DC MUSIC HISTORY
RECENT YEARS

DC SOUND  •  BYGONE YEARS  •  EARLY YEARS  •  SEVENTIES  •  EIGHTIES  •  NINETIES  •  RECENT YEARS  •  UP & COMING 
AMERIE     
FOOD FOR ANIMALS     THE EVENS     THE NATIVE DEEN                    RICKY FANTE     
THIEVERY CORPORATION     DEEP DISH     SAADAT AWAN     LAZZO
WEIRD WAR
ROSTAM BATMANGLIJ (from Vampire Weekend)    FAT TREI    TABI BONNEY
HAYLEY SALES     FRENCHIE DAVIS
DUBFIRE     ALVIN RISK
WALE     RYAN LESLIE     MADURO     MUHSINAH     JC CHASEZ 2000   TANK
DAMIAN KULASH (ok OK Go)2000 
DARKEST HOUR 2000    TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS 2000
 
     
Amerie Mi Marie Rogers, known as R&B star Amerie, was born in Washington DC in 1980. Shortly after she was born, her family moved to her mom's native country Korea for three years. She lived in many different place growing up, but always ended up back in DC. After graduating from high school, Amerie studied literature at Georgetown University - and she joined the ROTC to help pay for it. While in college, a club promoter she had befriended introduced her to producer Rich Harrison to solicit a audition. Amerie performed a song for Harrison in a McDonald's parking lot, which lead to her 2002 debut single Why Don't We Fall In Love.
ONE THING - Amerie at the 2002 World Music Awards
Food For Thought is a Washington DC-based indie hip-hop group. The group was formed by Vulture Voltaire and Ricky Rabbit, and also features Dr. Dan and HY.
AROUND THE CORNER - The Evens  (live in public library, PA 2005)
The Evens formed in Washington DC in 2001. The indie rock duo is Ian MacKaye (formerly of Minor Threat and Fugazi) and Amy Farina (formerly of The Warners). Since 2005, the duo released four albums on MacKaye's label Dischord Records. The group gained attention with it's 2003 children's song and video Vowel Movement, which was produced for Pancake Mountain - a Washington DC based children's show. In 2008, MacKaye and Farina welcomed their first child.
VOWEL MOVEMENT - The Evens  (from Pancake Mountain)
Weird War was formed in Washington DC in 2001, initially it's purpose was to be an umbrella group for anti-authoritian bands. The group has proclaimed  that they are "the sole answer to the hype-based careerism, empty formalism and vacuity which has infected what was once a genuinely creative underground rock and roll scene.
MENTAL POISONING - Weird War
NOT AFRAID TO STAND ALONE - Native Deen
Native Deen, and the groups members, were born and raised in Washington DC. The DC-based islamic music group combines hip-hop and R&B. In Arabic, Deen means "way of life" or "religion". The group met through Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) - each member had appeared on a MYNA RAPS album. Native Deen has released three albums, and tours internationally.
Frenchie Davis - American Idol audition 2003
Frenchie Davis was born in Washington DC in 1979. She was raised in Los Angeles, California, and she returned to Washington DC to attend college at Howard University. In 2003, Davis was a contestant on American Idol, which brought a lot of attention to her, and her vocal talents. Later that same year, Davis was appearing on Broadway in the play Rent. She has been in numerous other productions on and off Broadway. In 2011, Davis competed in the first season of The Voice, and in 2014 she graduated from Howard University.  
Hayley Sales was born in Washington DC in 1986. Her father, who had been a sound engineer for The Grateful Dead and Miles Davis, operated a recording studio in the upper level of his Washington DC home. Her family relocated to the west coast when Haley was four, and she was already learning to play the piano. Hayley was heavily involved in theatre, and by the time she was in sixth grade she was writing her own songs. Her break came when she was offered the lead role in a teen horror film. In 2006 , Sales landed a record deal with Universal Music Canada.
Frenchie Davis was born in Washington DC in 1979.
>  THIS IS NOT A "BEST-OF" LIST, AND IT IS NOT INTENDED TO INCLUDE EVERYONE IMPORTANT  <
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