WASHINGTON — You might have come across local rapper Noochie's front porch freestyles on your Instagram or YouTube pages. It’s becoming almost a phenomenon for hip hop and go-go lovers.
Noochie is bringing live band performances from hip hop and go-go and spreading it to the masses.
"I was just doing it just to get my creative juices out and if people like it I love it," Noochie said.
The local rapper started these front porch freestyles back in 2017, but it was nothing like the full scale production it’s grown into.
"It was just me and my phone doing like I had a speaker beside me and using the mic and the camera off my phone just recording myself just rapping."
He was signed to Atlantic Records at the time, but wasn’t happy and needed some place to vent, so he took it to his front porch.
"I [gotta] do something to show people that I’m good at this," said Noochie.
Now he has some of the biggest names in hip hop and go-go gracing his makeshift stage complete with a live band. Some say it's like NPR's Tiny Desk concerts, but on the front steps of his home, featuring talent right here from the DMV.
From Ms. Kim, the lead singer of the go-go band Rare Essence, to Big G from Backyard Band and D.C.’s DJ Alizay.
"This is just something totally different to just get on somebody’s front porch, and the neighbors not complaining, and get out there and have a good time," said Ms. Kim.
"It’s just a breath of fresh air to see the go-go [collaborating] with the hip hop side of Washington, D.C., the DMV, just showing what we can all do as a collective group together," said Anwon "Big G" Glover.
"People keep telling me like it’s revitalizing the city like it’s re-energizing," said Noochie.
But it’s also putting go-go — D.C.’s official music — on the international map, thanks to the wide reach social media has.
"Reintroducing people to go-go like a lot of comments I’m reading it’s people from Louisiana, people from Spain, Australia and they're talking 'bout 'I like go-go.’ I'm like, 'whoa, that wasn’t my expectation but I love it,'" said Noochie.
Ms. Kim says she thinks the godfather of go-go, Chuck Brown, would have given his stamp of approval on this new approach of giving people a front row-seat to the go-go experience.
“Chuck would be ecstatic. I think he would want to be on the front porch like son move over let me get on this front porch with you," said Ms. Kim.
What started as a way to showcase his own talent, has now turned into an international movement.
"What we did over here kind of brought it back not to say it went anywhere 'cuz people still [gogo-ing] but just from my point of view I see a lot more go-go love these days," said Noochie.