Dancehall has had several standard-bearers since emerging as a reggae subgenre in the late ‘70s and early ’80s, few have contributed more to its global popularity than Sean Paul. The charismatic performer from Kingston, Jamaica, captivated fans during a recent show at The Fillmore Silver Spring.

There’s music for dancing and songs that immerse you in thought. Alternative R&B singer, songwriter, and experimentalist Kelela inhabits a space where the two overlap.

The Blues is a grand institution. Kevin Moore, better known as Keb’ Mo’, is one of today’s most recognizable faces of that institution. He is regal yet approachable, much like The Birchmere, the hallowed venue in Alexandria, Virginia, which he recently visited for two nights.

The masterful rapper, better known as Rakim, has made a career of constructing thought-provoking lyrics that are accessible and connect with listeners. During a recent show at DC’s 9:30 Club, the Long Island poet displayed why he’s still the god MC after over three decades in the game.

The architects of music’s most engaging programs, such as All Songs Considered, Louder Than A Riot, and Tiny Desk, showed off their curatorial prowess in a recent celebration at 9:30 Club.

Hold onto your handlebars. Camilo, the mustachioed singer-songwriter from Colombia, is on tour, and he’s bringing a tribe of fervent fans!

Not too long ago, you could argue that Hiatus Kaiyote was an underground band with a cult following of music nerds. Many sold-out shows later, they have proven their staying power.

August in the DMV is synonymous with sweltering humidity, but if you’re a fan of soul, R&B, Go-Go, and ‘90s hip hop, it also yields the Summer Spirit Festival.

The Black Keys, a duo consisting of guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, made a recent stop at Merriweather Post Pavilion for their Dropout Boogie Tour. Check out my recap of their dynamic performance.

What happens when a millennial rapper with an old soul connects with a Gen Z fanbase infatuated with mid-’90s hip hop? A sold-out show with a vibration unlike any other.

The “Players” in the Ohio Players band name is likely a double entendre. You can glimpse their appreciation of beautiful women through a collection of provocative album covers. They are also a group of talented musicians with a penchant for stretching song performances into jam sessions that place their skills on display. Read my review of their recent show at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA.

I'm EARTHGANG. You're EARTHGANG. We're all EARTHGANG! The dynamic Atlanta hip-hop duo recently brought contagious energy during a recent show at The Fillmore Silver Spring. Check out my photos and coverage of their performance.

Sampa the Great showed fans what it means to be free during a recent show at DC’s historic 9:30 Club.

A month before winning her first Grammy Award for Best R&B album, I covered Jazmine Sullivan’s show at The Anthem in Washington DC. She performed songs from the award-winning “Heaux Tales” as well hits from her acclaimed career. Check out my review and pics from the show.

The artists on the ÑBA Leather World Tour — The Alchemist, Boldly James, Earl Sweatshirt, and Action Bronson — couldn’t be more different, but that’s what makes it work.

“Boxing’s got styles like music got style…some styles are slick and creative…and others aren’t,” Miles Davis wrote in his autobiography — “Miles.” Like the iconic trumpeter, D Smoke is a student of music and boxing. During a recent show at The Fillmore Silver Spring, the Inglewood rapper stepped onto the stage with the enthusiasm of a welterweight contender.

Thanks in part to a new generation hailing from Medellín, Colombia, reggaeton has not only evolved with the times but also regained a foothold in popular culture. It’s easy to say Carolina Giraldo Navarro, better known as Karol G, is the genre’s current reina (queen). A truthful statement, but an oversimplification. Navarro is certainly representative of the reggaeton renaissance, but during a recent show, she performed a range of music that points to something bigger.

Panamanian musician, actor, activist, and politician Rubén Blades may be the most popular person that you don’t know.

Recently, I had an opportunity to cover the multi-Grammy-winning, bass-virtuoso, producer, singer/songwriter, and anime fan, Thundercat for Parklife DC.

Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar, better known as iLe, recently took to the Howard Theatre stage to perform her unique style of Latin American music. The songs were a combination of classic boleros, rhumbas, and percussive bomba rooted in the history of her native Puerto Rico.