Laced with a hint of the sacred, Cee-Lo's impassioned, nasal singing and rigorous raps have made the founding member of Goodie Mob and Dungeon Family one of hip-hop's most dynamic vocalists. His freewheeling approach to music blends hip-hop, gospel, rock, and soul on his solo debut, which finds the wordsmith preaching messages that are both inspirational and straight-up funky. Check out the sanctified bounce of "Closet Freak," which, like many of the songs here, embraces the spirit as well as the streets and finds redemption in the rhythm. Infused with a joyous, musically expansive vision, Cee-Lo creates Southern-fried hip-hop/soul that boldly colors outside the lines. --Amy Linden