Go-go is a subgenre of funk music with an emphasis on specific rhythmic patterns, and live audience call and response.
Kevin Powell is an American writer, activist, and television personality. He is the author of 14 books, including The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood and When We Free the World published in 2020. Powell was a senior writer during the founding years of Vibe magazine from 1992 to 1996. Powell's activism has focused on ending poverty, advocating for social justice and counteracting violence against women and girls through local, national and international initiatives. He was a Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008 and 2010.
D. C. Benny, born Ben Wartofsky is an American stand-up comedian. Wartofsky was born in Washington, D.C., and lives and works in New York.
Dan Reed Network is an American funk rock band formed in 1984 by Dan Reed in Portland, Oregon. They released several albums during the 1980s and achieved one top 40's hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988.
Rare Essence is a Washington, D.C.-based go-go band formed in 1976. Rare Essence has been amongst the most prominent musicians of the D.C. music scene, producing numerous hit songs in the local D.C. market and several hits nationwide, including the charting hit "Work the Walls".
Streetwise is a 1998 hood-action-crime thriller film written and directed by Bruce Brown in his directorial debut, and stars Tim Taylor, Kurt Matthews, Jerry Cummings, D.C. Scorpio and Sidney Burston. Streetwise also stars Taraji P. Henson making her acting debut in a featured film.
Ralph Anwan Glover is an American rapper, actor, model, DJ, and founding member of the D.C.-based go-go band "BackYard Band". Glover is also known for his portrayal of Slim Charles in the HBO crime-drama television series The Wire.
Fort Knox Five is a Washington, D.C., based musical group consisting of Steve Raskin, Rob Myers and Sid Barcelona. Jon Horvath was a member of the group until his death in 2015. The musical collective releases music through their self-run label, Fort Knox Recordings. Their music style mixes elements of funk, reggae, hip hop and electronic music.
Benny Anthony Harley , better known by his stage name Little Benny, was an American trumpet player who was a part of the Washington, D.C.-based go-go band Rare Essence. He has been called one of the founding fathers of the genre.
Liza Figueroa Kravinsky is an American composer, filmmaker, and actress living in Arlington, Virginia, USA. She is best known for composing the Go-Go Symphony and founding the Go-Go Symphony ensemble. She is also the filmmaker of the documentary Beauty in the Eyes of the Beheld.
Live at Breeze's Metro Club is a live album recorded and released in 1986 by the Washington, D.C.-based go-go band Rare Essence. The album was recorded at the now defunct Breeze's Metro Club, a music venue formerly located on Bladensburg Road in the Gateway neighborhood of Northeast, Washington, D.C. The album is also referred to as The Album That Kept the Whole Neighborhood Rockin'.
Cat in the Hat is the first studio album by the Washington D.C.-based go-go band Little Benny & the Masters, originally released on cassette and LP in 1987. The album was remastered and reissued in 1990 on CD. The album includes the band's most popular hits "Let Me Show You", "The Message", and "Cat In the Hat".
Go Ju Ju Go is a live album by the Washington, D.C.-based go-go band E.U., released in 1987.
Body Snatchers is a studio album released on August 1, 1996 by the Washington, D.C.-based go-go band Rare Essence. The album peaked at No. 60 Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums on September 28, 1996.
We Go On and On is a studio album released on May 26, 1998 by the Washington, D.C.-based go-go band Rare Essence.
Live at the Cafe is a 2000 live album by the Washington, D.C.-based musician Little Benny.
Doin' It Old School Style is a double-live album released on May 8, 2001 by the Washington, D.C.-based go-go band Rare Essence. The album was recorded live on September 9, 2000 at Club U, a music venue located on the historic U Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C., and includes the go-go rendition of Sade's song "No Ordinary Love".
The Legend of Cool "Disco" Dan is a 2013 American documentary film written and directed by Joseph Pattisall. The film was released on April 15, 2013 in conjunction with the release of the book Pump Me Up: DC Subculture in the 1980s. The documentary was narrated by Washington, D.C.-native Henry Rollins. The Legend of Cool "Disco" Dan provides a documentation of Washington, D.C. during the 1970s and 1980s from the perspective of Cool "Disco" Dan, and blends commentary by local Washingtonians combined with archival footage, forming a comprehensive portrait of this time period.
Maxx Kidd was an American record producer, music promoter, film producer, and impresario based in Washington, D.C. He is regarded as one of the most significant figures in shepherding the growth of go-go music. Some of the most well-known production credits included "Blow Your Whistle" and "We Need Some Money", along with numerous other go-go songs. Additionally, Kidd has done concert promotion for numerous musical acts, such as Lou Rawls, Shalamar, The Temptations, Johnnie Taylor, Van McCoy, and The O'Jays.
Little Benny & the Masters were a Washington, D.C.-based go-go band that was formed in 1984.
