Brightest Young Things

Words by Phelps
Photos by Jane Briggs

Would you rather A) Peel out sideways (presumably in a Cadillac, B) Do 100 on the highways (also in a Cadillac, probably candy painted) or C) Get rich? If you witnessed Goodie Mob’s reunion at the 930 Club last Wednesday, the answer is probably D) ALL OF THE ABOVE with a cup of purple drank in hand. Cee-Lo, Khujo, Big Gipp and T-Mo established themselves as the original rap weirdos when Lil Wayne’s sizzurp was maple and before fellow ATLien Andre 3000 started dressing like the catcher in a women’s fast pitch league.

While Wayne might be content to stay lost in space orbiting a codeine moon, the Mob were always able to toe the lines between the street, stratosphere and church – taking the party seriously but not to heart.Their sweet spot was the heavier, headier stuff supported by soulful Organized Noize production that remains unrivaled. They were trill before the Clipse, crunk before Lil Jon, and dirty before the Falcons.

Goodie took the stage triumphantly over a beefed up version of Bill Conti’s theme from Rocky, a champion song appropriate for the undisputed elder statesmen of the dirty south. The set, heavy on 1995’s Soul Food album, kicked off with Goodie Bag - a reminder that tattooed ringleader Cee-Lo will stomp your ass but the gang will still head to the “goodwill with the 10 dollar bill and get the London Fog.” They continued to oscillate between funky platters of pragmatic thuggery and southern noir including Cell Therapy, Thought Process, and crowd favorite Soul Food. Cee-Lo, who exited the group after the commercial sound and flop of 1999’s World Party, seemed perfectly content to be back on stage with the crew he came up with. Admittedly “too big for my jeans,” he mugged, danced, and hollered out for weed and ecstasy while Gipp smacked his Buddha belly.

It was striking how well the full group interplayed on stage after a decade apart, especially in the era of more hype and hype men in hip hop than people adding value to the performance. Cee-Lo escaped the 90s with a solo career and recent mainstream appeal with Gnarls Barkley but every member of the Goodie Mo’ B is more than capable in lyricism and presence to share his stage. To this end, they not only indulged the crowd with the obligatory “Crazy” but also shifted into Big Gipp’s largely ignored solo turn with “Steppin’ Out.”

Female DJ Princess Cut manned the tables and Apples deftly although she looked a little lonely as the entire Mob exited the stage during an ode to DC featuring a mix of Rare Essence, DJ Kool, and the usual go-go suspects. Re-emerging with Trick Daddy’s Goodie guested “Dro in the Wind,” Princess teased Aerosmith’s “Dream On” before the apocalyptic bounce and blues of “They Don’t Dance No Mo” from 1998’s Still Standing LP.

Goodie Mob are originators on many hip hop fronts whether southern, conscious, or future bounce and clearly have the charisma to pull off the oft-tired “reunion” show with gusto. Their run from 95 to 2000, along with Outkast (sorry “Hey Ya” fans – they were dope way before your mom pumped it in the minivan,) was undeniably one of the most creative and interesting growth periods in hip hop history as new regions, slang, and dialects bore holes in the bicoastal setup and currently devour Soundscan.

I would have liked a little more Still Standing - some Indian-flavored Greeny Green or cosmonaut swamp lust of The Damm – but can’t hate on a 20 song set from legends dropping  wisdom to the tune of “I like being po’, at least I know what my friends here fo.”  Trill.

Previously in Live DC:

• 2/9: LiveDC: Theophilus London @ 930 Club
• 2/9: Best Weekend Bets
• 2/8: LiveDC: Kathleen Edwards @ 930 Club
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/7: LiveDC: Demetri Martin @ Warner Theatre
• 2/7: LiveDC: Augustana/ Graffiti6 @ 930 Club
• 2/6: LiveDC: All Things Go Presents: Reptar/ Casual Curious/ Fort Lean @ Gibson Guitar Showroom
• 2/6: LiveDC: TYCHO/ Beacon @ RNR Hotel
• 2/6: LiveDC: The Kills / Jeff The Brotherhood @ 9:30 Club