I remember the primary time I heard a go-go tape. Go-go, for individuals who will not be aware, is a musical genre native to the Washington, D.C. area, fronted by Chuck Brown. The most famous go-go song (in terms of recognition outside DC) is the song EU “That Ass” from the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s “School Daze”; rapper Wale is a go-go master through his own music and stage performances. The Internet has definitely made go-go more popular and accessible; when I was introduced to the go-go game, I heard it on a cassette tape that sounded as if it had been recorded on a tape recorder placed at the side of the stage. This tape belonged to a friend of mine in Washington who sold tapes to varsity students in Atlanta who were doing tape transplants. The sound quality was on par with this tape and most tapes I’ve heard, but they sold like hot cakes to people in search of a little bit bit of home while in college.

I was at all times surprised by how moved the DC folks were by the go-go game, because at that time my only connection to the movie was with those terrible tapes. But they’d all say the identical thing: “go-go needs to be experienced live to truly understand it.” For Morehouse’s homecoming in October 1997, the Backyard Band played a show at the Tabernacle and me and all of the homies from DC and wherever went to the show and so they were right; this experience completely modified my attitude towards go-go.

Coincidentally, the primary go-go show in Atlanta was 27 years ago, and this past weekend I watched the identical Backyard Band (with different lineups, of course) in Philadelphia play an amazing set at Roots Picnic with Amerie and Scarface as guests. At this point in my life, I love go-go like I was born and raised in DC, and my attendance at the booths at Roots Picnic made sure anyone who was being attentive knew I was from DC

My go-go experience roughly mirrors one other experience I had at Roots Picnic (undoubtedly my favorite music festival) that I didn’t expect at all: I think I’ve now experienced Sexy Red. Am I a fan? Let me give it some thought, but let me inform you something: I really enjoyed watching 1000’s of fans enjoy sexy red. In fact, her performance was so popular and well received (there was NO empty seat anywhere for her to perform; we were packed like sardines) that I felt she must have appeared on the Roots Picnic foremost stage with artists like Lil Wayne, Jill Scott, and Nas . I mean it truthfully.

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Look, I realize that Sexy Red makes music that may not for me and that there are others who feel the identical way. She got here up with the song “Bow Bow Bow (F My Baby Dad)” and I was really amazed at what was happening because I had never heard the song and the on-stage graphic was an animated butt clapping. I also know she is a Trump supporter; on stage she had a HUGE inflated pink hat with the words “Make America Sexxy Again” on it, which as a state prop was hilarious. But yeah, publicly supporting Trump definitely makes me look sideways at her. But as a performer, you’d think Cardi B or Nicki Minaj were on stage. She had the complete audience – men and girls – singing along to her lyrics, gyrating and gushing with all their life for the complete 45 minutes on stage. She used something fun, whimsical, ridiculous, obnoxious and frivolous that just…works.

And I rejoiced. I really liked her outfit. While walking across the festival, I decided I’d test it out, because why not? At this point in my life there was almost no likelihood I would find yourself at a Sexyy Red concert, but at Roots Picnic I thought: why not? And I’m glad I did it. Every conversation I’ve ever heard about Sexyy Red tends towards negativity, very similar to people of my generation do with regards to anything recent. Discussions concerning the loss of hip-hop have been occurring for several a long time. Sexyy Red emerged with “Poundtown” and part of the musical population thought the top of times had come; hip-hop is just not lost, hip-hop is over. Meanwhile, Sexy Red resides her best life, having fun with the moment and I find it irresistible for her.

I’ve gotten to the purpose where I know some of this music just is not for me. I’m older and clearly not the target market for Sexy Red and artists like her. But that is okay, because her fans show up at festivals and get the perfect of it, and that energy is palpable. Sexy has rather a lot of fans who were present and in large numbers at Roots Picnic, and the sheer joy I saw as people rapped along to her songs made me realize that she had struck a real chord together with her fans – I borrowed that joy and smiled throughout her performance. I didn’t expect to have a lot fun on the set of Sexy Red, but here we’re.

For what it’s value, I tried listening to the corresponding songs within the automobile after the show, and that live performance energy really enhances the listening experience. If you run into me at a stoplight, you almost certainly won’t hear Sexy Red rushing into my automobile. And that is okay, because we’ll at all times have Philadelphia.

Bow Bow Bow.