CeeLo Green On His Nonprofit, Video Game And Atlanta Roots

March 3rd, 2016

CeeLo Green stopped by the WABE studio to talk about his hometown roots, his nonprofit the GreenHouse Foundation and his music.

ALI GUILLORY / WABE

Before taking to the stage Thursday night in Atlanta, musician CeeLo Green stopped by the WABE and the “Closer Look” studio to talk about his southwest Atlanta hometown roots, his new video game, “CeeLo’s Joyride,” and the way he has handled his career and controversy over the years.

He also spoke with host Rose Scott about his nonprofit, the GreenHouse Foundation, which has partnered with multiple Atlanta-area schools ─ including Green’s own elementary school ─ to educate, inspire and empower children to adopt a sustainable, green lifestyle.

Green, who splits his time between Atlanta and Los Angeles, said “it feels good” to be back in Atlanta. He promised his show at Terminal West would include some hometown favorites, bringing listeners “all the way back” to Outkast’s 1994 release “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.” Asked if he would ever return in concert with his fellow Dungeon Family hip-hop collective members, he said he would look forward to an onstage reunion.

Green said, in his work with metro Atlanta children, his message has been about his own journey of balance.

“It has definitely been about identity and a sense of individual plight and journey,” he told Scott. “You’re not going to be able to do what you feel if you’re being influenced otherwise … It does start from a bit of self-consciousness. You should be about self-improvement. You will become a product of the environment. It does take a village.”