Drummers Beat: Go-Go Documentary

by J. Rizzle on June 26, 2009

An informative and short documentary on the Go-Go music scene in Washington D.C. by Rashad Nobles . The short trailer of the forthcoming full length movie discusses the different categories of Go-Go music, current trends, and interviews with some of the newer bands.

If you grew up in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virgina) area this music was introduced at birth, a staple in your home, and the artist were heroes. What I didn’t know is Rare Essences (wikipedia page) has been performing for 25 years up to four nights a week…that’s longevity!

Additional information about Go-Go: Wikipedia, What’s Go-Go, and Go-Go Radio.

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Posted in Music Videos

http://www.myspace.com/gc88e G.C.

Thanks for posting this documentary! I have been away from the Go-Go scene for quite some time now, and I just can’t get with the “new wave” bounce beat. I grew up on Rare Essence, Northeast Groovers, Backyard, Junkyard, Proper Utensils, etc. What I loved most was what was called the “pocket”…I’m surprised they didn’t mention it in the documentary, because it was essential to Go-Go. The pocket was the Go-Go equivalent of a breakbeat on a sample record. Just drums and rhythmic congos stripped of instruments that just hit so raw…

Take a listen to this recorded at the Northeast Groovers Reunion (Smoke was one of the best congo players I swear)….check out around the 3:15-3:25 mark, you’ll hear “Put it in the pocket Jammin’ Jeff…put it in the pocket!”
http://www.myspace.com/blaccmuzik LAKIM

I was raised on Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers….
Thomas

Dude mentioned the Pocket when he was talking about the three different types of go-go.

My favorite is JYB Anita Baker joint “Sweet Love.” “with all my heart I love you baby….” That’s that ish.

NEG’s….was my ish as well as Physical Wonders.
manz

Great find J-Rizzle!! This takes me back to high school. My joint was “Unibomber” by Backyard Band. I remember our marching band playing that shit at our school football games and the crowd would go CRAAZY. lol
http://www.myspace.com/gc88e G.C.

“I want my POPPPEYEEESSS chicken with the biscuit with the jelly in the miidddllleeeeee…”

http://www.imeem.com/people/N6r55-/music/0mZQnmZv/backyard-band-popeyes-chicken/

That shit cranked so hard….lol!

Overnight Scenario – This is supposedly where Jay got the idea for his “Do It Again” record…

http://www.last.fm/music/Rare+Essence/_/Overnight+Scenario

“Talkin’ about the overnight SCENARIO…SCENARIO…HWWAAHHHH!!!”
manz

Thats what I’m talking bout G.C. ! “Overnight Scenario” was another one we would play at games. That shit was so ill! Ahh man… But thats crazy how RE has gigged 4 nights a week, for what did DJ Iran say, like the past 20 some odd years. Unbelieveable.
http://www.arizonabeats.com Quaddafi

What about “Pass the Peas”…old school at its finest. NEG’s, JYB’s, Chucky all good shit fro, the DMV!
Samu-L

yung this jaunt juss siced me….im born and raised in the dmv…first 30 or so seconds of that video was at a show i was at over at university of maryland, new impressions, I&I, reaction, and new visions…new impressions killed that jaunt.
http://www.myspace.com/gc88e G.C.

@Samu-L – Glad to hear that DC slang in the house…makes me miss home! Did you know that almost nobody outside of the DMV knows what lunchin’, cised, or bamma mean? It’s crazy.
Analyze

GO-GO music is horrible … it will never catch on because no one likes it but DC people … i mean look at how long its been around … if it were ever good it would have mad its way outta DC … its simple logic
J. Rizzle

I thank u all for the comments that were posted, it is very much appreciated…:-)

Dem bammaz be crankin’ !!! my hyped joint is “Off Da Muscle” by NEG

Analyze ..I respect your opinion, but it has catched on and people outside of DC likes it, Jay-Z stole from it so has Nelly, Swizz Beatz, Po-Low Da Don, Beyonce and I can go on and on and also over in Europe it has a big followin’ and if u didn’t know Chuck Brown is in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame…Did u know that and u say it hasn’t catched on, lol and there a go-go movement takin place in the ATL as well…and you still say it hasn’t catched on, go figure, lol
http://blog.eventmagic.com Lil Mike

Go-Go was about the audience as much as the artists, and all the shout outs were a communal forum for neighborhood characters as much as the guys onstage. That doesn’t translate into good radio or record sales, and is actually subversive to the industry’s star machinery system.

One of the obviously main reasons Go-Go never “caught on” is that it’s a true live music form. It takes a large group of talented individuals to maintain the perpetual sweaty beat machine of true percussive Go-Go, and hopefully they brought a horn section to boot.

It was also simply cost ineffective to take 10+ guys on the road and make any money when you are starting out. Rick Rubin built careers for rappers like LL Cool J and the Beasties in the mid 80′s by simply sampling Go-Go beats, making quick hits and the artists played their gigs to prerecorded tracks.

No costly equipment to replace when it gets stolen out of the van, no heavy road cases to tote around and no huge hotel & meal bills for a 12 member posse.

So while Trouble Funk played the music on some of those key records, they never had the flexibility, and exposure that solo rappers can have.

Running a large band is a huge expensive hassle, and the fickle industry prefers solo acts with interchangeable producers and studio hacks behind them. It’s so bad, that today’s audiences wouldn’t know a real musician from a chicken gargling through autotune.

Hail Go-Go for it’s longevity, musical prowess, and true team spirit!
Jay O

GO-GO bands had a lot to do with the start of Rap. A lot of songs were done with the use of Go-Go bands. Kurtis Blow’s Partytime was recorded with EU laying down the track. Melly Mel did a song with Trouble Funk(Pump Pump Pump IT Up) who not only layed down the track but the rapped on it. Trouble Funk was the official first Hip-Hop band. OMG, Arcade Funk, Don’t Touch that Stereo they were multifaceted. They were so good that Bootsy Collins recorded a song with them. They later went on to produce many Hip-Hop acts. Some of Hip-Hop biggest songs are samples from Go-Go for example LL’s “rock the bells. The list includes Salt n Pepa, Kid n Play, Kwame, Nelly, MC Shan, Kirk Franklin, etc. Shorty, don’t get me started.
J. Rizzle

Thanks Lil Mike & Jay O for your insight on teaching the masses about go-go, it is very much appreciated.
Jay O

GO-GO bands had a lot to do with the start of Rap. A lot of songs were done with the use of Go-Go bands. Kurtis Blow’s Partytime was recorded with EU laying down the track. Melly Mel did a song with Trouble Funk(Pump Pump Pump IT Up) who not only layed down the track but the rapped on it. Trouble Funk was the official first Hip-Hop band. OMG, Arcade Funk, Don’t Touch that Stereo they were multifaceted. They were so good that Bootsy Collins recorded a song with them. They later went on to produce many Hip-Hop acts.
J. Rizzle

Jay O you are bringin’ back memories..alot of people don’t know that Arcade Funk was actually Trouble Funk and yes the were the official Hip-Hop band that alot of hip-hop artist has sampled from ..for example BDP “Criminal Minded” sample came from “Let’s Get Small” by Trouble Funk.
Charity

Wale is helping the sound along.
http://www.myspace.com/ghostownproductionsva GHOSTOWN PRODUCTIONS

GOOD LOOK ON THIS ONE! I grew up on PA tapes & had the pleasure of workin’ w/ 1 of tha illest drummers on tha scene (JuJu where ya @!) Much respect to tha pioneers of this, I wouldn’t be makin’ music if not for tha influences of JYB, RE, NEG, Chuck, Lil Benny, BYB, EU, Pleasure Band, DJ KOOL, Trouble Funk….. somebody stop me man I could go on & on. DMV STAND UP!!! WE GO HARD. If anybody got a copy of that “Smoke vs. Sauce” PA from like tha early 90′s… PLEASE set me up w/ dat… I need that back in my life. I would gladly run off some of my early 90′s JYB PA’s in return ( but damn, I gotta cop a cassette deck, can u still get those?) I need that Work tha Walls too… Oh, an that cold crankin’ “Don’t Sleep” studio record from like ’91 (I know somebody out there got me). Keep it in tha pocket y’all, I’m bout 2 go dig. Oh, but before I do (and not that it hasn’t been justly defended) but to whoever said GOGO music is horrible and that’s why it never caught on, I bet I got a PA tape w/ your favorite MC gettin it in w/ DMV’s finest (so somebody RUFF HIM OFF)… real recognize real. I hope for the sake of pure rawness it stays right here @ home, cause if it did “catch on” n’ go nationwide like dat, these popcopycat-ass industry bamas would only try n’ prostitute tha hell out of it. Long live GOGO.
Mmarylandkyle

Rap music has been some bullshit for a few years now. BYB……Back for life.
Alanaustin3

Man I miss the good junk! Live at the safari club rip heavy one