Cee-Lo

Cee Lo -- the ATL g*ngb*nger turned agit-prop rapper turned spiritual soulman turned indie trickster -- is one of hip-hop's most unlikely supermen. His artistic integrity and personal gravitas have allowed him to create timeless art while adjusting to the genre's ever changing terrain. His songs can be noir mood pieces, funky rev-ups, gospel hymnals or edgy confessionals. "Soul Food," "Young Man" and "Growing Up" find the spiritual in the mundane and the rapture in the struggle. These songs are among the most poignant in the Southern hip-hop cannon.