culture

Uptown Art House Debuts Converge Series with U Street Music Hall by Maxwell Young

Uptown Art House’s fall programming with U Street Music Hall. Graphic design by St. Clair Castro of Open Source.

Uptown Art House’s fall programming with U Street Music Hall. Graphic design by St. Clair Castro of Open Source.

Following the exodus from their studio space in Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C., Uptown Art House has focused their attention on collaborating with storied institutions within the local community—creating without borders. In partnership with U Street Music Hall, one of the District’s premiere concert venues (GoldLink recently sold out three nights here), the Art House presents Converge, fall programming on Wednesday nights from 10pm until 2am.

“Gentrification” is one of those buzz words used frequently amongst the creative ecosystem in D.C. due to the displacement of studio space, DIY venues, and residences the phenomenon causes. There’s more on that in this Washington City Paper article featuring Uptown Art House. The reality is the artistic identity is changing in the nation’s capital. Punk, Go-go, and funk communities that defined a predominantly African American city in the mid to late 20th century have been stripped out and re-built as indie-rock, moombahton, and trip-hop communities that represent an evolving white, young professional population. Through the intersection of experimental sound, media, and movement, Converge aims to bridge these gaps between music, art, and society. Burgeoning pockets of D.C.’s music community will be on display as the Art House taps local collectives and DJs to curate specific nights. Below is a highlight of the first three curators of Converge.

September 26 - DJs Underdog & Native Sun

Converge debuts this Wednesday with DJs Underdog and Native Sun. Expect a fusion of global sounds from the D.C.-based disc jockeys, as they have both played for prominent festivals such as Afro Punk. Underdog is a graphic designer for National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institute, and OKAYAFRICA, an editorial website amplifying African culture. Underdog’s sets delve in futurism and play with modern aesthetics without conformity, while Native Sun is known as a melodic archivist, exploring the connections between mainstream and underground cultures.

October 10 - Last Niight

InTheRough first learned of the Last Niight collective during one of their DJ sets at Funk Parade 2017. Roll forward a year and a half later and the DMV collective is hosting their first squad show on October 10th. Comprised of DJs and emcees Koleco, Murjoni, TheAntiSocial, MFundishi, Frankliin, JustJuWit, and Martin J Ballou, Last Niight will convey a full sonic spectrum.

October 17 - UUV Adrenaline Tour

UUV might be most visible as a clothing brand, but its creative direction by Lordy Agency is heavily intertwined with the documentation and elevation of music. Whether it’s D.C.’s rich skateboarding or Go-go communities, founder Naeem Khaliq’s influences behind his Converge curation are rooted in adrenaline culture. Performances by El Cousteau, Ankhle John, Landlord Sho, Mista Selecta, and Lul Bro Bro will amplify the intrinsic energy that surrounds the streets of Washington, D.C.

U Street Music Hall

1115A U ST, NW

Washington, D.C. 20009

Dreamcast Joins Season 3 Premiere of Late Bloom Radio by Maxwell Young

The season opener of Late Bloom was action-packed last week with guest Davon Bryant aka Dreamcast. No stranger to the Full Service Radio station, Dreamcast came locked and loaded with anecdotes, exclusive music, and a candor that illuminated a number of topics including the economics of art in Washington, D.C. and what happened when he learned of his feature in The Fader.

Hosted by Jamal Gray and produced by Maxwell Young at The Line Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Dreamcast is in album mode, or full length project mode, as he declared that a real album is something that only comes from a freedom to focus solely on music, “and not stress over bills.” Among the tracks Dreamcast played during the two hour show were collaborative efforts with Vancouver-based rapper Jay Worthy and the District’s own Nappy Nappa. Ralston Yorrick aka Fat Kneel, the producer of Dreamcast’s “Devil’s Red Dress, an InTheRough favorite, might still be unaware that he’s added another credit to his resume. Dreamcast plugged a beat of Yorrick’s for the Jay Worthy connection—”City Walls”—this slow burn with a crooning trumpet.

After the episode, the Takoma Park, Md. native revealed more of his work that he’s accumulated from trips out West. It’s an exciting time for Dreamcast fans. The new music places more of an emphasis on contemporary hip hop and R&B that mesh well with his funk-soul catalog. Hopefully everyone is privy by the end of 2018.

Late Bloom Radio broadcasts every Wednesday on Full Service Radio at 7pm. It is hosted by Jamal Gray and produced by Maxwell Young along with executive production by Jack Inslee of Full Service Radio. This coming Wednesday features Last Niight collective, who first landed on InTheRough thanks to a killer DJ set by Frankliin at Funk Parade two years ago. They’ll be talking about their upcoming event for Converge, Uptown Art House’s fall series at U Street Music Hall.

What Mac Miller Meant to Our Youth by Lanie Edwards

I was 15 years old the first time I saw Mac Miller perform at the iconic 18 and under venue, Club Zoo, in the Strip District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was the kind of club where kids would chain smoke cigarettes, it smelled musty at all times, and you didn’t tell your parents you were going. You thought it was cool to go to the bar and get a Red Bull, and you couldn’t wait to dance to “Like a G6” with your friends. This night was special because unlike the usual trash music blaring from the DJ booth, there was going to be a performance. It was 2010.

I was with my older sister and her best friend. They already knew of Mac, but I had never heard his music. I hesitantly stood in the corner not knowing what to expect.

“Everybody please put your thumb in the air!” was the first thing this 18-year-old white kid said as the lights came up. I put my right thumb up with a straight face. It felt stupid, but as soon as the beat from “Knock Knock” dropped, I was hooked. That set the tone for the rest of my adolescence in the Steel City. 

I remember bumping K.I.D.S and Blue Slide Park in the car nonstop when I got my license at 16. Pittsburgh isn’t necessarily the most exciting city, but riding around listening to Mac was an activity to look forward to on its own. We would listen during long bus rides before a tennis match, bullshitting during a free period, and getting ready for those terribly awkward high school dances. I remember when Blue Slide Park debuted at number one on Billboard. He wasn’t just Pittsburgh’s anymore, he was the world’s. It was amazing to see the world fall in love with him as much as we did. 

I was 20 years old the second time I saw Mac Miller perform, this time in Washington D.C. at the Fillmore for his GO:OD AM Tour. Now in college, I felt like I had grown up with him. He and his music had matured, but the concert was just as exciting as my first experience—just add more fans, mosh pits, and a different city. I went with my closest friends from Pittsburgh, and we all rocked our Steelers jerseys and Terrible Towels with pride. I’d be lying if I said we didn’t feel like we had a stronger connection to him in a sea full of D.C. natives.

Scenes from Mac Miller’s vigil at Blue Slide Park | footage by InTheRough

It’s been one week since his passing. I’m 23 now, and I’ve been thinking about it constantly. For me, no other artists’ death has hit as hard as this one for many reasons. As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, it was inspirational to see Mac Miller make it out of such a small, overlooked city and always remain true to himself and humble. With that unmistakable Pirates logo tatted on his hand, he repped the city wherever he went. Not only did he have a strong impact on the kids from his hometown, but he touched the hearts of so many worldwide with his music and soul. I never got to meet him, but we all felt like we knew him. 

There’s this saying that no one loves Pittsburgh as much as Pittsburgh. When one of our own makes it, the whole city is proud. When one of our own passes, the city mourns together. It rained for 3 days straight and the Stillers tied with the Browns after Mac left. That’s how you know.

Steelers running back James Conner honors the late rapper Mac Miller on his cleats this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs | photo via Conner’s Instagram

Any time you listen to Mac Miller’s old music it’s a nostalgic experience. You think of great times with friends. You think of driving through Fifth Ave and dodging all of its potholes while blasting “Party on Fifth Ave.” You appreciate places like Blue Slide park even more. Life was simple back then. When you listen to his music now, you think of how much he had grown. You think about how hard life gets. You think about how we all go through the same things at some point, and he was never afraid to talk about them. 

Through it all, we always saw him smiling. We always saw him being a goofball and putting on an amazing show. We saw how real and full of life he was despite whatever he was facing. He made us even more proud to rep black and yellow and to never forget where we came from. He made us feel 15 again. No matter what, Mac Miller will always be there to remind us that we’re just some motherf*ckin kids.

Lead photos right to left by G L Askew II and Christaan Felber

Long Live by Alex Young

YUNG MULATTO Sept. 17, 1996 - Nov. 30, 2017

JIMMY WOPO Jan. 13, 1997 - June 18, 2018

MAC MILLER Jan. 19, 1992 - Sept. 7, 2018

Photo of Mac Miller in front of Jay Z Tweet by Gunnerstahl.us | Art of Mac Miller and Jimmy Wopo in heaven by Vigna Vines | Photo of Yung Mulatto by Tyler Calpin

Mac Miller, Pittsburgh born and raised until his rap career launched him out of the city to big markets like Los Angeles and New York City, died on Friday, September 7, 2018. The 26-year-old was found dead in his Studio City home in L.A. from a suspected drug overdose.

Support for the great friend, Pittsburgh native and legendary rapper has poured in as many remember his legacy.

In Pittsburgh however, we hurt for the loss of creative kings who gave so much to our community. Within the last year, illustrator-producer Yung Mulatto and rappers Jimmy Wopo and Mac Miller have passed away. We hurt because each artist had so much more to give even bigger legacies to leave behind. The timing here seems unfair. Mac just had a top 5 album in “Swimming,” Wopo was about to sign a deal with the Taylor Gang and Mulatto had momentum as the man illustrating Pittsburgh hip-hop for the world. The circumstances are depressing considering these young men were some of Pittsburgh’s biggest champions on the main stage. It’ll be impossible to forget the impact Mac, Mulatto and Wopo had on us. We need to keep pushing as a city to honor them, to achieve their success and more.

Come together and honor their memory. A public vigil for Mac takes place today at 5 p.m. at the Blue Slide Park in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh. A fresh coat of blue paint covered the slide today to honor the rapper and his first studio album “Blue Slide Park.” Check the Facebook event here for more details. Also, tonight local DJs celebrate the life and music of Mac Miller at the Goldmark bar in Lawrenceville. DJ Alex Rivera, DJ Jx4, DJ Red and DJ Spillz spin the Most Dope tracks from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is no cover to enter the venue. Lastly, a petition started online to change the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey goal song to Mac Miller’s song “Party On Fifth Ave.” Sign the petition here.

Blue Slide Park

2005 Beechwood Boulevard (Nicholson St)

Pittsburgh, PA 15217

The Goldmark

4517 Butler Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15201


Watch InTheRough on The Burgh Boyz by Alex Young

InTheRough featured on episode 72 of The Burgh Boyz podcast with DJ Motormane and DJ Spillz

InTheRough featured on episode 72 of The Burgh Boyz podcast with DJ Motormane and DJ Spillz

Shout out to The Burgh Boyz for passing InTheRough the mic for episode 72 of their podcast. We spoke about being writers who represent the scenes in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. It was hard not to bring up Steelers football with the chase for seven upon us September 9, so we mentioned new projects with Stillers™ too. Rising rapper Fedd, a.k.a. Fedd The God walked into the room during our interview. He was on The Burgh Boyz set to leak an early listen to his "DaKingJamesVersion" record dropping September 3. Check his work on DJ Motormane's "Motor Muzik 2" mixtape. We covered more topics, like mistaking journalism for being a culture vulture. Watch some clips and the full video below.