Remembering Fat Rodney (Washington City Paper)

by Andrew Noz Yesterday marked the twentieth anniversary of rapper Fat Rodney’s tragic murder. Frequently heralded as one of most memorable emcees to ever rock the Go-Gos, Rodney’s life was taken from him at just 21 years old in 1989. Over at my site, Cocaineblunts.com, I spoke with Rare Essence’s Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson about Rodney and his legacy: “When he walked into the room he lit the room up. There are a couple of other guys who had done it before, but I don’t think anybody [did] it to the extent that Rodney had done it. So as he walked … Continue reading Remembering Fat Rodney (Washington City Paper)

Black Music Month: The Funk Brothers

In this clip I’m packing back up from where I left off last week beginning Black Music Month with the focus on Earl Van Dyke, Joe Hunter, Johnny Griffith, Eddie Willis, Joe Messina, Robert White, William “Benny” Benjamin, Richard “Pistol” Allen, Uriel Jones, James Jamerson, Bob Babbit, Jack Ashford and Eddie “Bongo” Brown – aka – The Funk Brothers. HERE ARE A FEW CLIPS FROM STANDING IN THE SHADOWS TO CHECK OUT: The Funk Brothers Reuniting Concert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pynm-q… Joan Osborn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA0GcX… Also, in commemorating Black History Month, I’m doing a give-a-way. To be considered the recipient of the give-a-way, simply … Continue reading Black Music Month: The Funk Brothers

Mother’s Finest Live “Baby Love”

Mother’s Finest the funk rock band was founded in Atlanta, Georgia by Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock in the early 1970s.  Notable partly because they are an “interracial” rock group from the US South. Their music was a blend of funky rhythm, heavy guitars and expressive rock singing. Their debut album Mother’s Finest from 1976 today is a rare collector’s piece and contained with the ironic song “Nigizz Can’t Sing Rock’n Roll” (although they were criticized for it by an important religious leader and dropped it from their live concerts). In the summer of 1977, they opened for The Who … Continue reading Mother’s Finest Live “Baby Love”

Message to the Go-Go Bands: Show that you Care!

In light of yet another threatening of a club event,. basically due to the violence that rips our community, I was compelled to make this PSA. If you are a supporter, fan or active member of Go-Go music, then I ask you all to make a stand… not only when the threat of closing begin to rise, but at all times…. 24/7. Because the bottom line is that unless the people and the officials see us as being an entity trying to assist in all ways possible to bring solutions, they will always consider us the problem. Yet… if they … Continue reading Message to the Go-Go Bands: Show that you Care!