WKYS: DMV's hottest rappers of 2010 include Wale, Phil Ade
Radio station WKYS released its top ten list of the most successful area rappers of 2010 last week, and - surprise, surprise - Wale lead the pack.
The rest of the list includes Phil Ade and Kingpen Slim.
For us, the most important question is: who's missing?
The DC-based, hip-hop radio station came up with its list after polling musicians, producers, record store owners, and bloggers of the metropolitan area.
They were asked to vote on the rappers who "made the most noise inside and outside the D.C. area by way of buzzworthy shows, tours, videos..." and other things that kept them visible throughout the year.
Wale is at the top of the list, the radio station says, because "before him there wasn’t as much interest from the outside world" on the area.
That seems like something of a stretch, but Wale did have a pretty good year. He went on an East Coast tour that stopped in Baltimore last month, released a new video for "Pretty Girls," and, with Uncalled 4 Band, was the official band of the MTV Video Music Awards, a measure of commercial success if nothing else.
Last month, he had some bad press, but even more Google mentions, when he went on a six-minute rant on 92Q over Bossman, a Baltimore rapper.
The rest of the station's list features only one female rapper - RaTheMC - and mostly D.C.-based artists.
They include, in descending order (includes links to NSFW videos, so put on your speakers earphones!): Fat Trel, of the Board Administration; Boobe, whose single "My Way" features Raheem Devaughn; Garvey The Chosen One; Bear Witnez, whose "I'm a Hustler" was one of the station's most played songs of the year; Kingpen Slim is on the list for his mixtape "The Beam Up 2: So Cinematic;" Tabbi Bonney is included for his epic single "Nuthin' but a Hero;" Diamond District and Phil Ade.
The rest of the list is here.
Any top ten list is inevitably incomplete. It seems a missed opportunity to not have included, as Baltimore writer Al Shipley would probably have liked, two local mainstays, Los or Dirt Platoon, who both returned to form this year with "Shooter" and "Deeper than Dirt," respectively.
Who else is missing from the list?
Photo: Wale's official website
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Know what's crazy? No one gives a crap here.
WKYS? Are you serious? Move to DC already.
(includes list to NSFW videos, so put on your speakers):
WTF does that even mean?
Posted by: gduasahdb | January 3, 2011 12:36 PM
DC's a great town but it has just tons and tons of people writing about it. I'd love to see more Baltimore-centric stuff here?
Posted by: Stoop | January 3, 2011 1:04 PM
@gduasahdb: He changed it but it means the links are to not-safe-for-work videos due to swearing so use headphones.
Posted by: derp | January 3, 2011 2:45 PM
I know what NSFW means, I have used the internets once or twice. I didnt know what "So Put on Your Speakers" for a video meant...
Posted by: gduasahdb | January 3, 2011 3:27 PM
This is crazy, LOS, Bossman and 100 Grand will eat them up.
Much respect to Wale
Posted by: Bmore | January 3, 2011 4:02 PM
I check in and see if anyone had any luck with the TIPSY TAXI on NYE - and I find nother but DC K-Y news. Wish I could say I was surprised but...
Posted by: Foo | January 3, 2011 4:31 PM
Muggsy Malone, Lyriciss find out about em.
Posted by: notinDC | April 5, 2011 9:51 AM