Join us for a look back at 2013 and our take on some people, trends, songs, and videos from the local/national music scene that struck us as either stupid, boorish, untalented, or a waste of time. But don’t misunderstand us; we got nothing but love for ‘em anyway!
1. Kanye West/Kim Kardashian video.
Go take a listen to 808s and Heartbreak to remind you of how incredibly talented Kanye is, and then ask yourself about Bound 2, “WTF?”
2. Raheem DeVaughn
Just kidding! We got nothing but love for “The Love King” but we do kind of wonder who co-signed that moniker. It’s kind of retro in a neon pillowcase kind of way. So is the album cover for “A Place Called Love Land” but the music is, as always, superior.
3. BET Music Awards
BET sucks, in case you didn’t know.
4. 2013
2013 sucked too, as far as being the year for talented DC area artists to break through. When local radio won’t even play your jams it shows just how stacked the deck is.
5. The Lincoln Theater deal
Not that anybody should have organized a protest or anything, but the whole stealthiness behind a fabled art house being essentially given over to I.M.P. Productions, which owns and operates the 9:30 Club is still a head scratcher. Were the other competitors who bid to manage the theater completely out of their depth? Or did the Arts Commission engage in a bit of racial gerrymandering and conclude that the Howard Theatre was all the venue black audiences in DC required?
6. Young DC rappers trying to sound like 2 Chainz
Work on your own distinct style! 2 Chainz is a flavor, not very deep, not all that nice.
7. DC Elected Officials
These folks bend over backwards to spend money on bike lanes and dog parks, on the doomed to fail Living Social, on tech incubators Fortify and 1776, but won’t put a quarter into supporting DC artists and musicians in a tangible way.
8. Rock The Bells
How you goin’ cancel the DC date?
9. Trillectro
No, just kidding about that too. The Trillectro Music Festival best represents DC swag. But you can’t be in the music business in this town and not seriously envy the guys who put it together.
10 Any Hip Hop artist who performs over tracks
Music is a live experience. When you show up for a performance with pre-recorded tracks and basically lip synch your way through the show, that’s a fail homie. Take some notes from Awthentik!