By Zandile Dlamini
The mystical queen of hip-hop and neo- soul is back. And she has graced us once again with her vigorous presence. And might I add that her long awaited return is anything but short of fruitful and lucrative. The uncontested lady of soul who brought you Baduizm, Mama’s Gun and World Wide Underground has consulted her soul to bring us New Amerykah, a throng of lyrical masterpieces that skillfully bind together an eccentric array of 70’s soul, hip hop, neo-soul and poetry, thus creating that endearing and unforgettable Erykah Badu signature sound that we have all become almost too familiar with since the beginning of her time in the music industry.
Every song has its own, special flavour, which will undoubtedly leave you feeling content, provided however, that you have an acquired taste for pure perfection. But while this album might leave you snapping your fingers, swaying from side to side and bobbing your head to the fresh beats, be warned it is not all about dazing us like a bunch of pipe-dreaming fools who will easily surrender our will to any shoddy and meaningless pieces of music that we have been fed. No, New Amerykah has been designed to open our eyes to the realties of life, by the use of though- provoking lyrics in songs such as My People and The Cell, songs that tackle everyday issues in the most unconventional way.
Although Erykah Badu’s style might have changed just a teeny weenie bit, I can guarantee you that she is still the same lyrical genius, only this time with a slight “mad scientist” vibe about her. But as soon as you listen to sweet sounding tracks such as Honey, That Hump and Telephone, you’ll instantaneously fall head over heels with her and her music… over and over and over again.
Tracklisting
1. "Amerykahn Promise"
2. "The Healer / Hip-Hop"
3. "Me"
4. "My People"
5. "Soldier"
6. "The Cell"
7. "Twinkle"
8. "Master Teacher"
9. "That Hump"
10. "Telephone"
11. "Honey" (Bonus)
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