In the DMV, there are numerous concerts, performances, events, festivals, etc. Often times, the performers/artists are a combination of locals and non-locals, or they’re limited to one type of artistic genre. What if there was an organization made in the DMV, whose sole purpose was to showcase the great artistic talents of the DMV?! Meet DMVME!

The DMV Music & Entertainment (DMVME) brand provides a unique opportunity for Washington DC metro area artists, songwriters, producers, DJs, managers, music industry professionals and fans to meet, network and further their careers. They introduce some of the hottest up and coming urban music and entertainment artists; from Hip-Hop, R&B, Go-Go, Spoken Word and Comedy. The DMVME team consists of: Janey (Founder of DMVME), Shea Atkins (Event Operations Manager), Ray Williams (Social Media Manager), Alethena McCoy (Sponsorship Coordinator), and TaKeyia Monique (Public Relations, Haute Hipsters Media).

The DMVME team has hit the ground running since their recent initial creation, and has made great strides to set up their initial expo weekend in just the past month, which is set to take place on June 6-8, 2014. “We had to do something different. If you want change, be the change,” said Janey…and that’s exactly what they did! The DMV Music & Entertainment Expo modifies the Hip-Hop shows we’re accustomed to and merges those rap performances with other urban media entertainment (R&B, Go-Go, Spoken Word, etc.) in addition to bridging the gap with artists and their potential fans.

Each night of the expo will focus on various genres, and here’s what you have to look forward to:
Friday, June 6th – Pre-Expo Kick Off Party (Doors open at 10pm) at DaLuft Lounge, hosted by RaRa the Party Starter & music by Mr. Primetime DJ Ron + DJ Naph.
Saturday, June 7th – DMV Music & Entertainment Expo (9pm-3am) at Twelve Lounge, which features artists such as Visto, B. Blunt, Demi Rose, Detroit Boat, Black Passion Band, and more; with an opening reception hosted by comedian Tony Woods.
Sunday, June 8th – Farewell Brunch (11am-3pm) + Day Party (3pm-7pm) at Smith Commons, featuring live performances by spoken word artists DMVPoet, Orville the Poet and more, live painting by Michelle Izquierdo & Music by DJ Zyon.

We were able to catch up with Janey & Social Media Manager, Ray Williams, to learn a little more about what makes their team!

Q: What part(s) of the DMV are you reppin’?
A: Janey – Ft. Washington & SE for a short time also; Alethena – grew up NW DC, currently resides in Oxon Hill; Shea – NE DC; Ray – Forestville; and TaKeyia – Washington, DC

Q: How has your community influenced you, and vice versa?
A: (Janey) I’ve been a rapper, and I’ve had a lot of difficulty getting material out. I had a label in 2006, and the hip hop was always separated. I want to bring everything together so that we can make enough noise to get out there. Why would you up root yourself and leave the area, when you have success?! Everyone thus far has been on-board and lending a hand in the process, and we’ve received nothing but undeniable support from the DMV community.
(Ray) I’m a fan of hip hop, and I believe that there’s a great means of artists in the area, but they don’t know how to get seen and heard.

Q: If there’s anything that you would want your peers & supporters to know about your organization (assuming that they don’t already), what would it be?
A: (Janey) Our tagline is: connect, network, advance! Even though our tagline is on our site, sometimes it can get lost in the brand, and I wanted to throw it out there just to reinforce our purpose.
(Ray) Something that everyone may not know about me is that…I love different types of whiskey…lol!

Q: What’s next?!
A: (Janey) We will have another EXPO in Sept, and will add a producers battle on a separate night. Also, we will have a monthly industry HH, which starts Friday (5/30) at Pure Lounge, to keep the momentum going from the EXPO and we will more than likely pick a specific artist to perform for each HH as a preview to the next EXPO. DJ DNITTY from Ripped Radio will be the DJ on those events.
(Ray) Even for something that we started a month ago, we had people from Pittsburg to LA to Canada willing to come out and participate. Even though we’re only targeting DMV artists, I think that says a lot about how much we’ve grown and made and impact thus far!

Be sure to check out their website for more up-to-date info & to purchase your tickets for the Expo on Saturday night: www.dmvmeexpo.com. Also, be sure to follow them on their social media pages also, including FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. This is going to be a weekend to remember, and you don’t want to miss the action!