Erykah Badu

I love this cd. Ms. Badu took her music to another dimension. With the economy the way it is, everybody needs to listen to "The Hump". It was real and insightful, like the rest of this cd. Does anybody know when part 2 is coming out?

Let's be clear: while this is not the Badu most people are used to, this style of music isn't new, and there are people who do it better. It's no coincidence that while listening to it without the case and insert I thought, "Man, she's been really rocking Madlib in the car. She sounds like she's on some Georgia Anne Muldrow tip, but not as good." Sure enough, after a few more tracks roll by, I demand to see the cover and who's on it? Madlib and Georgia.

Madlib and Georgia do this style in their sleep and Badu is clearly trying to channel that next level funk that Georgia was doing two years ago. Unfortunately for her, it doesn't ring as true. It's clear that she's experimenting with the style, not owning it. It's not a record without merit, but it isn't a great record either.

Hurts to hear the truth huh? Just like its hard to look into this light after spending your life in darkness. I think that the majority of people who didn't like the album are simply suffering from a commercial music sucker punch. Its ok though, the rest of us get it.

I love this album. It challenges the evils of the system. It embraces enlightenment. It celebrates life (R.I.P. J Dilla) while addressing hardships that we all can relate to. It calls for a mass awakening. It provides the listener with a small artist bio AND it ultimately ends on a sweet note (literally).

Look, if your searching for the next top neo soul artist, go pick up some Rapheal Sadiq. Hes one of the best to do it.

If your are looking to play an active role in the revolution, pick up this cd and LISTEN TO IT, ALL OF IT! Mouth the words and then get out and do something!!

They keep us uneducated,
Sick and depressed
(they end up in blood)
Doctor I'm addicted now
I'm under arrest
(they end up in blood)

CAUSE

They don't know their language
They don't know their God
They take what their given
Even what it feels Odd
They say their grandfathers and grandmothers work hard for nothing
And we still in this ghetto
So they end up in prisons
They end up in blood

This won't be played much on the radio. Very 'conscious' and meta-science oriented; everything has several hidden and obvious meanings and msgs and so very Badu. This to me is more like her first album. This is for the 'third eye' children. This is food for your cypher.

Ms.Badu.............A job well done,I was feeling you since World wide underground,Now I'm a total fan.

Feel me!

this is another great album to listen to when you want to chill out or clean the house to. even though she doesn't have the strongest voice, her lyrics and sound bring something new to music.

Amazing sound, Very creative and with a good team of musicians - The best CD of Eryka.... It worth each penny spent!
Buy it!

she's black female (gil scott heron)a rebel without a cause.Her music is her own.You can't catcgorize her.it's uniquely executed superbly. Ican't criticise any of outlandish.She's amodern day,Diana Ross.Listen to her voice.All recordings are great.Baduism is very good,my favorite:worldwide underground.

Waste of time reading this review - just get the album.

Discovered her about 100 years after everyone else ... on Dave Chappelle's Block PArty. Sings like an angel, is drop dead gorgeous as smart as Einstein.

This album is great, with songs like "ON and On" and "Next Lifetime" she adds so much to music. There are songs which appeal to the free spirit in every person.

I remember this album when I was in the 8th grade. This record is soulful and modern. With this album, she has defiened the highest creative potential of music. She fuses the jazz, R&B and hip-hop influences of a lifetime, not only with her voice, but with many talents. Deeply spiritual and rhythmically banging, uplifting yet grounded, sensitive and sensual, it is one more example of the multi-faceted expression we fans value in her. This album reflects a "re-invention" in the calculatedly self-consicous, marketing-driven sense that Hollywood might use the term but quite simply, growth, evolution, and learning. This album has been certified Platinum. Remember, this was 2000.

i have all of her cd's and this one is my favorite. i love every song on this album. this one for me really speaks to the soul, if you listen closely to the lyrics. favorite track is green eyes.

50/50. First of all Erika Badu is exquisite!. The first half of the music indicates a new direction for Ms. Badu. The second half brought me home. Get it and love it!Mama's Gun

This is not only the best album of the year in its category, its the best of the decade. I continously listen to it. It just beats all the other album in terms of swinging R/B, originality and intensity. Badu certainly made her mark creating this beutifull piece of music

I was late to discover Erykah, being a late-bloomer with "neo-soul" and all. I finally picked up her debut from the library recently and finally figured out what the appeal is. I was so hooked on that album that I was not terribly excited to move on to "Mama's Gun". But now that I have, I'm not sure I can go back. And it makes me very excited/nervous about her upcoming album, because "Mama's Gun" is UNREAL!

First of all, the CD is packed to its full limit (77 minutes). Now how rare is it that an album is this long, yet is also a total stunner for that entire duration? The only other one I can think of is Teena Marie's 2004 "La Dona". Also, "Mama's Gun" isn't really even "neo-soul" at all (the first one kind of is). What is it, you ask? I'm not sure. That's part of its appeal and its thorough ingenuity. The songwriting gives you a lot to work with, and that is matched by the thick tapestry of sounds and melody.

I have played this a 1000 times and I have to admit that it rivals anything in my collection. Just when I thought my Top Ten Albums Of All Time list was a done deal. I want to go "on & on..." here, but I will stop and say that this is truly a masterwork. The combination of the lyrics, the flow, and the *smashing* production make for what I think is a decade-defining work (this is clearly footed in the new millennium, while her debut belongs rightly in the 90s).

And I dare anyone to write and record such a stunning and gorgeous song about a bag lady. If you can do that, then you are a winner in my book. To me, this album proves that Erykah is a great, "true" artist. I hope that she only can only come close on her new one, because she set the bar dangerously high on "Mama's Gun".

this is one of my favorite live cd's, that's seen alot of play. favorite tracks are stay and tyrone.

I can only imagine the reaction of many people when Erykah Badu followed up her hugely successful debut album with this live recording. But hey-she knew from history that momentum can really boost up such a potentially idiosyncratic move so 'Live' became as much of a hit as the debut! And artistically it is more then worth it. Erykah was (and still is) one of the "artiste's" of the often formuliac neo soul crowd. Her jazzy rhythms,soaring vocals and saucy "raps" permeate every single thing on this album from the opening "Rimshot" (I hear a little Miles riff in there) on through great versions of "Other Side Of The Game","Apple Tree" and the sassy "Tyrone". She even mixes it up with some terric covers in keeping with her style and savvy;the Roy Ayers classic "Searching" and the Rufus & Chaka Khan standard "Stay";her vocals on this song almost revival Chaka's passion,maybe even less subdued if you can imagine it. She also has a great talent for musical juxtoposition;melding her own "All Night" with the jazzy intro to the Heatwave tune "Boogie Nights". There's even a reprise here featuring a beat poem style narration by Badu about her feelings on her pregancy;she is photographed on the back and inner sleeve of this album with her very pregnant belly proudly showing. I am glad that she felt no shame in the fact she was brining a new life into the world. And it's kind of symbollic in a way because many of these songs had already been done in the studio,but now she was performing them live so they were themselves getting "born again" such as it were. So a sense of recreation and rebirth hang over this recording.And she sounds particularly alive scatting her way through,into and around songs like "Next Lifetime". One could tell from the fact that a modern soulstress from this era could hold her own on a live album and come out looking even rosier was a sure fire sign Erykah Badu was a musical powerhouse to keep an eye on.

As an artist of incredible creativity and depth, Erykah Badu stands head and shoulders above many of her contemporaries. An MC at heart, Badu's message is delivered with a signature vocal style which, beautifully synthesizes elements of Jazz, Hip Hop, and Soul. As a live performer Badu can be spellbinding! With N'Dambi, and Karen Bernod doing backup vocals, Badu Live is a diva showcase! Badu doesn't just sing, she's also an accomplished lyricist who's message is a large part of her art. The profound energy, and superb musicianship, of a live Badu performance is effectively captured on this CD. Her rendition of Chaka Khan's 'Stay', is a veritable tour de force! All of the songs on this set are of exceptional quality however. For those who appreciate the special qualities that only a live performance provides, this CD captures Badu and her bandmates at their best!

Just wanted to point-out to those of you out there who are hesitant to purchase this because of the god-awful review by (luke).

What I'm reading from reviewer (Luke) about this gem is that he's reading the final credit's and coming to a false conclusion & totally overlooking the most obvious point that there are two recording crew's on this project. It's almost laughable that amazon let his review exploit falsehood's to us buyer's of real music.

(First)ofcourse is (The Live Recording & in-house Mixing Crew) which is stated (on the disc itself mind you) the vocal's(front & back)/instrument's/band & the wonderfully captured particapation of the audience which to me is just as important as the muisc in this case becasue the whole vibe is perfectly in sync.

(Second) is the Sony Music Stuido he's is talking about where they proceed(just like any other live show) with the final mixdown of this timeless (LIVE) cd.
This is the smoothess Live cd of 97'no doubt. Come on luke relax baby and don't mess with the structure and authentcity of grown folk's music, this is the real deal yah...

I've never been a big hip hop/R&B fan, but this CD is amazing. Some favorites of mine include "Searching," "Apple Tree" and "Other Side of the Game." One song that stands out is "On and On," which segues into a discussion about cyphers and Egypt, only to flow into "Apple Tree." "Tyrone" appears on the CD twice, once live and once as studio track. The live track is great, but the studio version is out of place on a live album. I understand the studio version was intended to be the single to promote the album, but it doesn't flow well with the live material. I didn't like the finale "Next Lifetime" either. It's a great song, but Miss Badu stretches it out for 15 minutes to finish the show in a dramatic gesture, which by that point is unnecessary. All in all it's a great CD, and it encouraged me to check out other Erykah Badu music, and I haven't been disappointed. This is an artist who will stand the test of time and isn't going anywhere soon.

when this first came out i bought it just because it was erykah badu. i listened to it once and put it back on the shelf. then one day i really listened to the whole thing and loved it ever since. another great one by erykah, some people don't like it because of the different sound, but give it a chance and you'll grow to like it.

Starts off grand with Badu's sleek neo-soul vibe at it's best, continuing to truly earn her pay as a vocalist unlike most singers. When she starts to indulge her hip-hop side in the second half things really take a turn for the worse though, and we go from wonderful, breathy experimental grooves to corny Timbaland-esque bangers that just feel out of place for her class. Thankfully this was just a little midterm sampler to kind of gauge things artistically for her and I am sure she figured out what stuck after that.

This album will have you groovin' from start to finish. My personal favorite - "Woo" - is a great example of the creativity and variety on this album. Just press "play" and let the music move you. If you don't have it, go get it. It's an R&B/NEO-SOUL lovers' must-have!

Erykah Badu first entered the music industry in 1997 with a fresh, jazzy neo-soul sound that instantly brought critical acclaim and even comparisons to all-time greats, such as Billie Holiday and Chaka Khan. Her superb debut album, Baduizm, won her two Grammy Awards, and was soon certified triple-platinum by the RIAA. Badu's raw, soulful, and introspective sophomore album, Mama's Gun, was equally praised, and most modern R&B fans would agree that it is a classic. Three years later came this so-called EP--which proves to be both a disclaimer and misnomer for this fifty-minute collection of ten songs--Worldwide Underground.

A misnomer because EPs are not usually meant to be more than twenty-five minutes in length, a disclaimer because this experimental rough sketch is not meant to be the predecessor of Mama's Gun. This, of course, disappointed many of Erykah's fans, who had been waiting patiently for a rightful third album from the quirky singer. However, if listened to with a free mind and no expectations, Worldwide is not the huge disappointment it's been made out to be.

The addictive "Danger," in my honest opinion, is one of the best songs Badu has crafted in her entire career. Telling the tale of a drug dealer's ride-or-die girlfriend with a guilty conscience, the track serves as an upbeat and energetic sequel to her earlier hit single, "Otherside of the Game." Over deep, thumping bass and sharp horns, Erykah plays the part with extreme skill and style. The hook-heavy, six-minute ride through the dark city never gets old to me. "I Want You," about a strong (and distracting) longing for a lover, is quite a long track, clocking in at almost eleven minutes. But it still never fails to fascinate me with each and every listen. Beginning with a sparse and slow heartbeat, the track continues to accelerate in tempo and passion until a cool breakdown with soulful background vocals. It then begins to slow from there on, soon leading Ms. Badu's vocals to sound like they were chopped and screwed like some Southern hip-hop. It then cuts into a killer electric guitar solo from Lenny Kravitz. Finally it fades out, with Erykah singing, "first of all/ when I tell you I love you/ don't mean I do," making the whole song a bit of a mystery to me. Was she simply infatuated, but not in love? "Love of My Life Worldwide," a semi-remake of The Sequence's late `70s hit "Funk You Up," is probably the most fun and accessible one of the bunch. Erykah, who originally began as an emcee named Apples at the tender age of fourteen, shows her skills on the mic. Queen Latifah, who has been out of the rap game for quite a while, stops by to party. Angie Stone, one third of The Sequence, puts her stamp of approval on the track and Bahamadia also shows up. The song is like a big ol' celebration on wax. The spontaneous collaboration was a great choice for the last full song on the album.

As excellent as some of the EP is, the album is equally flawed. The "World Keeps Turning" intro and outro really weren't necessary, and are just ways to take up space, if anything. "Woo," which was apparently created to replicate one of her stage-show experiments, falls terribly flat. "The Grind" is pretty jumbled and confusing, too. "Bump It" is pretty enjoyable, but I don't think all the improvising at the end of the song was necessary, even though I do love Zap Mama. "Think Twice" would've been one of my favorite tracks if it weren't cut short and rushed for no reason at all. It's like she was giving an intimate performance in a jazz club, and then she had to bring it to an abrupt stop after a fire started and the audience had to evacuate the building. I can take or leave the sing-songy "Back In The Day (Puff)," where Erykah reminisces on her childhood.

The bottom line: The rough-around-the-edges and experimental Worldwide Underground is neither an EP nor a proper follow-up to the excellent Mama's Gun. Even at a short ten tracks, it has some filler and minor missteps; however, it still contains a few stellar tracks that make it worthwhile and a pretty enjoyable listen.

Key tracks: I Want You, Danger, Love of My Life Worldwide.

my favorite song is back in the day boy that does take me back plus I also kind of dig that remake of donald byrd's think twice it was done rather nicely I dig it man all badu fans can relate to this one.

While waiting in London Heathrow airport to return back to the states, I picked this CD up from a CD store in the terminal.... I terribly disappointed, this is bootleg CD... A bad one at that. I liked the choice of cuts, but the recording quality was so bad I only listen to the CD once.. If poor recording quality doesn't bother you, then maybe you should try it out...

If you love Badu you already have majority of the songs on this compilation. I do, however, appreciate the unheard live sessions that were included.

I agree with the previous review. Do not buy this obvious boot-leg CD. VERY poor quality.

If I could rate this album less than one star I would!
Just don't buy this rubbish - poor quality copies of live tracks, the cover lists 18 tracks, and I can only "hear" 17
I'm just shocked this CD is offered to purchase on Amazon!!!

Track list for this CD is as follows;
1. Your mind
2. Love hangover (Live @ BET 2007)
3. Wu
4. Music is everything
5. Live
6. Apple tree Cafe
7. Didn't cha know
8. Fly away (featuring Sa-Ra and Georgia Anne Muldrow)
9. I want you
10. Love of my life (featuring Common)
11. Bag lady
12. Hold on (featuring Pharaoh Monch)
13. You got me (featuring The Roots)
14. Think Twice (featuring Roy Hargrove)
15. Ye-yo
16. Today
17. Never
18. Your precious love (featuring D'angelo)
(Note: tracks 17 and 18 are merged into one track)

I came across this CD while writing my review for Erykah Badu's new CD "New Amerykahn..." on Amazon and had never heard anything about it. It appears to be a bootleg released on some label called Think Differently Music, and it comprises some odds and ends from Erykah's career. Despite being a random collection, it is quite cohesive, much like any of her studio releases.

A few tracks have appeared on previous Badu albums; "Ye-yo" from 1997's "Live", "Didn't cha know" and "Bag lady" from "Mama's gun" ("Bag lady" here is the remix version that made Billboard's top 10 and not the album version), "I want you" (with the awesome electric guitar ending edited out), "Think twice", and "Wu" (which is a snippet of "Woo") from "Worldwide underground".

A few others had also been previously released; The Grammy winning "You got me" from The Roots' 1999 album "Things fall apart", the Grammy winning "Love of my life" with Common from the "Brown sugar" soundtrack, "Fly away" from "The Hollywood recordings" by Sa-Ra Creative Partners, the breezy "Hold on" with Pharaoh Monch (with lyrics about having pride in black beauty, it starts off with Erykah talking to her daughter about being teased at school) from his album "Desire", and "Your precious love" with D'angelo.

The others are "Your mind" (a swinging retro ballad which becomes a funky ditty towards the final 2 minutes and recorded live), "Love hangover" (her outstanding disco/neo soul tribute to Diana Ross recorded live at the BET awards 2007 with a few bars of her "I want you" thrown in), "Apple tree cafe" (lovely jazz song with muted sax and pianos), "Music is everything" (a sparse funky horn sprinkled song), "Live" (a brief jazz/funk number with a scratchy bassline), and "Today" (a jazzy ballad with a groovy bassline and sprinklings of flute).

Chances are there are a few odds and ends here which you don't already own (like I also discovered). Essential to every Baduist!

to MAMA'S GUN. This was the first single from MAMA'S GUN and it was beautiful. Bye it.

ooh the lady with the soul comes back strong with this fabulous new single. She oozes sensuality as she always does and her turban acompanies her. Great music for the soul to jive along to!

The lyrics are absolutely amazing, and the instrumental (which is actually from the Shaft soundtrack written by Isaac Hayes, not from the Dre track. both dre and badu tracks are interpolations of the Isaac Hayes song, though) is lovely. I'm lovin' it, from start to finish, though I could understsand how some wouldn't like it, since her voice isnt the easiest to get into. But the beat's popularity does help

If you have not heard this track you need to get it. Just the lyrics make you want to play it over and over again. We all have excessive baggage that we need to let go. The sister tell you how you need to let it go. I can't wait until the album come out, October 31, 2000 is the day. Keep it real like you always do. Peace & Bless You

Mi alegria es total,que temazo!!!No lo dudes y compralo,mantiene su sensualidad de siempre y encima te hace bailar,especial para ligarte a ti mismo.Seguro que te encanta.Gracias de nuevo Erykah!!!

this is another great album to listen to when you want to chill out or clean the house to. even though she doesn't have the strongest voice, her lyrics and sound bring something new to music.

Amazing sound, Very creative and with a good team of musicians - The best CD of Eryka.... It worth each penny spent!
Buy it!

she's black female (gil scott heron)a rebel without a cause.Her music is her own.You can't catcgorize her.it's uniquely executed superbly. Ican't criticise any of outlandish.She's amodern day,Diana Ross.Listen to her voice.All recordings are great.Baduism is very good,my favorite:worldwide underground.

Waste of time reading this review - just get the album.

Discovered her about 100 years after everyone else ... on Dave Chappelle's Block PArty. Sings like an angel, is drop dead gorgeous as smart as Einstein.

This album is great, with songs like "ON and On" and "Next Lifetime" she adds so much to music. There are songs which appeal to the free spirit in every person.

Just wanted to say that those hearing 'Honey' and expecting an album with a fundamental Badu-ish sound should be wary that this album leans heavily toward the soul side of Erykah's musical repertoire.

It's an amazing album, easily a 4 star, but with fewer immediately memorable songs, with the obvious exception of 'The Healer' and 'Honey'.

Erykah explores new vocal sounds, adding to an already enormous array of genres and tones that she has shown a mastery of over her comparitivly brief career. (when considering the long careers of some of the divas that she will most certainly be compared to posthumously)

If this album were equivalent to Baduizm or Mama's Gun it would warrant a 5 star rating. Seeing as how it is just barely under their caliber but is still an amazing effort by Erykah Badu with a couple radio gems and a large group of soul grounded hip hop Badulicious tracks.

Oh, and the Georgia Anne Muldrow track is a pairing I've waited for for quite some time. Divine!

I just happened to see the video for this song about 10 minutes ago and I love it. 9th Wonder offers up one of his best beats in a while and Erykah, well, she's just Erykah. If you know the track record of Erykah and 9th, then there's really not much else left to be said.

Check for the album on the 26th...

Peace.