Chuck Brown, credited with the creation of go-go, died on Wednesday (May 16).
Brown’s manager confirmed that the bandleader died from complications from sepsis, reports the Washington Post. Brown had been hospitalized for pneumonia.
Regarded as the “Godfather of Go-Go,” Brown was credited with creating the sub-genre of funk in the mid-1970s, which became wildly popular in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area.
The call-and-response brand of funk has fused with Hip Hop in recent years, with many D.C. go-go artists covering songs by various Hip Hop acts. The name of the genre, according to Brown, came from the fact that “the music just goes and goes.”
Washington, D.C. emcee Wale took to Twitter to pay his respects to the fallen legend:
Brown was 75 years old.
R.I.P. Chuck Brown. I don’t even fuck with go-go like that(there were a few songs I did like) but i show respect to the man who invented it. My condolences go to your family. Word up!
RIP to a legend. It sucks that as you get older you become cognizant of how many pioneers the world loses every year.
R.I.P. to a legend. I don’t know nothing about Go-Go except for him and DJ Kool, but I respect him and D.C.
rip. never been big on go go, the only go go i care about is go go power rangers but its never good to hear about the passing of a pioneer.
RIP to THE LEGEND THE GREAT CHUCK BROWN… THE GODFATHER OF GO GO MUSIC… If you don’t know who he is, U better do your homework…. Let’em know Wale!!!
People in Hip Hop been sampling him for years… RIP TO THE GODFATHER OF GO GO…CHUCK BROWN.
Rest In Paradise Chuck…we’ll stay missing at those Ledgenary GO GO venues like
Wilma Park
The Black Hole
Barry Farms
Cherries
Howard Theater
RFK
Emory Park
word seen my first gogo in berry farms s.e. dc..R.I.P. Chuck. u put me on to the go go
Who? Yo, get this old head off my screen.
You are what your screen name is ( Anonymous),so your opinion doesn’t matter fuck boy!!!
Bustin Loose was the jawn from 79 until now RIP from Philly Daonna Summer now this WTF
RIPCB!!!!!!!!!!
The Best to ever do it on the DC Go Go scene. It will be a hole in the city’s heart from now to eternity.
WE Love You!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the music and your soul.