Crib Notes

Which came first, the BET Hip-Hop Awards or Atlanta’s steady flow of garbage-ass rap music?

The chicken-or-the-egg question occurred to me as I watched last night’s broadcast of the awards show, which should’ve been renamed the Gucci Mane Awards for the number of performances (3?) featuring the East Atlanta-bred MC.

It typified a night in which the show took every possible opportunity to reference Atlanta — which is odd considering the crowd is made up entirely of industry fucks (artists, publicists, label reps, promoters, radio heads, etc.) and almost zero fans. (more…)

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ALL FOUR ONE: Cee-Lo (clockwise from front), Khujo, T-Mo and Big Gipp put the city on their backs.

By Maurice Garland

Once known as “the city too busy to hate,” Atlanta has seemingly turned into “the city too busy to remember.” In its desire to become a hybrid of New York’s grind and Los Angeles’ shine, many of the cultural landmarks that made the city what it once was have disappeared. Remember the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium where Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record? It’s now a parking lot. Such streets of infamy as Stewart Avenue and Bankhead Highway have been renamed. Earwax Records got squeezed out by the iPod. Even the sports memorabilia shop Distant Replays is a distant memory. Compound that with the Atlanta Housing Authority’s nearly completed plan to erase every last trace of housing projects from the landscape, and it seems the city’s becoming a soul-less shell of its former self.

But on a recent August afternoon so humid and hazy it would leave local TV weathermen Glenn Burns and Ken Cook speechless, four recognizable brothers donned in throwback red Adidas jumpsuits stand outside the West End soul food restaurant Chanterelle’s. They resemble a blast from the not-too-distant past.

Continue reading “A dirty job for Goodie Mob”

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Remember Atlanta — the Goodie Mob reunion concert. $35-$40. Sat., Sept. 19. Masquerade Music Park, 695 North Ave. 404-577-8178. www.masq.com. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com.

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Following the sudden news that the monthly hip-hop publication Vibe magazine was folding, the last issue hit newsstands earlier this month with part one of what was intended to be a two-part story on the Dungeon Family. Written by Linda Hobbs, the in-depth story (”Am I My Brother’s Keeper? The Untold Story of Dungeon Family”) about DF’s internal makeup, eventual breakup and ongoing reunion has renewed interest in the South’s most influential hip-hop crew — especially its two cornerstone acts, OutKast and Goodie Mob.

Whether part-two of Hobbs’ DF story ever sees the light of day remains to be seen. (Word on the street is she’s in talks with other music publications to run part two). But here’s one reunion to bank on: Shameless Plug, the burgeoning promotions team that brought rappers Drake and Devin the Dude to Atlanta in recent months, just booked Goodie Mob for an Atlanta concert to take place Sat., Sept. 19.

The venue has yet to be announced. Stay tuned for further updates.

Update: Read CL’s Sept. 16 cover story, A dirty job for Goodie Mob, about the upcoming reunion concert.

Updated: Meanwhile, peep former CL music critic Roni Sarig’s 2003 cover story “Dungeon Family Tree: An oral history of OutKast and the extended crew’s first decade”:

Cee-Lo: We happened to be in Greenbriar Mall one day, and my homeboy was telling Marqueze [Etheridge, Organized Noize associate who co-wrote TLC's "Waterfalls" with them] that I sing. He was going over to the Dungeon, so we decided to give him a ride. We went over there, and I sung for Sleepy Brown. At the time, Rico, Dre and Big Boi had rode off to get something to eat. They came back and saw me sitting there and Dre got excited, like, “That’s my homeboy Cee-Lo I was telling you about. He can rhyme, he can sing.” That particular day, T-Mo and Khujo and Gipp walked in the door — I knew them from high school. When I saw their familiar faces, I was immediately comfortable.

Khujo: Me and T-Mo started fucking with them Crown Royal liquor bags, the purple and gold bags. We used to strap them on our belts and have goodies in them — weed, a couple dollars. Just a little bag we used to walk around with, and it would swing on the side. We’d say, “It’s the goodie bag, man.”

Edited: An earlier version of this post mentioned other DF acts scheduled to play the Goodie Mob reunion show. No other acts have been confirmed as of yet.

(Story image courtesy Vibe magazine)

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OFF-THE-MAP QUEST: Willie Isz

By Phillip Mlynar

“My real name is Willie, my daddy’s name is Willie, and I know that Jneiro’s definitely got a Willie name in the family,” begins the rapper Khujo (born Willie Knighton Jr.), slouched back in a plastic chair in the kitchen of a photo studio 20 minutes outside of downtown Atlanta.

He’s speaking about the Willie Isz album released via Lex Records on June 30 that pairs the one member of Atlanta’s influential Goodie Mob crew — which pioneered Southern hip-hop’s path to national acceptance in the ’90s, along with fellow Dungeon Family members OutKast — with the broken-beat, future soul production of one-time Atlantan Omar “Jneiro Jarel” Gilyard.

If their shared family name adds an earthly grounding to the bond between the two, Jarel’s imagination brings the fantasy. “The Iszes were from this old cartoon comic book series I used to watch on TV called ‘The Maxx’ that was all about good versus evil,” Jarel explains. Together, the duo’s disparate ingredients fuel their off-the-map quest. They even created their own imaginary 51st state to host the joint venture. The locale? Georgiavania.

Continue reading “Willie Isz escape to Georgiavania“

(Photo courtesy Lex Records)

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Man … the scene was so thick
Low riders, ’77 Sevilles, El Dawgs
Nuttin but them ‘Lacs
All the players, all the hustlers
I’m talking ’bout a black man’s heaven here, yknahmsayin? Yeah.
— Intro to “Player’s Ball,” OutKast (1994)

DRE AND BIG

Once again, Maurice Garland delivers exclusive coverage with a behind-the-scenes peek at last Monday’s gathering of the primary members of Atlanta’s Dungeon Family at Stankonia Studios. From the photos posted, members on-hand included Goodie Mob’s Cee-Lo, Big Gipp, T-Mo and Khujo, Dre, Big Boi and Mr. DJ of OutKast, producer Ray Murray, Sleepy Brown, Witchdoctor, and plenty more. Also on hand were DJ Toomp and Spree Wilson.

As for the reason behind the reunion-of-sorts, Garland is keeping it under wraps for now. But it shall be revealed in time. Meanwhile, here’s what he had to say about how the meeting might affect DF’s musical future:

No, I don’t think a lick of music got recorded on this day. What I do know is that they had a closed-door meeting where issues were resolved and plans for the future were discussed.

I spoke with Big Boi a couple days ago and said that over the next two years we will be getting a barrage of Dungeon Family music. His solo album (expect some big news on that soon), Dre3000 solo album, a Goodie Mob album and another Outkast album are all included in that. Backbone is working right now and Witchdoctor is still dropping projects so please go out and support those.

At the end of the day, there is music recorded and ready to go from everybody for the most part, they’re all just trying to find homes (labels) for it to be put out on.

More photos below…

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Cocaineblunts.com has put together a mix of rare and remixed Goodie Mob songs, available for download.

Peep the tracklist:

1. No Good & Jiggie f/ Goodie Mob & Luke – “Dirty Bottom” from LIzard Lizard (Luke, 1998)
2. Goodie Mob – “Black Ice (Goodie Mob Remix)” from Black Ice CD Single (LaFace, 1998)
3. DJ Muggs f/ Goodie Mob – “This Is Some ‘N To” from Soul Assassins 2 (Ruffhouse, 2000)
4. Goodie Mob – “Remember What I Said” from Fled Soundtrack (Rowdy, 1996)
5. Goodie Mob – “Angelic Wars” from Set It Off Soundtrack (East/West, 1996)
6. Goodie Mob – “Good Nigga” from RNDS Compilation (Rap-A-Lot, 1999)
7. Goodie Mob – “Just A Song” from Bamboozled Soundtrack (New Line, 2000)
8. Goodie Mob – “Hold On” from Got Purp Vol. 2 Compilation (Purple Ribbon, 2005/1998)
9. Goodie Mob – “In My Shoes” from Nuttin’ But Dat G (Mixtape, 2005 / Recorded 199?)
10. Goodie Mob – “Blood (Full Version)” from AIDS Compilation (WEA, 1996)
11. Goodie Mob – “Woah Now” from Nuttin’ But Dat G (Mixtape, 2005 / Recorded 199?)
12. Eightball f/ Goodie Mob – “Backyard Mississippi” from Lost (Suave House, 1998)
13. Esthero f/ Goodie Mob – “The World I Know” from Slam Soundtrack (Sony, 1998)
14. Goodie Mob – “Soul Food (Crazyhouse Remix)” f/ 8ball & MJG from Soul Food 12? (LaFace, 1996)
15. DJ Muggs f/ Goodie Mob – “Decisions, Decisions” from Soul Assassins (Ruffhouse, 1997)
16. Bone Crusher f/ Goodie Mob – “Hate Ourselves” from AttenCHUN! (So So Def, 2003)
17. Outkast f/ Goodie Mob – “Sole Sunday” from Ms. Jackson 12? (LaFace, 2000)
18. Goodie Mob f/ Mystikal – “Dirty South (Remix)” from Dirty South Remix 12? (LaFace, 1996)

(Photo from Goodie Mob’s 1998 XXL magazine cover.)

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On Sunday, in recognition of BET Hip-Hop Awards weekend, Ryan Cameron and DJ Hershey will count down the “Dirty 30″ — Atlanta’s top rap songs of all time — starting at noon on V-103 (WVEE-FM).

So we decided to make our own list to take you back.

Back to the days of MC Shy D and DJ Toomp. Back to the days of Atlanta’s first FM radio rap show “The Fresh Party” (aired every Friday night on V-103 in the mid-’80s). Back to the days of Arnell Starr’s “American Rap Makers” video show on Channel 69.

The compiled list is strictly old-school, meaning nothing released after 1999 is included. Other criteria: All songs were either regional or national radio singles and/or videos that got heavy rotation.

We linked to YouTube videos or streaming mp3s where possible. Let us know what you think we missed.

30) “Jump,” Kris Kross
29) “Cocaine (America Has a Problem)” Kilo
28) “Raheem the Dream,” Raheem
27) “The HItman,” Sammy Sam the Hitman
26) “Can’t Stop No Playa,” Da Organization
25) “Bankhead Bounce,” Diamond feat. D-Roc
24) “Shake It,” MC Shy D
23) “True Players,” A-Town Players
22) “Funkdafied,” Da Brat
21) “Nasty Dancer,” Kilo
20) “Shorty Swing My Way,” KP & Envyi
19) “Watch for the Hook,” Cool Breeze feat. Dungeon Family
18) “Fly Away,” Goodie MOB
17) “Show Me Love,” Kilo
16) “Soul Food,” Goodie MOB
15) “People Everyday,” Arrested Development
14) “Rosa Parks,” OutKast
13) “Tennessee,” Arrested Development
12) “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik,” OutKast
11) “They Don’t Dance No Mo’,” Goodie MOB
10) “Scrub Da Ground” Splack Pack
9) “Gotta Be Tough,” MC Shy D
8) “Roll It Up,” Success N Effect
7) “Cell Therapy,” Goodie MOB
6) “Player’s Ball,” OutKast
5) “Who You Wit,” Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys
4) “Get Up, Git Out,” OutKast feat. Goodie MOB
3) “Straight From the Dec,” Ghetto Mafia
2) “The Dirty South,” Goodie MOB feat. Cool Breeze, Big Boi
1) “Elevators (Me & You),” OutKast

Honorable mentions: “Iesha,” Another Bad Creation; “Baby Baby,” Kilo; “Van Full of Pakistans,” Y’all So Stupid, “Holiday,” Witchdoctor

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As the audience grew tired of waiting at the Samsung AT&T Summer Krush, a symphony of boos circulated the almost full Tabernacle on Tuesday night. Meanwhile fans ranging from young to old continued to fill the auditorium in anticipation to see the often half-naked rapper Nelly.

Just as he did on the BET awards, Nelly showcased his all-female marching band dressed in matching Apple Bottom outfits and Air Jordans to open up the show. As the ladies got the crowd hyped while dancing to Soulja Boy’s “She Gotta Donk” and other ATL favorites, the blinged-out bracelet and Army dog-tag wearing rapper appeared onstage to give the audience what they’d been longing for since the doors opened.

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