Chuck Brown is the genesis but Go-Go is far from that now. The newer generation has taken the sound over. Everything has changed. Kids do bounce beats and slow bounces nowadays. It's not a bad thing, I'm just at the age where I've just firmly moved out of the scene but only a few bands still performing keep the old sound that bands like Backyard Band, Rare Essence, and Northeast Groovers pioneered. Now a lot of bands use samples (Check the X.I.B. link below) with their live instrumentation which wasn't really used until recently. Most of the songs are covers of whatever Top 40 Hip Hop/ R&B is out at the time with Go-Go flare added.
No racism, but Go-Go is primarily black music and probably always will be black music. It's very neighborhood orientated, with bands shouting out the name of their neighborhood or block in their performances to represent where they're from. The performers are from predominately African-American neighborhoods 100% of the time. Plus, the white existence of the "Chocolate City" has long overlooked Go-Go when discussing the artistic creations that D.C. produces which has angered Go-Go fans for years (many feeling that it's because of the large African-American population that listens to the music, but that's another convo). Granted I've been at Go-Gos with Asians, Latinos, Middle Eastern folk, and probably a few more ethnicities I can't recall but every Go-Go band I've seen has been all black with the exception of maybe two with one non-black member. Chuck Brown makes feel good Go-Go no doubt, but most other Go-Go is similar to hip hop music where the artists comment on their surroundings, and many of the bands that make Go-Go live in some tough neighborhoods, so the comments aren't always peachy or G-rated.
I'm from the D.C. Metro area and it's so hard to explain the dynamics of our culture to outsiders but it really makes me smile to see someone enjoying our native music. Someone could listen to Backyard Band and dismiss it as just some loud, ghetto music (I've heard this before) or maybe they can take the time to understand where it comes from and why the people are saying what they are saying. They don't have to like it, but at least they took the time to try to understand it. Us locals get pretty tired of people thinking our town is nothing but monuments and museums lol
P.S. You haven't seen a woman's ass shake until you've been to a Go-Go. I've seen and experienced things I will NEVER forget. Good fucking times.
Here's some selections to give you an idea of the evolution of Go-Go:
N.E.G. (Northeast Groovers) One of my fav "sockets": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUNHX31rOVM&feature=watch_response_rev
Backyard Band (reminds me of all my flings in high school): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1DQPWmFcQY
Rare Essence- the classic Scenario. They used to play this shit on the radio back when I was in elementary school lol : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsPsXLFIBGg&feature=related
Junkyard Band "Sardines". My parents listened to this shit lol : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kA_Z16abTg
New Impressionz bounce beat. This is what Go-Go sounds like now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY2gpcDmyTg
More "contemporary" Go-Go from X.I.B. : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlhCBMObucU
T.O.B. hitting "Before I Let Go" from around 09 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AEr5q_c4ro&feature=related
I don't expect you to like much of this (if any at all), but I figured I'd inform you a little bit more on the Go-Go sound. This shit is never leaving the D.C. Metro area for what it's worth. I'd have a hard time finding anyway who likes this stuff that isn't born into it like I was.
