Customer Reviews

Beat: Go Go's Fusion of Funk and Hip Hop

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Washington DC - raise your hands up!
Who really created this style of music called Go-Go? What is Ju-Ju music? What does it have in common with Go-Go Music? What do Pentecostal Churches and the Go-Go Culture have in common? What was Go-Go music referred to as before the title of Go-Go? Why? If RE is so good, then why don't they have a major record deal? Who did Jas. Funk develop his style from? EU was beat out by what artist for the American Music Award? Where did Max Kidd come from? How long has EU actually been together? What is the deal with women in Go-Go? Who was the Committee To Save Go-Go represented by? What exactly is Liaison's position in Go-Go? What happend with Jig-A-Boo, and why did they change their name? What part did Cathy Hughes actually play in Go-Go? How has the internet played a factor in the Go-Go culture? And of course, what are the pros & cons of PA Tapes?

All these questions and many, many more are answered in this extensive book documenting Washington DC Go-Go music's past, present and future. With interviews from the likes of Terance Cooper of Backyard Band, Donnell Floyd of 911, Tom Goldfogle of Liaison Records, Little Benny, Andre "Whiteboy" Johnson of Rare Essence, Mrs. Mack of Rare Essence, Kato of TMOTTGoGo Magazine, Lawrence "The Maniac" West, Big Rosey of Trouble Funk, Benjy Little of GoGo Swings Magazine, James Funk, DJ Flexxx, Ignatius Mason, Soldierette of TMOTTGoGo, Ken Moore of Icy-Ice, Big Al, Sugar Bear of EU, film maker Bruce Brown, Charlie Fenwick of HotColdSweat, and many, many others.

As far as I know this is the only book about Go-Go relased to date.
It is therefore hard to compare it, yet anyone with a cursory knowledge of recent African-American music can tell this is a well planned and well written book.
It offers history, musical investigation and a social context to Go Go music.
As a Londoner who went to clubs that played Go Go here in the 80's I was particularly pleased that the London Go Go scene of that era was covered in the book in addition to the obvious Washington one.
I recommend this book to all Go Go fans, Hip Hop fans, and anyone with an interest in an extraordinarily Funky music form.