CeeLo Green

Thomas DeCarlo Callaway-Burton, known professionally as CeeLo Green, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor. He gained initial prominence in 1991 as a member of the Southern hip-hop group Goodie Mob. He later launched a solo recording career and co-founded the musical duo Gnarls Barkley alongside producer Danger Mouse. Green is recognized for his soul-infused delivery in R&B and hip hop, highlighted by major hit singles including "Crazy" and "Fuck You" (also released as "Forget You").

Green was born on May 30, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia. Both of his parents worked as firefighters. His father passed away when Green was two years old, and he spent part of his youth attending Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia. Green began his musical training in church. When he was 16, his mother was paralyzed in a car accident, and she died two years later in 1993. Green drew from these personal losses in his songwriting throughout his career.

As the youngest member of Goodie Mob alongside Big Gipp, T-Mo, and Khujo, Green contributed to the group's early work within the Atlanta rap collective Dungeon Family. Goodie Mob released their acclaimed debut album, Soul Food, in 1995, followed by Still Standing in 1998. Green departed the group around 1999 to sign with Arista Records as a solo artist. He released his solo debut album, Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, in 2002, followed by Cee-Lo Green... Is the Soul Machine in 2004, which debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Album chart.

In 2003, Green teamed with Danger Mouse to form Gnarls Barkley. Their 2006 breakout single, "Crazy," achieved wide commercial success, peaking in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one on the UK singles chart solely through digital download sales. The duo released their debut studio album, St. Elsewhere, in 2006, followed by their second album, The Odd Couple, in 2008.

Green resumed his solo career with his third studio album, The Lady Killer, released in 2010. The funk-inspired album featured the lead single "Fuck You", which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, entered the top ten across 13 countries, and earned a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Green subsequently released three additional solo studio albums: Cee Lo's Magic Moment (2012), Heart Blanche (2015), and CeeLo Green Is Thomas Callaway (2020), as well as two reunion albums with Goodie Mob: Age Against the Machine (2013) and Survival Kit (2020).

Beyond recording music, Green served as a judge and coach on four seasons of the American reality television competition The Voice between 2011 and 2013. He voiced Murray the Mummy in the 2012 animated feature film Hotel Transylvania and starred in his own television series, CeeLo Green's The Good Life. He has also appeared in commercial campaigns for brands including 7 Up, Duracell, M&M's, and TYKU. Across his musical projects, Green has won five Grammy Awards, a BET Award, a Billboard Music Award, and a Brit Award.