In 1986, Island Records released a film titled “Good to Go.” The label hoped the movie would elevate go-go, the percussive party music native to Washington, to a national platform much like “The ...

In most genres, live recordings are a rarity. In go-go, not only are they the preferred currency, they are the engine that drives Washington's indigenous music. The attendant culture of P.A. tapes ...

Go-go music took shape in the mid-'70s through D.C.'s live band scene, built around extended grooves and real-time crowd interaction. Cultural milestones, including School Daze and the 2020 ...

As the city government moves closer to designating go-go as the official music of Washington, D.C., what that will mean for the culture remains unclear. In the meantime, longtime community activist ...

Go-go music is the soundtrack of Washington, D.C. Despite a four-decade history and a few national hits like “Da Butt,” by Experience Unlimited (E.U.), and “Shake Your Thang,” by Salt-N-Pepa with E.U.

Natalie Hopkinson is a Washington, D.C.-based author whose current projects deal with the arts, gender and public life. She is the author of Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City.