Go-Go Music Education Cultivates Youth Identity and Cultural Legacy
TL;DR
- Teaching go-go music in schools cultivates a sense of cultural ownership and identity among youth, enabling them to envision a positive future and contribute to the genre's legacy.
- Go-go music programs offer a counter-narrative to negative perceptions of D.C. youth, providing students with a pathway to success, recognition, and a sense of belonging.
- By integrating go-go into the curriculum, educators are preserving an indigenous art form and passing down a vital cultural lineage, connecting students to their city's history.
- Students initially indifferent to go-go music develop a genuine appreciation and connection through active participation, leading to its diffusion and acceptance among their peers.
- Go-go music's percussive, energetic nature fosters a spirit of joy and community, described by students as "heart music" that uplifts the spirit and combats sadness.
- The revival of go-go through youth programs is led by former musicians and fans who have gained prominence, demonstrating a generational shift in cultural appreciation and influence.
Deep Dive
Schools in Washington, D.C., are actively teaching go-go music to young students, aiming to preserve the genre's legacy and foster a deeper connection to local culture. This initiative moves beyond simply teaching musical skills, offering students a unique pathway to understanding their city's history and identity, and potentially countering negative perceptions of D.C. youth.
The revival of go-go through educational programs is crucial for the genre's survival, as its original proponents and fans age. Music teachers and administrators, many with personal ties to the go-go scene, are implementing these programs, viewing them as an opportunity to pass down an "indigenous music" and its associated cultural significance. These classes blend musical instruction, covering the genre's percussive and layered funk, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B influences, with lessons on D.C. history and culture. Students, initially unfamiliar or even dismissive of go-go, often develop a strong appreciation for it through hands-on learning, leading to increased interest that extends beyond the classroom and positively influences their peers. For many students, go-go transcends musical description, becoming an expression of "home," "family," and "heart music" that fosters a sense of belonging and spirit.
The long-term impact of these programs is the cultivation of a positive counter-narrative for D.C. youth. By engaging with go-go, students gain exposure to a rich cultural heritage and are presented with an alternative to the often negative portrayals of young people in the city. This engagement provides them with a sense of purpose and agency, allowing them to see themselves not just as inheritors of a legacy, but as active contributors to its future. The responsibility of carrying a tradition with deep roots and cultural power can, as observed by reporter Marissa Lang, visibly transform these young individuals.
Action Items
- Create go-go curriculum: Define 3 core modules covering music theory, DC history, and instrument proficiency for youth programs.
- Audit youth music programs: Assess 5-10 programs for integration of cultural heritage and historical context into curriculum.
- Measure cultural impact: Track 3-5 student cohorts to evaluate shifts in self-perception and connection to DC culture.
- Develop go-go mentorship network: Connect 10-15 experienced musicians with youth programs to ensure legacy continuation.
Key Quotes
"Go go is very funky. Go go is this blend of funk music, jazz, hip hop, R&B, soul. It layers all of these together and it's very percussive. There's different kinds of drums and percussion instruments. Sometimes there's a brass section, and it blends all of this together to create this very funky, syncopated sound. It loops and it goes and it goes. That's why it's called go go. It's music that you kind of can't help moving to. It's very much music meant to keep people on the dance floor."
Marissa Lang describes go-go music as a fusion of multiple genres, emphasizing its percussive and danceable nature. Lang explains that the music's repetitive, looping quality is the origin of its name, "go go," highlighting its energetic and engaging characteristics.
"Go go comes out of the music of the 1970s. It really started appearing in live music venues. Go go is a music born out of performance. Chuck Brown, who is probably the most well-known go-go musician, he's known as the godfather of go-go, really made a name for the genre, and he's the one who named it go go in part because he said it just goes and goes."
Lang traces the origins of go-go music to the 1970s and its roots in live performance. Lang identifies Chuck Brown as a pivotal figure, known as the "godfather of go-go," who significantly shaped and named the genre due to its continuous, energetic flow.
"When go go really hit the scene in the early days, it was very heavily criminalized. Go go concerts were seen as this place where violence could break out at any moment, and police were often dispatched to break them up or to police music venues. Curfews were implemented that really hit go go venues hard."
Lang details the historical criminalization of go-go music and its venues by city officials. Lang explains that authorities perceived go-go concerts as potential sites for violence, leading to increased police presence and restrictive curfews that negatively impacted the music scene.
"The rehabilitation of go go has been pushed really heavily by the people who loved it as youth and have now aged into positions of prominence. There were city council members who introduced legislation to make go go music the official music of the District of Columbia. It was officially incorporated as the official music of DC in 2020."
Lang discusses the shift in perception and official recognition of go-go music within Washington D.C. Lang attributes this change to individuals who grew up with go-go and now hold influential positions, culminating in its designation as the official music of D.C. in 2020.
"For me as a DC native, I feel like it's very important that I pass that that lineage on because it is it's I'm a part of this community. You know, I mean, I've told with go go bands. BJ Simmons, who is the music director at Stuart Hobsen Middle School, is himself a very accomplished go go musician, and so he sort of sees himself as like the perfect vehicle to teach these kids go go. So it just makes sense for me. It's an indigenous music. It just makes sense for it to be a part of my curriculum."
BJ Simmons, a music director and go-go musician, views teaching go-go as a personal and cultural imperative. Simmons believes that as an indigenous music of D.C., it is essential to pass down this legacy to students, integrating it into the curriculum.
"To a kid, not one of them described music to me. None of them were like, 'Oh, it's drums.' Oh, it's this kind of sound. I got so many answers that were like, 'Go go is home.' 'Go go is family.' 'Go go is the music that I hear when I'm with my neighbors or I'm like at a party.' I had one kid beautifully described to me the way it makes him feel, and that he said go go is like heart music, that it's music for your spirit."
Lang shares student perspectives on go-go music, noting that their descriptions focused on emotional and communal connections rather than technical musical elements. Lang highlights that students perceive go-go as representing home, family, and a source of spiritual or emotional well-being.
"What these classes and what these groups are doing is they're allowing these kids to imagine that there is a different path and there's a different way that they can be successful and recognized and embracing it and seeing it as a way that they can leave their mark on this too."
Lang suggests that go-go music programs offer youth a positive alternative narrative to prevalent negative stereotypes. Lang explains that these classes empower students to envision successful futures and recognize their potential to contribute to and shape the cultural landscape.
Resources
External Resources
Articles & Papers
- "The kids keeping go-go music alive" (Post Reports) - Discussed as the primary subject of the episode, detailing efforts to teach go-go music to youth in Washington, D.C.
People
- Marissa Lang - Enterprise reporter for The Washington Post, featured for her reporting on youth go-go music programs.
- Sabby Robinson - Producer of the Post Reports episode.
- Chuck Brown - Referenced as the "godfather of go-go" and the musician who named the genre.
- B.J. Simmons - Music director at Stuart Hobson Middle School, mentioned for teaching go-go music.
- Kevin Ivy - Senior at The SEED School of Washington, quoted on his experience with go-go music programs.
- Maggie Penman - Editor of the Post Reports episode.
- Sean Carter - Mixer of the Post Reports episode.
- Teresa Vargas - Mentioned as a contributor to the episode.
- April Bathe - Mentioned as a contributor to the episode.
Organizations & Institutions
- The Washington Post - Publisher of the Post Reports podcast and the article discussed.
- Stuart Hobson Middle School - School with a go-go music program for students.
- The SEED School of Washington - School where a student, Kevin Ivy, participates in a go-go program.
Other Resources
- Go-go music - Discussed as the official music of Washington, D.C., its history, cultural significance, and efforts to preserve it through youth education.