The Voice

Issue date: 9/15/08 Section: Entertainment

People nowadays scan through every frequency on the dial while being bombarded by a stagnant playlist of commercialized tunes that these stations are calling music.

One of the people stepping up to the plate on the issue is Cee-Lo Green, front man for Gnarls Barkley and former member of rap group Goodie Mob. "Let's go back to the time of challenging each other and pushing each other forward, the bar is so low it's being stepped on," Cee-Lo said. We were lucky enough to have been able to catch up with him in his tour bus after the Gnarls Barkley show at the 40 Watt Aug. 12.

Cee-lo seemed very concerned with how the music industry is working these days. "It's just that if we can shine as an example of what's possible, and then we can inspire people to demand more for themselves, and demand more from themselves as artist and as consumers," Cee-Lo said.

In order to be original and keep your music evolving, you must be an avid listener. "I listened to everything from ABC to REM, everything from Billy Joel to Billy Idol," said Cee-Lo. He stressed the point that that in order for artists to continue to move in a direction where they can make a difference they must be open-minded and willing to try new things.

It's interesting to see someone go from Southern gangsta rap to something that appeals to all walks of life. "I was a young man doing Goodie Mob, putting my best foot forward and I would say it's a continuation on that same road and journey; it's not completely different it's just an evolution," said Cee-Lo.

It's refreshing to see somebody of his musical status care about the condition that popular music is in. There was a day when popular music was original, creative and insightful-a day when popular music actually stood for something, when it carried a message to its listeners of originality, spontaneity and freedom. Now all we hear are recycled sound bytes and mindless drivel on the radio. This has caused conformity among people and now it seems it may have been years since someone in mainstream music has possessed an original thought. Popular music has lost the sincerity it once had years ago. Perhaps one day soon, more people like Cee-Lo Green will realize what has been done to music and attempt to bring about a change.

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