“Released in 2009, Diamond District’s In the Ruff helped establish a new wave for D.C. hip-hop: It was an evocative rap album that captured the resilient spirit of Washington’s black natives. And while Wale—the region’s most visible rapper—released his debut the same year, Diamond District spoke to those closer to the ground, those wading through 9-to-5 jobs and real-life issues. To my ears, In the”
