Diamonds in the Raw will take you on a trip through Washington DC's inner-city streets in search of talented musicians struggling to survive in a game in which the odds are stacked against them. The story is about the talented artists from the DMV (District, Maryland and Virginia). This book is based on first hand accounts from the artists themselves. They poignantly describe the trials and tribulations of making an honest living in the often dishonest realm of the music business. It is a story of perseverance and redemption. You will read about the complicated relationship between DC rappers and the local radio stations; the competition between hip-hop and DC's indigenous go-go culture; and about the difficulty to keep pace with the constantly advancing technology of music. To create this portrait of the DMV Music Movement, Mr. Thomas has interviewed some the most important names in the industry. You will read about colorful characters like: Brother Maniac, Iceberg Slim, Dre "All Day In The Paint," Whitefolkz, Lady Venom and Kingpin Slim. Diamonds in the Raw is equal parts autobiography, text-book, and almanac. For the first time ever in a literary format - step into the world of the DMV! Sidney "DCSuperSid" Thomas is a freelance writer and native Washingtonian who is passionate about all genres of music, especially DC's urban music scene. He has had numerous poems, articles and photographs published in local periodicals. Mr. Thomas is a columnist for DC hip-hop magazine The Kapital, he is a contributing writer for the nationally distributed Ozone hip-hop music magazine, and he also covers Washington DC entertainment and politics for www.realnewsmag.com. Mr. Thomas is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, and resides in Upper Marlboro, MD with his wife and children.