An article about Washington D.C. metro area hip-hop, jazz, and rock artists struggles to make in mainstream.

music
By Keesha D. Fox

Screaming "South side, South side," Maryland hip-hop artist Derek Twine, also known as Raze, reps his neighborhood to a crowd of fellow artists and rowdy club goers.

With the mic in one hand and the other swaying side-to-side, Twine, 20, freestyles on stage during the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia) open-mic showcase at The Legends nightclub in Temple Hills, Md.

The crowd screams, "South side" along with Twine, showing much love for the artist who's been in the game since fifth grade.

At The Legends nightclub, Tuesday open-mic showcases a group of hip-hop artists that has grown to know and respect each other.

But showing another artist love is rare in the DMV, an area where it’s uncommon for another artist to give support.

"It's like f--- your hood this, and f--- this hood that," said Twine. "But we do it for the South side, for Uptown and wherever."

Twine said he shows respect where respect is due no matter where you are from.

"Maryland and D.C. are pretty much the same with only a couple of miles difference," Twine said.

But the conflicts between neighborhoods can sometimes lead to violence and cause clubs to shut down.

Because of limited nightclubs for talent showcasing and lack of support from fellow musical artists, DMV artists struggle to get their music heard.

After a slew of killings outside of local clubs, County Executive Jack Johnson closed nine clubs in Prince George's County, leaving artists of all genres a handful of spots to showcase their talent.


Closing the clubs stopped the crowd from coming out to the few open-mic venues left, according to Kim Lomax, manager of local rap and hip-hop artists, and local promoter.

"The showcasing circuit has gone down a lot," said Lomax. "People stopped coming out supporting, so it faded."

Lomax, who goes by Ms. Kitten, said club owners stopped spending $1,500 on open-mic nights because people aren’t coming out like before.

But Lomax, other local promoters and artists refuse to give up on the idea that the DMV could become the next musical mega-spot like Atlanta and New York.

In fact, local promoter Dre, All Day in the Paint, who started promoting local artists in 1995, said he saw the need to create a scene for local artists to showcase their talent.

Since then, Dre has committed his time to promoting DMV artists.

"Once I realized I had to create a scene, I created one," said Dre. "Now they come to The Legends on Tuesday nights to see the best in the area."

Dre started promoting local artists when he saw he could bring crowds to parties and cabarets around the area.

"There are limited venues for performers in this area," said Dre. "If it wasn’t for what I do, it would be more limited."

Dre approached the manager of The Legends nightclub, Kevin Schwapp, with the idea of showcasing local artists on Tuesday nights.

Schwapp said the club had open-mic showcasing in the past but it wasn’t profitable.

"Open-mic wasn’t lucrative for me," said Schwapp. "Dre came to me and wanted to use the slot, and things have been great ever since."

Now Dre promotes and hosts the open-mic slot on Tuesday nights, at The Legends nightclub that brings a variety of artists out to showcases their talent.

Russian rap artist Aliosha Reznikov got on stage and ripped the mic, during the Tuesday night showcase.

Reznikov started rapping about four years ago, and says he couldn’t live without music.

"Music to me is different things on different days," said Reznikov. "It’s like someone making love to my ears."

Fellow Russian artist Phillip Ivantsov, who goes by Eligul, uses his music to promote his political beliefs, and has rapped for 10 years.

"I am a political activist and an entertainer," Ivantsov said.

When Ivantsov rocked the mic at The Legends Tuesday night open-mic showcase, he spoke of everyone belonging to one nation.

Everyone from the crowd waved their hands in the air singing his hook, "one nation, one nation."

But being able to get that type of response from the crowd takes time and effort, according to rapper Tarrek Spooner.

For 30-year-old Spooner, known as Tito Star, time is what it takes to become successful in the game.

Spooner, an Oxon Hill resident said rappers like Jay-Z and Nas put time and effort into their craft, and that’s why they are still in the game.

"The key is being original," said Spooner. "There’s not another Jay-Z; there’s not another Eminem."

Spooner, who has been rapping since the age 12, said it has become his purpose in life.

After being enrolled in performing arts school by his mother, music became everything to him.

"I started writing poetry, and it sounded a lot like lyrics to a song, so I just tried to work it like that," Spooner said.

Putting the time and effort into the craft, Spooner said will make the difference between the DMV artists who make it and those who don’t.

Like other DMV artists, David Simmons, who goes by Whitefolks, comes to the stage with his own original sound.

Simmons, 23, not only has a hip-hop background, but also a rock influence.

"I started rapping when it became too difficult to run a rock band," Simmons said.

Like most, Simmons came from a musical family.

"We were very musical," said Simmons. "We all played instruments. Mama played the piano and my father played the drums."

Simmons, who got his first guitar at 13, played in a rock-funk band.

"I like good music," said Simmons. "I listen to everybody. I don’t care where you are from."

In fact, Simmons said he shows love for artists no matter where he is.

"I go to Baltimore and do shows, and that’s just 27 miles north, and they support each other better than D.C. does," Simmons said.

Rodney Totten, producer of Unigmaz Records, said the lack of support comes from artists being stuck in a box.

"Everybody wants to rap about what goes on in one block," said Totten. "No one wants to purchase music about what goes on in one block."

Totten, a Seat Pleasant resident, said rappers need to rap about something that makes a difference.

"I rap about more light-hearted things," said rapper Cristal Teneyck, also known as Cristalis.

Teneyck said male rappers have it easier than females.

"I stand out from the men by staying more commercial," said Teneyck. "With the DMV style, the guys’ lyrics are kind of grimey, but mine is something people can dance to."

But the hardship felt by the hip-hop artists is also felt by artists of other genres in the DMV area.

Malik Savage, founder of Let It Flow Band, said there are not enough promoters and venues in the D.C. area.

Let It Flow Band, a nine-piece jazz band, started making music in 2006, but promoting has been a struggle.

"To get in most of the venues in this area like the Birchmere, Capitol Jazz Festival, Blues Alley and the 9:30 Club, you have to have a CD," Savage said.

Let It Flow Band is working on their first CD in the studio, and plans to promote the CD by doing shows in the area.

Let It Flow Band does shows outside of the Washington D.C. area, too, with Savage as the band’s in-house promoter.

"Most of our promoting is by word-of-mouth," said Savage. "Our fan base is about 2,000 people, and we get a lot of e-mail addresses from them when they come to see our shows."

Savage said the band also uses MySpace, YouTube and other Internet forums as a way to promote music.

The band’s first video, Leaving You, plays on YouTube.

Lincoln Ross, a District Heights resident, makes music that sounds different from what people would usually hear in the DMV area.

Ross, 32, fronts an Indie-Rock band called Dead Black Jedis.

Growing up in a musical family, Ross knows the difficulties that come with promoting and showcasing talent.

"In this area, it's hard to find musicians like myself," Ross said.

Ross said the only way for DMV artists to make it out of the Washington D.C. area and into the mainstream, is to have one good rapper or rock band make it big.

"There have been artists to come out of this area, but unfortunately they come back," Ross said. "But if one huge rapper or whatever could come from here that might do it."

But like other artists, Ross agrees musicians won’t make it out of this area because the hoods are too small and everybody wants to rep their own hood.

"That is probably the reason why other areas come up because if you come out in other places, the whole state will support you," said Ross. "In the Washington D.C. area, the support you get will come from the people in your hood."

When it comes to the future of the DMV artists, Ross said, "Only time will tell."