iterations of pop culture, Xanman’s steady delivery in “Blind” blends diverse topics into one cohesive piece.

The song’s scattered lyrical content perfectly embodies the rest of the whole album: It seems to have a bit of everything. Half of the twelve tracks are full-on ballads. “Build” and “Choppa On Me” have Xanman crooning over smooth guitar samples, experimenting with different cadences, and using autotune for his ad-libs. Yet, he maintains his notable wordplay, sporadically describing brief scenes of drug abuse, severed friendships, gun violence, and the emotional impact of it all.

Xanman uses the other six tracks on the album to display his creative lyricism. “Hit With the Uhh” has him violently rapping over speaker-shaking 808s, unloading a never-ending stream of punchlines ranging from pop culture references (“No Toronto, we got Drake in the trenches”) to anime character shoutouts (“Lambo Urus, I’m punching like Rock Lee”). While on “Loaded” he’s rapping over a slight piano run and a well placed viola sample. He maintains a concentrated intensity, and finds a way to mention The Matrix, Casamigos tequila, Doja Cat, and the Grand Theft Auto video game series in the song’s only verse.

Rap Like The Rent Due is full of variety. The continuous exchange between the two different moods of Xanman’s melodious singing and his aggressive rapping may initially make the project feel like it’s all over the place. But, a thorough listen from start to finish shows that Xanman’s versatility is one of his greatest strengths. 

Listen to Rap Like The Rent Due on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.

This past November, rapper Lil Xelly released his third project of the year titled Angel Dust. The 23-year-old Rockville native started rapping when he was a kid, inspired by his older brother. He began uploading songs to streaming platforms in 2012, originally under the name Celly Montana. After a few name changes, improvements to his sound, and a couple years to hone in his craft, Xelly started to gain both local and national attention for his unrivaled work ethic. At the end of 2017, he released the 105 track mixtape More Xelly, followed by more than 30 additional projects in 2018.

Angel Dust finds Xelly nearly four years removed from the musical onslaught that initially put him on the map. A lot has happened since then, including a notable decrease in his musical output. He attributes the dropoff to a brief addiction to prescription pills. “When I was on the pills, I had no motivation to do anything,” Xelly explains, “I wasn’t making music that I liked.” 

Frustrated by his dulled artistic drive, Xelly made a choice to get sober, which he’s been for over a year now. The work he put into overcoming addiction inspired him to focus more attention and effort into his music. This care is evident on Angel Dust. In addition to writing the tracks, Xelly also recorded, mixed, and mastered the entire project himself. He tells City Paper that, with this album, he took time and care to put the project together. “I dropped a lot of music before this project, but I aint really put it together,” he explains. “I’ve been recording myself for a lil’ minute, but I never put out a project this clean before. … And I kept it all in-house. I’m really proud of myself.”

The end result is one of the most cohesive projects of Xelly’s abundant discography. Though using a softer, more composed voice on Angel Dust, compared to his previous work, he still delivers his signature “XRR” and “OohhWaaa” ad libs with the same energy that day-one fans fell in love with. All 16 tracks on the mixtape flow into one another seamlessly, with Xelly finding the appropriate flows and lyrics for every song. 

Angel Dust’s general tone is straightforward and succinct. There’s a lack of excess on the album and, pared down, it manages to say exactly what Xelly intended. There are no unnecessary bars or repetitive hooks. In fact, half the songs don’t even have a hook. Only two tracks, “Brenda” and “Past Tense,” run over two minutes, and the tape has a quick playthrough under half an hour. As a whole, Angel Dust is compact and clean, making it easy to listen to over and over again.  

Its songs mesh well, though Xelly used a large roster of producers. The hi-tempo “Nickelodeon” is produced by Yung Flavor, who provides two simple synth runs and a bouncy kick pattern that Xelly effortlessly floats over. He softly delivers a barrage of punchlines throughout the track, accompanied by a quick hook “Real slime, but this aint Nickelodeon, I got dynamite I came with Napoleon.” 

Xelly also tagged in New Jersey producer Grimm Doza for two tracks. On “Brenda,” Doza creates a sample-driven soundscape with a smooth bassline and a synthetic organ that is reminiscent of Bay-area hyphy music. Xelly perfectly settles into the beat, letting off a continuous string of bars for the entire two minute track. 

On “$ be,” Scott Taylor, Dylinci, and Glumboy handle the production, layering three different keyboard riffs with an 808 and clap pattern that congeals the beat into one. Xelly calmly delivers braggadocious bars, rapping “Xelly stay in that designer, dripping that double G, you can find me wherever the money be.”  

Another unique aspect of the release is that Angel Dust has no features. “I was on my time with this one,” Xelly explains. The rapper tries not to force his collaborations, pointing out, “It’s rare if you see me do a feature.”

Overall, Angel Dust—an extremely cohesive project that can easily be played on repeat—shows off Xelly’s growth as an artist. With this release it’s clear, Lil Xelly is taking his craft  more seriously and putting more intention behind all aspects of his music.

Listen to Angel Dust on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.