Chuck Brown Fades to Memory

Wisdom Speeks Has Landed

By Von Black

Before Chuck died, he was able to release an album entitled, We Got This, a theme inspired by Jingle Jangle, one of his popular singles on the album. Jingle Jangle was a song written by a local producer, who was better known at the time for the music he produced for the Rap Industry than for anything he'd done in Go-Go. Some have asked, how did "Whop" Craig end up producing a marquee song for the Godfather?

We were able to catch up with Whop to get some answers. What we were told was Jingle Jangle wasn't the only song that Chuck received from the producer. The first song he offered to Chuck Brown was a song called Free and Single. According to Whop, Chuck's management wanted to get the song at no cost. Whop recalls, "I told Tom that I didn't mind giving it to Pops, but I, at least, needed to pay all my musicians who worked with me on the song. I can't just give it away for free." Tom Goldfogle of Liaison Records never agreed on any payment for the song, so the deal fell through.

Some time later, Whop presented a commercial idea to the D.C. Lottery and was able to land a very lucrative advertising campaign performing as Wisdom Speeks which included a blitzkrieg of television, radio, and live promo ads. "Pops called me one day, after seeing the commercial. He was very excited and gave me much love, especially when you consider that this was a gig he was the face of. I had taken his spot," Whop confesses. "He told me he

called his wife saying, 'Jah-Jah, come here! That's Whop! Whop done did it!' And, after congratulating me, he told me in his deep voice, 'Give me some of that (expletive) Son." Whop had shared his music library with Chuck Brown, and now, no matter what his management said, Chuck wanted some of it, and Whop was eager to oblige.

Whop went to work on making Jingle Jangle a Chuck Brown sound, and Chuck was very pleased with it, saying in a phone conversation with Whop, "This is it, Son. A lot of money. A whole lot of money, Son. You got it!" The two were working quietly behind the scenes, but Chuck Brown died before the world could have a pleasure to hear it. The good thing is, Whop has a band of his own, and he is a great performer in his own right, so it appears that the world will get their treat after all.

Jacques "Joc" Vaughan, the lead percussionist for Wisdom Speeks Band and Show is a Go-Go veteran and has played for a laundry list of bands including Chuck Brown and the soul Searchers. Joc admits, "I was playing in this band when it was called Whop-N-Em, and I knew there was greatness involved when Whop opened up to me the library of music he had archived. What most impressed me was, not the music, but what he intended on doing with it all. I knew I was involved with something that was much bigger than playing good music and just making money. This is the next big thing, for real."

Joc plays a very valuable role in the band. Most of their songs have a part reserved for what the band calls the "Booty Drums", and whenever Wisdom Speeks calls for the 'Booty Drums' the dancing crowd really gets their bottoms moving. The fellas start rockin', and the ladies start shaking and moving all around. Then, the horns kick in. It's just amazing.

Wisdom Speeks has an arsenal of nearly 100 songs to choose from with ninety-five percent of those songs being the intellectual property of Whop Craig, the group's producer. Most of this music is so original that it doesn't even sound remotely similar to anything you've ever heard before. Wisdom Speeks is years ahead of the game and is poised to unleash a collection of hits that will not only revive Go-Go music, which seems to be a declining art form, but it will also take the lead in transforming Go-Go into a more respected music genre. Whop has lots of music and a willingness to work with any professional in the industry who is seeking to join forces. If Chuck Brown would come to this guy for music, why would anybody not consider making a hit with this talented producer and song writer?

Wisdom Speeks' first album release is a smash hit and will be available for global download on October 22, 2013. The CD starts out with a mellow song, and then comes the first single, Fly Guy. Thereafter, the band lights a match to your listening pleasure and takes you on a ride that will be sure to make run back to ride again and again.

The album was recorded "Live" at the Metro Points Hotel, where Wisdom Speeks performed prior to D. Floyd and the hard hitting Familiar Faces. Wisdom Speeks will have copies of the CD available to their fans that attend a pre-release party that Garsone Productions and Mr. Briggs Management will be hosting on Sunday, October 20, 2013 at Takoma Station. CurvyCori will also be there to promote her calendar release. She'll be signing copies of her calendar while supplies last. Get your calendar and tickets here.

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