Gnarls Barkley

Biography

Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo formed in 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of vocalist CeeLo Green and producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton). CeeLo Green, born Thomas Calloway on May 30, 1974, grew up in Atlanta as the son of two Baptist ministers. He initially gained recognition as the de facto frontman of Goodie Mob, a critically acclaimed hip-hop quartet formed in 1991 that incorporated live instruments into their sound. After stepping away from Goodie Mob following the 1999 album World Party, Green pursued a solo career with mixed commercial success, releasing albums that blended retro R&B with contemporary production. Meanwhile, Danger Mouse emerged from Atlanta's innovative hip-hop scene, initially working as a University of Georgia radio DJ before gaining notoriety for his remix work, including the acclaimed Grey Album that blended Jay-Z's Black Album with The Beatles' White Album.

The two artists first met in 1998 when Danger Mouse's rap group won a contest to open for Goodie Mob and OutKast in Athens. They reconnected in 2004 when Green, divorced, unsigned, and struggling with depression, found creative solace in collaborating with Danger Mouse. Their partnership produced the groundbreaking single "Crazy" in 2005, which became a viral phenomenon after leaking to download sites and ultimately became the first single in history to reach number one on the UK charts based solely on digital downloads. The song's success was driven by its innovative production—Danger Mouse's beats harking back to classic Motown sound using state-of-the-art electronics, layered beneath CeeLo's soulful falsetto reminiscent of Al Green. Their debut album St. Elsewhere, released in May 2006, achieved critical and commercial success, peaking at number four on the Billboard 200 and earning two Grammy Awards.

Gnarls Barkley's musical approach defied conventional genre classification, blending elements of hip-hop, soul, R&B, rock, and psychedelic music with spaghetti western samples. The duo maintained an unconventional public image, deliberately avoiding traditional celebrity publicity and instead focusing listener attention on the music itself. When performing, they adopted elaborate costumes—famously dressing as characters from The Wizard of Oz at Coachella—which CeeLo described as a "war-drobe" waged against the industry and system. Their creative process involved Danger Mouse crafting beats first, which CeeLo would then complement with lyrics and vocals. The group released a second album, The Odd Couple, in 2008, and has remained active since their formation, with CeeLo teasing a third album as recently as 2018.

Fun Facts

• "Crazy" became the first single in music history to reach number one on the UK charts based exclusively on digital downloads, with no physical CD single ever released. The song's viral success began when copies leaked to download sites in 2005 and spread organically before the official release.
• CeeLo Green recorded his vocals for "Crazy" in engineer Ben H. Allen's small home studio off Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta, using minimal gear, with no one anticipating the track would become a worldwide phenomenon.
• Gnarls Barkley deliberately avoided conventional celebrity publicity and press appearances, instead focusing on the music itself. When they performed at Coachella, they wore elaborate Wizard of Oz costumes (the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion), which CeeLo called a "war-drobe" waged against the music industry and system.
• Danger Mouse gained initial notoriety for creating the Grey Album, an unauthorized remix combining Jay-Z's Black Album exclusively with samples from The Beatles' White Album, before collaborating with CeeLo Green on Gnarls Barkley.

Members

• Danger Mouse - original
• CeeLo Green - original

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Goodie Mob - CeeLo Green's formative group that shaped his musical foundation in socially conscious hip-hop and live instrumentation (Goodie Mob albums including World Party (1999)) [1991-1999 (primary tenure)]
• Timbaland - Star producer who worked with CeeLo Green on his second solo album in attempt to create commercial hits (CeeLo Green's second solo album) [Early 2000s]

Key Collaborators

• CeeLo Green - Vocalist and lyricist of Gnarls Barkley, providing soulful vocals and songwriting (St. Elsewhere (2006), The Odd Couple (2008)) [2003-present]
• Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) - Producer and multi-instrumentalist of Gnarls Barkley, creating innovative beats and production (St. Elsewhere (2006), The Odd Couple (2008)) [2003-present]
• Ben H. Allen - Engineer and mixer who worked on Gnarls Barkley's breakthrough single "Crazy" and contributed to the album's sound ("Crazy" single, St. Elsewhere album) [2005-2006]
• Damon Albarn - Danger Mouse collaborated with British musician on production work (Gorillaz' Demon Days album) [Mid-2000s]
• MF Doom - Danger Mouse collaborated with hip-hop artist on the Dangerdoom project (Dangerdoom collaboration) [2005]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Crazy (St. Elsewhere)
2. Crazy (St. Elsewhere)
3. Who's Gonna Save My Soul (The Odd Couple)
4. Crazy - Single Version (Crazy)
5. Smiley Faces (St. Elsewhere)
6. Who's Gonna Save My Soul - Original Mix (The Odd Couple)
7. Going On (The Odd Couple)
8. Smiley Faces (St. Elsewhere)
9. Gone Daddy Gone (St. Elsewhere)
10. Going On (The Odd Couple)

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not found in search results)
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #alternative-hip-hop, #alternative-r&b, #experimental-hip-hop