On Goodie Mob’s first release since 1999, One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show, T-Mo, Khujo, and Big Gipp are out to prove that the absence of Cee-Lo won’t stop them from making dope music. The trio are at their best on the somber but potent “God I Wanna Live,” where jazzy-like upright bass and rim shots set the mood while they and guest rapper Witchdoctor reflect on the preciousness of life and the family and friends who have passed away.
“God I Wanna Live” is one of the few songs on this disc that reminds you of the richly dramatic and layered tracks that once made Goodie Mob an important fixture in the hip-hop community. Nowhere is Cee-Lo’s absence felt more keenly, though, than on the album’s choruses, which often sound forced and at times just plain corny. On “Ain’t Nothing For Us,” the group sings, “Told ya’ll people ain’t nothing for us, for us to come back, for us to pull straps,” during an equally subpar song. While one monkey might not stop the show, it sure as hell puts it on pause. — Christopher Sanders
