Weekend's best bet: DDm and more at Golden West Cafe

Looking for an interesting sampler of Baltimore hip-hop? Try the all-local rap show at Golden West Cafe on Saturday night.

The obvious draw is DDm (formerly Midas), the ex-Mania Music Group rapper who appeared on the cover of last July's Gay Life magazine as the city's first openly gay MC. But don't let his backstory overshadow the fact that DDm is a rapper first and foremost. His latest project, "Winter and the Tinman's Heart," is available for download here. And for more immediate proof, watch this endearingly thrown-together freestyle over French Montana's "Shot Caller" beat. (Language is hardcore, FYI — sorry, this is hip-hop.)

DDm is worth the cheap entry ($7, tickets available here) and late starting time (10 p.m.) alone. But it gets better: Eze Jackson of Soul Cannon will perform with the wildly talented Wendel Patrick and lively duo the Get 'Em Mamis will kickstart the party with its club-oriented rap. Black Root of Axiom also performs. This won't be a night of tough-talk hoodie rap, but it will perfectly illustrate how eclectic Baltimore's rap scene really is.

(Front-page photo of DDm by Kelly Connelly of ohbaltimore.com)