Go-Go

gregjohnson1229

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Go-Go is a genre of music native to Washington D.C. It is a mix of funk, R & B, and Jazz. It is uniquely regional and has been around since the 1960's through the present. The godfather of go-go music is Chuck Brown. Chuck Brown is an artist some of you may know for his nationally huge hit "Bustin Loose." What makes go-go different than funk or jazz is the distinctive percussion sound. Which is snycopated rhythm coming from conga and timbale drums as well as a bass and snare drums. It is the conga sound that makes it go-go. There are often swing rhythms in go-go music. If you have ever been to Washington D.C. you will often see street musicians drumming on buckets and traffic cones because many can't afford actual drums. This is in the spirit of how many go-go bands got started.

Today's brand of go-go is moving away from the funk origins and is now influenced by hip-hop.
 

gregjohnson1229

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Rare Essence is one of the more popular and oldest go-go bands. That beat is as good as sex.

 

gregjohnson1229

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Mambo sauce represents the new-age go-go band quite well. They are made of cast-offs of some of the most popular go-go bands like Rare Essence, Junkyard, and Backyard. There name couldn't be more local. Mambo Sauce is a type of sauce that comes with fried chicken from Chinese carry outs in the D.C. area. Its kind of like a spicy sweet n sour sauce.

Here is Mambo Sauce's "Welcome to D.C." Which is a D.C. anthem.
 

gregjohnson1229

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Wale is an artist that is kind of bringing go-go to the mainstream. He is mostly a hip-hop artist, but often has elements of go-go in his music. He often does songs with TCB, which is one of the more popular go-go bands today.

He also managed to swindle Lady Gaga a few years back to feature on a song with him before he was nationally known.

 

LG

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That's a lot to take in Greg but I know more about Go Go now than I ever did before.:)

It's too bad some artists are blending hip-hop elements into it now, I prefer the funkier style myself.
 

gregjohnson1229

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That's a lot to take in Greg but I know more about Go Go now than I ever did before.:)

It's too bad some artists are blending hip-hop elements into it now, I prefer the funkier style myself.

I also prefer the funkier side LG. It seems hip-hop is influencing most styles of music today
 

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