Since meeting soul rockstar, Raheem Devaughn earlier this year, this young,DMV-born and raised rapper Phil Ade’s life has not been the same. In rapping for Devaughn the day he met him, he was later signed to his new indie group, 368 Music Group as their first artist. In a buzzing musical scene that is the DMV (D.C, Maryland & Virginia) that features the sounds of Go-Go, Phil is out to put the DMV on the map for the rest of the nation along with fellow rapper Wale, who he most recently got to open for and was also his first major showcase.

Just so happens that I was with a friend from the DMV last week, she mentioned his name and then I saw Wale post on Twitter to check him out as well. His mixtape, Starting on JV, dropped this past week and features production from Mark Henry and Dope Sunny, along with guest appearances from Raheem Devaughn. If you like Wale, another DMV rapper who Hip-Hop beats, Go-Go, you name it…you will like Phil Ade, who brings more of a hip hop beat with not your average, everyday punchlines and metaphors. Even though many will compare him to Wale because of their similar flows and because they’re both from the DMV, but they are two entirely different rappers!

This mixtape definitely has some bangers on it – of course check out his first single Going Off, but get into tracks like Everybody Still Nose (he flows over N.E.R.D.’s Everybody Nose), Thanks To You (Teddy Riley Sample), Always There (I Used To Love H.E.R. sample), Try Out feat. Raheem Devaughn, Never Let You Go and Blown Away. Phil definitely displays his versatility in flowing over all different type of beats – slow, fast, eclectic, disco-esque, etc. so it is possible that you will like songs different from the tracks I named. Check him out and tell me what you think!

Phil Ade – Starting On JV Mixtape

This is WHAT’S IN MY HEADPHONES…