The success Ryan Leslie has enjoyed in his music and recording career is no surprise to any of his early fans. The talented artist has hit-winning song credits, a Grammy nomination, and is about to release his third solo effort, “Les is More” in July 2011. In so many ways, Leslie’s career is a blueprint for emerging artists in the DMV and everywhere else as well; study your craft, put real time into studio work, associate with industry players you can learn from and be willing to apply those lessons, then go out and grind! We first saw his video “Glory” on the great website TrackHustle.com and wanted to feature it as well. Raw power here… the talent is not surprising but his ability to put it out there is stunning! Hit the comments link below and tell us what you think.

Cayan has been writing music since middle school, started studio recording inhigh school and has kept going from there. He studied hip-hop and developed aflow, studied soul and R&B and developed a knack for dope melodies and bridge structures. He’s performed everywhere on the DC music scene at venues like Everlasting Life Cafe, Expo, Liv, Bohemian Caverns, Indulj, and DC9, as well as Maryland, Virginia, and in New York. Cayan is affiliated with Expressive Frontier Music Group. His mixtape, Truman Drive released on April 8, 2011. Remember the name!

Your daily fashion choices are an intimate reflection of your mood and outlook. Your Tee, your jeans, your footwear, hat or hairstyle all make a statement. Do you prefer scarves and sweaters, or suits and fancy dresses? Low key casual, or attention grabbing bold colors? In a world of conformity, dress is a bastion of individuality. All the world’s a stage, and when you’re wearing an outfit that perfectly fits your personality you shine like a star! And folks in the DMV shine every day, and we appreciate seeing others glow. That’s what this Everyday Style thing is about. It’s your stage. Are you ready? Click the tab below to enter a pic in our Everyday Style photo feed and share it with your Facebook friends. Top pic and description wins a $25 gift card from Chipotle Mexican Grill.

If you love news from the social and local music scene here are a couple links you may want to bookmark. DC Fab stays fresh with daily updates of the latest happenings in clubs, concerts, and fashion. dmvlife.com is a great website with new videos, products, pictures, and tons of information. GoGo aficionados should definitely check out TMOTT City and sign up for the latest and greatest news on the scene. EliteDCMag is a very cool collection of club scene info. And don’t keep it strictly local. Check out Timeout Tallahassee for the latest pics, events, campus, and club life from the home of FAMU.

We’ve been waiting to bring you an anthem song and Peter Love’s “Daddy’s Little Girl” fits the definition to a T! It’s a classic that belongs on the playlist of every wedding, every prom night, and every debutante ball. Peter Love has been a performing artist for nearly four decades, traveling the world to deliver his smooth voice to audiences from San Juan to San Antonio. He gets mad love in the DMV and we’re proud to feature him in our OnStage Showcase. Enjoy, comment, and share this with every father who loves their own “Daddy’s Little Girl”.

A nice thing about music is watching a career as it develops and grows. Check out our Video Showcase for young DMV rapper Lunatic. Born Omar Guevara in Los Angeles, CA, homie has mad talent and flow for this stage of his career and his growth is being steered by Ken Flood and the good folks at Funky Management. Lunatic started rapping at age fourteen and now at eighteen writes all his lyrics. Stay tuned for the release of his debut mixtape!

Katrina’s OnStage! Up and coming fashion writer Katrina Phillips, whose work has appeared in the Washington Examiner, has joined OnStage DC as Fashion Editor and Blogger. She’ll be sharing what’s really good about Everyday Style in the DMV and giving the 411 on new trends and the best places to keep those threads fresh. Katrina’s keen eye for style, fabrics and color will jump right off the page at you. Are you ready? Her debut article is just days away!

GV Got Next! There’s no shortage of talent in the DMV and GV, Gangsta Villains, has been steadily climbing to the top of the local rap/hip hop chain since early 2001. The four man outfit has stayed busy turning out albums & mixtapes, including The Upgrade, and 28 Grams, Vol. 2. They perform at local venues like Liv, Rose Dream, Island Café and Twelve Lounge & Restaurant throughout the week. Check out their videos in our OnStage Showcase and follow them on Twitter @GV4Life.

RAtheMC just got a decent review of her new mixtape, Victory Lap, in a Washington Post review and we don’t see anything except more wins in the future for her. She’s a dynamo with fantastic flow but she must be used to all the props by now. Back in November 2010 TheWellVersed.com included her as one of the 10 Dope Female Rappers Not Named Nicki Minaj and even that doesn’t do her justice. In our opinion there’s Jean Grae and RA, period. Then there’s all the rest of the female rappers! Keep your eyes OnStage because RA has an open invitation to talk with us about her music and what it takes to survive in the industry.

Boobe’s hit song and video, My Way, featuring Raheem DeVaughn has gotten nearly 50,000 views and excellent feedback on YouTube and our friends at TMOTT CITY are featuring it as well. In case you missed it at either place, check it out here in our Video Showcase. The spotlight is always on at OnStage, ready to shine on another deserving local artist!