By Hardcore Critic
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Hip hop has hit several cities and areas, producing stars from Toronto to Houston and everywhere in between. Artists between these regions who have risen to stardom include Drake, Slim Thug, JD Era, Paul Wall, Scarface, and many others, but one place often overlooked was the cities in Maryland and Virginia, and of course Washington, DC. Collectively, these areas are known as the DMV area and is full of talent, despite being billed as a “go-go” area.
In 2005, however, the DMV area hip hop scene began to swell and Wale soon proved he was a star. By 2009, Wale was signed to Interscope Records and released his debut album, Attention Deficit, which was a critical success. While the album did not live up to the commercial hype, it put Washington, DC on the map. Wale eventually left Interscope Records and signed with Rick Ross’ Maybach Music, flourishing under the free system and becoming a consistent hitmaker.
Since the rise of Wale, the DMV area has produced several other stars. Recently, Rolls Royce Rizzy, who spent his formative years in Washington, DC, signed with Lil’ Scrappy’s G$’ Up, Fat Trel rose to stardom earlier this year, and there are several other power players rising in the city. Starting tomorrow, Hip Hop Vibe will begin covering some of the up-and-coming artists, DJs, models/vizens, and hip hop figures from the DMV area, including but not limited to Mr. Peter Parker, Youngsta, Caddy da Don, and Bullet Brak. Those who are not familiar with the DMV area, including the other cities in Maryland and Virginia, will have a proper introduction.
