www.tmottgogo.com January - March 2000 The Ibex - Tower of Power Remembering Terrence Johnson Women in Go-Go Go-Go Anthology Part 3 of 3 40 1 Got TMOTTGoGo? PUMPIN’ LIVE GO-GO MUSIC Straight from the Go-Go Capitol of the World! Weekly drawings for FREE PA Tapes, Videos & CDs 5099 Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1) Fredericksburg, Virginia 2 39 Available in stores NOW!!! GIMMIE THAT BEAT! 25 YEARS OF GO-GO MUSIC Go-Go music is Washington, D.C.’s unique contribution to American popular culture. Since its emergence in the middle 1970s, Go-Go has been the District’s single most New Dimension Band Jigaboo Band important voice for indigenous African American expressive Beyond The Beltway Str8 Given U That culture. But it is more than just music. Go-Go is an event encompassing dance, verbal arts, and dress as well. On Saturday, April 15, 2000 the Music and Recreation Coming up in the next issue... Division of the D.C. Pulbic Library will host a conference, “Gimmie That Beat! Twenty-Five Years of Go-Go on the Streets of Washington, D.C.” Musicians, writers, scholars, Exclusive and entrepreneurs will examine the role of Go-Go music in interview with Lawrence “The this city over the past twenty-five yars. The conference is Maniac” West funded by a grant from the Humanities Council of Washington, D.C. with additional support provided by the Phyz Wunders Malcom X Foundation and the Africana Studies Program at the George Washington University. Go-Go Reunion II Celebration at Wilmer’s Parks Featuring special performance by O1P! plus, more... Kip Lornell 38 3 CJ’s Uptown Crew Remembering Terrence Johnson..(pg. 7) Women In Go-Go ..........................(pg. 12) The Ibex: Tower of Power..........(pg. 14) Conversation w/Chuck Brown.....(pg. 16) Issue’s Favorite Phote................. (pg. 25) XO Band .......................................(pg. 26) Rome of High Performance.......(pg. 28) Flicks - Past & Present ..............(pg. 32) Backyard Band 4 37 Shorty Tim of Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Kevin Hammond Managing Editor EU Mark Ward Writers Rene Dickerson Ty Jackson Thaddius Cooks Richard O’Connor Kevin Hammond Photos Preston Blue Joe Carter Kevin Hammond Correspondents Preston Blue Contributors Sonia Hammond Keith Holmes Graphics & Layout Kevin Hammond TMOTTGoGo Magazine is published bi-monthly free by TMOTTGoGo™, PO BOX 5542 Fredericksburg, Virginia 22043 1 (888) 964-8657 — [email protected] Contents and design may not be reproducted without the express permission of the Publisher. © Copyright 1999 by TMOTTGoGo™ We at TMOTTGoGo™ take earnestly the challenge of being a voice for the Washington DC Go-Go culture, and strive hard at bringing comprehensive and unprejudiced representation to the reader. 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For a free brochure: Contact us at: [email protected] 1 (888) 964-8657 6 35 I Understand: Remembering There have been many events that have occurred throughout the 20th Century. Many that has happened before my lifetime, of course, and many during. The one that pops in my head at the moment is the disheartening life of Terrence Johnson. I believe this one sticks to me at the moment because it was so close to home. We followed it from the beginning to the end. We know and understand many of the situations that we as young black males have had and continue to have when dealing with officials. And, in many ways, it has effected our thoughts and perceptions when it comes to dealing with law enforcement. In 1997, Terrence Johnson was surrounded by police officers after robbing a NationsBank in Aberdeen, Maryland, put a gun to his Terrence being led by police officers. head and took his own life. I was driving Back then, it didn’t occur to me just how on my way home from work when the young he looked. But then again, I was news flashed across the radio. The two years younger. However, during moment I heard it, a sensation of those first couple of years, I got older stillness came over me. Instantly, my and watched as he got older. mind began to flash back 19 years when Continuing down the road, my mind the news first spread throughout the took me to the time I watched him being neighborhood, “that dude from interviews on WHMM Channel 32 just Bladensburg name Terrence Johnson” nine years ago. That’s when reality killed two police officers. Like the finally set in. “He’s dead!” blinking of a slide projector, my mind began to jump through the different From that moment on, I couldn’t help pictures that were shown on TV of but shed tears. But my tears weren’t just 34 7 tears of grief. They were hammered with Therefore, in defense of the name spurts of anger. “But at whom?” That Terrence Johnson, I would like to lead was the question. I wasn’t sure if I was you through a story, while asking you angry with him for taking that detour, or just one question. Every time this angry at society for paving that road. question is asked, I would like for you to The one thing that I am sure of is that write down your answer. In doing this, I this situation hits so close to home it want to embrace a scenario from the terrifies me. To me, Terrence Johnson move, “A Time To Kill.” symbolizes a life in a time -- a time that I can personally identify with. You see, Picture this. You are fifteen years old. when I looked at Terrence Johnson, I It’s nighttime. You and your brother are saw myself. Not only myself, but also a pulled over by three police cars and whole lot of people I know and grew up aggressively taken into the police with. And, I am truly aware that it could station. You have not been charged with have been me or any other kid I knew anything although you are told that your held in that police station that night. brother is suspected of breaking and That’s why I feel that those of us who entering. In the police station, you find really defended him were sincere. Deep yourself treated different from the others inside, we wanted to see that something there and you’re sure it’s because you positive could blossom out of something are black. The aggressive treatment so negative. So, when they finally continues as you are questioned by one released him, we became contented – of the officers. How do you feel? and watched. Even when we didn’t realize that we were still watching, we Let’s say this officer begins to grow more watched. I feel this because every time and more agitated because he doesn’t his name was mentioned, heads turned. feel that you are answering his questions They still turn. But, what is it that we in a timely manner. In the midst of his really see? I, myself, see a life that agitation, he kicks your chair from under ended the way it began. you, causing you to fall to the floor (by I’m led to a scripture that says, “we the way, you are handcuffed). Again, he reap what we sow.” In this, I don’t mean gets agitated and kicks it again. How do Terrence. I mean society. What we are you feel? seeing, in my opinion, is the fruit of racism. Obviously that’s how it all began At this point, you’re hurt. You shout to in the first place. What I see is a while the officer that he can’t do this to you, officer handling a situation based on his and in response, he ‘backhands’ you for views of a young black male in the “getting smart-mouthed.” How do you metropolitan area. That’s why there are feel? so many of us asking questions such as: “Why would he do a thing like that?” or You begin to cry, because deep down “Why didn’t he just go to someone if he inside you know that there isn’t too much was having problems?” or “Did he really that you can do about it. In defeated shoot himself or was he set up?” It’s anger, you decide to try and pick up the because we refuse to accept the label chair to throw, but are attacked by three society has planted on him as a “cold- other officers and thrown up against the blooded killer.” wall. Then, one of the officers says, 8 33 “Take his handcuffs off. I’m gonna kick Schools have denied you of attending Go-Go Flicks - Past & Present his black ass!” How do you feel? any classes.