And… If you want to see “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of A Decade” in your city, scroll down and hit the “DEMAND IT” button on the right side of this page. Thanks for your support.

After the screening at the Landmark Art Cinemas, a text from Senor Kaos to “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade” director, Jason Orr read, “Truly amazing movie!” As well as the like of James Brown’s daughter, Yamma Brown, texting “The film was great!” and Jazz trumpeter, Joey Summerville chimed in saying “This is a GREAT movie… not just good!” Red Pill said it was “Monumental and inspiring!” Cast member, Ray Murray (Organized Noize) said after watching it that he felt “glad to be a part of greatness…. the history involved is what’s so fascinating.”

If you want to see this dynamic movie again or have an exclusive screening in your city, hit the “DEMAND IT!” widget on the right of this page so that we can quantify your “demand” and take this movie, the history, the message and the vibration to another level for the world to see.

The Red Carpet….April Love and Jason Orr (Photo: Troy Strong)

Jason Orr and Craig Love (Soul Of Earth) (Photo: Troy Strong)

Joey Summerville and Jason Orr (Photo: Troy Strong)

The Horne Brothers and Wonder Mike (Sugar Hill Gang)

The Q & A…..

Thanks again to the Atlanta Film Festival and all who came.

It features top British soul pioneers who also appear in our film, “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)” like Caron Wheeler, Jazzie B (Soul II Soul), Carl McIntosh (Loose Ends), Brand New Heavies and many more. The full documentary is below. Enjoy! ….and let us know what you think about it.

About Soul Britannia from BBC:
Soul Britannia is a major new music series that examines the dynamic impact of black American and Caribbean sounds on British music – and on the very fabric of our society. From the 1950s to the present day, Soul Britannia investigates vinyl obsessions, Soul dancing, imitation, innovation – and much more.  Series Producer/Director: Jeremy Marre

Episode 1: I Feel Good (This is only a short intro) [Duration video 1 is 9:12, video 2 is 3:00]
With soul as its guiding light, the first film tracks the extraordinary musical changes that post-war Britain experienced. After the staid, uptight 1950s, the UK blossomed into an all-night, neon-lit soul-athon. From groovy Soho basements to “Ready Steady Go” TV specials, the music rocked the nation through the 1960s…

The first film in the series examines how these sounds seeped into our culture via imported US vinyl, the music West Indian immigrants brought with them and the electric performances of touring American soul bands. Our traditional reserve was soon broken down. In fact, the impact on the British – from London night spots to Welsh valleys, Newcastle music halls to the Belfast docks – was quite devastating. And it made bright young things like Georgie Fame, Eric Burdon and Van Morrison feel extremely good, permeating their own musical output.
The growing mass of Sixties Mods also embraced black music and helped popularize transatlantic sounds in the UK. They championed former American GI, Geno Washington, and Jamaican expatriate, Jimmy James, who became our very own soul stars. Dusty Springfield, too, dominated the charts and disseminated her love of Motown across the UK via TV specials.
As the Sixties progressed, soul moved from the British underground into mainstream society, becoming a meeting point for black and white, a catalyst for cultural and sexual exchanges. This passion for Afro-American and Caribbean music – and our interpretation of them – created a fertile bed out of which an original British soul sound would grow in the 1970s and beyond.

Key Artists featured in this episode include Elton John, Van Morrison, Tom Jones, Solomon Burke, Mick Hucknall, Eric Burdon, Sam Moore, Georgie Fame, Jimmy James, Geno Washington, and Julie Driscoll.

MORE VIDEOS BELOW:
Episode 2: Soul Rebels [Duration 59:47]
The second film in the Soul Britannia series moves from the heady go-go nights of the Sixties to the more complex racial and musical times of the Seventies and Eighties…

Although black American and Caribbean sounds and style became increasingly evident in our society, the British desire for the rare, the obscure and the downright soulful continued with the same intensity.
Amidst the dreariness of north England, white working class youth reinvented their lives at Northern Soul all-nighters, dancing to forgotten black American soul singles from the 1960s. Down South, as Mods metamorphosed into skinheads, this cult focused more on Caribbean sounds – ska, rocksteady and reggae. They jerked to these itchy Jamaican rhythms in youth clubs from Catford to Croydon, Dagenham to Deptford.

But it wasn’t just the fans who sought out the new, the fresh and the vital. UK musicians were now breaking away from the imitative British soul sounds of the 1960s to create startling music of their own. Cymande, an 8-piece band of West Indian immigrants, mixed reggae and funk with breathtaking originality – but the British soul public couldn’t handle it coming from the UK. Like them, the Scottish Average White Band also achieved their greatest triumphs in the States. It was the Real Thing whose huge number one classic, “You To Me Are Everything,” over the summer of ’76, showed the British public that indigenous soul was now a major contender.

But the apolitical strains of that hit were soon drowned out by the rioting at 1976′s Notting Hill Carnival. As race relations intensified in the second half of the 1970s, British Jamaican music reflected this. UK sound systems criticized Babylon the oppressor. Even the Clash got a reggae fix and threw a rude boy pose. Although the sweet soulful sounds of Lovers Rock emerged as an antidote to the racial politics, up in Coventry the Specials decided to go back to go forward – mixing Sixties ska with a punk attitude to create the multi-racial 2-Tone phenomenon.

In the early ’80s, soulfulness also surfaced with increasing regularity in great British pop bands – Dexys, Culture Club, Simply Red – whose lead singers had thrived on black music during their teens. Simultaneously, UK soul acts like Eddy Grant, Imagination and Loose Ends grew in originality and popularity as they capitalized on the struggles of their predecessors.
But into Britain’s growing mid-1980s racial melting pot, a new technology and fresh musical culture – hip-hop – was about to burst. It would change the sound of British soul forever, allowing us to attain unprecedented, innovative heights and achieve a global reputation.

Key Artists featured in this episode include Pete Townshend, Paul Weller, Boy George, Kevin Rowland, Mick Hucknall, Lee John and Beverley Knight.

Episode 3: Keep on Movin’ [Duration 59:37]
Soul was in a state of flux in the mid-1980′s. British pop-soul was certainly growing into a global force: Sade conquered the world’s coffee tables and solo George Michael demonstrated a far deeper understanding of R & B than was ever expected from a man last seen in tight shorts…

But the majority of ’80s soul was too slick and all rather “Miami Vice.” What happened to the passion, the sugar-sweet rawness? In a classic British move, we looked back to move forwards. At Jazzie B’s “Africa Centre,” Barrie K Sharpe’s “Cat In The Hat” and illegal London warehouse parties, a multi-racial crowd shook to black American funk & soul sounds from the late ’60s and early ’70s. Similar to Northern Soul a decade earlier, “rare groove” was all about fetishizing vinyl and grooving to undiscovered classics.

Out of this subterranean scene climbed a host of fresh UK talent. Principally, it was Soul II Soul who mixed sound system culture with hip-hop, soul and British pride. The world was theirs, although, the Brit Awards refused to acknowledge their global success.

Other funky multi-racial acts followed in Soul II Soul’s wake – the Brand New Heavies and Young Disciples. Like these bands, Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay was also part of the rare groove scene. Drawing on the Seventies music of Stevie Wonder and Roy Ayers he created a creamy soul-funk sound that captivated millions. M-People also brought soulfulness to the masses with tracks like “Moving On Up.” New Labour grabbed it as a campaign anthem. British soul was now good for you – it helped win elections.

But not all was rosy in the UK soul garden. Solo artists working in the classic tradition, like Mica Paris, Beverley Knight and Omar, still struggled to get their dues despite their prodigious talents. The British audience still hadn’t learned to cultivate its own.

Those embracing sampling, sound system culture and hip-hop were more fortunate than these traditionalists. Bristol’s Massive Attack used these very ingredients as the bedrock to their cinematic soul. So too did the Junglists and Drum N’ Bass brigade, utilizing the same tools to fashion a frenetic new urban soundscape.

Nonetheless, British hip-hop suffered until it learnt to stop imitating American gangsta-rappers and focus on UK issues and our Jamaican connection. Crucially, it was dropping a little reggae in the mix that helped give British hip-hop – from Roots Manuva to Skinnyman – its identity and originality.

At the dawn of the millennium, UK soul-inspired sounds exploded into a thousand different shapes – from Ms Dynamite to Corinne Bailey Rae, Joss Stone to Amy Winehouse, Lemar to Lethal Bizzle. Currently in a rude state of health, British 21st Century soul is a result of our unique multicultural society. Over 40 years, we’re moved from a nation of fans and imitators to one of black and white musicians creating original, cutting edge music. We’ve traveled from segregation to integration, as black American and Jamaican cultures have been embraced and become entwined with English life, changing our society forever. You get me?

Key Artists featured in this episode include Amy Winehouse, Omar, Mica Paris, Lemar, Beverley Knight, Joss Stone, Jazzie B and Roots Manuva.

IF THE LINKS ABOVE ARE GONE, TRY THESE:

EPISODE 2
Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (1/7)

Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (2/7)

Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (3/7)

Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (4/7)

Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (5/7)

Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (6/7)

Soul Britannia – Episode 2 (7/7)

When asked how the addition of Chuck D. came to be,  Orr mentions “It wasn’t in my plans for this film to have narration outside of my own voice but its definitely a blessing to have Chuck D so we made it work to the advantage of the film and add another classic credit to his body of work.  Chuck, Professor Griff and myself were having dinner and Chuck asked me to let him narrate it. I didn’t hear him for the first few times thinking he wasn’t serious and that I must be hearing things, he can’t be asking me this. Then I asked him when did he have time to do it, he gave me a date and we met up and recorded the the narrative parts just like that. Very professional and fun. It was another awesome experience producing this film and in my life!”.

Chuck D. also appears in the movie as a cast member along with Public Enemy partner, Professor Griff, Cee Lo, Dick Gregory, Cornel West, Roy Ayers, Erykah Badu, Jamie Foxx, Dallas Austin, Caron Wheeler, Larry Mizell, George Clinton, Joi Gilliam, Jill Scott, Raphael Saadiq, Lil’ John Roberts, The Chronicle, Goodie Mob, Doug E. Fresh, Janelle Monae, Meshell Ndegeocello, Omar Lye-Fook, MC Lyte, Talib Kweli, Common, Jamal Ahmad, Anthony David, Van Hunt, Ray Murray, Andre 3000, N’Dea Davenport, Algebra, LeRonde Williams, Kevin Powell, Loose Ends, Bilal, Dionne Farris, Khari Simmons, Eric Roberson, Donnie, Lady Alma, Bone Crusher, Sticman of Dead Prez, DJ Kemit and Speech.

Your next chance to see the newly re-edited version of “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)” with Chuck D’s narration will be:

- Atlanta Film Festival (Official Selection)

Date: March 26,2012 / 8:45 / Landmark Midtown Art Cinema – Midtown Promenade (931 Monroe Dr. NE)

- Washington DC Screening, Cramton Auditorium
(Tickets not on sale yet)

Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2012

- Atlanta Jazz Festival Screening, (Tickets not on sale yet)

Date: May 2012

FunkJazz Kafé®: DIARY OF A DECADE (The Story Of A Movement) [Extended Movie Trailer]

By D. Whitby / Photos: A. Davis

The Los Angeles premier of “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)” was screened at the Pan-African Film Festival on Friday, February 17, at the Rave Cinemas Theater in Baldwin Hills Plaza, kicking off a six city film tour. This was a one night exclusive screening of the film that gave viewers the opportunity to be introduced to the FunkJazz Kafé Arts & Music Festival brand; which has impacted a generation for over 18 years since it’s inception in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Left to right: Jason Orr, Laurnae Wilkerson, Joi Gilliam and Asya Shein)

The theater was filled with an array of curious spectators, critics, and attendees that consisted of filmmakers, music lovers, screen writers, playwrights, and cultural arts enthusiasts from around the world; along with notables in the entertainment industry, such as Jennifer Hudson, Sean Combs, Russ Parr, Melvin Van Peeples, Meagan Good, Loretta Devine, Pharoah Sanders, Eva Marcille, Keith Washington, Bill Duke, Ne-yo, Serena Williams, Kenny Leon, The Horne Brothers, Kevin Hart and many other actors. Director, Writer, and Producer of “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of A Decade”, Jason Orr, was informed by officials from the Pan-African Film Festival that there was a buzz already in the air the entire week. This buzz helped generate an interest from not only from the viewers; however from the media including Access Hollywood, Nu-Soul Magazine, Blog Talk Radio/The Empowerment Hour, Fusicology, Giant Steps, Clutch Magazine,  Basement Soul, EUR Web, Blackfilm.com, Unprogrammedminds Magazine and The Mother Love Show (which is a huge staple in the LA community).

(“The Start Of Dreams” Director, Tyson Horne and  “The Start Of Dreams” star, Kenny Leon)

Orr arrived to Rave Cinemas with soul music legend Larry Mizell and his family as they entered the theater where “Diary of A Decade” was shown. An anticipated diverse crowd of all ages, were already in their seats waiting patiently for the film to begin. Orr gave a brief introduction about the film to the audience before the start of the film. Two-hours later, the theater lights were turned on and Orr was welcomed again to a unanimous applause, cheers, and singing, from a joyful audience. Followed by the film credits was the Q & A, which is normally 20 minutes for most screenings; however, this screening was an hour long as everyone from the audience was eager to express themselves and give admiration to the film and Orr for making this possible.

(Jason Orr at “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of A Decade” Los Angeles Q&A)

Others gave gratitude to the conception of FunkJazz Kafé Arts & Music Festival and how important it is to expose the community and the world to “Diary of A Decade” due to its “historical”, “sophisticated” impact and legacy with soul music. Journalist Keiko Tsukada (Kokosoul) from Japan, commented on the “worldly” impact FunkJazz Kafé Arts & Music Festival has had in Japan, especially when international soul singer Toshi Kubota was featured at the festival in the mid nineties. Lady Paulette, producer of the feature film “The Story of Lover’s Rock” gave praise to Orr describing his film as “Brilliant from beginning to end!”.  Jonathan Rudnick, Giant Step Co-founder, said it’s “a truly uplifting celebration of FunkJazz Kafé and the whole soul community’s quest for unity through music.”

(Jason Orr at “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of A Decade” Los Angeles Q&A)

The inspired audience continued to give their comments and questions to Orr until the theater lights went dark again, only this time as a signal to coerce the crowd to exit given the Q & A was proceeding past an hour. Orr thanked everyone for attending including acknowledging the notables that were in the audience, music legend Larry Mizell, “Daughters of the Dust” Director, Julie Dash, “Diary Of A Decade” cast member Joi Gilliam, Aysa Shein from Fusicology, Jonathan Rudnick Co-founder of Giant Step, Sonja Marie, Aaron Davis, Khalfani Rushiddin, and Laurnea Wilkerson, from music group Arrested Development; as well as thanking the Pan-African Film Festival Executive Producer, Ayuko Babu, and Founders, Danny Glover and Ja’Net DuBois.

Here’s a interview on “The Empowerment Hour” with Producer, Writer and Director, Jason Orr.

Interviewed by Kermit Eady covering the 2012 Pan African Film Festival:

Fast forward to 32:24 To hear Jason Orr’s interview.

]]> http://funkjazzkafe.com/2012/02/21/funkjazz-kafe-diary-of-a-decade-makes-an-impression-on-hollywood/feed/ 1 http://funkjazzkafe.com/2012/01/23/%e2%80%9cfunkjazz-kafe-diary-of-a-decade-the-story-of-a-movement%e2%80%9d-selected-for-10th-atlanta-film-festival/ http://funkjazzkafe.com/2012/01/23/%e2%80%9cfunkjazz-kafe-diary-of-a-decade-the-story-of-a-movement%e2%80%9d-selected-for-10th-atlanta-film-festival/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:25:40 +0000 FJK Admin http://funkjazzkafe.com/?p=1259

As we said before, we’re in that season for film festivals responding to our submissions and the 2012 Atlanta Film Festival has selected “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)” as a documentary feature for their 2012 festival.

For Atlanta residents, this is another opportunity for those of you who haven’t seen this documentary of classic American music and culture. The Atlanta Film Festival takes place March 23 -April 1, 2012. The screening date for “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)” is March 26th, 8:45pm at the Landmark Midtown 8 Theater (next to Trader Joe’s).

HERE’S THE TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of a Decade

Words: Christopher A. Daniel, Contributing Writer
(Follow on Twitter: @ Journalistorian or find me on Facebook)

In a musical and cultural landscape constantly bombarded with mediocre talent,
frequent transitions and time sensitive careers, lifestyle visionary; organizer;
humanitarian and soul crusader Jason Orr knew 17 years ago that soul is a timeless
artifact with no such expiration date.

So Oliver Stone’s funk ‘n soul alter ego concocted the ultimate forum known as
FunkJazz Kafé (FJK) — Atlanta’s landmark antithesis to the 808-laden quad and bass
tracks, the slick and syrupy Organized Noize-produced sound, the LaFace Records
musical monopoly, Dallas Austin’s prolific pop appeal and the abundant Jermaine Dupri-
produced charted singles. His legacy and cultural production work is now the subject
of a remarkable documentary, FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of a Decade – The Story of a
Movement.

Heralded as one of the most memorable yet remarkable festivals of our time since its
1994 inception, FJK is an otherworldly journey to Atlantis where one could experience
then cutting edge artists like Goodie M.O.B. (who Orr notes is the inspiration behind the
film in the first place), Jill Scott (who opens the film), Me’shell N’degeocello, OutKast,
Bilal, Eric Roberson, Janelle Monae (who closes the feature during the ending credits)
and Donnie or even established acts like Raphael Saadiq, Public Enemy, Dionne Farris,
Loose Ends or Joi breaking out in improvised sets (or even just hangin’ out with the rest
of the audience). On top of the memorable (and endless) musical mystery tours, Orr
offers other vehicles: visual artists, health and wellness specialists, healers, dancers
and culinary artists. Seeing FJK’s house band, The Chronicle, and FJK’s logo – the
piano etched within the caption along with blueprints of the stage — come to life are just
added bonuses. It’s quite surreal. To say that FJK is a magic carpet ride would be an
understatement!

At its best, FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of a Decade – an ironic title in nature — becomes a combined
candid history lesson, an Ivy League musical theory and appreciation course, Black
music ethnomusicology, impressive critical and cultural studies research, a landmark
Emmy (and Peabody Award-savvy) PBS special, an intense genealogical study and an
nostalgic investigation through any of our parents (or grandparents’) album collections
(not to mention, Orr does this a lot of justice throughout the film). In many cases a fine
investigative journalism piece, Orr magnificently manages to analyze and introduce the
audience to black music subgenres and cultural work undergoing just as many drastic
changes as the four seasons: in some cases going virtually under the radar. An avid

fan of bands and musicians at the prime of their careers throughout the 1970s and ‘80s,
Orr visually develops the blueprint before our very eyes that captures this curiosity and
longing. Considering many of this generation’s forefathers and pioneering voices make
the argument that no one stands for anything of substance, Orr defies these odds to
resurrect such an impulse.

“Everything’s so packaged,” he says. “We didn’t want everything necessarily to be

so packaged. We didn’t subscribe to categories like neo-soul. Corporations did that.
That’s the kind of talent we have here, and that’s something to be proud of. They need
a place to go and to cultivate it, and that’s what I’ve created. My vision was to enrich the
community globally. ”

In the ever-evolving fertile land of black music, Orr is soul’s answer to Benjamin
Banneker. FJK’s brainchild knows balance in his airtime. From the influences of James
Brown (considered in one segment to be “the Bible of Music”), George Clinton, Roy
Ayers, Sly Stone and the infancy of hip hop culture all setting the tone for what was to
come, transAtlantic influences such as Loose Ends (who Orr actually tracks down in
London on camera after a 13 year hiatus from performing), Fela Kuti, Omar and Brand
New Heavies become a part of the conversation on camera. In the midst of seeing
Orr’s name and the FJK brand manifest, external forces and issues surrounding white
supremacy, commercialism, corporate self-interest, record company politics, agenda
setting, commodification, the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, music genre categorization (i.e
urban alternative, alternative hip hop and neo-soul) and the Internet and technological
determinism segues into the dialogue: further establishing how soul music and culture
are continuously tested and faces playing victim to potential genocide.

Craig Love, Diary of a Decade’s associate producer and musical cohort in their
offspring – Soul Of Earth, emphasizes that Orr is quite a thorough brother unlike any
other. “It’s easy for people to figure out how to take the shortest – the easy route,”
he says. “There’s no foundation in that. The end product will be bigger. He got really

focused on what he needed to do, and I saw him detoxify his environment to make
something like FunkJazz Kafé happen. Atlanta is so much more well-rounded than what
you see in the mainstream. It runs fast and most people don’t have the patience to let
that other side shine, and Jason cares enough to show everyone else.”

Orr is our hero – relying on the commentaries, explications and candid appearances
from some major talent and voices: Dr. Cornel West, Erykah Badu, Roy Ayers, Kevin
Powell, Dick Gregory, Caron Wheeler, Sticman (of Dead Prez), Anthony David, Dallas
Austin, Andre 3000, Common, MC Lyte, Talib Kweli, Chuck D., Joi Gilliam, Ray Murray
(of Organized Noize), Dionne Farris, Jamie Foxx, Lil’ John Roberts, N’Dea Davenport,
Doug E. Fresh, Cee-Lo Green, Vinnie Bernard, Professor Griff, Speech (of Arrested

Development), Jamal Ahmad and Orr (of course).

For those of us that never had such an opportunity to see FJK in its fullest dimensions,
Diary of a Decade is an amazing saga that does not fail to bring one up to speed. “You
got a mass body of people who feel a part of something,” he says. “They really feel

ownership – an emotional tie to something they truly believe in. They support it and
stay with it. That’s an honor. Different people like different things about it. You got more
than one discipline of the arts to get involved with. When you do that, you get so many
people subscribing to what you’re doing. You want to stay with that or learn more about
it.”

I state in another review on FJK: Diary of a Decade for the UK’s premier black music
publication, Blues & Soul Magazine, that Orr – who I also proclaim in type is a social
theorist, genius and modern day organizer whose purpose is to give people something
unique and memorable — proves without a shadow of a doubt that soul music is not
genre specific. Let alone, FJK is a once-in-a-lifetime experience be imitated, duplicated
or revised even if attempted; this will always hold as my stance on Orr’s contributions to
Atlanta, film, music, the community and last but not least — soul.

It’s been four years since the last installment of FJK, and “the Oliver Stone of funk” is
still optimistic about his future. “Let’s see how the tape ends. I’m still in the adventure.

This is the thing you do to bring more credibility and credence to the brand so that
people will have a different understanding of what it is. I hope people will visit the
website (www.funkjazzkafe.com), leave comments and let me know what they’re
thoughts are.”

]]> http://funkjazzkafe.com/2012/01/10/%e2%80%9cfunkjazz-kafe-diary-of-a-decade-the-story-of-a-movement%e2%80%9d-gets-a-stellar-review-in-total-eclipse-magazine/feed/ 0 http://funkjazzkafe.com/2011/12/20/funkjazz-kafe-diary-of-a-decade-the-story-of-a-movement-accepted-into-the-2012-pan-african-film-festival/ http://funkjazzkafe.com/2011/12/20/funkjazz-kafe-diary-of-a-decade-the-story-of-a-movement-accepted-into-the-2012-pan-african-film-festival/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:24:04 +0000 FJK Admin http://funkjazzkafe.com/?p=1219 Film festival responses are coming in and we’re proud to say that our highly anticipated movie, “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)” has been selected for the 2012 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA. We will be screening the movie at Rave Cinemas 15 at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza on February 17, 2012. The PAFF is February 9-20, 2012. More info to come. We may even have a panel of the cast following the screening just as we did at the sneak preview screening during this years National Black Arts Festival (SEE IT HERE).

Question is…. who’s coming to Los Angeles with us? Can you say “FJK – LA”? ; )

Come be a part of history!

Here’s the trailer to help inspire your decision:

Cee Lo breaking it down just like he does in “Diary Of A Decade”. It’s an awesome story and we love to hear it every time. Enjoy!

Here’s a link to the GQ ARTICLE.

(Photo from Straight From The “A”)

(Photo from Straight From The “A”)

(Photo from Straight From The “A”)

GQ Magazine interview transcript:

It’s a very punk rock story: From a basement crawl space in Southwest Atlanta, ten men, barely out of their teens, put Southern hip-hop on the map, coining the term “The Dirty South” and giving rise to one of the unlikeliest (and surely the funkiest) pop sensations of the 2000s, OutKast. Yet as things have shaken out, the most consistently culturally relevant member of The Dungeon Family hasn’t been Big Boi or even André 3000. Instead, it’s the short, round, and mercurial genius known as Cee Lo Green. In the ’90s, he was the raspy-voiced member of The Goodie Mob, a politically-charged hip-hop quartet that remains a beloved secret of hardcore rap fans everywhere. These days, you can find him shaking a tailfeather with Christina Aguilera on NBC’s hit talent show The Voice. It is to Green’s credit that throughout his many-layered career—let’s not forget Gnarls Barkley, and a solo career that spawned the hit song “Fuck You”—he has always simply been himself, allowing an audience to slowly and steadily find him. Here, we talk to Cee Lo about the early days of The Dungeon Family—and try to get some clarity about new albums by Goodie Mob and OutKast.
GQ: How did you come to be a part of the Dungeon Family?
Cee Lo: I’ve known André since the third grade. We lost each other for a few years, then reconnected in 10th grade. We were both dropouts and ended up at an alternative school together. I think he was already in a group with Big [Boi]. I forgot Big’s first rap name, I think he was going by Twan. And André’s name was Jhazz.

GQ: What about you?
Cee Lo: My first rap name was Ralo. Because my first name is Carlos. I likened myself to what Busta Rhymes was doing when he first came out. And what Onyx did when they first came out—they reminded me of me. There was a kinship, a connection to what we call “grimy.” My forte as a young man was storytelling. Slick Rick was one of my idols. I remember introducing Big and Dré to DJ Win, back when I was part of a group called G.A. Style. I produced some of the first OutKast stuff. Dre gave me a bunch of albums and I used to do pause button tapes. You know what those are?

GQ: Yeah. You use the pause button to make loops when all you have is two tape decks.
Cee Lo: Exactly. I made Dré pause button tapes. Then one day Big and Dré came by wearing LaFace Records T-shirts. They said they were about to get signed to LaFace and a production team called Organized Noize. But at the time, I was loyal to DJ Win and this group we had, G.A. Style. So anyway, one day I was at the mall, and I recognized this guy Marquez from a group called UBoys that [Dungeon Family founder] Rico Wade was involved with. Marquez was at the pay phone, and my homeboy went up to him and said, “He sing and rap.” So I sang and rapped for him. He said, “I like your singing better than your rapping.” Then he said, “I’m trying to call over to the Dungeon. They’re not answering the phone, but I’m sure it’s just because the music is up too loud.” He needed a ride over there so we took him. We went in the Dungeon and Sleepy Brown was there and Big Rube was there and Sugar Bear and Mone, of course—he was the gate-keeper back then, Moni Mone. So I sang for them and rapped for them and everybody thought it was cool. Then Rico walked in with Big and Dré. Dré got real excited like, “That’s my man Cee Lo I told you about, who do them real good story raps.” So they had been talking about me. Then the next thing you know, Khujo and T-Mo showed up. And to this day T-Mo’s parents stay a street over from my grandmother’s house, where I grew up. We are brothers. I’ve known him since I was in nursery school. And then Khujo was there; Khujo was known for being a brawler. That’s big ‘Jo. That’s triple O.G., you know what I’m saying? Then Gipp pulls up, and Gipp was jumping out a Cadillac, wearing a white lab jacket, because at the time he was attending beauty school, to do hair and all that kind of stuff [laughs].

GQ: Where’d Gipp get that Cadillac from?
Cee Lo: I don’t know where he got that ‘Lac from. But in all the original OutKast promo pictures, that ‘Lac you see is Gipp’s car. The Dungeon just felt like home. I already knew everybody there. And it wasn’t long until that’s where I lived. It’s a very hardcore story. We hardly ever showered. We wasn’t doing nothing but sitting around all day making music and smoking. I probably wouldn’t shower for a week at a time—and I’m glad I can say that now because it’s a testimony.

GQ: Set the scene for me. What’d the Dungeon look like?
Cee Lo: The front of the house was well manicured, but we always entered on the side right by the garage and the torn down basketball goal. That and Rico’s old Chevy Blazer. Back in the day, that was the truck to have. But it was broken down and parked on the side of the house. The Dungeon was just a crawl space with a bench that held a stack of blankets. Everybody would grab a blanket and sleep. Me, Big, Dré, everybody. There’d be at least twelve or thirteen of us down there.

GQ: With all you guys in the mix, how did OutKast become a formal duo, and how did Goodie Mob become a formal group?
Cee Lo: Initially, the entire crew was the Goodie Mob. Khujo and T-Mo were a group called the Goodie Mob Lumberjacks. Gipp was formally solo and I was solo. If you listen to Southernplayalistic, on “Claimin’ True” you here KP [Kawan Prather] shout out “OutKast, Goodie Mob, Big Gipp, Cee Lo…”

GQ: Oh shit, I never thought about that.
Cee Lo: And when “Git Up, Git Out” came out, I got The Source’s Rhyme of the Month, which was a very coveted thing at the time. It was basically my first try—my debut verse. It happened so quick they didn’t even have a picture of me. So suddenly there was a lot of talk about me over there, but I was new. The other guys were rightfully ahead of me. It was Rico’s idea to make Goodie Mob a compilation album. Me, Gipp, Khujo, and T-Mo. It was meant to be a springboard for us to go our own separate ways, but we ended up stumbling upon our own science, our own system. And we had a gold record as Goodie Mob.

GQ: The chemistry turned y’all into a group.
Cee Lo: Exactly.

GQ: Back in 1994, did y’all feel like you were putting the South on the map? Did y’all think about it in terms of kicking down doors?
Cee Lo: We come from so much history, so much heritage in our city, that we’re comfortable in our skin. We come from being G’s. There was something very focused about the spirit that surrounded us, that had been born in us and bestowed upon is. It felt like a mission, like civil service. More like activism than entertainment. We knew we were fighting for the civil rights of Southern hip-hop. Our attitude was strong, outspoken, articulate. We didn’t care about radio formats and such. That’s why “Git Up, Git Out” is eight minutes long.

GQ: I’m from Atlanta, and it’s hard to describe what it was like to have you guys talking about streets and neighborhoods I knew.
Cee Lo: All art stems from a place of alienation. Intimate and alone. Most people are oppressed by the opinion of others, but I was not that way. I was afraid of the repercussions of not doing what I was told to do, what I was called to do by a creator.

GQ: Let’s fast forward a bit. What is it like for you to have all these fans of Cee Lo Green who have never even heard of Goodie Mob?
Cee Lo: If people can’t see the forest from the trees—and Goodie Mob is the roots—at least they’re appreciating nature, you know what I’m saying? I had the tree from the artwork of the second Goodie Mob album tattooed on my back because the tree grows up out of the dirt. It’s a product of its environment, it grows toward the sky, it endures the four seasons, it branches out in all the different directions, it commits to the sunshine and the rain and never asks any questions. And it still gives.

GQ: Ha. That metaphor really goes far. At the GQ photo shoot, Rico Wade told me y’all are working on new albums for both OutKast and Goodie Mob. Given everything you have going on, why is it important to you to reform Goodie Mob?
Cee Lo: Because I’m a lover and a fighter. Goodie Mob is my passion, the core of me, the fight, the struggle. I’m still as much of an underdog as I ever was, and my music is still as anti-establishment as it ever was. I want to satisfy that rebel side. It’s not null and void. I’m a whole being, and I’m just coming back full circle.

GQ: So can you confirm that there’s a new Goodie Mob album in the works?
Cee Lo: Did we look like we were working together the other day?

GQ: Hell yeah you did.
Cee Lo: We’re acting bad, man. I basically consider us the new Soulsonic Force. It ain’t about doing something to pass the time. I’m talking about doing something profound. It takes time to mix that chemical quality into something compatible, for the sake of making something combustible.

GQ: At this point you might be known as much for your TV show, The Voice, as for “Crazy,” “Fuck You,” or Goodie Mob. What part of you does The Voice express?
Cee Lo: I’m a greater fan than I am a rapper. I’m a greater fan than I am a singer. I only want to rap about that beautiful black thing that is hip-hop. If it ain’t about that, I have no desire to rap. I come from a time where we didn’t say, “He can rap.” We said, “He can rhyme.” I want to get back to that, and I need Goodie Mob to do that. But I am a fan of black people, the black struggle, black music, and the extreme it can be taken to. I want to burn as a beacon of possibility. I don’t want nobody to misconstrue the commercial success I’ve had as anything other than an example of what black music is capable of. And what it’s capable of is being more than just black. I’m not black or white anymore. I’m Cee Lo Green.

Here’s the schedule:

November 2nd & 3rd
Panel Discussions
4:00pm – 5:45pm
(Receptions to follow)
Classroom South
Room 608

November 2nd
Film Screenings
7:00pm – 10:00pm
Classroom South
Rooms 608, 428 & 528

November 3rd
Film Screenings (Award Winners only)
Recognition & Award Ceremony
Classroom South
Room 608

For More Information:
404.413.1530
www.arts.gsu.edu/cencia.html

Orr will also be a panelist on the 5th annual Bronze Lens Film Festival with Honorary Co-chairs Roger Bobb and Nicole Ari-Parker.

Friday, November 11, 2011 – Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Noon – 2:00pm -  Creating A Documentary That Makes A Difference
Accomplished documentarians will share their techniques for telling a compelling story that can make a difference or enrich a viewer’s knowledge. Their work covers a range of social and cultural issues.

Panel:
Jason Orr, FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade (The Story Of A Movement)
Tyson Horne, The Horne Brothers, The Start of Dreams
Joel Calmettes, Director, Mandela in Freedom’s Name
Scott Thigpen, Crazy Legs Productions, A Powerful Noise
Kobie Brown, The Kobie Chronicles, From Fatherless to Fatherhood
Fleda Mask-Jackson, featured in “Crisis in the Crib”

Here’s a link to the full schedule of events.

Photo of Jason Orr by Shannon McCollum