Chuck Brown, 1936-2012

“This man, who invented a musical genre and grooved so hard and for so long, is not yet in the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The Dave Clark Five, however, are comfortably settled in the shrine. Argument enough to burn that motherfucker down to the Lake Erie waterline.”
 — David Simon reacts strongly to the death of Chuck Brown, the “Godfather of Go-Go,” who died of pneumonia yesterday at the age of 75. An institution in Washington D.C., known best known for live performances that treated funk and partying like spiritual ritual, Brown had his biggest national hit with 1976’s “Bustin’ Loose” — the beat from which would form the basis for St. Louis rapper Nelly’s 2002 smash, “Hot in Herre.” Similarly, 1974’s “Ashley’s Roachclip,” by Brown’s band the Soul Searchers, is more famous for its usage in Eric B. & Rakim’s 1987 “Paid In Full,” and about a million other songs since, than it is in its own right. (The sampled breakbeat starts at the 3:30 mark, and is one of the best beats ever drummed by anyone.) To say that Brown was beloved in his hometown is a vast understatement, as is saying he put on a good show.