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OneMusic Fest's Finally Documentary Tells The Truth About Goodie Mob, Organized Noize & Dungeon Family...“Saviors of the South” Documentary Honors Legacy of Vision, Fire, and Creative Freedom
- HipHopTruth.com Staff
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Highlight - Presented by ONE Music Fest, “Saviors of the South” lit up a theater packed full of culture leading ATLiens with a heartfelt screening and discussion featuring members of Goodie Mob, Organized Noize, and more of the Dungeon Family—the collective that helped shape the sound, soul, and social consciousness of Southern hip-hop.
Context - The evening, held on October 21, 2025, brought together hip-hop’s living legends for an intimate night of storytelling and community. The event—presented by ONE Music Fest, UATL, and ButterATL—featured Dungeon Family icons including CeeLo Green, Khujo, Big Gipp, T-Mo, Sleepy Brown, Big Rube, and Killer Mike, along with commentary from Ludacris, T.I., and more. The conversation was hosted by Rashan Ali, whose warmth and wit guided a night full of laughter, nostalgia, and gratitude.
At the center of the story stood Rico Wade, the visionary architect of Organized Noize, whose basement studio—known as The Dungeon—became the birthplace of Atlanta’s creative revolution. Decades ago, Wade and his
mother opened their home to a circle of young dreamers who would go on to define a generation of music. Time and again, Rico used his own resources to keep that creative fire alive—buying food, creating space, and reminding them that greatness requires both grit and grace.
Each artist on stage spoke to Wade’s unmatched energy and the spiritual depth of his leadership. Killer Mike reflected on how Rico could “call you to your higher self” while still telling you the truth straight. The recurring theme: even when the crew was literally in The Dungeon, they refused to let it become a place of despair. They transformed struggle into soul, pressure into poetry, and pain into purpose.
When HipHopTruth.com asked the panel where their sense of social consciousness and uplift came from, Khujo of Goodie Mob answered with quiet clarity:
“We had mothers that we loved, and we wanted to make music we could bring home to them.”
That line hung in the air like scripture—simple, true, and timeless.
J. Carter, founder of ONE Music Fest, shared his own “why” for creating the festival, which will feature the Dungeon Family’s long-awaited reunion performance this year. Carter explained that after attending major festivals and seeing the brilliance of Black performers on stage—but not seeing many Black faces in the audience—he wanted to create a festival for us, by us. “I wanted our people to experience that same love, uplift, and joy together,” he said.
The Saviors of the South screening felt like the embodiment of that dream. The audience sang along, laughed, and celebrated the genius of a generation that turned a basement into a movement. By the end of the night, one truth echoed through the room: what began in The Dungeon became light for the world.
Tips/Key Take-A-Ways
Purpose Starts Small– Rico Wade’s story reminds us that your basement, your idea, your crew—whatever you’re building—can shift culture if you lead with vision and love.
Art Is Powerful – Even when the Dungeon Family was underground, their message reached the high heights. Your love-filled creative work can carry healing and hope even if you aren't a pastor in a pulpit preaching a word.
Community Creates Legacy – As J. Carter showed, sometimes the greatest innovation is simply making space for your people to thrive together
Next Steps & Questions to Ask Yourself
Mindful Reflection: Where can I create space for others to grow, heal, or create in my own life?
Explore Resources: For more mindful tools rooted in wellness and reaching your own heights download the ChillSister App, visit our official compensated Amazon Influencer page, download the Chill Sister App, or check the resources page at HipHopTruth.com.
Tickets for ONE Music Fest 2025 are available now at www.onemusicfest.com/tickets.