Those of us in the Washington, D.C., area have grown up with go-go music, whether we liked it or not.  It is a music so unique, that a listener either loves it or hates it at first hearing.  Mix R&B, Jazz, Funk, and Latin music, syncopate the beat, throw in some wicked percussion, include call and response between the band and the audience, and you have what sets go-go apart from other genres of music.  Go-Go music has been going strong in D.C. for over 25 years, with a following as large as ever.  These concerts (or as we call them in D.C. "go-go's") have been the center of controversy for several years.  When drugs and violence escalated in Washington, the music became scapegoat.  The former mayor and even Oprah Winfrey have spoken out against go-go, even to go so far as to blame it for the once record murder rate in the city.  Go-Go became a synonym for violence.  I have been a go-go lover for almost 20 years now and I have a new charge for go-go: salvation. 
Did I say salvation?  I sure did.  There is a new generation of go-go bands out...gospel go-go bands.  Young men and women that grew up listening to secular go-go music have found a new way to preach the gospel; through the very music that was once said to incite violence.  It is a powerful tool that we in God's army now have on our side.  I have seen people walk into the gospel go-go off the street drunk, and leave saved.

What exactly is behind this music that some people see only as noise and banging?  And how does the Word of God fit into all this? 
I think the best way to find out is straight from the source.  I sat down with the fellas of Submission gospel go-go band.  They have been playing gospel go-go since 1995.  Not only do they play locally, but have been showcased at Paramount's Kings Dominion's gospel music festival and have appeared on the Bobby Jones' Gospel television program. Their music has the same rythym and rawness as the secular bands, but the lyrics are inspiring and powerful.  Let's get personal with Submission as they shared their hearts and talked about what their band means to them. 

 

 

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Damont Wood -aka- Two...lead rapper 
I'm just thankful for this band, because I really don't know where I would be without it, with all the things that are going on today out in the streets.  This is my life. I really don't have any free days during the week because of this band and I just thank (them) so much for accepting me and thank the Lord for allowing them to give me the invitation to come into their band. I'm a go-go head and if I wasn't here, I would probably be on the stage with somebody else; around all the fighting and smoking and all that, so I'm just thankful that the band has been here for me.  I got saved because of this band.  The invitation was given to me to play in the band and I was given a rap to do and I was looking at the rap like "I don't know what this stuff means" So then, Shannon invited me to go to Bible study and on the way to the Bible study his mom (led me to the Lord) on the Capital Beltway.  That's just how the Lord works. It was a neighborhood band that I was really just playing around with. The reason why he (invited me) was that he saw I had some rapping potential.  Because of that, I got saved.  My life got changed and I can't do anything but thank Him...thank God for it. 

Sam Wolde -aka- Little Sam...percussion 
I thank this band for being there for me. They've been like another family to me; everybody here is my brother. I thank them for allowing me to be here today and keep living because there were a lot of times when I almost thought that I wasn't going to be here another day. Without this band, I don't know where I'd be right now. The band has really helped me with my education...going for my goals and making sure I achieve them. Everybody in the band makes me think a lot and (they) keep me on my toes.  

Dana Mc Whirter -aka- Double D...percussion 
We go to outreach to people, but it's therapeutic for us too...we keep (each other) in track.  We are helping people, but it helps us too. 

Andruw Wilson -aka- Drew...lead guitar 
This band definitely got me out of a lot of reckless things that I was doing.  A lot of guys don't really know what I was into, but I was into a lot of things and this whole ministry has drug me out of a whole lot of mess that I was in.  I went to go see them, and from the time I saw them I was like, "I gotta get with yall..call me, call me..." I'm with you (speaking to the band) now and yall have been a blessing to me and I just want to thank you fellas for taking me in. I know you don't take just anyone in.  I thank God for everyone. 

Greg King -aka- King...drums 
I want to say that I'm thankful for Alphonzo Hampton because with him bringing me around the band and meeting the guys has really been a blessing to me.  I wasn't a kid that was really out there. I had my head on straight, but as far as knowing about Christ..I knew about Him, but I really wasn't walking with Him.  (Alphonzo) came along, he introduced me to the band, I started going to church more, now I'm the first saved member in my household, so I'm trying to bring them to Christ. It's all because of the band, and it's all because of Alphonzo. 

Shannon Moore -aka Worm...keyboards 
It's been a true blessing to bring this ministry to this area.  On a side note, I want to thank the people that have been a blessing to us: The Reverend Keith Battle, Zion Church, Reverend Anthony Lee at Ebenezer, New Song Bible Fellowship, our families in general because a lot of times, parents may see that (their) child keeps going on with this so called band, but it's no bigger thing.  From our standpoint (our parents can say) "that's my son on Bobby Jones' Gospel, talking about God." What bigger joy can that be?  For your parent to say to their friends, "my child is in a gospel group and they're trying to minister to the youth." It's been 100 percent from each individual in this band, and it's been 100 percent from our families as well. That's the only way you're gonna make it. You gotta stick together as a family.  As long as God is continually here, I don't see no wrong for it. 

Jason Jones -aka- Jay...vocals 
First of all, I want to thank God for giving me this band, because this is like my family.  I'm an only child and I grew up without a lot of family so these are like my brothers. I guess I can echo King's sentiment.  I wasn't ever really a bad kid. I always had my head straight as far as school, but I used to like to cut up here and there. Being in the band gives you a purpose.  

When we first started, I was like, "This is dumb." Really. When Worm and his brother Chris asked me about the band, I thought, "How are you gonna have a gospel go-go band?"  I thought that people were literally going to laugh us off the stage...that was my thought.  Gradually, the Lord opened people's hearts to us, and as we got better.  It's so strange to see how things have changed since back then.  To where we went to a lot of places and they looked at us like we were crazy, and now we're playing in front of huge churches and people are jumping and running all over the place like they're at the Black (The Black Hole, a Washington D.C. secular go-go venue.)  This is something special, and it's special to me.  I never wanted to be in a go-go band growing up.  I always liked gospel music, classical music, jazz, R&B...that type of stuff. This has just taken me down another avenue and I've been able to use my talents for a higher purpose instead of just being out there making money.  I'd like to thank Tony (Tony Thompson, manager) especially for all that he does.  (For) putting up with us, and being an example most of all.  No one in this room is perfect...we're all far from it. Tony is usually the one that we look to.  I know when I have questions about things, or when we're going through rough times, Tony is the mentor.  On top of giving us the band family, he's also given us the head of the band family; a Godly man that we can follow.  So, on record, I would like to thank Tony.   

Alphonzo Hampton -aka- Phonzo...keyboards 
There is so much that I can thank God for in this band. There have been times when I wanted to quit, but it's the love that I have for this band that makes me stay here.  There's a lot of things the band has done for me, and I really appreciate it. I also appreciate everybody in this band for being like brothers to me.  I also want to send a special shout out to Tony Thompson, because he's been like a father to us, especially to me.  Anything we need, Tony will jump up and do, and we love him dearly for that. Before (Tony) things were so hectic, and order just fell in when God blessed us with Tony.  I thank God for that. I thank God for Preston (Preston Cobbs, promotions coordinator) because I know there are a lot of things that he takes care of that I don't know anything about. I just want to thank the Lord for the band and for everything that He's done for us.  As long as we keep on following Him, we'll continue being blessed. 

Tony Thompson -aka- Sarge...manager 
I started with the band in 1996.  It came about by (me) being a Sunday school teacher for Chris and Shannon Moore.  They started the band, and some things happened and they wound up splitting.  When they brought the band back together, they asked me to come in and lead them in management.  Believe it or not, my background is go-go, and I was far from go-go when they asked me to work with them.  I used to play trumpet in a go-go band back in the 80's...my go-go days were long over.  The Lord saw fit to bring me back into a position to manage a band instead of being an instrumentalist.  When I first came in the band, I had a lot of negative feedback from my friends (such as) "they're not going to survive, it's just jive.  You should change the style of music that they are doing.  You should get them into traditional worship type music."  I refused.  I said that these young men are trying to do something for the Lord; this is their idea.  They wanted to use their gifts and talents and the style of music that they know and understand for Christ, so I said that I would go along side of them and be their support.  From that time on, the Lord just continued to bless us and we just continued to move on. I will stress this one point: there is not one engagement that we have had in the five years that I have been with this band that we have sought out.  People have came to us, and asked us to come out and so programs for them.  We're just moving as the Lord leads us and as He gives us opportunities.  

Preston Cobbs...promotions coordinator 
People see me as a person, and they really don't know that PCJR Productions is the ministry entity that God has blessed me to operate since 1999.  The goal (of PCJR productions) is to help give focus to youth oriented music and youth oriented events primarily in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, but even beyond that.  My role really with Submission has developed from an indirect role of consultation to Tony as a manager, to being a more direct hands on operation with a little bit of concept design for the ministry, and promotional planning. (I'm) looking at it as more as a business development of the ministry because it does have such potential.  There's never been enough coordination and organization, be it secular or gospel go-go, to move it beyond the borders of D.C.  That's what the focus is for this ministry.  There's going to be a lot that goes on now, because in the past three years, there's a total of eight (gospel go-go) bands in the city now.  If every band does the mission that God has for it, gospel go-go will surprise many.  God has a stage for everybody and Submission is just looking to fill the mission that God has given them.  My role is to help with that.    

And for those of you that still would like more information on Submission, visit their website at www.SubmissionBand.com. 

 
published by The Gospel Zone on 1/20/02.  copyright protected