Last Thursday may have been, perhaps, DC’s most dazzling night of 2011. April 14, marked ReadysetDC’s third installment of its budding fashion showcase, Fashion:District at the chic Longview Gallery in Washington, D.C., a location that certainly added to the razzle-dazzle of the event with its avant-garde art pieces. The night brought out the best of D.C.’s stylish community and 25 Magazine was on the scene to mix, mingle, and document the affair. The sold-out event boasted pop-up shops from Toucan Boutique, ARTAYA, Ginger Root Design, and other great designers.

After an hour of networking, the fashion showcase began which featured clothing and accessories by Durkl, Clockwise Clothing, Hugh & Crye, Derringer Friday, Ginger Root Design, ARTAYA, and SAINTCHiC. The attendees were tipsy, the music was rocking, cameras were flashing, and proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society—all components of a fine evening. ReadysetDC achieved its goal; Fashion:District illuminated Washington, D.C.’s ingenious boutiques, brands, and certainly its glamorous people. Read more for our behind-the-scenes video.

Couldn’t make it down to D.C. for Howard University’s Homecoming festivities? We did and caught some guerrilla footage at some of the shows, more videos after the jump!

RICK ROSS:

WALE:

DONDRIA:

DOUG E. FRESH:

DOUG E. FRESH “TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE” FREESTYLE:

J.COLE:

MARSHA AMBROSIUS (of Floetry) “SAY YES”:

STREET STYLE @ HOWARD HOMECOMING:

Check out the video we shot down at Howard University’s Homecoming of all the best dressed on campus, did you make the cut?

The song featured is “All The Other Kids” by Shawn Chrystopher, we interviewed him not too long ago.

Looking for your photo? Check out our blog – sidewalkswag.25mag.com!

25 Magazine catches up with D.C. band, The Five One between sets at the “Our People, Our Haiti” benefit concert at the Warehouse Loft to talk upcoming EP, Deuce Day World. The video features their oldie but goodie, “Sak Passe.” Listen to The Five One’s last few LPs here!

Tabi Bonney x The Five One x Chris Barz for Haiti from 25 Magazine on Vimeo.

Check out a video recap from the “Our People, Our Haiti” benefit show at the Warehouse Loft in Washington, D.C. The show raised $1,000 and featured performances from Tabi Bonney, Chris Barz, The Five One, G5 Clive, Amber Mimz and others. Check out photos from the event after the jump!

Wale Speaks On Haiti x Charles Hamilton x 2010 from 25 Magazine on Vimeo.

We caught up with Wale after his performance for the Hands for Haiti benefit concert at Howard University for a follow up to this interview. Check it out!

It’s on youtube too!

Click HERE to get on the list.

Reflection Eternal perform unreleased track from their upcoming sophomore LP, Revolutions Per Minute at Club 9:30 in Washington, D.C. Read more for a review of the show.

WASHINGTON—Patrons of Club 9:30 were time travelers on Monday, Aug. 31. Twenty-somethings donned in hip-hop inspired graphic T-shirts, limited-edition fitted caps and Nike dunk sneakers waited anxiously in line to enter the V Street venue at 7 p.m. that cool evening. The line was slow, but the show moved slower.

Bloggers and tweeters alike snapped photos of concert signage on the venue walls, “Due to injuries Slaughterhouse will not be performing tonight.” The show was delayed by hours, and Slaughterhouse had been removed from the set list. Perhaps rightfully so.

Their recent single “The One,” an ode to “sex and drugs and dirty money,” would make the rap super-group appear out of place alongside content-conscious duos Slum Village and headliner Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-tek).

Two hours in, legendary producer Pete Rock began the journey. Queen Latifah, “U-N-I-T-Y” (1993); Souls of Mischief, “93’ till Infinity” (1993); The Pharcyde, “Runnin” (1995); Wu-Tang Clan, “C.R.E.A.M.” (1994). Few tracks were younger than 10 years old, but the crowd members knew every word and proudly rapped along.

The pit in front of the stage was tightly packed but hardly uncomfortable. Despite the critically acclaimed headliner, Club 9:30 was nowhere near its 1,200-person capacity. It was also devoid of the inexorably thick, sweaty and often suffocating air and incessant shoving and spilled drinks—a commonplace of other Rock the Bells productions.

Freestyle rapper Supernatural wowed concert-goers while rapping about miscellaneous items they waved in the air, among them a wedding ring, sunglasses and a plastic cup. Unfortunately for repeat Rock the Bells attendees, much of that particular freestyle was recycled.

After odes to rap veterans Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes and the late producer J Dilla, Slum Village took the stage. They were a man short. Rapper Baatin died a month earlier, mid tour.

Surviving members, T-3 and Elzhi, presumably took an excursion from the show’s caravan through golden-era hip-hop and performed material from their upcoming LP, “Villa Manifesto,” to avoid Baatin verses. The duo did, however, perform a few crowd favorites, “Disco” and “Selfish,” and in tribute they softly whispered Baatin’s verse on “Tainted” as the audience sang along.

Shortly after, the native tongues lyricist Talib Kweli hit the stage with Reflection Eternal cohort, DJ Hi-tek. Kweli delivered a lively set, a mix of Reflection Eternal, BlackStar and solo material.

A concert-goer joked that Kweli appeared to be out of breath, his lyrics too complex to be jumping around and staying on tempo. Lucky for the Reflection Eternal emcee, audience members filled in the gaps of every gasp with chants and crazed fanaticism, unfazed.

The evening’s ’90s rap flashback came to a close as Kweli performed some unreleased material from Reflection Eternal’s upcoming album, “Revolutions Per Minute,” between bursts of “Move Somethin,” “Eternalists” and “The Blast.”

For musicians who cut their teeth on soul samples and boom bap, they did not disappoint. The young crowd was moved and after the encore, reluctant to file out into the small hours, still rooting for Kweli because he brought back clever rapping.

–Kendra Desrosiers

Check out some video footage one of our editor’s caught in the crowd at Rock the Bells in New York. We have video from every performance on the main stage!

Havoc of Mobb Deep Performs at Rock the Bells

Talib Kweli and Common Perform “Respiration”

RZA Introduces ODB’s Son in Dirty Tribute

We have more videos from Rock the Bells, check them out on our youtube channel.

Photo by Kendra Desrosiers

Chester French and Q-tip perform at Summer Stage.

Central Park was live this afternoon at the Summerstage concert with headliner Q-Tip. It was hot and there was no shade in sight but that didn’t stump the crowd’s energy. Chester French, Sweden-based group Little Dragon, and DJ Benji B got the crowd ready for “The Abstract.” Familiar also sited today included Cassie, Damon Dash, and Amanda Diva.

Duo, Chester French moved the crowd with hits from their mixtape “Jacques Jams, Vol 1: Endurance” and debut album Love The Future. DA Wallach had the crowd laughing at his dorky swag as he instructed the crowd to commence in a soul snap. “Hands up in the fucking air! We need you to snap with us in a second!”

They performed songs like “Jimmy Choos,” “C’mon” and crowd favorite “She Loves Everybody.” The pit was packed with toddlers and guests of a guest but we managed to get some video of their set, check it out:

Chester French @ SummerStage NYC from 25 Magazine on Vimeo.

The Queens Hip Hop legend, Q-tip gave a phenomenal performance with a live band to the at capacity venue. He performed a mix of A Tribe Called Quest classics including “Bonita Applebum,” “Scenario,” and “Sucka N*ggas” as well as “Award Tour,” in which all the die hard “real Hip Hop heads” sang word for word. Tip also performed songs from his latest album The Renaissance, such as “We Fight/We Love” and “Gettin Up.”

While Tip performed “Vivrant Thing,” Diddy danced into the press pit, hopped on stage and did his famous two-step. No one expected it (but 25 caught it on tape and video!). After ending his set, Q-tip came back on stage for “Life is Better,” and jumped in the crowd.

No one wanted Q-tip to ever leave the stage and he clearly gave all his energy to the crowd by sweating out his white tee and presumably his knee high black socks. His performance was unforgettable indeed.

Here’s some Twitter highlights:

@25mag: @iamdiddy jumped on stage w/@qtiptheabstract, guess who’s the only to get video and photo? @25mag, get familiar, best show of the summer!

@25mag: Industry rule number 4080, record company people are shadyyyy

@25mag: He’s in the crowd, where is he? we can’t see you tip, you a lil short my man

@25mag: @qtiptheabstract is sweatin hard, great show!

Check out our exclusive video coverage and photos of Q-tip’s performance, including Diddy’s dance number:

Check out: Q-Tip @ SummerStage Photo Gallery

25 Mag – Jabari Video Exclusive from 25 Magazine on Vimeo.

25 Magazine catches up with Jabari @ the premiere of his track “Dopeman” Ft. Nicki Minaj & Pusha T off the upcoming compilation album Famous on the Internet. Read more for download and cover art.

Famous on the Internet will drop in late 2009 and  feature Pusha-T, Wale, Nicki Minaj, Raheem Devaughn, Max B, Young Chris, Curren$y, and Charles Hamilton among others.

“Dopeman” Ft. Nicki Minaj & Pusha T (prod. Cookin Soul) – Jabari | Download here

Props to the NMC supporting a student from HU [the real HU that is]

Androgynous Fashion Shoot Behind-the-Scenes Exclusive from 25 Magazine on Vimeo.

Check out our behind-the-scenes exclusive video on 25 Magazine’s latest fashion shoot!