Watch this rare video footage as Tricky Rick brings on the Inner City Groovers Rare Essence who performs hits such as “Hold Your Head Back” – – “One On One” – “I Must Be Dreamin” – “Do The Mickey” and “Shake It But Don’t Break It”. **The video footage is not of best quality, but the crank still exists nevertheless. WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW: Continue reading RARE ESSENCE LIVE AT THE CAPITOL CENTER – 1986 [FULL SHOW]
NOTE: this clip is available FREE for download (audio and video version), …so that you can carry around on your ipods, iphones, etc., during the holidays. The audio can be download here: http://www.screencast.com/t/w1uj6kxkIMf The video can be download here: http://www.screencast.com/t/jRPyRzXPdy WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW Continue reading This Christmas With The GoGo Family!
2010 GO-GO AWARDS RESULTS – November 21,2010 Best Go-Go DJ – DJ Big John Traditional Band – Chuck Brown Gospel Go-Go Band – Wanted Band Grown & Sexy Band – Suttle Thoughts Song of the Year – Love (Chuck Brown featuring Jill Scott) Go-Go Venue – La Fontaine Bleu Bounce Beat Band – TCB Up and Coming Band – Kimberly Michelle Experience Rhythm Section – Backyard Best Male Singer – Weensey Best Female Singer – Kimberly Michelle Best Lead Talker – Big G Rapper – Killa Cal Pocket/Percussion Section – Rare Essence Go-Go Heat – Manager – Ben Abba Promoter … Continue reading 2010 Go-Go Award Winners Results
By Timothy Wilson Washington Post Staff Writer Back then, “the mothers” handled the band’s business affairs. Annie Mack Thomas, Footz’s mother, was the band’s manager. Margarine Neal, Funky Ned’s mom, served as the secretary. Mattie Lee Mack, Thomas’s mother, served as treasurer. The band incorporated, trademarked their name and logo and formed a music publishing company. “They protected us,” Johnson said. “As the business started to evolve more, I became interested in that as well.” READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE Continue reading Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson: Last of the Go-Go Legends [Washington Post]
WARNING: If you are not a true go-go head, you may have a difficult time understanding the “Pit” lingo of this review. In Case of Emergency, just simply ask someone who does. lls By Mark Ward – Walking into the ballroom, I was already filled with pre-anticipation of the crank. I had gotten there early because I was given the pleasure of being able to watch most of the members from the 1982 RE line-up crank “Body Moves” during the run through sound check. And that was when I first saw that old stage prop — The RE Express Train!! … Continue reading Wrapping Up the Rare Essence Reunion Coverage with a Final Narrative Review “Straight from Da Pit”
Hard to resist a good photo even if the symbolism surrounding the image is better than the actual aesthetic value of the photo. And we writers have to keep the scene honest. We are here to lift it, to see it clearly and creatively. Let’s consider the composition of the shot. Five framed guys. Familiar faces. Faces you know. The wickedest Go-Go pyramid alive. Think power. Think visual checkmate for a band that might have been losing its audience. Think legacy, think loss, think purpose. The only person in the shot (really) in focus is Whiteboy. Is that a metaphor, … Continue reading A Brief Analysis of Maria Izaurralle’s Photo of RE – The Remix [A prose-poem by Thomas Sayers Ellis]
Over 2,000 fans packed the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City on Saturday night to celebrate the reunion of legendary Washington go-go band Rare Essence. (A.J. Chavar/The Washington Post) WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW: Continue reading Video Clip Recapping Rare Essence Reunion
By Kato Hammond I am guessing by now that (if you’ve read the Washington Post article) we all know exactly what Rare Essence meant when they titled their 30 Year Reunion show “Past, Present and Future!” On Sunday night September 11, the inner city goovin wickedest band alive delivered the past and the present to a crowd of about 3000 people. And this morning they’ve capped it off announcing the “FUTURE” — which is: along with the addition of their newest female singer, Ms. KiKi (formally of the go-go band CCB) — three former members Donnell Floyd, Derek Paige and … Continue reading Rare Essence 2010 – The Prodigal Son Has Come Home [D.Floyd, Derek Paige & Bojack]
By Chris Richards Washington Post Staff Writer Mere minutes into Rare Essence’s reunion set and the dance floor is already at full churn — not on a trip through time, but in a rapturous celebration of been-here-all-along. It’s late Saturday night, and the Washington teenagers who once swarmed the legendary go-go band’s ’80s and ’90s gigs at the now-shuttered Maverick Room, Washington Coliseum and Black Hole are now middle-aged, but still ready to perspire through Polos and Kangols, halter tops and heels. Over 2,000 strong, they’ve crammed into the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City to celebrate three … Continue reading Fans flock to reunion show of go-go legends Rare Essence | Washington Post
Take a quick peek as Lawrence The Maniac, Michael Muse, DC, D.Floyd and John Big Horn tinkles with “Take Me Out To The Go-Go!” WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW: Continue reading Sneak Peek at the RE Reunion Rehearsal [VIDEO]
Rare Essence vocalist Charles “Shorty” Garris giving his Official endorsement of Vincent Gray for mayor! WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW: Continue reading Shorty Corleone Gives His Offical Endorsement of Vincent Gray for Mayor
Watch the International Shack N Da Pack as he stands at the site of the Howard Theatre waiting for Positive Black Men’s Coalition founder Stan Richards to pull up… who then ‘syces’ up the upcoming Rare Essence Reunion by reminiscing and reminding folks about the golden days of go-go at the Howard Theatre. www.pbmc.net WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW: Continue reading Stan Richards of PBMC ‘Syces’ Up The Rare Essence Reunion
I, Kato Hammond, hereby proclaim this week (Sept. 6 – Sept. 11, 2010) in the D dot C… WASHINGTON R.E. ( Rare Essence )… for all you inner city grooven stars and celebrities, you soul brothers and jitter bugs, you hip cats with your fancy hats, you pretty ladies with your pretty smiles all decked out in your latest styles. So it is written… So it shall be done. In commemorating to this, we at TMOTTGoGo have decided to link here every single piece of article, interview and video clip that we have ever done on anything regarding Rare Essence … Continue reading WE NOW PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF 9/6 – 9/11 “WASHINGTON RE”
In preparation for the upcoming Rare Essence reunion, Wingsworld brings you a quick video production of some quick one on ones with lead guitarist, co-manager… and only remaining original member still standing on the Rare Essence stage, Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson. WATCH VIDEO CLIP BELOW: ———————————————- MAKE YOUR COMMENT VIA FACEBOOK BELOW: Continue reading One on One With Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson of Rare Essence [VIDEO]