Rick Ross, Ja Rule and Joe highlight this season’s Wizards Concert Series

The Washington Wizards will host their annual Friday Night Concert Series for their Nov. 18 game against the Miami Heat, their Jan. 13 game against the New York Knicks, and their Feb. 3 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Nov. 18 - Joe, Teddy Riley and Dave Hollister

After Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas reunite at halftime during the Heat game, fans will get a blast to the past with R&B music back like it’s 1999 or 2000. For a point of reference, that was 22-23 years ago. I was a 9th or 10th grader at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg, Va. when most of the following songs were popular. In 1999 or 2000, you may have been a young adult, in elementary school or not even born yet.

Joe is the most popular singer of the three as a solo act. His 1999 hit “I Wanna Know” was one of the top hits when I was a 10th grader.

Then in 2001, he had “Stutter” which featured a verse by rapper Mystikal. At this point, I was an 11th grader at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn. Stone Bridge opened the previous fall, for those of you who are experts in Loudoun County Public Schools history. I graduated from SBHS the following year.

Teddy Riley and Dave Hollister are best known as being two singer on the 90s R&B group Blackstreet, who sang “No Diggity.” Riley specifically sang the first verse. I was in middle school then.

In recent years, Riley has been better known as a producer. The biggest song he produced is “Call Me Baby” by Korean boy band Exo. This song came out in 2015.

Hollister was part of Blackstreet before “No Diggity” was on the airwaves during my middle school years. The first single was “Baby Be Mine.”

As a solo artist, Hollister had some popular songs on the R&B charts, including “My Favorite Girl” which was a hit in 1999.

Jan. 13 - DCVybe headlines Go-Go Night

Go-Go music is unique to the Washington area, so it’s fitting that we have a show for Go-Go bands after a game. DCVybe, a band formed in 2002 is the headline act. Here is a recent show they did at Howard Theater.

The Northeast Groovers will also be there. Here is a show from last July in Annapolis.

Rick Ross and Ja Rule on Feb. 23

February will be rap night at Cap One. Rick Ross and Ja Rule are both well-known rappers. Rick Ross’ heyday was around the late 2000s into 2010. His biggest hit was “Aston Martin Music” which was the top song on the rap charts.

Ja Rule’s heyday was in the early 2000s. “Always on Time” was his biggest hit from late 2001, and it was the No. 1 song in the country. This was a jam during my 12th grade year at Stone Bridge.

These concerts will certainly be a great time for millennials like me. How about you?