Thursday's music industry gathering for Violator's new compilation album was supposed to be just a listening party, but the Goodie Mob's Cee-Lo said it was also his coming out party.

"I've been hiding" Cee-Lo said with a smile when asked about his infrequent public and musical appearances since the Mob's last album, World Party, in 1999.

Cee-Lo, who was in the lab completing his solo project, was quite pleased at how the crowd — which included fellow Violators Prodigy and Noreaga — received his solo cut on the album, the get-your-freak-on ode "Sexual Chocolate." "I'm glad [people appreciated] it," he said. "It's like a little appetizer of what my album is like. It's a fusion of all my influences — jazz scatting, MCing and singing. I'm really trying to pioneer and break ground. I'm trying to offer the world an alternative as far as music is concerned. I took a chance." With his LP Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections due October 9, the husky Atlanta native said he's ready for the world to compare him to another multitalented hip-hop star.

"The majority of my album is singing," he disclosed. "You can expect the complete me — what I've stabbed at during my career. It's an emotional joyride. It's an autobiographical type of album. Some people consider me the male version of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill; I'm on it like that." Cee-Lo's female counterpart joins him, along with Carlos Santana, on a track called "Lady Bird Blues." "I consider myself a free bird — no titles, no limitations," Cee-Lo explained. "It's about finding a woman such as myself, not wanting to be restricted, obligated to a relationship. But remember, she's just like me, so she's wanting her space. I can't argue with her 'cause I understand. I can't expect to snatch her wings off." Although Common, Busta Rhymes and Mos Def also appear on the album, Cee-Lo said he did most of the work himself. He had to.

"I produced, wrote and arranged all that sh-- myself. It's just that personal." On his first single, "Closet Freak," the bald MC said he'll be letting his hair down — figuratively speaking.

"[The song title] basically means spontaneity, impulse and exploration," he said while trying holding back a giggle. "It's basically what 'Sexual Chocolate' is trying to say. I know it's somewhat of a departure from what people are used to me doing, but then again it shouldn't be that surprising. I think people expect innovation and difference from my collective including Outkast and the Dungeon Family and things we've done thus far. It's a continuation. I'm just coming out with my own sh-- and it's freaky." As far as that long-talked-about Dungeon Family album, Cee-Lo said he's not sure when it's dropping and that the production process has been quite an undertaking.

"We're doing that day by day. Outkast is on the road with Moby right now. It's kinda been a task getting [all of us] together, but we got a great deal of work done. We're putting the finishing touches on it." Yes, the fam is tight as ever, Cee-Lo — like every other person in a group who drops a solo effort — contends.

"We have not broken up at all, we're just expanding," he said. "Big Gipp is doing a solo album also on Arista, T-Mo jut signed a solo deal on Koch records — we're still doing it." Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the partygoers at the Violator event when the shindig came to an abrupt halt. When the open bar closed, the last shrimp was snatched off the buffet table and the DJ basically told people to get out, Cee-Lo was unaffected.

"I'm alive man," he said, smiling. "This is such a beautiful thing. I'm enjoying every moment of it." Guess he needs to get out a little more often.