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Cee Lo Green: 'I'd do a lot more damage if I could'

There aren't many musicians who would consider releasing an expletive-laden viral hit to be selling out in some way. Angus Batey meets the remarkable pop-soulster Cee Lo Green.

Take a good look around you," grins Cee Lo Green as he leans back in his chair, which sits on the patio of a mountain lodge-style house deep in a Georgia forest. Ahead of him is a swimming pool where the water is the coolest blue, set in a clearing among trees bathed in glorious late-summer sunshine. "You think I got anything to complain about?"

Above him, inside the glass-walled living room, Green's new backing band – an all-woman five-piece – are getting ready for this afternoon's rehearsal. The band is part of the concept he's building around his third solo album, The Lady Killer, a set of love songs with a summery 60s vibe that recast the big, bald, heavily tattooed Cee Lo as a special agent of pop-soul heartbreak, ready to trot the globe with his private army of guitar-toting Bond girls.

Green's 007 has his Q to supply him with hi-tech weaponry, too – the singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, with whom he has concocted one of the standout pop moments of the year: the album's first single, Fuck You. The track, in which Green berates an ex who's ditched him for someone with more money, became a viral hit last month, picking up more than 2m YouTube plays in just its first weekend online. It is expected to follow Mars's Just the Way You Are to the top of the charts, and give Green his first solo No 1 in Britain when it's released on Monday.

It's not just the expletive in the title and hook – changed to Forget in the radio version – that have attracted attention. Green's mix of self-deprecating humour and indignation, pitched just the right side of petulance, give the song a breadth of appeal that would have seemed unlikely to anyone who had heard only the title.

"It wouldn't work for just anyone," he says, with a contented smile. "Some people have misconstrued Bruno's contribution as him writing the song for me. If he knew the song was gonna be a big hit, he'd-a wrote it for himself! Nobody else would've got away with it but me. Look at me! I'm not ideal image-wise, I don't think. I get a chance to stand out there and redefine what's doable. I am a fuck you – that's why the song works."

Between the song's infectious, playful effortlessness and his evident self-belief, Green gives an impression of comfortable confidence, but that's a front he has worked hard to cultivate. A divorced father of three (he has a biological son and is the adoptive father of his ex-wife's two daughters), he was born Thomas DeCarlo Burton in Atlanta in 1975, to Baptist preacher parents. His father died when Green was two; he later changed his surname to Callaway, his mother's maiden name. As a teenager with considerable capacity for anger, he became involved in gangs, drugs and violence. "Fortunately, music intervened in my life," he says, "and gave me something to focus on."

At elementary school he'd made friends with a fellow outsider, André Benjamin, and almost became a member when Benjamin and Antwan Patton formed Outkast. By then, they were all part of the extended Dungeon Family, which coalesced around the Atlanta production outfit Organized Noize, and Green joined the band Goodie Mob. Their 1995 debut album, Soul Food, included the track Dirty South, which gave a name to the nascent southern hip-hop scene. After recording but before release, Green's mother died; she had been disabled by a car crash two years earlier and, as Green sees it, let go of life after tiring of immobility.

Though Cee Lo was primarily a rapper, one of the Organized members had heard his distinctive singing voice and asked him to do backing vocals on a session with the Atlanta group TLC in 1994. The song, Waterfalls, became the first No 1 he appeared on. More than a decade later, he made chart history in the UK when Gnarls Barkley, the duo he established with the producer Danger Mouse, were the first group to have a chart-topper on download sales alone: that song, Crazy, was the biggest-selling single in Britain in 2006.

Green calls Gnarls Barkley "a freak occurrence, a total eclipse of the sun: it'll happen, but not every day". His lyrics for the duo's two albums have been his most introspective and confessional – Crazy may have become an anthem, but it's a song about the terror of mental instability; She Knows was him dealing, years after the fact, with his mother's death.

"That song is about possession," he says. "My mother, being a prized possession of mine, and vice versa; and then me being possessed by her spirit. I understood her wanting to move on – not give up, but move on. She could've died immediately in the accident, and I can't say that I would have reacted as positively to that. But to watch her suffer for a few years straight – and watchin' her bein' brave enough to make a sound decision to move on – I now believe that that was merciful on me."

He intends more Gnarls Barkley albums, but making them clearly takes a toll; the Lady Killer is his way of escaping from the emotional intensity. Danger Mouse's lack of a lighter outlet, though – his recent work has included Dark Night of the Soul, with the late Sparklehorse leader Mark Linkous and film director David Lynch – gives Green pause for thought.

"I don't really have an in-depth opinion about anything Danger does outside [Gnarls]," he ponders, "but I feel the mood of things he's done, and it concerns me about a real part of him that I do know. I know he's not pretending – that's truly his mood, and it's very dark and melancholy and bitter and sad and detached and disturbed. But I also know a lighter side of him that he will share with me, but he won't share with the world. Danger Mouse is Danger Mouse 24 hours a day – I couldn't bear the thought of people bein' so utterly convinced that I'm Gnarls Barkley 24 hours a day. I needed a break from it."

Green has had extensive success with collaborations: before Crazy came out, Don't Cha, a song he wrote and produced, was a hit for the Pussycat Dolls. Yet when he makes his own music, fewer people pay attention. His first two solo albums, released between Goodie's dissolution in the early 2000s and the inception of Gnarls Barkley in 2005, were commercial failures. Musically expansive, thematically rich, daring in terms of the vulnerability he revealed and the acuity of his insight into art, life, politics and the human condition, both of them – Cee Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections and Cee Lo Green … Is the Soul Machine – are masterpieces, exquisite records by an artist seemingly oblivious to creative boundaries. Their failure to connect with larger audiences seems to gnaw at him.

He has spent three years on The Lady Killer, recording close to 70 songs, reining in the eccentricities of the two predecessors, swapping the emotional evisceration of his Gnarls Barkley material for love songs. And he has opted to work with his label and management to assemble what they collectively believe is the record that will make him a household name, rather than release another album he might have felt better represented every aspect of his creative self.

"I could've said, 'This is the album, take it or leave it,' but I don't think that's the right attitude to have right now," he admits. "For too long I've been underground and underdog, and I need to be seen as the thing to do: 'This is the direction to go in – follow this man.' I think I'm needed – as an artist, as an individual, as an entity, an enigma, an exhibitionist, an entertainer; as an alternative. So we sat down and weighed up the pros and cons, because you don't seal a deal with one single solitary opinion. Tolerance, compromise, understanding, acceptance, patience – I want those all to be very sharp tools in my shed."

The record isn't finished yet (Green postponed a London gig last Monday to complete recording). But he has the follow-up to Fuck You ready and waiting. You Don't Shock Me Any More is a breezy slice of retro soul-pop with a 21st-century attitudinal twist; a pastiche of 70s library and gameshow music with a delicious sax solo by Goodie Mob's Khujo and a knowing lyric that's part love song, part attack on celebrity culture. There's only one problem: it didn't make the committee's cut for the album, so Green has released it, for free, on a mixtape called Stray Bullets.

"No one had anything to do with Stray Bullets but me," he says. "I just needed a moment of clarity to have some fun. It's a completely gratifying, exhilarating act of art. With Lady Killer, I had to take all those other things into consideration, because I wanna be a professional, but the growing pains hurt a bit. I'm not allowed to be as liberal as I would like to be, you know? I'd do a lot more damage if I could! So, I know I shouldn't say this, but I've got to: personally, I like Stray Bullets better. But I hope you don't think I'm insulting Lady Killer – I'm not. They're all still pretty great songs."

There aren't many musicians who would consider releasing a single called Fuck You to be selling out in some way. But for Green, this is as safe as it gets. He just hopes he's done enough to reap the rewards he feels he's already earned several times over.

"I'm an artist, and I like the risk – I'm not in it for the sure things. I like the want, the need, the desire to live and die by it – it's that serious for me. But on the other hand, someone like myself should survive. This should not be a kamikaze mission."

Fuck You is released Monday on Elektra; The Lady Killer follows in November.

"I'm needed – as an alternative" . . . Cee-Lo Green. Photograph: Chris Rank/Polaris

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STRAY BULLETS (The Mixtape made of Gold) - CeeLo Green

Before ‘The Lady Killer’, there was a Mixtape made of gold, powered by Greg Street, called “Stray Bullets”. CeeLo brought in a couple of songs that didn’t maje the cut to be in The Lady Killer album, so he released by himselft this “prequel” of an album! 💿🗽

Stray Bulllets is a project from 2010, and includes some great solo songs, like “Little Black Book”, or the Gnarls Barkley’s 'The Last Time’ (St. Elsewhere, 2006) re-invented, here with the title “Super Woman Theme Song”, utilizing the same instrumental that Danger Mouse used.

Here’s the scoop on the tape, by CeeLo Green: “Signatured and Sung the Shit Out Of by Cee Lo Green, aka Sugar Lo Leonard, aka Lothar of the Ill People, aka Mr. Lo Jangles, aka Lo Lucas (African American Gangster), aka Locifer, etc.etc… Executive Produced by “The Mild Mannered, But Murderous” Mike Caren. Recorded and Mixed by Graham Marsh. Mastered by John Horesco IV. Assisted by Juliette Amoroso, Anthony Kronfle & Jesse Johnstone.”

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STRAY BULLETS (The Mixtape made of Gold) - CeeLo Green

Before 'The Lady Killer', there was a Mixtape made of gold, powered by Greg Street, called "Stray Bullets". CeeLo brought in a couple of songs that didn't maje the cut to be in The Lady Killer album, so he released by himselft this "prequel" of an album! 💿🗽

Stray Bulllets is a project from 2010, and includes some great solo songs, like "Little Black Book", or the Gnarls Barkley's 'The Last Time' (St. Elsewhere, 2006) re-invented, here with the title "Super Woman Theme Song", utilizing the same instrumental that Danger Mouse used.

Here's the scoop on the tape, by CeeLo Green: "Signatured and Sung the Shit Out Of by Cee Lo Green, aka Sugar Lo Leonard, aka Lothar of the Ill People, aka Mr. Lo Jangles, aka Lo Lucas (African American Gangster), aka Locifer, etc.etc… Executive Produced by “The Mild Mannered, But Murderous” Mike Caren. Recorded and Mixed by Graham Marsh. Mastered by John Horesco IV. Assisted by Juliette Amoroso, Anthony Kronfle & Jesse Johnstone."

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TV On The Radio - CeeLo Green

TV On The Radio is a kind of 'secret' mixtape released in 2015. 📺📻💿 In this project, CeeLo Green takes you to a trip down memory lane with some of his loved TV shows that he grew watching. 🕹 With 9 songs and famous instrumentals (Peanuts; Taxi; Knight Rider…), CeeLo creates lyrics to those pop culture anthems. Have you heard this gems? 📺

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Music should be soothing the savage beast, not agitating it." - CeeLo Green

TBT of Gnarls Barkley - CeeLo & Danger Mouse on The Source's cover.

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LODEGA – A mixtape made of pure hip-hop history! Back during the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, CeeLo Green started a project called LODEGA, an album that captured the progression, changing pace, and lyricism in the game, both inside and outside Atlanta. A wordplay with "Bodegas" and "CeeLo", in which he claims he'll sell you all kinds of different stuff - just like he has delivered throughout his carrer.

In LODEGA, you will hear CeeLo mimic, pay tribute, play, sing, and spit bars that we've long been waiting for and demanding! Join us on this unreleased, abandoned, unmixed, and unmastered project made of pure fire, passion, and hip-hop, called LODEGA! By CeeLo Green.

LODEGA (A CeeLo Green Mixtape)

"They say you need to make space for new blessings, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and I was inspired to create a mixtape called *Lodega*, which is a play on “bodega,” meaning an open store with a variety of music. I wanted to give it away, but I never officially did. Honestly, I wasn’t really sure who could or would appreciate it! So, y’all can just listen to it here. I never even finished it; for me, it’s a vibe, and then all of a sudden it’s over. These are some old, dusty, unrefined rough mixes, but still pretty good. There’s some real history in these bars. This one is called “White Trains,” inspired by the movie *Beat Street*. To me, it always represented a blank canvas and a new opportunity to immortalize yourself. And of course, life itself is a motion picture. #hiphopdontstop y’all!"

"This next song is called “First Stop” because, with the concept of the white train, we’re starting at the beginning of hip-hop and riding through its evolution up to the present day. So of course, we start here with that old-school routine style made famous by groups like The Cold Crush Brothers, The Treacherous Three, Grandmaster Flash, and The Furious Five. I created my own fictional group called “The Boogie Night’s” — I even thought about doing a whole album like this #lol. But this is dope… check it out. Lodega."

"I used to rob on the train, so the next natural progression in this story is a song called “The C is Still Free.” Super heavy with the bars on this one… check it out. All respect to the Teacha, @teacha_krsone, and Premo. This whole mixtape was inspired by all the nuances of #NewYork that influenced me, so y’all gotta let me know in the comments if you really know what these bars are about."

"This one is the intro to “FAT LO.” Paying respect to The Fat Boys, one of my earliest influences and one of the most successful rap acts ever. But this is only part one — part two coming right up. #RIP to Prince Markie Dee, #RIP to The Human Beatbox, a.k.a. Buffy. @koolrockski #NewYork I was flowing on this one. This was inspired by @fatjoe. I only give these types of gifts to the OGs. The train’s still moving, y’all. #RIP BIG PUN. Hold ya head, @Casanova2x. Damn, I went crazy on this. It might get up to part five. #lol Shoutout to the legend, Mr. T, @therealdjericb, Cappadonna, @jimjonescapo, and #KillahPriest."

"LODEGA “Theme Song,” honoring one of my favorite hip-hop groups of all time, De La Soul, with this one. RIP Dave… much love to my brothers Maseo & Posdnuos!"

"One of my favorites… it’s called “THINK CHAMPS.” N.O.R.E. is my man, and I’ve always loved his style, so I honored him over that Wu-Tang Clan vibe! With a splash of that Public Enemy “Mind Terrorist” energy and the lyrical scientist, Pharoahe Monch… who’s messing with me? What’s up, DJ EFN? Real hip-hop!"

"Salute to all my brothers of the Boot Camp Clik: Tek, Rock, and Buckshot, because I think they deserve even more props. This one is called “BUCK50.” When Buck manifested this flow, it opened another chapter in the book and built an even stronger bridge over the boundaries that divide us. So I’m proud to do this. I am an original head (and gun clapper), so I build and destroy.

Ayo Tek, you remember that time when we were all on tour somewhere and everyone else was asleep? It was just me and all of y’all, and we sat there and listened to each other speak on it. That was a blessing and the bond that has lasted.

Much respect to DJ Funk Flex and Nine, wherever you may be, King. This track right here was so lovely to me. I mean, literally, the production was beautiful to my ears. When this hit, I felt like the two went perfectly together. Rest in peace, Sean Price."

"This one is called “Troy & Perry,” based on a true story. Some of the ways the images on television made me feel were made tangible by these guys. Just a kid trying to find my way. Before I had any clue of what being from “the South” meant, I always had that city in me. At the end of the day, you are what you identify with. I’m actually from the East Coast! Yeah, that sounds about right… enjoy."

"This one is “For the Gram.” I respect the Roc! That’s what all this is about… I respect the game. I fought to be a champion in this industry! I don’t need any more belts. Yeah, a brother got dough, but if I leave… the fans will still love me, man. What’s up, Biggs Burke? What’s up, Ty? What’s up, Emory? Salute, Hov!"

his one is called “What.” One of my favorite groups of all time is Leaders of the New School. Listening back, I’m not sure how I made any of these songs work. I was literally in the zone. The “International Zone Coaster” video mix was so dope to me—shoutout to SD50! Their production was amazing for that time; it was perfect for my take on how the South was won!

Since I posted these, I’ve received a variety of phone calls about shooting music videos and putting this out officially, so this may be the last one I post. But I did a bunch of them. Don’t ever doubt that I am a fan of this hip-hop stuff. Busta Rhymes, D.I.T.C., and Charlie Brown, I see you!

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Madonna's Super Bowl XLVI halftime show in 2012, featuring CeeLo Green!

Throwback from Madonna's Super Bowl XLVI halftime show in 2012!! 🔥

CeeLo Green & Madonna, singing 'Like a Prayer' to more than 110 million spectators. 🌠

@ceelogreen being one of the few male artists to ever perfome this song with the Queen of pop! ⚡

#CeeLoGreen#Madonna#LikeaPrayer#TBT#throwback#superbowl#gospel

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No Time Soon - Gnarls Barkley

This could be one of those days That we must go our separate ways. Scared for you to be out of my sight, Because you never know, you might.

And I carry this It's heavy. And I miss you Already

You were perfect babe.

My time will come Yours too. I'll gladly go before you.

I hope you live forever, Or maybe we can go together.

It would be perfect baby.

And I carry this, It's heavy. And I miss you Already

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On Vacation...

Posted on 07.31.06

This week, I am on vacation. I write to you from the seaside address whereupon I spent much of my childhood.

Although it occupies the same geographic location, this house, which I have rented for the week, bears little practical resemblance to the elegantly shabby cottage of my youth. When I was a lad, my family would place buckets under the leaks in the roof, boil the water, and use if for cooking and drinking. Now, an upper story has been added, and there are no holes in the roof. Water runs from taps in the sinks and bathtubs, and a large refrigerator preserves the fresh produce. The floorboards are new and do not creak.

I must confess a bit of the sentimental nostalgia for the place in its earlier dilapidated condition. How strange, and old mans' confusion when the problems of his youth are put right.

Compared to St. Elsewhere, this land is rife with bustle and competition. In its place, competition can be exciting. (I am a tad chagrinned that, upon my public challenge to him, my rival Tsar Christopher promptly disappeared from public view I was pumped for an invigorating campaign against him in the fall. So it goes.) But I fear that the folk of my homeland have forgotten the purpose their competition was supposed to serve: the greater good of all people. As we attempt to one-up each other, we must continually re-examine the goals we are pursuing: if the ends of our contests and struggles are not valuable, then neither are the games themselves.

Last night, I ate a large plate of spaghetti and took in a rock and roll show. The band, Balderdash, had at some point invited a particularly witty heckler on stage to insult them at close range. This arrangement worked so well that the heckler became a member of the band, and now performs with them on tour. I found it a clever gimmick, though the members of Balderdash, including the aforementioned heckler, we far too drunk to properly pull of their cover of The Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore.

I will return in a few days time. Next week, I will address St. Elsewhere’s most pressing concerns, including any that may have arisen in my absence. Fear ye not.

Yours Most Sincerely,

A.B. Vidal

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#TBT of when your worries and fears become your friends... And end up smillin' at you. 🙂 Are yall ready to go back to St. Elsewhere? Gnarls Barkley, at Later... With Jools Holland.

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Since this is the year to be a Gnarls Barkley fan, @ceelogreen reminds us how Crazy was born. Crazy is one of those classic songs, that no matter how much time passes, still resonates with us. #CRAZY isn't it?!

#Crazy#CeeLoGreen#CeeLo#GnarlsBarkley#CrazyChallenge#TBT

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𝕰𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖔 𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖉𝖘 𝖆 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒𝖊 𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖌... But what about us 𝖛𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖘? 💥

Gnarly Davidson. One of @ceelogreen 's CRAZIEST gigs! 😆🔥

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I pity the foooOoOOoOooOoll, that have not yet listened to CeeLo & The Scarlet Fever band play FU in an acoustic way! 💥 @ceelogreen should go acoustic more often!

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"Everything I heard on the radio and saw on TV became the music of my mind that I’m still listening to closely. I’m always thinking in circles and patterns, and cursive calligraphy. I always see these beautiful things in my mind—like my life is one long-running TV show with a fiercely moving theme song that I’m still writing."

Ｇｒｅｅｎ， ＣｅｅＬｏ． Everybody's Brother

No wonder some of @ceelogreen 's music looks and feels like a movie. Feels like scoring, as a soundtrack to something bigger. No wonder we had the amazing mixtape - "CeeLo Green: TV On The Radio", in which he explores the theme songs of many shows and movies that he grew up with. If you've never heard it, you really should! It's fantastic. 📺📻🎶

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I'll die when I'm done... But are you done? ☢ Gnarls Barkley makes me feel like a super hero. 🕴🏾🔥 Crazy, live at Later With Jools Holland. A classic! | @ceelogreen

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𝔻𝕚𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨? Gnarls Barkley's first album (St. Elsewhere) almost had an entire different name! 🤯 💿

Back in 2006, during one of the first interviews to Gnarls Barkley with their recently released 'St. Elsewhere', CeeLo & Danger discussed about the title of the album and of the duo. Danger revealed that 'Gnarls Barkley', contrary to popular belief, has nothing to do with the basketball player - Charles Barkley. It was just a fun name that came up in a restaurant brainstorm, and they liked the sound of it.

CeeLo also revealed that the famous freshman album - 'St. Elsewhere' by Gnarls Barkley was to have a totally different name! "We almost called the album Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo: Who Cares?" He says.

Gnarls' success was #CRAZY , but before it was something, it was only a shot in the dark. CeeLo had a great album, but not the fame he deserved as a solo artist; Danger was only starting to be seen as a (in)famous artist... So, "who cares" about them?

We do. And now we can barely wait for GB's 3rd album. 🔥🥇 Oh, this is the art of 'Who Cares' as a single. Interesting to know this now, as this song has more than 4 album covers/special arts.

@ceelogreen | dangermouse

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"Now, a revolution if done right, It won't be a rumour that's repeated." This is POWERFUL! This is Goodie Mob. 🔥 You have to listen to "Survival Kit", by the MOB.

#CeeLoGreen #CeeLo #GoodieMob #ATL #Atlanta #HipHop #SouthSide #DirtySouth