STILL STANDING: GOODIE M.O.B

On Sat in Atlanta Ga. in the mist of a violent thunderstorm my secret prayers were answered. Before dying (some day far, far, far away from now, lol), I watched one more Goodie Mob show. I have seen many in my day. I always loved watching these 4 brothers together. Seeing them separately you may walk past them at a MARTA train and never think to look twice at them as individuals. However, together they form like Voltron on a Sprite commercial and become one of the greatest performance groups I have ever seen live. Goodie Mob can only be compared to groups like The Roots, The Fugees and OutKast live. Dressed in all red (no gangs Just the Ga. Way ya’ll) costumes, The Goodie Mob were and are Super Hero’s.

Khujo Goodie is the “Iron man” pun intended of this group. He is the inspiration of self determination and perseverance. Having lost a leg to a horrific car accident a few years back, he walked on the stage like the Terminator. Part-man Part-bionic and he smashed. Whether it was dropping Cell Therapy’s first verse over the timeless Black Sabbath song “Iron Man” beat played by a live band or getting on his knees to express times when he was “too tired to pray” on “Thought Process,” he was truly inspirational in flesh and iron. He seemed to defy the rain and wind itself.

T-Mo Goodie is the youth of the Mo B now and always. He still looks 20 years old. He bopped across the stage in a classic see thru tennis visor and dookey rope, two stepping and jigging to music that inspires the soul, feeds the spirit, rocks the body while uplifting the mind. He is the Robin of this group. He connects the young D-Boys then and now. His words were always near and dear to the teenage D-Boy’s in the struggle. “My ole boy from the Point but I’m from Southwest and every now and then I get put to the test but I can’t be stopped cause I gotta come tru I AINT GOT NO GUN but I GOT MY CREW!” I felt 15 again when he rapped that line. Every black, white and brown face in the packed crowd was elated when he dropped that verse.
Gipp Goodie is Goodie’s wise and intelligent statesman but he ain’t square. His costumes are outta this world! He has Issac Hayes thick southern vocals and Bootsy Collins flare 4 cool costumes. He was in an all red jumpsuit cape included and rocked the OG finger waves and ponytail, a style once worded by my D-Boy’s only in the south inspired by Rodney O and Joe Cooley from the West). He and Sleepy Brown did his solo classic “Stepping Out”. Rain be damned, people were grooving man. “Black Ice” however was what we all came for and he delivered. Thousands of soaking wet fans sang “SKY HIGH, SKY HIGH” in unison! AWESOME!

Cee-Lo Goodie, the Soul of the 4-man Super Show, still quirky and nimble, his voice was crystal clear as he rapped the “Cell Therapy” and filled with passion as he sang the verse from “Get up Get Out”. The crowd was entranced. At the shows half-time mark, he did Frankie B’s “Before I Let Go.” That moment felt more like Sunday at Cascade skating rink than the cold wet lot of Club Masquerade. When he sang the “Beautiful Skin” hook I saw women of all shades and colors glow in that audience. I was witness to a special moment. They ended the show with “They Don’t Dance No Mo.” I walked as that song started and told everyone that I left to get outta traffic but really I just never wanted it to end so by never seeing them take there final bows or thank the crowd that had been the rinse cycle, that show will always be going on in my mind and heart. Still Standing in this World Party eating some Soul Food. Ya’ll Know what it is (Gipp’s voice on “The Mainstream”)…. Fin.