XXL Freshman 2012 nominee, and DMV representative, Phil Ade drops new dopeness with the hood anthem: “Where You From”.  With this latest single, Phil continues a stretch of solid releases since his last full album “A Different World” – a project that could have won him a Most Improved Player award if hip hop handed them out.

The energetic yet grimy bounce beat provides the perfect platform for Phil Ade and another rising DMV MC, Fat Trel.  The duo provide some insight into DC’s “other side of the tracks” culture and neighborhoods that, since the early 80′s, have been known less for politicians and more for street politics.  And, if you’ve already been acquainted with the hoods in Obama’s backyard, this is assured to become one of your favorite get rowdy club anthems for the new year.

Phil Ade’s Stating on JV is hands down one of the best mixtapes to drop in the past 2 years. However, with a lot of acts in the DC hip-hop scene, they continue to be slept on. The track “Always There,” always continual spins. Old school hip-hop fans will love this song. I’m glad that they commissioned Tabi’s Cool Kids Forever Films for the video. Look out for Phil on a special project this summer (details SOON!).

Phil Ade “Always There” from 368 Music Group on Vimeo.

And for those who missed the initial drop of Starting on JV, here it is on Bandcamp:

When two of The Couch Sessions’ favorite groups get together, you know the outcome is going to be dope. That’s exactly what happened with He Said/She Said Album Phil Ade and Couch Sessions Approved Band US Royalty. The promo for their February 26th show at Rock and Roll Hotel features the new collaboration and you can see them live on stage next Friday. Check it.

Phil Ade “Hollywood” from Okayplayer on Vimeo.

Phil Ade Interview from Couch Sessions on Vimeo.

DC fashion line DURKL marches to the beat of a different drummer by comparison to the rest of the city. But they’re not about to change. Thery’re in the process of molding the city to meet them. Having existed for three years in relative anonymity, 2009 has been the year of DURKL in the Capital City. Having moved headquarters from a top floor loft just three blocks from Union Station to a spacious showroom/headquarters/retail space near Gallery Place in the shadows of Capitol Hill, DURKL is now prepared for their most audacious step forward into branding not just themselves, but the entire city in a movement towards creating a revised culture and feel.

DURKL’s latest mix, the Survivor Series Volume One Mixtape, was feted with an amazing blowout affair at their new space at 443 I St., NW in DC on Saturday evening, an event that bridged gaps racially, culturally and socially, all in the name of local music, and yes, professional wrestling.

Produced by Judah (“on the best, sound so sweet,” as Wale would say), and mixed by DJ Maf, this latest DURKL foray into the mixtape is the most DURKL specific of them all so far (the brand has available for download two dance music mixtape creations on their website), as it involves drops from the Ultimate Warrior and the “Macho Man” Randy Savage all over the place, in reference to the “Thanksgiving tradition” of the former World Wrestling Federation (WWF), current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The creative vision of DURKL, namely that of Will Sharp, on some level, actually has a lot to do with pro wrestling. The heroic iconography of pro wrestling fashion designs of the early 1990s have crept into numerous DURKL fashions, including Bret “The Hitman” Hart’s silver sunglasses, Hulk Hogan’s “Hulk Rules” t-shirt, posters of the Ultimate Warrior ending up on tees, and the use of absurdly bright neon graphics all owe their history to Vince McMahon’s juggernaut promotion.

Featuring a multitude of various local DMV rap acts from DC’s Tabi Bonney, Phil Ade and RA the MC to Baltimore’s Greenspan, to dance music creators Nouveau Riche’s Gavin Holland and disco mastermind Chris Burns as the “Party Bros,” the dance pop of Exactly (featuring DURKL’s Cole Sharp), Suckers’ low-fi, even the ridiculous yet thrashing hair metal of Rattler, you get a sense of the DMV’s intellect, skill and on the rap level, lyrical depth (June Lova’s “LA Sex Scandal” deserves a lot of love in the wordplay department). This compares favorably, in what we could call the “Survivor Series battle,” against the international acts on the mixtape, as Skream’s #1 International hit remix of La Roux’s “In for the Kill,” is here, alongside Sweden’s hottest emcee Adam Tensta, and Australian alt dance rockers Empire of the Sun all make appearances.

If looking for the best representation of what DC brings to the national table, this mixtape allows one to believe that DURKL is indeed on that level.

All Photos: Lady Glock and Danielle Scruggs

DC Hip-Hop with a live band at a skate shop? With Nuvo?

Yeah, the concept sounds surreal, however that didn’t deter Judah, Strange Music, and 368 Music Group (along with sponsorship by Fusicioclogy and The Couch Sessions) from dropping the He Said, She Said party on Friday night. Backed by the illustrious Sound of the City, both MCs tore it down to a capacity crowd and represented the DC Area to the fullest. Ra the MC took the fashion game a step further with her homage to Michael Jackson on the start of the King of Pop’s birthday weekend, and Phil Ade threw down with his set, taken strictly off of his Starting on JV Mixtape.

The highlight of the night, however, had to be when both Phil and Ra got on stage for the DMV rendition of Jay-Z’s “Run This Town,” proving that the DC area is proving to be a force in the musical landscape.

Full Gallery

Also, lest you forget, Mr. Ade will be performing tomorrow at Palace Five for He Said, She Said, which will also mark yours truly’s unofficial Birthday celebration. See y’all there!

Palace Five
2216 14th St NW,
Washington, DC

ALL AGES | FREE

On Friday, August 28th, the DMV will host He Said, She Said, showcasing two of the best male and female rappers of the DMV’s new hip-hop class. 368 Music Group along with Strange Music, Fusicology, and The Couch Sessions will present this unique FREE opportunity at Palace Five Skate Shop.

If you didn’t already know, Phil Ade is next in line to take fill the shoes of Wale and Tabi Bonney. With a flow that compares to Lupe Fiasco and the backing of Raheem DeVaughn’s 368 Music Group, Ade is ready to shine. Since the release of his Starting on JV Mixtape, Ade has also opened for The Clipse and is currently on a tour of the Southeastern United States with Raheem.

Phil Ade Interview from Couch Sessions on Vimeo.

Ra the MC is holding it down for the females in the DMV. The MC made waves with her mixtapes, Are You Not Entertained and The Mixtape About Something. Ra has been featured on several collaborations and is set to make waves in 2009, representing the ladies of the DMV.

More info will be dropping closer to the date. EVERYBODY SHOULD COME THRU!!

Palace Five
2216 14th St NW,
Washington, DC?

ALL AGES | FREE

On an early summer afternoon, Phil Ade entered the stage of a sold out 9:30 Club and left one of the most talked about new acts out of the DMV next to Wale and Tabi Bonney. Ade, who is a part of Raheem DeVaughn’s 368 Music Group, wowed the crowd with his performance, and set the stage for his upcoming career.
Fast forward to August: Ade has already secured a spot on the Sneaker Pimps tour alongside The Clipse, and he dropped his mixtape Starting on JV to critical acclaim.

The Couch Sessions and The Glass House correspondent K La Rock sat down with Ade before his performance alongside Raheem Devaughn at Liv Nightclub last Thursday. In the video, Phil Ade talks about his start in rapping, connecting with Raheem and 368, and “Starting on JV.”

You can find Phil Ade on his MySpace and Twitter.

You have no excuse not to be at Liv tomorrow for DC Loves Dilla. Ma Dukes, Illa J and Phife of A Tribe Called Quest will be in the building, as well as live performances by Wayna, Kev Brown, Ardamus, Roddy Rod, Oddisee, Diamond District; Alison Carney and Phil Ade.

The event is FREE, but DONATIONS are encouraged. RSVP at their Facebook Page.

Phil Ade – Going Off

Now that Wale has put the DMV (the area of the mid-Atlantic consisting of DC, Maryland, and Virginia) on the map, it’s time for the next class of artists to take the reigns. So far, artists like Tabi Bonney and XO have stepped up, but this summer another artist has put his hat into the ring: Phil Ade.

The Maryland rapper has a style more akin to  Lupe than the Southern drawls of Tabe and Wale, and his fast lyrical wordplay is definitely worth noticing. 

Unfortunately I missed Ade set when he opened for Wale, which consisted of comical Bob Dylan-like signs to accompany his stage show. Such creativity is making Ade’s acts one of the most talked about acts of that evening, even to this day.

I see good things ahead for Phil Ade and his mixtape, Starting on JV drops in July. Until then, check him at his MySpace and Twitter.