Sistas, Your Rhyme Has Come
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Friday, August 3, 2007; Page C11
After two years of showcases celebrating the female rapper, we think we've got an answer for the Can a Sista Rock a Mic? festival: Yes. Yes, she can.
Few cities were as ready for it as Washington. We are educated and progressive, we love our hip-hop, soul and spoken word -- and we appreciate spending our evenings in such hot spots as the Rock & Roll Hotel, Cue Bar and Republic Gardens.
And so, years after MC Lyte, Da Brat and that whole Real Roxanne/Roxanne Shanté business, a spotlight has shone on the city's own scene.
Festival co-founder Kimani Anku was promoting D.C. hip-hop and soul shows and was looking for a way to stand out when he remembered one particularly popular segment of his old Internet radio show. It featured female emcees.
After that, "I was on the streets begging people, 'Do you rhyme? Do you DJ? I'm doing this all-girl show, ' " Anku says. The resulting showcase, called B-Girl Manifesto and featuring rotating hip-hop, neo-soul, spoken word and R&B artists, played around town from about 2000 to 2002, drawing crowds of underground hip-hop fans.
In 2005, Can a Sista Rock a Mic? launched. A year later, Brandon Felton came on board, and the festival grew.
New this year is the Lady Beat Maker competition, featuring four emerging beatmakers, Ms. Tris Beats, Diverse, Trakslaya and Pri the Honeydark. They'll compete, then two finalists will each pick one of four female MCs to rhyme over their beats. The contest will be part of the opening bash at Rock & Roll Hotel that also features Georgia Anne Muldrow with Dudley Perkins and Bahamadia. $12. Wednesday at 9 p.m. 1353 H St. NE. 202-388-7625.
Other highlights from the five-night fest:
- Sy Smith, whom 20 million or so people might recognize as a backing vocalist on "American Idol," at Republic Gardens on Aug. 10 with Alison Carney and others. $12. 7:30 p.m. 1355 U St. NW.
- The free Summer Love Fest block party with poets, visual artists, Hueman Prophets and more, Aug. 11 in Silver Spring. 4-9 p.m. Arts Alley, 8030 Georgia Ave.
- MC Lyte at the festival finale, at Zanzibar on Aug. 12. $25. 6 p.m. 700 Water St. SW.
Through Aug. 12. For information, visit http:/
