What the F is "go go" and who the hell is Chuck Brown?

[Anonymous]

If you live in DC proper and haven’t heard of go go music you need to get out more.

[Anonymous]

Kid n Play, Salt n Peppa, Kwame, if you listened to any of those groups in the 80s, you were listening to GoGo. I think Teddy Riley even acknowledged GoGo on a few of his songs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, so I can Google. And it isn't too kind to the genre. But the local news is all over it so maybe I'm missing something, so I thought I'd ask here. Wiki says that Go Go is a genre that wasn't popular enough to expand beyond the DMV, and only remains popular in the area essentially because it's the only musical genre to start here so therefore it is revered here. So I am back to my original question. What is the draw to Go Go beyond the fact that it originated here? The Op Ed that someone linked to earlier basically made reference that Go Go is a lasting remnant of the Chocolate City - which doesn't seem like something to revere if we're looking for a post-racial kind of harmony. So again...my question stands.

Da Butt by EU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, so I can Google. And it isn't too kind to the genre. But the local news is all over it so maybe I'm missing something, so I thought I'd ask here. Wiki says that Go Go is a genre that wasn't popular enough to expand beyond the DMV, and only remains popular in the area essentially because it's the only musical genre to start here so therefore it is revered here. So I am back to my original question. What is the draw to Go Go beyond the fact that it originated here? The Op Ed that someone linked to earlier basically made reference that Go Go is a lasting remnant of the Chocolate City - which doesn't seem like something to revere if we're looking for a post-racial kind of harmony. So again...my question stands.

Da Butt by EU.

They performed this at the 2019 BET Awards. Tarij and Regina Hall were onstage, repping for DC. I loved them together. Sugar Bear looked great. Many artists are dancing and singing along in the audience: Lala, Tyler Perry, Big Tigger, DJ Khalid, Mary J Blige, John Legend, etc. Also, this was on the soundtrack of Spike Lee's School Daze, so it was far-reaching.

[Anonymous]

I love Gogo so much. This thread triggered me. Lol!

Chuck Brown was amazing! The godfather and creator of Go-go. His Tinydesk performance is below for your hearing.

https://youtu.be/9ZjeheDR3tA?si=GjY4PZuOwqxbyDg6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you live in DC proper and haven’t heard of go go music you need to get out more.

I find the term confusing because in the 60s, the dancers on British live TV singing shows were called go go dancers. These were generally white girls with short mini dresses and pixie hair cuts. DC go go is very different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live in DC proper and haven’t heard of go go music you need to get out more.

I find the term confusing because in the 60s, the dancers on British live TV singing shows were called go go dancers. These were generally white girls with short mini dresses and pixie hair cuts. DC go go is very different.

Go go dancers were named after dancers at a French place called Whisky a Gogo. Gogo in french means galore.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-go_dancing

Go go music is described here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-go

[Anonymous]

I'm glad after 12 years we have finally cleared this up.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how I haven't seen this thread before. Fifteen years ago I did a graduate school project with one of the old school gogo bands. They were seriously some of the NICEST PEOPLE I've ever met. They allowed us to interview them and film a practice and a show. They were so patient and friendly with us. Gogo music is not personally my thing but I definitely have a soft spot for the genre and appreciate how important it is to so many people in this city.

[Anonymous]

I've always thought that Go-go was a super popular genre in DC because the pervasive percussive beat is hypnotic but mellow. Great music to just bop to in the middle of hot DC summer heat while getting a buzz on. Kind of like DC's own reggae-like vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol, it's a DC music genre thing. Google it.

Funny story...when I moved here from another state I thought Go Go meant pole dancers at strip clubs. That's what we call "Go Go" where I'm originally from (think Bada Bing Club and the Sopranos)!

op again -- yes! This is what I think of too! I moved here from PA about 10 years ago.

You've been here for a decade and you don't know who Chuck Brown is? Make an effort.

[Anonymous]

It's old DC , no longer relevant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm clearly not in the cool crowd. Someone please explain this to me. Is this just a "DC trying to find some culture" thing? Or is this a real claim to fame?

Oh, this is an old post. WTH? So sad to not know this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol, it's a DC music genre thing. Google it.

Funny story...when I moved here from another state I thought Go Go meant pole dancers at strip clubs. That's what we call "Go Go" where I'm originally from (think Bada Bing Club and the Sopranos)!

op again -- yes! This is what I think of too! I moved here from PA about 10 years ago.

You've been here for a decade and you don't know who Chuck Brown is? Make an effort.

Correction PP, you mean who he was. He died more than a decade ago. His band still performs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol, it's a DC music genre thing. Google it.

Funny story...when I moved here from another state I thought Go Go meant pole dancers at strip clubs. That's what we call "Go Go" where I'm originally from (think Bada Bing Club and the Sopranos)!

op again -- yes! This is what I think of too! I moved here from PA about 10 years ago.

You've been here for a decade and you don't know who Chuck Brown is? Make an effort.

Correction PP, you mean who he was. He died more than a decade ago. His band still performs.

This thread started 2 weeks after he died.