Music Matters: Rap’s Rockin’ Scene

by Editorial

White House Band, Navi + The Delegation, and more hit the stage at Velvet Lounge
By Ericha Richards

Velvet Lounge hosts concerts and small gigs in their upstairs performance space

From the street, it may look like just your typical U St. get-up, but surprisingly, the Velvet Lounge has a lot of quirky and grungy appeal. Although a bar downstairs, the venue has an intimately sized concert space located upstairs that on an average night hosts local DMV talents. On Thursday Night, the Velvet Room was one of the many stops for the Rap Rocks concert featuring Shyvonne, Navi + The  Whole Damme Delegation, Ralphy Boy, and the White House Band.

Doors opened at 9:30 pm to a modest-sized crowed that swayed and bobbed to the Indie sounds of the bands. White House Band’s lead singer, David E Beats is the mastermind behind the entire Rap Rocks concert series. Washington DC is the first of a four-stop June concert series. Locations include Baltimore, Nashville, and finally finishing in their hometown of New York City. The concert lasted for a whole two hours, giving guests an array of different urban sounds. Local-talent Shyvonne provided guests with soulful, rich rhythms, while Ralphy Boy swooned listeners with heart-felt rhymes. Navi + The Whole Damme Delegation entertained the crowd with an eccentric performance filled with flashing lights and outrageous costumes. The closing performance of the night by David E Beats and the White House Band gave guests a nice glimpse of his widely recognized talent by performing several of his most popular tracks.

David E Beats from White House Band

Velvet Lounge is the first of a four-stop tour for White House Band

DJ for Ralphy Boy

Tabia Beckett and Olivia Dikambi enjoying music from the White House Band

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