By now you've heard (and seen) what went down at the memorable Goodie Mob reunion show this past Saturday at Masquerade Park. Some of you out there may be tired of hearing about it, but, its been 10 years since these brothers have graced a stage together so two months of build up and a day or so of recap isn't overkill if you ask me. I was able to see everything live from the front row alongside plenty of other people so hungry for some "Soul Food" that we Braved the Atlanta rain and stood in the mud for 3 and a half hours...
This show was easily one of the greatest shows I've ever seen in my life. I'm sure everyone has that favorite artist that they love to see. But this night was extra special. It wasn't just a rap concert. This was both a lifelong memory and a statement that the real is coming back full circle.
The show as titled "Remember Atlanta" and that's exactly what 3,000-plus people did. Pretty much every spectrum of the city was represented...even though it started a little awkward.
The homie DJ Princess Cut opened the show with some smooth blends of 'Kast, Goapele and Cody Chestnutt. It was chill, everything was cool but then this chick came out and started dancing. Ain't nothing wrong with fine chicks dancing but...it seemed a little out of place seeing a chick doing splits at a Goodie Mob show. But hey, shakedancing is definitely a part of Atlanta culture, I may be the only one tripping.
After that poet Georgia Me came out a took over the show's hosting responsibilities and she did a hell of a job. She minded me of that cool ass chick you would smoke with back in the day, but that you could also talk about some real shit with. She introduced every act with cool poem on some A-town shit.
The first act to hit the stage was Decatur's very own DJ Kizzy Rock. Like I said earlier, ever facet of Atlanta music was represented and he brought out the Bass aspect with dancers and everything. [I'll add video in the update later]. Him and JJC did a good job. I remember seeing those dudes dance, wishing I could dance like that. Even now, I still kinda do.
After that Pastor-Damn-Troy came out and killed it. I was especially happy to see dude, because the city's musical brass still doesn't give dude his just due. He was pretty much the first rapper to introduce a new sound and energy to the scene as the Dungeon Family reign began to falter at the turn of the century. If you've seen Troy before, you know dude can easily steal a show, but he didn't tonight. Everyone went up on stage as fans first. They went up there did their songs and got off, all the while letting it be known that they came to see Goodie Mob just like the rest of us. Oh yeah, if you notice, Troy is rocking a Tennessee Volunteers jersey. Now, if you know anything about the South this time of year...if you're rocking a Vols jersey in Atlanta, Georgia during football season, you are running the risk of getting your ass beat. But, its a #14 Eric Berry jersey (the top defensive player in the nation...and he's from here), so it was "ok." But Troy (who I've seen go out on stage with a UGA helmet on) knows better than that, hahah.
After that we got back onto the Eastside of things as the Youngbloodz came out and did their thing. This was sort of a reunion for them of sorts too. From what I see, they haven't put out any music or performed together in a good little bit themselves. They brought out a couple members of the Attic Crew with them which was cool. People forget about Attic Crew's contributions (Youngbloodz, Jim Crow [Polow Da Don], Big Floaty, Playboy Tre, Pretty Ken and they played a part in introducing T.I. to the world) but they played a role in showing how diverse Atlanta's rap scene was by balancing Dungeon Family's earnest, spiritual sound with a more edgy and light-hearted appeal that blended elements of crunk, bass and soul together....but still keeping it lyrical and not just saying "fuck effort" when it came to rhymes.
After that...all hell, er, Heaven broke loose...
Man, the opening to this show was incredible man. Everybody was screaming at the top of their lungs like "FINALLY!!!" Seeing this actually reminded me of what actual showmanship was. Nowadays cats just come on stage and just go. No build-up, no nothing, they just go. But Goodie had theme music (Rocky) and costumes...man. And then they went right into "Goodie Bag" shawty? Its like they read everyone's minds. How did they know? I mean, I knew they were going to do it. But to open with it...fie.
From there they ran through a well put together set list that had a few surprises along the way (props to Dax for the set list pic).
Backbone came out for "Get Rich To This"
Some of the doper parts of the show were when they'd incorporate other songs into theirs. Hell, they even played a little Go Go for a minute. For example, Ceelo and Gipp did their verses from 'Kast's "Git Up, Git Out" over that Spandau Ballet "True." Shit was dope.
But the thing that killed it for me is when they turned all of the lights off and that eerie piano from "Cell Therapy" came on. But then out of nowhere the band started playing Black Sabbath "Iron Man" and Khujo came out and absolutely ripped.
(props to KidDuNot for the footage)
I talked to Killer Mike after the show and asked if I noticed the significance of them choosing that track to do "Cell Therapy" over. I didn't at first...
But he told me to peep how they were doing it over a a song called "Iron Man" with a man with an iron leg opening the song.
I'm mad I couldn't get footage of this, but another highlight of the show was when they started doing "Beautiful Skin" and it started drizzling. It was the stuff that shampoo commericals are made of.
(credit: IFWI)
But yeah, by now you should be able to infer that the show was good...so I guess I'm supposed to talk about the bad and the ugly?
The bad was obviously the weather, but it didn't even matter. It rained all day, but it let up right when the show started so that lets you know that it was just meant to be. The weather actually provided some entertainment though. Some girls up front had their umbrellas out, making the people behind them frustrated to the point that they started hitting and snatching their umbrellas down. For a minute people were chanting FUCK THAT SHIT, PUT YA' UMBRELLAS DOWN! It was actually kinda catchy, throw a Lil Jon beat under it and you might have a hit. A couple of them weren't trying to hear that and started splashing the water from their umbrellas on people. It was getting kinda tense for a minute. But, since everyone came here in good spirits, people started offering extra ponchos to the umbrella holders so they could put them down. I think that gesture spoke to the kind of mindstate that everyone there was in. We all came in peace. No one was trying to flash, buck or get attention. Except for these two drunk and high-ass broads that thought they were entitled to being in the front just because they were "pretty." I don't hit women...but I can't say the same for the dudes (and other women) around me. Those chicks were one curse word away from getting stomped out in the mud.
Leading up to the show everybody was asking "is Dre gonna be there?" I mean, honestly I found that to be petty and ungracious. To ask once, yeah. But to ask as if the show would be a failure if he didn't show? Wack. I mean shit. Dre don't even show up for Outkast shows anymore...what made you think he was obligated to be a Goodie Mob one? Be appreciative of the fact that we hadn't seen Goodie Mob perform in 10 years. For what its worth Big Boi showed up and did his verse on Trick Daddy's "In Da Wind" with Ceelo and Sleepy Brown came out to do "Steppin Out."
(credit: KidDuNot)
If anything...I was more "letdown" by not seeing Cool Breeze there to perform "Dirty South"...its practically his song. I've also heard people say they were disappointed that they didn't do a lot of songs from Still Standing, namely "Fly Away." I didn't notice this until someone told me after the show. I mean yeah, that's a classic song in their catalog. But, they ripped the entire night and we both agreed that you've done a great job when you make people forget that you didn't do their favorite song. I mean hell, they didn't do "Decisions Decisions," "The World I Know" or the full version of "Blood" either, which are my favorite Goodie songs...but no complaints here.
But yeah, that's pretty much it in a nutshell. This is the show that Atlanta needed. Oh yeah...DJ Jelly did a tremendous job of rocking the show in between acts. He played everything from Da Organization to TLC to Ball & G. It felt like I was at The Gate or The 559 all over again.
As far as what happens from here? Goodie Mob is going on a Southeastern tour with Scarface. The next show I know of is in Austin, Texas on October 17th. A birdie whispered in my ear that Goodie will be doing another show in Atlanta on Thanksgiving...don't quote me on that though. As far as a Goodie album, they've been recording for like the last 2 years and are just trying to find a proper label home and/or avenue to put it out. I haven't heard anything off of it, but Khujo said it will be a combination of what we got with their first three albums, so...there.
But until then...feel free to enjoy and share the pics in the gallery. I'm going to leave ya'll the same way Goodie Mob left us at the show. Take it easy ya'll...
SHOUT OUT TO JABARI, FADIA, JERALD AND BEM OF SHAMELESS PLUG. SHOUT OUT TO CARL OF FRESHMLK PR!!!!!!!
8 comments:
i did not feel that dre needed to show up and do his verses to validate this show, but shit, if he was in town and did not show up that is just foul and i'm labeling it as blasphemous (andre is a whole nother rant that I will save for him next time i see him at the buckhead target). All in all, one of the best concerts i've ever experienced. Look forward to more of it. Also, we did big do his verse on dro in the wind but not black ice or get rich to this? I dont get it.
It was dope. I'm tired of people bringing down the experience with their negative energy about Dre. People are so spoiled and self centered. This was a GIFT of an experience. A GIFT. People complaining need to go on somewhere.
the show was absolutely unbelievable! i could not have been more proud! i swear my spirit is more calm after having witnessed that reunion, for real. Those men rocked that thang from beginning to E-N-D. And folks can say what they want but i felt the whole crowd pause when Dre's part of "thought process" came up, that's my observation. Folks didn't dwell on it, they just rocked on wit the next track. Besides, can you really blame people for being thirsty for a verse from Dre...live none the less? In any event, the whole thing was awesome. the mix of people of all ages and races was fantastic. to look over and see thousands of people rockin out, rapping and singing on one accord was simply amazing! they deserved that homecoming and I know we as an audience made them as proud as they made us that night!
now, to discuss that Da Organization link you posted. thank you my brotha! Back do' Jody was my shit. Me and my girls used to hit 321 over in the "flatlands" on Saturday nights when we were in high school. I been lookin for this CD and by golly u blessed us with it. Kudos to you Maurice Garland, kudos to you! :0)
Priceless. I was waiting for em 2 perform that OMNI. There was an interesting mix of people there; old Atlanta heads, transplants that grew up on Goodie back in they hometowns b4 the got 2 the A, Masquerade regulars, & young hipsters just coming to the nights hot spot. The rain actually made the show better- that earth element together wit that real hiphop. I wanted to be there til midnight. BEST OF ALL THEY LOOKED HAPPY 2GETHER.
This means a lot. Thanks for documenting it Maurice. It means a lot.
I thought the show was a huge success for Atlanta, in general. These days, it's hard to pull a substantial crowd. Especially on friday night, there was Common and the Roots playing at the Velvet Room... Anybody with an ounce of hometown respect was at the Goodie Show though.
I wouldn't have been mad with some better sound though. That's all I can say. It was an intense mix of people though... i love it.
Cool Breeze actually did a show the night before @ Lennys for That Sh*t 3, with some of the newer Dungeon Family guys. Rico Wade, Mike and Big Rube were there too.
judging by the vid on youtube Cee-lo's and T-Mo's mics were too low relative to Gipp and Khujo, they solos are barely discernable
did anybody feel some discompfort on the show cause of that, cuz that's annoying?
honestly since they appeared on the national scene i neva considered Goodie worth listening, after Cell Therapy single which had kinda novelty sound and so did draw my attention, Soul Food i thought it was wack, not just the beat but most importantly the flow, i couldn't stand it on MTV, i used to turn off the sound when it would come on.
at that time i didn't understand English so that probably played role in my attitude, had i understood the lyrics i guess i could get over flow problems
later when Cee-lo went solo i def could appreciate and enjoy his immense talent, and there was no flow shortage in his solo joints
i liked Gipp's solo album as well
now in retrospect i can see their place in and impact on southern hip hop in general and ATL hip hop scene in particular, and it feels like their legacy is growing as the years go by, some like wine aging, it gains weight especially against modern artists
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