Hip hop music made it’s initial foray into U Street Music Hall on Thursday evening as east coast clothing giant Cmonwealth sponsored one of their “Top Billin” events featuring the Missile Command duo of one-half of the Neptunes Chad Hugo, and Bmore’s own and Neptunes tour DJ Hip Hop Dan. Dan is one of the more notable historic DJs to the local underground dance scene, as during his time as an undergrad at the University of Maryland, his otherworldly talents and unique ear for blending disparate musical styles influences individuals like fellow Maryland student at the time Dave Nada to take their DJing craft much more seriously and pursue it further and deeper. It was quite apropos to have sets spun by Dan in the inaugural period of a hall that likely, on many levels wouldn’t exist without his historical influence.
However, the best laid plans often go awry, as was the case last night, as Chad Hugo missed his flight from Miami due to the extenuating circumstances of working with Pharrell on the upcoming Neptunes release. For the average event, this would be a terrible occurrence, but for this particular party, there was a forgotten ace up the sleeves of the event coordinators that turned the night into the most ridiculous event held in the venue’s brief history. Hip Hop Dan opened with a set that, as per usual, recalled DJ AM, as Dan’s seamless, all-star ability to blend top 40 cuts across genres was on display, Maroon 5 and Justin Timberlake seamlessly falling into Young Jeezy, the Clipse (more on them later) and the Neptunes, a cross cultural jaunt that for a VERY hip hop minded audience was the perfect opening set for what was to come.
Whether you know him as Harry Dixon or Harry Hotter, Harry Hotter is one of the finest DJs on the East coast. The only reason you’re likely unaware of him is that as soon as the underground became a raging maelstrom of party energy, Hotter disappeared from the scene for four years. He re-emerged as a top 40 and grown and sexy cut spinning bottle service club DJ instead of the ravey underground house and rap spinner he was before. His skills and talents on DC’s downtown scene has earned him favor amongst people like R. Kelly and The Clipse. Coincidentally the Newport News trap rappers’ Play Cloths line is sold at Cmonwealth, and due to Cmonwealth’s origin being intrinsically linked with the Star Trak family, it was quite the no brainer that when Hugo was unable to make the party, that Hotter get the call.
What separates Harry Hotter from pretty much every other DJ I know is his mental library of music and his ability to blend that with a note perfect ability to read a crowd. Yes, U Street Music Hall would appear to be the most indie of indie music venues, but Harry turned the Temple of Boom into Park at 14th for the night, throwing down a scintillating mix of mainstream classics including such little known jams as Frighty and Colonel Mite’s “Life is What You Make It,” a reggae toast that I’m fairly sure was a hit nowhere else but DC, where in the spring and summer of 1990, it was completely unavoidable, to club tracks like Cajmere’s “Percoloator” and DJ Class’ “I’m the Shit.” Weaving through Jagged Edge and the Wu Tang Clan and turning the peak hour of the party into a sweaty funk massacre of heaving bodies, Hotter, who spins Saturday night’s Bliss party U Hall debut did what he always does, hearkening back to the summer of 2009’s loft partties thrown by the AV Lifestyle Group, throw down the mix most appropriate to turn that crowd from a sea of Blackberry and murmuring conversation obsessed individuals into a crowd of partiers, Hotter being one of the cities chief ambassadors of a good time.
The clarity and depth of sound at the U Hall, which has been the all star for most of the sets spun at the venue so far, took a backseat last night to maestro selectors who, with the aid of a most excellent soundsystem can play unfettered, and to the utmost of their abilities. Noting that Sam “The Man” Burns, Jess Jubilee, Nick Catchdubs, DJ Ayres and the Trouble and Bass Crew, alongside the rising party smashers of Nouveau Riche are forthcoming to the venue only portents the sweatiest of sweaty nights to come. Yes, the U Hall is hot. Oppressively hot. Sure there’s air conditioning, but you can’t feel it. The star, above ALL else at the Temple of Boom is the music. And when in the hands of people like Hip Hop Dan and Harry Hotter last night, it’s going to be an optimal sonic experience.
Need some Harry Hotter mixes in your life to tide you over until Saturday night’s Bliss at the U Street Music Hall?
Here’s his minimix for Saturday Night’s Bliss event!
Ad if that’s not enough, check his Coolout mix from last summer, STILL one of the kingpin contributions to the local music collection of last year with some of the most creative blends and re-edits you’ll hear anywhere.
And here’s Hip Hop Dan’s latest from January, the “Sort of Like a Dream” mix, taking things in an aurally different direction, with some indie rock mixes that provide in his own words, “a more serene and balanced aural experience. The goal was to create a foggy, dream-like atmosphere, one with few peaks and valleys but instead spongey and shapeless. Sort of like a dream.”
loves the hustle. 
goes hard when he wants, but people get hooked on his clever wordplay. Most southern rappers are witty wordsmiths, whereas most east coast rappers are as blunt as a Philly wrap – classic style versus substance. Clipse has the best of both worlds settling in the Mid-Atlantic, for all of their quick witted lines about the high life, they have stark stances on the dark heat of a hellacious urban environment: “The judge is sayin’ life like it ain’t someone’s life.”
elivindotorg 