Goodie Mob One Monkey Don't Stop No Show [PA]

Intital pressings include a bonus 70-minute DVD.
Personnel: Speedy (scratches).
Photographer: Mil Cannon.
While fellow Atlanta pioneers Outkast have received more massive attention, Goodie Mob were just as instrumental in the rise of the Dirty South sound. Since their first record in 1995, the classic SOUL FOOD, the group have been purveyors of witty, linguistically twisted rhymes littered with schizophrenic references cooked up by mad-genius minds, their words then layered over unusual and grimy yet melodic beats. After breaking up for a bit, the unit returns with a fourth record, ONE MONKEY DON'T STOP NO SHOW.
Despite the loss of one member, the utterly unique Cee-Lo Green, the band plays on (as the album title suggests), retaining the wondrous unpredictability and perfect balance of the raw and the playful that makes Goodie Mob so appealing. Khujo, Big Gipp, and T-Mo wax acrobatic and witty from the opening bell in an energizing style; before one classic rhyme has a chance to linger on the brain, another has unfolded. Even on slower, reflective numbers like "God I Wanna Live" and "Play Your Flutes," the flow is absolutely dizzying. The group also shines when playing straight-up tough as on "Shawty Wants To Be A Gangsta" and "Big City." ONE MONKEY DON'T STOP NO SHOW marks the welcome return of one of the best acts in the rap game.

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B