Rap

Nate Ruess, the lead singer of the New York power-pop trio Fun., isn't shy about his band's ambitions. "I hope we can sell out Madison Square Garden," Ruess, 30, said. Fun., which plays the Sweetlife Food & Music Festival on Saturday, is off to strong start with "We Are Young," the now-ubiquitous No. 1 hit from the group's second album, "Some Nights. " The song is inescapable, from Top 40 stations to car commercials, WWE promos and, of course, "Glee. " After years of nostalgically drawing from older musical eras for his previous band, the Format, Ruess found inspiration for his smash hit in an unlikely place: rap. "I was so rooted in listening to retro albums and yearning for the past, a time I wasn't even born, that 'Some Nights' was about embracing the future a bit more," he said.

Watch the video for "Loud" above. His raps have curse words and drug references in them. Kids, be careful! I've been duped by Mac Miller before. When he released "K.I.D.S.," the mixtape that first caught most rap blogs' attention, in August 2010, there was a sleazy charm to Mac's persona. He was the young slacker making no-cred-necessary rap songs about raging, sneakers and hooking up. It was superficial, but catchy and executed well-enough to find its way to the masses of high schoolers and college kids most interested in their Friday nights.

On Twitter, you have to expect the crude, the occasional swear word, the offensive line. Just usually not from the Enoch Pratt Free Library.  The Pratt let loose an eye-brow raising Tweet Tuesday afternoon, giving a big thumbs up to a rap called "B*tches in Bookshops. " "This is awesome," the Pratt tweeted, linking to the video for the song and noting -- prudish people avert your eyes now -- that it's based on "Jay Z and Kanye West's "N****s in Paris. " Alrighty then!

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.

Whenever I get the chance to show love to a Diplomats member - whether it's a lowly alum like Un Kasa or the king of kings himself, Cam'ron - I'm going to do it. This is because the Diplomats (better known as Dipset) will go down as one of the best rap cliques of all time, a distinction that, at least for me, requires no second-guessing. It was the Dips' timeless hits, outsized personalities and the insane Harlem flair they brought to everything they did that made them rap's hottest crew for a few years.

No one should be satisfied with the censure of Sen. Ulysses Currie ("Disgrace in the Senate," Feb. 19). He is guilty of five ethics violations going on for many years while receiving nearly $250,000 for his efforts. His desk was moved into the corner, and he doesn't even have to wear a dunce cap. Big deal. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller won't even remove him from the budget committee. He deserves to be stripped of his exorbitant pension and kicked to the street. It's just another day of good ol' boy corruption in Annapolis that doesn't even make front page news.

When A$AP Rocky's DJ dropped “Brand New Guy,” a thunderous track from last year's “LiveLoveA$AP,” the sold-out crowd at Baltimore Soundstage lost it. And so did Rocky and his Harlem, N.Y., crew - 90 seconds in and they were stage-diving as if it were a well-earned encore. It was the fourth song of the night. Out in the crowd, Rocky was mobbed like a 10-year-vet, not a rap rookie who only started performing live four months ago. “Look at my shirt. I look like Michael Jackson,” the 23-year-old said after realizing his black crewneck T-shirt was now a deep V-neck.

"Off the dome, man! We don't need phones. We don't need notepads," exclaims Los last week after ripping his Toca Tuesday freestyle live on Sirius XM's Shade 45. (Watch it in the above clip.) He had reason to be excited - the Baltimore rapper, who has been gaining traction nationally, could turn heads with performances like this. And yes, we can use the word "freestyle"* because Los is clearly going off the top of his head with these rhymes. Sure, some bars might be stored away, waiting for the right moment, but it's a true freestyle nonetheless, and it's another piece of evidence that Los might be the Great Baltimore Hope to make an impact outside of the 410. Another interesting moment from the clip: Los shouts out his long-time girlfriend and rising D.C. rapper Lola Monroe ("Shout out to my old lady / Ay, Lola, I see you / I do it and I hold it down")

It was after the Cincinnati game, after Baltimore's Ravens clinched AFC North title, after those mind-blowing runs by Ray Rice, that the three buddies, who'd just about yelled themselves hoarse, went upstairs to hear some music. That's when the purple lightning bolt struck, just as Kenny Silkworth was showing off one of his instrumental tracks, a piece that sounded inspiring to him — motivating, almost, like a battle hymn. Robert "McFreshington" Norton, who raps in town under the name Fresh Competition, heard it and then began to softly chant, "We are, we are, we are the Ravens nation.

Unlike seasoned musicians, NFL players don't have much experiencing working a stage - they tend to get a standing ovation just for walking into a room (or a stadium). So the Tuesday night Gridiron Singoff at Rams Head Live, featuring several Baltimore Ravens, was less of a polished musical revue than simply a chance for fans to be in the same building as a few home-team players in the middle of a very exciting season. Running back Ray Rice was the host of the event, which was originally scheduled for Dec. 16th.