In the early 1980s, DC's DJ100 was the first station to play hip hop, including the likes of Whistle 2, Run-DMC, Kool Moe Dee, and The Beastie Boys.
The population of D.C. is not large enough to support as many distinct subgenres of rap as other metropolitan areas, and as a result, the sound and style of D.C. hip hop is very mixed.
Groups like Team Demolition, the Beat Konductaz and Panacea have also made great strides for Washington, D.C., hip hop.
[3] 20bello, a rapper, director, and promoter, was the original founder of the DMV (D for the District of Columbia, M for Maryland, and V for Northern Virginia, which together create the DC Metro area) music movement.
Chuck Brown is known as the "godfather of go-go",[5] but the genre is still alive today, with groups such as The Backyard Band, TCB, and UCB enjoying great local success.
His fourth and fifth albums, YSIV (2018) and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2019), achieved similar commercial success, with the latter containing the single "Homicide", which peaked at number five on the Hot 100.
Videos to both remixes were uploaded to the WorldStarHipHop's YouTube channel, which led to an immense and immediate positive response from both mainstream media and the online rap community.
Known for his off beat flow, singing comparable to Rod Wave, and "out of pocket" lyrics, Xanman has had lots of success with songs like "Gucci Down", "Foulin' the Plug", and "I'm Tryna Yeah."
He collaborated with DJ Kool and Go-Go legend Maxx Kidd, further solidifying his status as a pivotal figure in the DC music scene.
His passion for music and entertainment led Dana to work as a popular DJ at Douglas Records on F Street NW and as a concert promoter for G Street Express, where he organized rap concerts for renowned artists such as RUN-DMC, LL Cool J, Whodini, Beastie Boys, Rakim, Heavy D, Salt-N-Pepa, Ice-T, Doug E. Fresh, and others.
Dana's production prowess extended to diverse projects, including producing a demo song for Digable Planets and later becoming the stage manager during the NWA Tour.
He joined the Salt-N-Pepa production team, where he produced Sprite commercials and music for films like "House Party" and "Class Act" starring Kid 'N Play.