Words by Aja Johnson

On Monday March 22nd, Radio personality Jeannie Jones “The Kitty of the City” hosted the release party for former Day 26 member, Que Mosley’s debut mixtape The Que Files. The event was held at Recess Lounge in Washington, D.C. Guests mingled to old school and new R&B and hip-hop and watched a video of Que, until the star of the show arrived. The district’s own DJ Quicksilva spun Que’s mixtape on turntables, while former America’s Best Dance Crew competitors Beat Ya Feet Kings entertained the crowd with their dance moves.

Que said his mixtape is “set-up material for the album,” and to just “enjoy it.” The Que Files is filled with club joints such as his new single “Shake Dat.” But his song “Well Overdue,” addresses his naysayers. “You didn’t even have the decency to say it to my face/you claim you couldn’t find me but you know just where I stay,” is a line from “Well Overdue,” possibly referring to how Day 26 broke the news to him via letter that he was no longer apart of the group.

Aside from his new mixtape, Que has a new reality show coming soon with his “special friend” Dawn Richard, formerly a member of Danity Kane and is now with Diddy’s new group Dirty Money. The show will be aired on MTV.

The Que Files is available here for free download.

Look out for 25 magazine’s video interview with Que at his release party soon.

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!

@25Mag’s Kiah McBride reviews the “Our People, Our Haiti” benefit show at the Warehouse Loft in Washington, D.C. The show raised $1000 and featured performances from Tabi Bonney, Chris Barz, The Five One, G5 Clive, Amber Mimz and others. Review and photos after the jump!

One of the many hidden treasures that D.C. has to offer lies within a four-story brick building called The Warehouse Loft. It was here that eager musicians and fans alike gathered for the “Our World, Our People” Haiti relief concert featuring a variety of local DMV artists. The show started hours late, surprise surprise; however, once the music started, the atmosphere quickly transformed from a laid-back social scene to an all-out concert.

Opening the concert was an eclectic girl group, The Goldin Girl Tribe, who quickly grabbed the crowds’ attention with suggestive body rolls and an upbeat island sound. The diverse girl group knew just how to keep the excitement alive in the room and interacted with audience members throughout their performance.

Not far behind The Golden Girl Tribe was The Five One band who took the word “hype” to a new level.  They came on stage with such high energy that had the crowd started bobbing their heads and foot-working to every song. Their live band set featured 50′s inspired jams and a stunning guitar solo.

Following The Five One band was well-known DMV artist and poet, Chris Barz. Barz hyped the crowd up with his welcome song “Mr. Barz, Mr. Barz” from his latest project Class [Sickz] Out The Dark released this past December. Surprisingly, this lyrically gifted emcee is under 21, yet he possesses the talent and skill of a veteran as demonstrated in his tribute to Haiti, which he composed just minutes before his performance.

Finally to grace the stage was headliner Tabi Bonney, who immediately received a lot of love from the overzealous audience.  Bonney began with a shout out to Haiti and a reminder to the crowd to help those affected by the disaster. Fans rushed to the front of the stage to dance and chant along with the lyrics to his popular hit “The Pocket” off of his 2006 debut album A Fly Guy’s Theme. Bonney got into his element with quick-footed shuffles to “Jet Setter,” an upbeat track with a futuristic sound.

The Warehouse Loft was an ideal place to hold the benefit concert. The lively atmosphere and wide selection of performers made the Haiti relief event worth the five dollars it cost to get in. Among the main performers were other talented DMV artists including G5 Clive, Daron Forbes, M1 Platoon, and Mz. Mimz.  Despite the initial wait, the performers left the fans with quality music and a positive vibe.

D.C. native XO has finally released his mixtape with features from other D.C. artists, Raheem DeVaughn and Tabi Bonney.

The Five One covers Wale’s “Pretty Girls.” Download and stream after the jump!

“Say girl ain’t no time to play girl/You can keep your friend I don’t mind a gay girl”

An “acoustic driven” cover off their upcoming EP Deuce Day World.

It’s different, consensus?

25 Magazine covers the after-party of the 2009 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show viewing in Washington, DC.

Words by Stacy-Ann Ellis

What better way to follow up the viewing of the highly anticipated 2009 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show than with a service-inspired after-party. The event, hosted by Victoria’s Secret PINK interns, was held at Pasha Lounge in Washington, DC. The interns teamed up with Gatsby Entertainment, ParadiseExit.com, and Dreamers & Believers, promising freebies and giveaways to the event’s attendees.

Naturally, the Victoria’s Secret event brought out all the females. Clad in their best nightwear, the female crowd, speckled with dapperly dressed males, danced the night away to our generation’s most popular party tunes. Aside from PINK representing the widely popular lingerie line, the PINK theme also served as a way to promote breast cancer awareness in the midst of all the festivities.

Here are some photos from the night’s events:

The popular Washington, DC urban brand DURKL is ready to kick off the season with new collection.

The collegiate and workwear inspired collection features new apparel such as the quilted “Edgar” duck jacket, sherpa lined corduroy “Senior” varsity jacket and suede elbow patched “RL” flannel shirt. They also offer black waxed denim, the DURKL script crewneck, two new styles of caps, and over a dozen tee shirts. 

The collection will be available starting Wednesday, December 9th at http://shop.durkl.com and at the DURKL Warehouse (443 Eye Street NW).

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