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August in the DMV is synonymous with sweltering humidity, but if you’re a fan of soul, R&B, Go-Go, and ‘90s hip hop, it also yields the Summer Spirit Festival.
This year’s recent daylong concert event at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, featured Erykah Badu, Anthony Hamilton, Method Man and Redman, Marsha Ambrosius, Junkyard Band, and J. Brown.
Houston hip-hop legend Scarface’s Alive and Well Farewell Tour made its DC stop last week at a sold-out Howard Theatre to tear down the venue one last time. Performing along side his band Formaldehyde Funk, the night was a celebration of Scarface’s 34-year-long career as well as his appreciation for more time. After some recent serious health scares the 51-year-old rapper announced this would be his final tour, although he’s announced retirement in the past.
Few artists have the star power to pack out an 82,000 stadium seat venue like Canadian-born masked singer-songwriter The Weeknd. With all of his feels and theatrics in tow, he’s made a super successful career on a bigger than life persona.
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (The Weeknd) burst onto the music scene with a slew of popular mixtapes that helped him quickly gain a loyal, unwavering fan base. His enigmatic records can best be described as romantic and dark often inspired by his own personal experiences. A journey that has led him to numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards and 20 Billboard Music Awards,… and now to FedEx field for a concert spectacular!
What happens when a millennial rapper with an old soul connects with a Gen Z fanbase infatuated with mid-’90s hip hop? A sold-out show with a vibration unlike any other. Last week, Brooklyn, NY emcee and actor Joey Bada$$ (government name Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott) returned to The Fillmore Silver Spring for his 1999-2000 Summer Tour.
The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transferred. I’m no Einstein, but I’m confident that principle was proven during EarthGang’s recent performance at The Fillmore Silver Spring.
The Atlanta hip-hop duo, consisting of Olu (aka Johnny Venus) and WowGr8 (born Eian Parker), engaged fans in call-and-response — “when I say earth, you say, gang” — doused them with water guns and enthusiastically rhymed verses from their catalog. The charged-up audience returned their energy at every opportunity.
NLE Choppa performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on May 16, 2022. (Photo by AJ Waugh)
Memphis’ own NLE Choppa and his No Love Ent crew lit up The Fillmore Silver Spring recently for the DC stop of the NLE tour. The 19-year-old rapper’s charisma oozed throughout the night as Choppa performed most of the songs from his latest EP Me vs. Me — including hits like “Shotta Flow 6,” “Jumpin,” and “Final Warning.”
Wiz Khalifa smokes a joint while performing at the National Cannabis Festival on April 23, 2022. (Photos by Shedrick Pelt)
The National Cannabis Festival returned to RFK Stadium Festival Grounds recently to celebrate the leaps and bounds the cannabis community has made in the name of cannabis advocacy. Vendors, food trucks, local merchants, and of course smokers gathered to fellowship around the love for their favorite pastime.
A crowd estimated at 20,000+, throughout the day of April 23, showed up early to take advantage of the beautiful weather in the DMV. Carts and coolers in tow, the amazing musical lineup had everyone excited as they claimed their spot for the evening. Pro Cannabis organizations Legacy DC & Gifted Curators provided an educational element with a panel of speakers featuring Dead Prez’s M-1 and adult film star Sara Jay.
Maxo Kream accepts a birthday cake from Union Stage on April 2, 2022. (Photo by AJ Waugh)
I think I heard the name Maxo Kream around for at least a year before I ever heard his music, but from the first time I heard “Grannies” in 2017, it connected instantly. I downloaded his Punken project and the Houston storyteller has stayed a constant in my rotation ever since; so I had to be there when I saw Maxo’s Big Persona Tour was making its DC stop recently at Union Stage.
Sampa the Great performs at 9:30 Club on March 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Colbert)
Freedom is a concept that has bent nearly to its breaking point in recent years — the freedom of movement, financial security, and sovereignty. During a recent show at DC’s 9:30 Club, Zambian rapper/singer Sampa Tembo, better known as Sampa the Great, had one rule — be free!
Wiz Khalifa headlines the concert performances of The National Cannabis Festival on April 23, 2022. (Photo courtesy Atlantic Records)
The sixth annual National Cannabis Festival, the East Coast’s largest ticketed cannabis gathering, returns to Washington’s RFK Festival Grounds on Saturday, April 23, with performances from Wiz Khalifa, Lettuce, and Ghostface Killah, a wide range of exhibitors, and a brand-new culinary pavilion complete with cooking demonstrations led by top chefs, talks and eating contests, among many other attractions.