Rare Essence

Rare Essence, Washington's premier Go-Go band for more than four decades, is a DC institution that has built up a devoted fan base that spans multiple generations. This fan base is drawn to the indigenous funk that was sired in the middle of the 1970s by the late Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown. Rare Essence has been around for more than four decades. Rare Essence would go on to become one of Brown's earliest kids and have remained his most enduring descendants. They have a live act that is dependably explosive and have perfected their skills via countless performances in the Washington region. Live go-go is where the genre truly shines, and it is there that reputations and legacies are forged. According to a review that was published in 2010 in the Washington Post, "....this band has performed more than 5,000 times. It's easy to fool yourself into thinking you're at the best Rare Essence concert there is, as is the case with so many of these events. It is no surprise that they were dubbed "The Wickedest Band Alive" by rap pioneer Doug E. Fresh, who has collaborated with Rare Essence, one of the many artists to incorporate Go-percolating Go's percussion, and some of its key players, into their own recordings. Rare Essence is one of the many artists to incorporate Go-percolating Go's percussion, and some of its key players.