For about 25 years, a phone store at 7th Street and Florida Avenue NW in Shaw played go-go from speakers out front. It was part of the corner. In 2019 a new neighbor complained, and the music was shut off.
The City Answered
DC did not take it quietly. The hashtag #DontMuteDC spread fast, and people rallied at 14th and U Streets. Within days the company's leadership stepped in and said the music should keep playing.
Moechella
In May 2019 organizers threw Moechella, a protest concert at 14th and U. The name mixes moe, DC slang for your homie, with the famous California festival. Thousands showed up, bands like Backyard Band played, and traffic stopped for go-go.
Making It Law
Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie introduced a bill to make go-go the official music of the District, and every member of the Council backed it. In early 2020 Mayor Muriel Bowser signed it into law. That was a big shift for a city that once tried to police go-go clubs out of existence.
Why It Matters
Go-go is more than music. It is how DC talks to itself about neighborhoods, change and who belongs. Keeping the beat loud is keeping the culture alive.
Turn it up: Shop Chocolate City Love Go-Go.
Sources: NBC Washington, Washingtonian, NewsOne
