I loved Outkast. I was about 11 when ATLiens dropped and I've been a fan of the Dungeon Family since then. During that time period, I caught a music video on THE BOX by Goodie Mob for their single "Soul Food" and I thought that the song was pretty ill but I wouldn't get my hands on the album until years later.
Cee-Lo's Verse from Soul Food from Goodie Mob's Soul Food, 1995
"It's such a blessing when my eyes/Get to see the sun rise/ To get further
away from where I've been/ But I'll never gorget everythang I went through
I appreciate the shit because/ If I had a went and took the easy way/I wouldn't be the
strong nigga that I am today/ Everythang that I did/Different thangs I was told
Just ended up being food for my soul"
He stood out from the group and I'm not stating that the other members weren't good, but Cee-Lo's voice and poetic rhyme style made him different. He was one of the first rappers that I knew about who could sing as well as he rapped. Being from Philly, a city that was immersed in Golden Age of East Coast Hip-Hop, I wasn't really put on to music south of the Mason-Dixon line. Learning about the Dungeon Family became important after Dre and Big Boi dropped Aquemini. One of my favorite tracks on that album was Liberation...
Cee-Lo's verse from Liberation on Outkast's Aquemini, 1998
"No, nooo, noooooooo
I'm so tired, it's been so long - struggling, hopelessly
Seven and forty days.. heyyy
Ohhhh, I sacrifice every breath I breathe
To make you believe, I'd give my life awayyyy
Oh lord, I'm so tired, I'm so tired
My feet feel like I walked most of the road on my owwwwn
All on my owwwwn, weeeeeee..
We alive or we ain't livin, that's why I'm givin until it's gone
Cause I don't wanna be alone (I don't wanna be alone)
I don't wanna be alone.. yeahhhheeeeee
If there's anything I can say, to help you find your way
Touch your soul, make it whole, the same for you and I..
There's not a minute that goes by that I don't believe
that you die.. but I can feel it in the wind
The beginning or the end
But people keep your head to the skyyyyy"
After Goodie Mob released World Party, Cee-Lo would eventually go the solo route and drop two albums which were met with low album sales. Personally, I liked "Closet Freak" from Cee-Lo and his Perfect Imperfections and I LOVED the Cee-Lo Green is The Soul Machine album.
Cee-Lo - Closet Freak from Cee-Lo's Perfect Imperfections
Cee-Lo - I'll Be Around (featuring Timbaland) from Cee-Lo Green Is The Soul Machine
With two dope Gnarls Barkley albums under his belt, Cee-Lo is one of Hip-Hop's greatest yet underrated artists out there who I believe deserves his just due.
Cee-lo on the Wake Up Show
Props to OHHLA for the Lyrics!
1 reaction(s):
Nice post!keep it up
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