FAST DOWNLOAD
CAMP SPRINGS, Maryland ‒ It was nearly 2 a.m. Saturday. The go-go band was about to start its next set when Tony Lee got the nod – it was time to go on.
Lee worked his way through the crowd waiting for Rare Essence, a favorite local group, to pump up the music again. The guitar player introduced their special guest.
The pastor took the mic.
“Look, I came out here to holler at ya’ll ‘cause ya’ll know there’s an election coming up and I just want to make sure y’all understand your voice matters and your vote matters and you are important,’’ Lee told them. “Anybody know that in the house?’’
The clubgoers cheered.
In what was almost a mix of preaching and rapping, Lee went on to urge the crowd to register, to vote.
“Voting isn’t just about what happens in the White House,’’ he continued. “Voting impacts what’s happening in the State House, in the courthouse, in the schoolhouse, in the jailhouse, in the traphouse and at your house.’’
He ended with, “God bless ya’ll!”
Lee, pastor of Community of Hope AME Church in Suitland, Maryland, was no stranger to the go-go club scene in the Washington, D.C., metro area. He had visited in the past to set up HIV testing, talk about reducing gun violence and invite folks to his church.
But last Saturday’s stop was part of a whirlwind campaign to hit dozens of Maryland clubs in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
With the presidential election and a high-profile Senate race in play in Maryland, Lee and other community activists say they’re doing all they can to get voters, particularly voters of color, to show up at the polls. And that means going where some of them are – even if it’s in the wee hours of the morning at a packed night club just off the highway.
Go-go clubs bring out hundreds of people who work every day and have the same concerns as everyone else – like the economy, health care and education, Lee said.
Ignoring those spaces, he said, are missed opportunities to tap potential voters.
“It’s an important community because it’s often overlooked,’’ he said.
Trusted messengers
Before he went on stage at Fast Eddies, Lee, sporting a bright orange T-shirt that read, “Power of the Ballot,’’ greeted clubgoers asking about their lives. He didn’t talk politics.
There was a former member of his youth ministry, now all grown up. There was a member of another go-go band. There was a comedian/MC, who shouted Lee out on the mic.
“If I knew you were here, I’d played a little Kirk Franklin,’’ the MC joked, referring to the popular gospel artist.
Lee, 56, was in his old stomping ground. He grew up on go-go music particularly listening to the Junkyard Band. His brother, Bill, 52, an assistant pastor at the church, was more of a Rare Essence fan.
For the Lee brothers, it made sense for their get-out-the-vote partnership with the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation to include local go-go clubs.
“We grew up in this,’’ Tony Lee said. “We know the people whether through ministry or in life.”
So last week both brothers were at the club too dancing, laughing, hugging. They waved their arms to the music, nodded their heads and sipped Coca Cola out of clear plastic cups.
Lee said he appreciated go-go band members, whom he called “trusted messengers,” giving him a platform to talk to their fans.
“The band is putting their credibility with us,’’ he said.
‘Go-GO has a message’
Go-Go music is largely a regional phenomenon distinguished by heavy percussions and its call and response vibe. Natives of the region, nicknamed the DMV, are proud of this unique genre made more popular by legends like the late Chuck Brown.
Go-go, which has its roots in African traditions, took off in the mid-70’s and like other musical genres has evolved over the years, said Nico Hobson, founder of www.Gogoradio.tv., an online radio program that features the music.
Go-go has always told the story of what’s happening in the community, said Hobson, who helps promote the bands.
“The message may change, but the communication is the same,’’ said Hobson, who is also a member of Lee’s church and works with him on gun violence prevention initiatives. “We reach out and touch our people (with) whatever the message may be at that particular time because go-go is in the moment of time.”
“Go-Go has a message and a groove all wrapped up in one,” he added.
From go-go clubs to gospel concerts
The Rare Essence show brought out a crowd of young and old clubgoers. The older generation grew up with the band, now 49 years old.
The music was thumping as people kept coming. Reserved seating lined the wall. A photo backdrop was stationed near the bathroom. Rows of tables were packed with people.
But all the attention was up front where Rare Essence commanded, “I need your hands in the air!’’
Let’s go!’’ the crowd responded as hands waved high.
The band called out, “Where you at?”
“Southeast. Southeast!’’ some responded, representing the area where they were from or grew up.
“Northeast. Northeast. North North East,’’ others yelled out.
Minutes before the show started, Andre Johnson, the band leader, told USA TODAY it’s important for the band to do its part in the community that has shown the group much love for decades.
He said there’s a “huge amount of respect’’ for Lee and his work so the band was open to setting aside time between sets for the pastor to urge their fans to vote.
“This is probably the most important election of my lifetime because of all that’s at stake,’’ Johnson said.
Working as a private contractor, Lee’s team was also recently hired by Angela Alsobrooks’ campaign to do get-out-the-vote efforts in Maryland. Alsobrooks, a Democrat, is in a tight race with former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan for the state’s U.S. Senate seat. The seat could help determine which party controls the Senate.
Lee also serves on the board of the Black Church PAC. Earlier this month, he traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina to urge concert goers at a gospel show featuring Kirk Franklin to vote.
“All of them are my communities,’’ Lee said of the gospel concerts and the go-go clubs. “I’m good in both spaces.”
‘The people who vote, they’re at the clubs too’
Earlier that Friday night just before midnight, a team of canvassers also sporting “Power of the Ballot’’ shirts, swarmed the parking lot outside the club tucking flyers on windshields. The flyers, which read “RUVOTEREADY,’’ offered a number to call (1-866-687-8683) to check state election rules and where to go online (vote.org) to check ID needed to vote.
Leslie Charles, who led the canvassers, expected many more cars to show up, but the team had three more go-go clubs to hit later that early morning.
“The people who vote, they’re at the clubs too,’’ said Charles. “You blanket the area because you just never know who you’re going to get.’’
With Rare Essence back to pumping up the crowd, Lee collected his jacket and hugged some clubgoers on his way out.
“Bless you,’’ someone outside called out.
“Bless you,’’ Lee responded.
He had another club to hit Saturday night and two more crowds to reach back at Fast Eddies on Sunday. It was a holiday weekend so those shows would be hopping.
Still, Lee said he can’t hang like he used to. He needed to rest in between the late-night club visits. And by the wee hours of Saturday he hadn’t yet planned his sermon for Sunday’s 10 a.m. service.
“I do know,’’ he said with a smile, “it will be about Jesus.’’
