Even the rain couldn’t keep them from coming. The downpour started early and lasted all day before coming to a short pause before the start of Saturday’s (September 19) “Remember Atlanta” Goodie Mob reunion.

Despite a mud that was inches thick, making each step toward the stage a treacherous one, Goodie Mob fans came by the thousands. Spirits were high, as evidenced by the quick responses to DJ Jelly, who warmed the crowd with one down South classic after another. After a decade-long wait, fans were eager for their fix. And Big Gipp, Cee-Lo, T-Mo and Khujo Goodie, collectively known as Goodie Mob, did not disappoint.

Following an introduction from poet Georgia Me, the stage went dark, then, fitting for a fight night show, the theme from “Rocky” brought them out, one by one. Each member approached their mark garbed in red, garments styled to reflect the four distinctly different personalities hip-hop fans have come to distinguish over the years. T-Mo lifted the hood from Khujo’s cape, and the brothers in rhyme greeted each other with daps and hugs before going into “Goodie Bag.”

While the bulk of the set list was pulled from their 1995 debut album Soul Food (“Thought Process,” “Dirty South,” “Sesame Street,” “Soul Food,” “Cell Therapy”) the Mob also revisited Still Standing and World Party (“Black Ice,” “Beautiful Skin,” “Get Rich To This,” “They Don’t Dance No Mo’”) in keeping the crowd satisfied.

Big Boi was on hand to perform his verse from “Dro In The Wind” while Sleepy Brown emerged from stage right to perform “Steppin’ Out.” And clearly for a group who named their 2004 album One Monkey Don’t Stop The Show, Cee-Lo’s solo and Gnarls Barkley success is now a point of pride, because his renditions of “Crazy” “U Da 1” and the Frankie Beverly classic “Before I Let Go” were all a seamless part of the show.

Aside from a little mic trouble and the gaping absence of Andre 3000 it was a reunion that should serve as an example to groups who have stopped performing together, as well as to rappers who have yet to learn what it means to truly put on a show. –Janeé Bolden

Peep some live videos from the event here.

Photos courtesy of Maurice Garland. Click on image to enlarge.

Share: