Ya Heard: Cork pops on Virginia hip-hop

"Opportunities? They are all around us. ... There is power lying latent everywhere waiting for the observant eye to discover it."

-- Orison Swett Marden

Inside Cork'ed Wine & Cigars in Dumfries July 26, a renaissance, of sorts, occurred when the hottest local acts in hip-hop, R&B, and reggae came together and completely rocked The Smoken Word talent showcase.

All eight acts represented a new frontier in Northern Virginia's hip-hop culture.

"For an artist like myself, that always seems to be on the road performing outside of the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) area, the showcase was a real good look," El Prezidino said. "I got to meet other artists from Virginia that appreciate quality music as much as I do. And when you want to get involved in the local music scene, showcases and performances like this are a MUST."

Prezidino dazzled the audience with his brilliant blend of hard hitting rhymes and captivating stage presence. His showmanship held fans' attention hostage and performed with his very own deejay. DJ Double A1K mixed, scratched and dropped beats throughout Dino's entire set.

"I decided a long time ago to go all out while performing…no matter if there was 10 or 10,000 people in the audience," Prezidino said after his performance.

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Another local up-and-coming sensation, Jah'nette, came in like a cool island breeze on the mid-summer evening. Influenced by hip-hop, R&B, Latin and reggae, Jah'nette's sound is abundant with soul, love and tranquility. A Brooklyn, N.Y.-native, Jah is not your average performer. With a heritage that includes Puerto Rican, native Caribbean Indian, Taino tribe mixed with African decent, her music is full of diversity.

When asked of her inspiration for music, Jah answered, "I am inspired by all types of music and genres but what really inspires me to write and sing to reggae music comes from the love I have of Bob Marley. He lived his life to the fullest, not caring what anyone else thought about him. Music isn't all about having this and that and how much money you make, it's about the way people react, body, mind, and soul, to the feel of my music. It's about the inspira-tion and the optimism that I want to bring out in everyone."

Jah'nette's performance, complete with dancers and all, provided a feel that defined what the show was about.

"Rarely have I performed with artists that really feel the way I feel about music," she said. "The Smoken Word show explored such diversity, unity, love and politics in one. It is truly a blessing to have performed with the artists at the show and a blessing to have met the people who put the show together. There are artists here with different flavors, but we are all conveying the same messages of peace and change. That's what the DMV should be about."

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In a single act, no other artist provided both the best of R&B and hip-hop as VersAtile CEO BuckWild and his sensational prized artist Christopher Lee. Lee's superior harmony and honest-to-life lyrics left the audience breathless. Reminiscent of Puff and B.I.G. (Bad Boy) or Dame and Jay (Roc-a-fella), Buck and Lee showed and proved why VersAtile Entertainment is one of Virginia's fastest-growing entertainment companies. With a flow and message strong enough for men, but sang in a manner women appreciate, Christopher Lee may be Vir-ginia's best kept secret.

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The event also began a new chapter for R&B songstress Harmony. Her debut album, "Freedom," was released at the event. Following her performance, the Detroit native gave us a slight glimpse into her lead single, "Hard Love."

"I am so happy to have been able to add it to my first album," Harmony said. "The song features the lovely and talented Makeia Warren. Makeia has been one of my back-up singers for a little while now, but I knew from beginning that it wouldn't be long before I had to have her on one of my tracks."

The most amazing and inspiring moment of the show was given by an 18-year-old man named Tony Bell. Bell rode the bus from Lake Ridge to attend The Smoken Word. During an intermission, Bell courageously asked to sing an a cappella piece for the audience. His performance was one that moved everyone in attendance.

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Taking the audience up north, Queens, N.Y.-emcee Brick Flaco gave fans a healthy dose of New York borough. Brick, who was featured in this newspaper just prior to the event, had a lot of pres-sure on his shoulders to do well…and he did not disappoint.

Hurling out back-to-back hits such as "Sexy" and "The Chilla," Flaco provided a swagger that would make Denzel cross the street. Of the event, he said, "I thought it was very convenient and historical for hip-hop. It seemed like all of us, as artists, had a great appreciation for hip-hop and represented the positive side of the hip-hop scene in the DMV. I enjoyed performing and appreciated everyone who came out or missed out."

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Canda and KNIX gave a theatrical performance during Canda's hit song "Elixir." Canda, who is from the D.C. area, possessed a sultry sound that slowly lulled the audience to hang on to her every word. Dale City's KNIX performed a few selections with Canda before treating the crowd to his own set later. The Atlanta native took fans on a trip to the dirty South with his thick southern drawl.

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While some fans enjoyed fine cigars and quality wine tasting by Cork'ed Wine & Cigars, other fans were truly fixated on the emergence of the local hip-hop scene.

As the host of the event, I must say that I was left with an enthusiastic outlook on what Northern Virginia is capable of.

The Smoken Word was sponsored by the personalized boutique-booking agency, Champeen Entertainment, LLC. Created by the Lenita McCain, Champeen is beginning to bring a great deal of attention to the company by putting together successful events around the region. Check them out.

The incredible Aaron Smith and his company Harvest Time Entertainment provided sound. Har-vest Time has handled sound for some of the music industry's elite.

As great as the performances were, none of it would have been possible without Karen of Cork'ed Wine & Cigars. I, personally, would like to thank her and her husband Dave for helping this movement forward. Hopefully the cork has popped on something new and refreshing in Northern Virginia hip-hop. Cork'ed is at 17934 Main St., Dumfries, across from the post office. We'll keep you posted on the next event!

Special Thanks…

To Jerry Roman who took some incredible shots at the event. Without him, everything would have been just a memory. Any artists or individual in general looking for a quality photographer please feel free to contact Jerry at 571-226-6448.

Dennis Winn can be reached at 703-200-4928 or YaHeard40@gmail.com.