Whatever Happened To CeeLo Green?

Born Thomas DeCarlo Callaway-Burton in Atlanta, CeeLo Green emerged back in the 1990s of the rap group Goodie Mob. He eventually went solo, releasing his debut album, "Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections" in 2002, which he followed up in 2004 with "Cee-Lo Green ... Is the Soul Machine."

It wasn't until 2006, when he partnered with producer Danger Mouse for a new project using the name Gnarls Barkley. Under that tongue-in-cheek moniker, Green struck pop gold with the single "Crazy." While it never did go to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, it did peak at No. 2, and spent an impressive 29 weeks on the charts. Music fans couldn't help but be captivated by his creativity and charisma, a certain je ne sais quoi that even Green couldn't quite explain. "I'm in no way a perfect singer, but I've got something ..." Green told The Guardian. 

Well over a decade after conquering the music world with that monster hit, Green proved his abilities in various other mediums, ranging from reality television to animation voice acting to a string of lucrative business opportunities, even if there's been no shortage of controversy along the way. To find out more, keep on reading to find out whatever happened to CeeLo Green.

After the success of "Crazy," CeeLo Green re-emerged in 2010 with a new album, "The Lady Killer." For this effort, he ditched the Gnarls Barkley moniker and released the LP under his own name. The album was immediately controversial, thanks to its first single, the undeniably catchy kiss-off track "F**k You." 

For Green, "Crazy" may have been the breakthrough mega-hit that had previously eluded him, but "The Lady Killer" was his coming-out party, his announcement that he was no one-hit wonder, but a force to be reckoned with upon the musical landscape. "For too long I've been underground and underdog," he told The Guardian at the time, but also insisted he wasn't just chasing hits. "I'm an artist, and I like the risk — I'm not in it for the sure things," he added. 

Despite the lead single's NSFW title and singalong chorus, "F**k You" proved to be an immediate smash. As Billboard reported, before the album even dropped the single's lyric video and music video had already racked up a combined 10 million views on YouTube. For Green, who'd been around the block a few times before having tasted real success with "Crazy," he was now ready to reach the next level in his music career. "But I'm poised for it, and I'm dressed for the occasion," he told Billboard.

In a unique confluence, the success that CeeLo Green was experiencing came at the same time that NBC was looking to launch a new TV singing competition in the vein of "American Idol." Green became one of the "coaches" tapped for this new series, "The Voice," alongside three other music artists: country star Blake Shelton, pop diva Christina Aguilera, and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.

NBC had bet on a winner, with "The Voice" proving to be the hit the network had been hoping for. The television exposure Green received from being on a successful show only raised his burgeoning profile even further — particularly when he began appearing at interviews holding his fluffy white cat, Purrfect, like a funky Bond villain. While joining "The Voice" may seem, in retrospect, to be a no-brainer, Green was well aware that the potential risks were as real as the rewards. "Doing anything for the first time is quite a high risk factor," Green told Rolling Stone. 

During his second season with the show, Green told Associated Press that he considered his role on "The Voice" as something of a side hustle, while music remained his primary gig; "The Voice," he explained, was just one facet contributing to his over-arching goal of building his own personal brand. "I would like to be here as long as it's fresh and new and exciting and fun for me," he said.

In 2011, CeeLo Green's profile was as high as it had ever been, thanks to the success of "F**k You" and the runaway success of "The Voice." Given those factors, it wasn't surprising that Green was among the chosen few acts selected to perform at that year's Coachella music festival. Arguably the hippest of all festivals, typically attended by a gaggle of Hollywood A-listers, taking to the stage at Coachella was yet another feather in Green's hat.

Apparently, Green didn't see it that way when he took to the stage a half-hour later than had been scheduled. "Sorry guys, I just landed. Y'all still gonna party with me? I only have 20 minutes," Green told fans (via the Los Angeles Times), and then complained about being scheduled to perform in the afternoon instead of during the evening. "It ain't my fault. They should have ... given me a better time slot." 

Concertgoers weren't happy, with Green greeted by an ocean of middle fingers aimed at him from the audience. He performed five songs in total, with the final one a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," which he introduced with an apology. "I wish I could have done a better show for y'all, I'm so sorry," he said. That song, however, was cut short when the festival's powers that be cut the power to his microphone. Green angrily stalked offstage, while the band kept playing and the crowd booed.

In 2012, a woman came forward claiming that while she'd had dinner with CeeLo Green, he slipped the drug Ecstasy in her drink. She recalled waking up the next morning, naked in Green's bed, and accused him of sexual assault. Green denied her allegations, with his lawyer telling the Los Angeles Times that any sexual relationship between Green and the woman was "consensual." A police investigation determined there wasn't enough evidence to press charges on the alleged assault; Green was, however, charged for possession of the drug. Two years later, he pleaded no contest to the drug charge, and received three years' probation.

While Green's legal situation wasn't addressed on "The Voice," he and Aguilera took a hiatus from the fourth season, but returned for the fifth. It was during that season that he dropped a bombshell during a 2014 appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," revealing he was quitting the show. "I'm not coming back at all," said Green, as reported by E! News. "I just don't want to wear out my welcome there, you know what I'm saying?"

As TheWrap reported, Green's announcement took NBC executives by surprise. In fact, an insider told the outlet that Green believed he was about to be fired, and decided to quit before that happened. Subsequently speaking with Us Weekly, Green offered his own spin on why he left. "It easily and quickly became a job," Green said. "Very, very obligating ..."

During his season-long hiatus from "The Voice," CeeLo Green's next project was an unscripted TV show for TBS chronicling his reunion with his hip-hop group, Goodie Mob. Not quite a reality show, Green told reporters during a presentation at the Television Critics Association Press tour that the series — titled "The Goodie Life" — was inspired by Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm." "I didn't want to do another reality show," he said, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. "I wanted to do something innovative and cutting edge."

All was proceeding as planned until Green decided to share some ill-conceived thoughts on social media. In a tweet that he later deleted, Green wrote, "If someone is passed out they're not even WITH you consciously! so WITH implies consent." He added, "People who have really been raped REMEMBER!!!" The backlash came immediately, with online activist group Ultraviolet pressuring the network to drop the show. Green deleted his Twitter account and issued an apology. "I truly and deeply apologize for the comments attributed to me on Twitter. Those comments were idiotic, untrue and not what I believe," he said, via The Guardian.

In the midst of the controversy, TBS cancelled "The Goodie Life." While it certainly appeared that Ultraviolet's pressure campaign had worked, that may not have necessarily been the case; according to THR, sources claimed the cancellation was the result of poor ratings, not Green's tweet.

The impact that the success of "Crazy" had on CeeLo Green's career cannot be overstated. Not only did it expand his musical fan base, it also led to further mainstream opportunities. Among these were voice roles in several animated TV series, including "The Boondocks," "Robot Chicken," and "Class of 3000." More of Green's voice work can be heard in "The Proud Family," "Teen Titans Go!" and others. He also landed live-action roles in the films "Sparkle," and "Begin Again," and booked a guest spot on Cedric the Entertainer's sitcom "Soul Man," playing a flamboyant preacher.

However, the one voice role with which Green remains most associated with is Murray the mummy in "Hotel Transylvania," holding his own against comedy superstars Adam Sandler and Kevin James (who voice Dracula and Frankenstein, respectively).

While there were several sequels produced, Green was not a part of them; for the subsequent movies, Murray was recast, with actor Keegan-Michael Key taking on the role. While the movies' studio didn't explicitly spell it out, work on the second film began during the period of Green's sexual assault allegation; as a result, conclusions were drawn linking Green's legal issues with his exit from the franchise.

Capitalizing on the success of "The Voice," in 2012 CeeLo Green signed a deal to write a memoir. "After reading this book, there will be no doubt that I am meant to be," he wrote in a somewhat bombastic blurb for the press release, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. "CEELO GREEN A.K.A 'everybody's brother' will make you a believer, not only in me, but also ... yourself."

The book was released the following year, titled "Everybody's Brother". It was not a solo effort, something that Green didn't try to hide; in fact, the initial announcement revealed that Green would be working with a ghostrwriter, Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild. In addition, Goodie Mob member Big Gipp was also onboard, to offer his unique perspective into Green's personality. "He dresses in sequined capes, performs with the Muppets and Madonna, and does 360 degree flips with a grand piano at his fingertips. Imagine all that outrageously unique and creative talent channeled into a book," trumpeted Beth de Guzman, vice-president and editor-in-chief of paperbacks at Grand Central Publishing, the company that picked up the book.

Ahead of the memoir's publication, Green shared his vision for the tome in an interview with Complex. "It's gonna be the good, the bad and the pretty. It's just gonna be a very honest account of my life and times and experiences. Hopefully, there will be a connection between you and I with that universal truth. That's what it's all about," he explained.

In 2011, CeeLo Green unveiled a single, "I Want You (Hold On To Love)," along with an accompanying music video that introduced his over-the-top, Vegas-themed, Liberace-inspired alter ego, Loberace. The following year, Green revived the character in his first Las Vegas residency. "CeeLo, the conductor-ringmaster 'Loberace,' will take you on a ride through the colorful decades of music, stopping at legendary moments in time, from Prince to Blue Magic to the Rolling Stones, new wave to disco and beyond," declared the press release, via E! News.

He returned to Las Vegas in 2017, this time for a brief four-night stint at Caesars Palace. In 2020, he hit Vegas once again with his "Man in the Mirror" residency, a 16-night limited engagement taking a different direction than his previous Vegas act. "It will be a visually stunning show and experience centered around the theme of self-discovery, shining a light into souls and dispelling the shadow of doubt," Green said in press release, as reported by the Las Vegas Journal-Review. "It is my pleasure to entertain so come and share ... I'm certain you will see your reflection."

Green kicked off yet another Vegas residency in 2022, titled "Boombox!" This time, Green acted as master of ceremonies for a show featuring an array of 1990s-era acts, ranging from Kid 'n Play to Tone Loc. 

One facet of CeeLo Green's career that is largely overlooked has been his entrepreneurial knack for making money beyond music and television. As a 2011 New York Times profile pointed out, revenue from the sale of his music actually accounted for the smallest portion of his income for that year, which was estimated at $20 million. The bulk of that money came from product endorsement deals, capitalizing on the brand that Green had so meticulously constructed and built. "There's security in being a brand; there's certainty in being a brand," Green told the Times.

Over the years, Green has used that brand to promote a number of products, including soft drink 7Up, Duracell batteries, and AmeriSave mortgage brokers, appearing in various television spots for those companies (and even using his social media platforms, such as TikTok, for these paid partnerships).

In 2012, Green partnered with As Seen on TV, Inc. to become brand ambassador for the company's subsidiary, eDiets.com. Not only did he sign on to promote the diet program, he also committed to follow it while sharing his weight-loss progress with fans. "When I decided to make this commitment to myself, I needed a program that would work with my nonstop lifestyle, and eDiets has made it easy and convenient to make health a priority between recording new music, constant traveling and being a father," he explained in a press release announcing the deal.

One thing that CeeLo Green has never skimped on has been flamboyance, and that was the case when he attended a party in March 2023. As Page Six reported, the party was a birthday celebration in honor or late rapper Shawty Lo, who died in a 2016 car crash. Green made a memorable entrance, arriving at the soiree on horseback. As demonstrated by video taken at the event and posted on Instagram, Green isn't much of an equestrian; as two men led the horse, another walked alongside to discreetly give Green the occasional gentle shove when he seemed to be losing his balance. Suddenly, Green took a tumble, and fell to the ground.

Not only did the video make headlines, it captured the attention of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The group issued a scathing statement excoriating him for using the horse as a prop in a potentially hazardous situation. "If CeeLo bumped his head," the statement snarked, "PETA hopes it knocked some sense and compassion into him."

Green, however, wasn't having it. He offered a rebuttal in irreverent statement he shared on Instagram. "We went through all the proper channels to make that happen with no ill intent towards the animal it should've been short and sweet but some malfunctions happened and it is what it is but know that I'm ok and yes the horse is ok as well," he wrote.

Among CeeLo Green's various business ventures, back in 2012 he got into the sake business. Apparently an aficionado of Japanese rice wine, reported the Los Angeles Times, Green purchased an ownership stake in Ty Ku sake. "We formed an alliance of libations and lifestyles," he explained, noting that his favorite among Ty Ku's various premium spirts was Ty Ku Citrus Liqueur. "It's very accommodating, like a gentleman so to speak," he said. 

Several years later, Green sunk his money into another type of alcoholic beverage when he entered a partnership deal with Victor George Sprits, a Black-owned distillery based in Florida. As the Robb Report noted, that partnership involved the distillery's Fort Mosé 1738 Bourbon brand. "My enthusiasm in partnering with the Victor George Spirits brands is immeasurable," Green said in an over-the-top statement. "It is literally an extension of my own good taste. We shall shift the attention, and unbottle exceptionality, excellence and ownership with a clarity in which one can see their own reflection." 

As the Atlanta-born Green told the Miami New Times, bourbon suited his Southern sensibilities. "Look, man, I'm a hard-working guy, and after a hard day's work, I like to sit down with a cigar in the beautiful company of my fiancée and a nice, neat glass of caramel Victor George," he said. "That's what it's all about."

After his exit from "The Voice" after its fifth season, CeeLo Green's association from the show had been severed. That estrangement remained for several years, until, in 2018, NBC announced via Twitter that Green would be returning — not as a full-fledged coach, but temporarily, as a mentor for Adam Levine's team.

If there was any question as to whether the public remembered the rape allegation that accompanied his original exit from the show (and his tone-deaf tweets), that query was set to rest by the barrage of social media outrage following the announcement that Green would be back on the show. As USA Today reported, the responses on Twitter were downright scathing. You mean 'it isn't rape if she's unconscious' CeeLo Green? Who would be excited about him?" read one tweet. Another Twitter user addressed Levine, writing, "I am disgusted with your choice of a mentor. You have daughters. How would you feel if they were dating a man with the morals of CeeLo Green?"

Despite the complaints, "Voice" producers decided to invite him back again after that. This time, however, Green was neither coaching nor mentoring — he was a performer, singing a song during the Season 23 finale in 2023; not coincidentally, Green's reappearance on the show coincided with the exit of OG judge (and his old verbal sparring partner) Blake Shelton.