The roots of Goodie Mob are still firmly planted in Atlanta.
It’s been more than 14 years since Cee Lo Green, Khujo, Big Gipp and T-Mo released an album together and on Aug. 27, they’re coming back sinewy and strong with “Age Against the Machine.”
On Thursday night at Patchwerk Studios on Hemphill Avenue – an establishment close to the band’s heart since parts of their 1995 debut “Soul Food” was recorded there – the four players unleashed their mighty musical gumbo at a listening session.
As drinks mixed with Ty Ku liquors flowed and whimsical food – popsicles, cups of cotton candy and mini ice cream sundaes – was passed around the assembled media, the group (mostly Cee Lo and Gipp) talked about their return as Ali Early of Kreative Souls moderated (as much as one can moderate the chatty Cee Lo).
“If you all think about it, there is no positivity in anything you listen to anymore,” Gipp said, enforcing the idea that Goodie Mob wants to make music to provoke thought as well as vigorous head nodding.
It was impossible not to do the latter while listening to the songs (we’ve been asked not to divulge song titles), which ranged from slow-burn funk rock to soaring pop choruses (the tune featuring Atlanta’s Janelle Monae, which celebrates being different, deserves to be a smash).
With monster drum beats, flecks of gospel choruses and an overall cinematic coating to many of the songs, the group clearly achieved Cee Lo’s goal to inject elements of arena rock into Goodie Mob’s classic hip-hop.
Familiar Atlanta star, T.I., provides one of his rough, urgent raps on the album, which includes plenty of shout-outs to “Southwest Atlanta” and the Bulldogs. Another catchy song with an awesome bass line and funky guitar strains celebrates the band’s appreciation of white women, and Cee Lo found himself having to offer a good-natured explanation.
“It’s all in good fun, but it’s the truth,” he said, not long after commenting, “We don’t make music to make people dance, but to make people move…to enlighten you.”
Clad in a white tank top, red leather shorts and white shoes decorated with tassels and studs, Cee Lo – who was celebrating his 39th birthday and graciously accepted a gift from a fan, er, media person – spoke passionately about the record and the unbroken Goodie Mob ties.
“Even with our differences, we’ve always been family,” he said of his group mates. “It made [recording the album] a lot easier than people would assume…This album reaffirms to people that we still care. We hadn’t recorded in more than 10 years. That type of hiatus disbands groups [so] what you’re hearing is miraculous.”
Cee Lo also talked about asking for a hiatus from one of his many other outlets – judging on “The Voice” – so he could finish the Goodie Mob album (the bulk was recorded in Jamaica – “in the jungle”); stage his Las Vegas show (which was supposed to return in the fall, but since he’s back for the next “Voice” go-around, Vegas will wait until March); develop a show for TBS (“The Cee Lo Life,” which will also feature Goodie Mob); and complete his solo album (“Girl Power,” also due this year).
“Mark my words…this album will be a critical and commercial success because we are about to take hip-hop to a quantum leap,” Cee Lo said. “This is a crowning achievement for me. I’m always representing the southside of Atlanta.”
This blog post was originally published on the Atlanta Music Scene with Melissa Ruggieri.
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