E.U. featuring Sugar Bear

For over half a century, Experience Unlimited—commonly known as E.U.—has been synonymous with the funky, quintessentially Washington, D.C., dance music known as go-go. Founded and led by front man and bassist Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliot, E.U. expanded on a style developed by go-go pioneer Chuck Brown, creating a signature sound and helping build go-go into a local institution. Ambassadors of a tradition symbolizing D.C. culture locally and nationally, E.U.’s dynamic stage presence, irresistible grooves, and sheer longevity have earned them an intergenerational fanbase and an elite membership in the pantheon of go-go greats.

A highly syncopated, percussive, homegrown offshoot of funk, go-go combines elements of R&B, gospel, hip hop, and jazz; African and Latin-derived rhythms; and call-and-response vocals—all layered over a signature percussion pattern. Crowd participation and a nonstop groove are essential: shout-outs to individuals and neighborhoods keep audiences engaged, and songs blend into one another, keeping energy high. “It’s like a beautiful, interactive record [of D.C.],” as go-go scholar Natalie Hopkinson put it. “It’s party music. It’s soulful.” While go-go never quite broke through nationally, it continues to thrive in the region thanks to performances, bootleg recordings, social media videos, and the loyalty of its fans. In 2019, it served as a catalyst and driving force behind #DontMuteDC, a grassroots movement addressing the cultural impacts of gentrification. The next year, the D.C. city council called for a program to support and archive go-go music and history, passing legislation declaring it “the official music of the District of Columbia.” And just this year, the Go-Go Museum and Café opened their brick-and-mortar location in the Anacostia neighborhood in Southeast D.C.

Originally influenced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (the group’s namesake), Sugar Bear formed E.U. as a rock band in 1971 with William “Ju Ju” House and Ivan Goff while attending Southeast D.C.’s Ballou High School. After opening for Chuck Brown—a prize for winning their school talent show—the musicians were inspired to develop a funkier sound, quickly gaining a regional following alongside Brown and contemporaries Trouble Funk and Rare Essence. E.U.’s big break came in 1986 while playing a party for Spike Lee, who enlisted them to perform a song in his next movie, School Daze, noted for its portrayal of HBCU campus life. “Da Butt” became a dance sensation, reaching #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and scoring a Grammy nomination. It remains an HBCU party anthem, and is a staple of HBCU marching bands. Hits like “Buck Wild” and “Taste of Your Love” followed, as did recordings with rappers Salt-N-Pepa and Kurtis Blow.

More recently, E.U. performed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s opening in 2016, opened for the BET Awards in 2019, and enjoyed a burst of attention in 2021 when actress Glenn Close gave them a shout-out at the Oscars. Later that year, Sugar Bear received the Chuck Brown Foundation’s Legend Award. After 54 years, E.U. shows no signs of slowing down. “I still have the same passion I did when I was 16,” Sugar Bear says. “Come on out, put on your dancing shoes and let’s get busy!”

This project was made possible through the generous support of the Mellon Foundation.