Duck Myers Presents: BALTIMORE’s 7th Annual RAGE FEST
Duck Meyers - All Photos Courtesy ©dickslaughter.com
This year’s Rage Fest at Baltimore’s 8x10 Club offered an exceptional display of hip-hop artistry from the Baltimore-DC area. Now in its seventh year, the event—created and hosted by Duck Myers—has become a much-anticipated staple, offering a platform for local artists and a space for community connection.
I arrived midway through Slick Nerd Pro’s set and was quickly drawn into their performance. This duo’s chemistry was undeniable, each frontman blending rapping and singing over Duck Myers’ beats with precision and flair. Their alternating styles complemented each other, adding a dynamic range to the set that clearly resonated with the audience.
Next up was 90 Wyse who brought an authentic, old-school hip-hop style. Duck Myers continued as DJ, while 90 Wyse's delivery showed the command and confidence of a seasoned performer. His music carried a sense of authority and depth that seemed to pull the audience closer to the stage, captured by the authenticity of his lyrics. His performance brought a serious tone and focus, further elevating the night’s quality.
90WYSE - and Duck Meyers-©dickslaughter.com
The next act, billed simply as Dre Thompson, came out as a three-piece band—technically four with Duck Myers on DJ duty. For me, they were the standouts of the night. Their entrance was high-energy and they commanded the stage from the start. Sharp, intense verses paired with a powerful presence left a strong impression, while the live drummer added a rock edge to their sound. Their all-or-nothing performance style took them across every corner of the stage, bringing a raw vibe that the crowd loved.
Baltimore producer and DJ Cashtronaut took over the decks next, bringing a heavy, dubstep-influenced set that added a different layer to the festival’s lineup. Cheered on by what seemed like a legion of devoted fans, he delivered over 45 minutes of powerful, bass-driven beats that had the crowd locked in from start to finish, fully immersed in his sound.
Closing the show was Duck Myers himself, delivering his signature smooth and poetic style with lyrics that struck a chord. He held the crowd in the palm of his hand from start to finish, and throughout his set, he was periodically joined by other performers from the evening. This added a sense of family and unity that felt truly genuine—an ideal way to wrap up the festival.
Duck was gracious enough to sit down for a short interview just a couple of days after the festival, offering insights into the event and his passion for the Baltimore/DC hip-hop scene.
Dick. How long have you been doing Rage Fest?
Duck, I’ve been doing Rage Fest about seven years now, so the 8 x 10 was the first place I was able to get to throw my first event way back when Miss Abigail let me do a show on Tuesday. It was wintertime and it was sleeting, freezing rain, and shit like that, so the weather was against us and she couldn’t believe the turnout we had and since. She told me at the end, you know, when you do settle up, she told me, “I don’t usually have to do settle up with rap acts; that is why I never have rap acts in here.” So that was how I was able to kind of kick in the door for the kind music I do. The rap acts and DJ party stuff, and then I also did Rage Fest at Baltimore Soundstage. Then, durning COVID, when everything was shut down, I rented a place with Ms Candy- she had like an open space, you know for like, if you wanted to do a baby shower or stuff like that, so that year I turned Rage Fest into a party. I supplied the food, the bar, everything, so I called that Rage Fest the party, and that was really dope. Then for number seven, we took back to the 8 x 10.
Dick. You had a lot of great acts on the bill this year; how do you choose them?
Duck. I have a core crew; there are like a couple of friends I will always put on my line-up no matter what, and then I like to always show love to a couple other acts and people I rub shoulders with in the game, you know, like a friendship through the music. We stay in contact so when that time of year starts to come around, there’s always a genuine pick. This year we had Slick Nerd Pro and 90Wyse, Slick Nerd is from Baltimore and 90 Wyse is from the DC Virginia area, TP is from Southern DC, that DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) greenbelt area. Cashtronaut is from Baltimore, and my man Dre Thompson-Dizzy Dre that is what I call him, that is the rock star right there. We also had Kimich and DJ Fuckswith and Thunder Bolt James: he was there to open the show. I usually bring rap acts for DJ acts, you know, I want it to be like an inside festival hip-hop concert dance party. They all came together perfectly.
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