Cee-Lo Green & His Perfect Imperfections CD

"Gettin Grown" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.

Goodie Mob alumnus Cee Lo Green brings his solo debut, which is chock full of the smart rhymes, clever wordplay, and churchy singing skills that lift him above the pack. He states his case from the outset with the sardonic "Bad Mutha," a George Clinton-meets Richard Pryor deconstruction of the more macho side of rap, and rapidly moves through "Big Ole Words" ("how can there be a now if there never was a then/that is just like a yang without a yin") which despite his comic Dylanesque vocal is actually a Zen-like meditation on death and eternity. The Rick James-inspired "Closet Freak" (not so much about being a freak as about being unique), displaying a rapid-fire delivery and distributing some razor-sharp wit along the way. Green's hip-hop world is Technicolor as opposed to the black and white of many of his peers, and while first impressions may be of a clownish prankster with a case of the too-smarts, there's an underlying depth to his material that'll repay repeated listens with interest.

Recorded at Cock Of The Walk, Kennesaw, Georgia; Doppler Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.

Personnel: Gaelle Adisson (programming).

Photographer: Dean Karr.

.Fear:Big Gip ,Backbone,Jahala,Curt,J.Popper

Personnel includes: Cee-Lo, Big Gipp, Backbone (rap vocals); Carlos Glover, Eddie Wright (guitar); John Popper (harmonica); Kebbie Williams (saxophone); Russell Gunn (trumpet); Tom Pitchford (trombone); Joey Huffman (piano); Charles Pettaway (organ, bass); Ced "Keys" Williams (keyboards); Ken Ford (strings); Eric Stamile, Gaelle Addison (programming); The Callaway Sisters, Jalla, Kirkland Underwater, Voice Of Atlanta Choir, Me, Myself & Eye (background vocals).

Producers include: Cee-Lo Green, T. Callaway, Eric Stamile, Gaelle Addison.

Rolling Stone (12/26/02, p.104) - Included in Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2002"
Rolling Stone (12/26/02, p.104) - Ranked #9 in Rolling Stone's list of 2002's "10 Best Debuts"
Rolling Stone (4/25/02, p.79) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...The varied music finds its center in a guitar funk heavier thanany member of the Dungeon Family has bumped out before..."
Spin (May 2002, pp.117-118) - 6 out of 10 - "...a Baptist minister's son with a voice like a P-Funk werewolf..."
Q (8/02, pp.121-2) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...With technicolor tunes, playground rhymes and flamboyant R&B...Green comes on like a funk-loving preacher..."
Uncut (9/02, p.105) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Cee-Lo's accelerating raps slur into a rapturous singing voice that resembles Al Green with a mouthful of grits."
Alternative Press (5/02, p.80) - 8 out of 10 - "...The best case yet for Atlanta's Dungeon Family collective....The album mimics the freaky sprawl and frequent brilliance of classic George Clinton..."
CMJ (4/29/02, p.5) - "The first reaction most listeners will have...is fun..."
Vibe (4/02, pp.161-2) - 4 discs out of 5 - "...Cee-Lo is Southern soul personified. The rhymes, the gospel, the music, the melodies - they run in his blood. He was born to do it. And he does it well."
Mojo (Publisher) (1/03, p.73) - Ranked #4 in Mojo's "Best Urban Albums of 2002"
Mojo (Publisher) (9/02, p.101) - "...this outfit is all about quality...an album of jaw-dropping range."
NME (Magazine) (7/20/02, p.44) - 6 out of 10 - "...Dirty South's freakiest character yet..."