Thomas DeCarlo Callaway (born May 30, 1974), better known by his stage name Cee Lo Green, is an American hip hop, funk, soul, and R&B musician. He is a singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Goodie Mob and more recently Gnarls Barkley, and has also recorded two critically acclaimed solo LPs. He's also known for his strong Southern accent and smooth harmonizing vocals. Among Cee Lo's solo hits are the singles "closet freak" (2002), "I'll Be Around" (2003), produced by and featuring Timbaland and "Fuck You" (2010). He also performed backing vocals on multi-platinum selling R&B trio TLC's 1995 #1 single "Waterfalls".
Cee Lo was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and attended Benjamin E. Mays High School in southwest Atlanta.
Both of Cee-Lo's parents were ordained ministers and he started his music career in his church. His father died when he was 2 years old. His mother Sheila J. Tyler-Calloway was involved in a car crash leaving her quadriplegic and died 2 years later in 1992 when Cee Lo was 18 years old and his career with Goodie Mob had just begun taking off. His mother's death led him into depression, as is reflected in various songs throughout his career, including "Free" by Goodie Mob, songs on St. Elsewhere, and on The Odd Couple ("She Knows", "A Little Better"). Cee Lo also expresses his love for his mother in the song "Guess Who" from Goodie Mob's Soul Food album.
He has two daughters, Sierra and Kalah, the daughters of his former wife Christina Johnson, and a son, Kingston. Sierra was on an episode of MTV's My Super Sweet 16 in season 1. She was also featured on the follow-up MTV television series, Exiled. Kingston is featured on the intro of Cee Lo Green...is the Soul Machine.
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