By Nyame-Kye Kondo, Special to the AFRO
While the effects of the District’s new developments can be seen in different aspects of D.C. life, Go-go, one of the most famous aspects of the city’s culture remains, having been reinvented and is now being celebrated as it resurges internationally.
Go-go music is a culmination of a number of different music genres including but not limited to, funk, soul music, rhythm & blues, jazz, salsa and hip-hop. Becoming the local music of the city years ago, Go-go gained notoriety and respect through the efforts of pioneers of the genre like the late Chuck Brown.
District of Columbia Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music and Entertainment Director Angie Gates (center) with the creative team and members of the cast of ‘Straight Crankin’ A Go-Go Documentary’ at the premier on September 10. (Courtesy Photo)
Getting its wings when soul and funk were the happening American sounds, Go-go started out as D.C.’s response to the popular genres and quickly turned into something unique, local and distinctively Black. Hand in hand with the eclectic groove were dances, which evolved with the different eras of Go-go music. The loose body movements, isolations, and quick footwork of Go-go dances were briefly put into the spotlight early on through songs like “Da Butt” by Sugar Bear and E.U., which was made popular by the Spike Lee film “School Daze”, and in later years by such dance troupes as the Beat Ya Feet Kings to name a few.
The Go-go dances still holding on despite gentrification, including “beating yafeet” and “clapping” are strong representations of the bounce beat sound that grew out of the pulsating groove, line dances, and independent flexing of 90’s like the “Heehaw.” These developments and continuous exploration of the D.C. sound all but came to a halt when the Go-goo clubs began to get shut down and pushed to the edges of the city between 2005-2010.
Despite the quieting of Go-Go from gentrification and the less “chocolate” in “Chocolate City,” Go-go has remained near and dear to the hearts of Washingtonians. When the “Godfather of Go-Go”, Chuck Brown, died in May 2012, there was a public viewing at the Howard Theatre and funeral at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center where thousands of fans paid respect to the legendary musician. Since his passing, the mayor hosts a whole festival and concert to celebrate his life at Chuck Brown Memorial Park in Northeast, D.C.
Last week, the Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music and Entertainment premiered their film, ‘Straight Crankin’ A Go-Go Documentary’ at the historic Lincoln Theatre in the U Street corridor.
Bruce Walker, associate director for television entertainment for the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment explained the importance of speaking to leaders in Go-go while they’re able to share their stories.
“Why now? It’s time. One of the things that we wanted to do is actually with all the resources and expertise that we already have, give the artists and the managers and producers an opportunity to tell their story and without them, we couldn’t have done this.”
‘Straight Crankin’ A Go-Go Documentary’ can be viewed beginning in October on the District of Columbia Network.
Always on the edge of becoming a national music genre, the local flavor of Go-Go never seemed to go fully mainstream in other regions even with artists such as D.M.V. native Wale, Jill Scott and celebrated producer Pharrell Williams, incorporating the sound into their music. Yet, setting new eyes on an international market, Go-go bands and dancers have began to shake loose the confining threads of the D.M.V.
In the last year alone Go-go music and dance has touched down in both Africa and Europe. With Go-Go pioneers like, Backyard Band and Team Familiar (Familiar Faces), touring Ghana and Nigeria respectfully earlier this year, historian Kato Hammond told the Washington City Paper “Go-go bands going to Africa is a connection that none of us have ever thought we would be able to do.”
“You hear people say, ‘I’m going back to Africa someday. I’m going back to the Motherland,’ but it’s never happened with Go-Go before,” Hammond said.
Considering that Go-Go is rooted in traditional African polyrhythms, this phenomenon could mean a reconnection as well as a fresh start for Go-Go music.
Meanwhile social media has been abuzz with snippets of Go-go dance legend Crazy Legz, who’s actual name is John Pearson, (of Beat Ya Feet Kings) teaching a master class in Poland.
Watching with enthusiasm and intense interest, the Polish dancers were intrigued by the fluid way in which CazyLegz moves his body to the Go-go beat. When interviewed by WUSA9, CrazyLegz made sure to mention the origins of Go-go dance while also making it clear that “If you live in D.C., you should embrace the culture, if you don’t live in D.C., I’m going to try to get you to embrace the culture because it is something dear to my heart.”