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But some of go-go’s problems could be internal, too. A biting new track from D.C.’s Mambo Sauce puts it all on the table. On “4G,” vocalist Black Boo unleashes a hail of criticism on the problems plaguing D.C.’s homegrown sound, from shady promoters and hood crews, to bands that regurgitate radio songs without much creativity: “A bad case of band rape ’cause nowadays, we don’t create songs, we play songs our fan base dictate. A live show is more like a mixtape.”
Elsewhere, Black laments his own disdain for go-go while admitting that the genre “lost its buzz like years ago.” He wonders why go-go hasn’t made waves outside D.C. and criticizes politicians who only acknowledge the genre when it’s time to get elected. Then there’s Black’s problem with local Top 40 FM radio stations: “Radio give us an hour on a Sunday/During the week, we’ll be lucky to get one play.”
Listen to the scathing track below.