by CeeLo Green
DRIVING AMBITION: As you can see in this photo of me as a kid, I have always loved fast cars.
KING FOR A DAY: Even back in kindergarten, I felt like royalty—and even then I could really rock a white suit.
RAP IT UP: Here I am doing one of my early Bible raps in elementary school.
A FAMILY THAT ROCKS TOGETHER: Shedonna and I aren’t kids anymore. Well, maybe I’m still more of a kid than she is.
ALL MOBBED UP: The Goodie Mob looking pretty badass, if I do say so myself.
PROM NIGHT: Dress is formal, but the look of my face is unimpressed. This was my sister Shedonna’s prom night.
GOODIE TIMES: The Goodie Mob, fighting for the good name of the Dirty South.
GOODIE TIMES: The Mob with our boys André 3000 and Big Boi of OutKast.
GOODIE TIMES: Here we are making our name.
GOODIE TIMES: And here we are becoming dads.
WHITE WEDDING: On my first—and as far as I’m concerned, only—wedding day to Christine Johnson.
GRANDMA’S HAND: My grandmother has always been there for me, like here in 2007 at a party for a little label I started called Radiculture. Photo by Moses Robinson/WireImage
TWO OF A PAIR: Kingston is two here. There’s no one I love to see smile more.
FAMILY AFFAIR: Making the scene at the Primary Wave Pre-Grammy Party with the family in 2011. Photo by Jonathan Leibson/WireImage
Q & LO: What an honor to get to know the legendary Quincy Jones. This was at Elton John’s Oscar party. And yes, I checked my ego at the door. Photo by Michael Kovac/WireImage
THREE’S GOOD COMPANY: I’ve been blessed to meet so many of my heroes. Here I am with Sir Elton John and Smokey Robinson—who’s royalty in my book—at Elton’s Oscar party in 2011. Photo by Stefanie Keenan/WireImage
A CHRISTMAS GIFT TO REMEMBER: What a honor it was for this former delinquent to share the stage with the First Family and so many more notables at “Christmas in Washington” in 2011. Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage for Turner
I’M NOT LIKE A VIRGIN: But I was thrilled to appear with the one and only Madonna at the Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show. The New York Giants won that day—and so did I. Photo by David Bergman /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
A SHINING MOMENT: I take a nice photo. The car and the girl help too. Photo by Meeno
ME AND MR. STEWART: What an honor to sing with a rock god like Rod Stewart.
TREELO GREEN: I was thrilled to get together with my Muppets posse to help light things up at the 80th Annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
RIDING A WAVE: Gipp and I hanging with Larry and our Primary Wave team before the Grammys in 2013. Photo by Garry “Prophecy” Sun for SunOfHollywood.com
SCENES OF A SHOWMAN: It was a blast mounting Loberace for audiences in Las Vegas. Photo by Alexander Stein
SCENES OF A SHOWMAN: In my Loberace wig.
IF I CAN MAKE IT THERE: My eDiets billboard in the middle of Times Square. © NASDAQ OMX 2013, Rohini Shahriar
SCENES OF A SHOWMAN: A rehearsal for Loberace.
PERMISSIONS
“Git Up, Git Out”
Words and music by Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Thomas Burton, Cameron Gipp, Patrick Brown, Raymon Murray, and Rico Wade. Copyright © 1994 Chrysalis Music (ASCAP)/Gnat Booty Music (ASCAP), Organized Noize Music (BMI), Hitco Music (BMI), Mutant Mindframe Music (BMI), T Mo 2 Music (BMI), and God Given Music (BMI). All rights for Gnat Booty Music administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Organized Noize Music and Hitco Music administered by Bug Music, Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Mutant Mindframe Music administered by Primary Wave Music Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Gettin’ Grown”
Words and music by Thomas Callaway, Gaelle Adisson, and Eric Stamile. Copyright © 2002 Chrysalis Songs (BMI)/God Given Music (BMI). All rights administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“El Dorado Sunrise (Super Chicken)”
Words and music by Thomas Callaway. Copyright © 2002 Chrysalis Music Ltd. and God Given Music (BMI). All rights in the U.S. and Canada administered by Chrysalis Songs. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Crazy”
Words and music by Brian Burton, Thomas Callaway, GianPiero Reverberi, and GianFranco Reverberi. Copyright © 2006 Chrysalis Music Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd. and Universal Music Publishing Ricordi Srl. All rights for Chrysalis Music Ltd. administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd. in the U.S. and Canada administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights for Universal Music Publishing Ricordi Srl in the U.S. and Canada administered by Killer Tracks. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Contains a sample of “Last Men Standing” by GianPiero Reverberi and GianFranco Reverberi. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Who Cares”
Words and music by Brian Burton, Thomas Callaway, and Keith Mansfield. Copyright © 2006 Chrysalis Music Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd. and KPM Music Ltd. All rights for Chrysalis Music Ltd. in the U.S. and Canada administered by Chrysalis Music. All rights for Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd. in the U.S. and Canada administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights for KPM Music Ltd. in the U.S. and Canada controlled and administered by EMI April Music Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Contains elements of “Mono Ski” written by Keith Mansfield. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Fuck You”
Words and music by Bruno Mars, Ari Levine, Philip Lawrence, Thomas Callaway, and Brody Brown. Copyright © 2010 Mars Force Music (ASCAP), Bughouse (ASCAP), Toy Plane Music (ASCAP), Art for Art’s Sake Music (ASCAP), Chrysalis Songs (BMI) o/b/o Chrysalis Songs Ltd. (PRS), God Given Music (BMI), Roc Nation Music (ASCAP), Music Famamanem (ASCAP), Westside Independent Music Publishing, LLC (ASCAP), Late 80’s Music (ASCAP), Northside Independent Music Publishing LLC (ASCAP), and Thou Art the Hunger (ASCAP). All rights for Mars Force Music, Bughouse, Toy Plane Music, and Art for Art’s Sake Music administered by Bug Music Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Chrysalis Songs and God Given Music administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Roc Nation Music and Music Famamanem administered by EMI April Music Inc. All rights for Late 80’s Music controlled and administered by Westside Independent Music Publishing, LLC. All rights for Thou Art the Hunger controlled and administered by Northside Independent Music Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Dope Fiend Beat”
Words and music by Todd Shaw. Copyright © 1989 Universal Music—Z Songs and Srand Music. All rights controlled and administered by Universal Music—Z Songs. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“I Didn’t Ask to Come”
Words and music by Patrick Brown, Raymon Murray, Rico Wade, Brandon Bennett, Robert Barnett, Thomas Burton, Cameron Gipp, Willie Knighton, Frederick Bell, and Antwan Patton. Copyright © 1995 Organized Noize Music (BMI), Hitco Music (BMI), EMI April Music Inc. (ASCAP), Big Sexy Music (ASCAP), Brown Branches and Green Bottles Music (BMI), Mutant Mindframe Music (BMI), T Mo 2 Music (BMI), and God Given Music (BMI). All rights for Organized Noize Music and Hitco Music administered by Bug Music, Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Big Sexy Music administered by EMI April Music Inc. All rights for Brown Branches and Green Bottles Music, Mutant Mindframe Music, and T Mo 2 Music administered by Primary Wave Music Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Free “
&n
bsp; Words and music by Patrick Brown, Raymon Murray, Rico Wade, and Thomas Callaway. Copyright © 1995 Organized Noize Music (BMI), Hitco Music, (BMI) and God Given Music (BMI). All rights for Organized Noize Music and Hitco Music administered by Bug Music, Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Guess Who”
Words and music by Robert Barnett, Thomas Burton, Cameron Gipp, and Willie Knighton. Copyright © 1995 Organized Noize Music (BMI), Hitco Music (BMI), Brown Branches and Green Bottles Music (BMI), Mutant Mindframe Music (BMI), T Mo 2 Music (BMI), and God Given Music (BMI). All rights for Organized Noize Music and Hitco Music administered by Bug Music, Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Brown Branches and Green Bottles Music, Mutant Mindframe Music, and T Mo 2 Music administered by Primary Wave Music Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Is That You God”
Words and Music by Thomas Callaway. Copyright © 2012 Chrysalis Songs, God Given Music (BMI). All rights for Chrysalis Songs and God Given Music administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Beautiful Skin”
Words and music by Robert Barnett, Thomas Burton, Cameron Gipp, Willie Knighton, and Craig Love. Copyright © 1998 Chrysalis Songs, Goodie Mo’b Music Inc, EMI Blackwood Music, Inc., Swizole Music, and C’amore Music. All rights for Chrysalis Songs and Goodie Mo’b Music Inc. administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Swizole Music and C’amore Music controlled and administered by EMI Blackwood Music Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Fight To Win”
Words and music by Thomas Callaway, Mike Hartnett, Robert Barnett, Cameron Gipp, and Willie Knighton. Copyright © 2012 Chrysalis Songs, God Given Music (BMI), Mike Hartnett Music Publishing, Elijahwins (BMI), Zagga Music (BMI), Joog Central Publishing (BMI), and Panache Publishing Unlimited (BMI). All rights for Chrysalis Songs and God Given Music administered by Chrysalis Music Group Inc., a BMG Chrysalis company. All rights for Mike Hartnett Music Publishing administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing. All rights for Elijahwins, Zagga Music, Joog Central Publishing, and Panache Publishing Unlimited administered by Primary Wave Music Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted with permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
To receive special offers, bonus content, and news about our latest ebooks and apps, sign up for our newsletters.
Sign Up
Or visit us at hachettebookgroup.com/newsletters
For more about this book and author, visit Bookish.com.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Welcome
INTRODUCTION
The Chronicle of a Crazy Child Who Found His Voice
CHAPTER ONE
Gettin’ Grown in the Dirty South
CHAPTER TWO
Crime and Punishment, or Chickenhead Goes to Military School
CHAPTER THREE
The Very Fresh Prince of the Dirty South
CHAPTER FOUR
Out of My Mind and into the Dungeon Family
CHAPTER FIVE
Getting Up and Getting Out: Endings and Beginnings
CHAPTER SIX
A Self-Civilized Man Meets His Match and Our Mob Breaks Apart
CHAPTER SEVEN
Perfect Imperfections: A Soul Machine Goes So Lo
CHAPTER EIGHT
A “Crazy” Great Odd Couple and Our Gnarly Trip to the Top
CHAPTER NINE
How to Make Friends and Influence People by Singing “Fuck You”
CHAPTER TEN
The Voices in My Head and The Voice on the Screen
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A Prodigal Son Comes Home and Atlanta Goes Green
Acknowledgments
Photos
Permissions
Newsletters
Copyright
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by CeeLo Green IP Holding, LLC
Cover design by Flag
Cover copyright © 2013 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Grand Central Publishing
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
hachettebookgroup.com
twitter.com/grandcentralpub
First ebook edition: September 2013
Grand Central Publishing is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
The Grand Central Publishing name and logo is a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
The Hachette Speakers Bureau provides a wide range of authors for speaking events. To find out more, go to www.hachettespeakersbureau.com or call (866) 376-6591.
The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
ISBN 978-1-4555-1668-1