Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
2000
Album Summary
Mama's Gun is the second studio album by American singer Erykah Badu. It was recorded between 1999 and 2000 at Electric Lady Studios in New York and released on November 21, 2000, by Motown Records. A neo soul album, Mama's Gun incorporates elements of funk, soul, and jazz styles. It has confessional lyrics by Badu, which cover themes of insecurity, personal relationships, and social issues. The album has been viewed by critics as a female companion to neo soul artist D'Angelo's second album Voodoo (2000), which features a similar musical style and direction. Critics have also noted that while Badu's first album Baduizm contained its share of cryptic lyricism, Mama's Gun is much more direct in its approach, and places the artist in a subjective position more than its predecessor.The album contains the single "Bag Lady", Badu's first top 10 Billboard hit, which was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and for Best R&B Song. The song "Didn't Cha Know?" was also nominated for Best R&B Song. The album features substantial contributions from several members of the Soulquarians outfit, of which Badu was a member. It also features guests such as soul singer Betty Wright and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Mama's Gun was met with generally positive reviews from critics. It was less commercially successful than Baduizm, receiving Platinum certification in the US. Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the Top 10 Albums of 2000.
WikipediaSo, here's the deal... take Badu off this album and it's a groovy slice of funky gold. Badu's uninspired, lazy (and at times really harsh) vocals, however, are slathered over on the groove, covering the flavor like ketchup on a fine steak. Every song's vocal lines are nearly identical, substituting lazy, mostly monotone vocals for true melody. I think she's probably capable of more than this but, for some reason, she decided to just phone it in. The saving grace of the vocal element is the lyrics which are pretty smart on the whole and which, along with the super tasty backing tracks, save this album from a lower-than-average score.
Funky soul. It's one of those albums where I wish there were more recognizable melodies, and more background instruments. It's one of the reason's I'm not the biggest Beyonce fan--I want the background to be just as interesting as the voices.
This album SLAPS. What a sweet, laid back, groovy 2000's R&B vibe. Definitely coming back to this one!
funky and mad rhythm right off the bat. this album grooves so hard. Kiss Me On My Neck is a good groove. Yea this album slaps
Wow, this one blew me away. Erykah Badu is legendary but I've yet to hear an album from her. This was fantastic, each song bleeding into the next. Reminded me of Dark Side of the Moon, and funny enough when I was doing some Erykah Badu research she lists Dark Side of the Moon as one of her top 10 albums of all time. The grooves on here are undeniable, so many tracks that I loved and will surely return to. Also special shout out to the sample on Bag Lady, the same sample used by Dr. Dre on Xxplosive the year prior. It's a long album, but the length doesn't bother me because it's so smooth. How refreshing to have an album from this century, from a black woman nonetheless, and it's better than a lot of the old foagies we get from across the pond. Just like I did with Dark Side of the Moon, I'm preemptively giving this a 5 star. It can only improve with further listens. Favorite tracks: No idea how to narrow this down, but Didn't Cha Know, My Life, Cleva, Kiss Me On My Neck, Bag Lady, Time's A Wastin'. Album art: Really like the font and framing here. Obvious throwback, and a bit unassuming, but I think it fits the vibe of the album really well. Little do you know how impressive the music within will be. 5/5
Really jazzy neo-soul It's pretty easy listening, like I'd hear it in a lounge or coffee shop. Honestly I think what's keeping mre from LOVING it is her voice, it's really raspy and kinda wish it just hit me with more oomph. Flies by though. Can't believe it's 71 minutes
What a voice! This is lyrically, instrumentally, and produced so uniquely. The album gets much better in the later half. Worth revisiting for sure. For that alone it's getting the highest honor: adding to my spotify favorites.
another album i heard way too late after it was released. this was such a good listen to, i'll definitely have to make more time to listen to it again.
If I was currently undertaking the task of compiling my 101 favourite albums of all time--inspired by, for example, a commitment to listen to, rate and review 1,001 albums from The Canon--I can imagine Mama's Gun would be a conundrum. Should I include it? There's so much to like. It has the intangible quality of making you want to restart the album as soon as it's over; not because it's a hooked-filled sugar rush, but because Badu's sound is tantalising, a tease, there then not then there again. But for that reason, is there *enough* of it to occupy a whole spot on my list? (I'm speaking, of course, hypothetically. Merely riffing on an idea that just popped into my head.) When she says, "you won't be naming no buildings after me", it's not just because she's a black woman (okay, it's mostly that), but because any Badu building would only be structurally sound half the time. Her buildings, like her songs, would be beguilingly simple feats of engineering, held up with the barest of resources. Then they'd turn to jelly and, er, uh-oh. To decide, I'd need to listen to it two or three times. I might even get an extra opportunity through my extensive (imaginary, you understand) canonical appraisal. But even after that, I imagine I still won't have settled--just like Mama's Gun.
The first half of this record is so fuckin good. It really lags around the second half but still great overall.
This was definitely different than most of the albums on this list. Not bad, but not something I would want to listen to often.
So very very long. Sadly it turns the listen into a chore and while I didn’t necessarily dislike the album, there was very little on there that would make me go back for for 2nd listen
I was hitting next in the middle of each track and half the time I wasn't sure if I really was on the next track.
Goddamn this is dull. All the songs are bland and blend into one mass of yawn. BT: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't Cha Know, Bag Lady
Melted into the background. and all warbling sounded the same to me in the end. One line that stuck out, “I have green eyes because I eat vegetables”. She has brown eyes on the album sleeve. Sorry for being glib.
really good album. i dont know enough about soul to comment much on it but its very pretty and has a really good aesthetic. barely drags which is kinda impressive for 71 minutes. god why was every 90s/early 2000s album so long. like i know its because of cds or whatever but whyyyy. ah well it doesnt really matter in this case. first couple tracks are magical and it doesnt ever rly reach that height but it stays at a consistently 9/10 zone for most of the runtime. good stuff 9/10
I can't believe I've never heard this album before! This is going in my regular rotation
this goddamn woman can do no wrong. also i owned this IRL and its good to listen to with the right company (y'know, to DO THE THING)
Nostalgiset fiilikset! Levyhyllyltä löytyy samainen levy CD:nä ja toimii edelleen ku junan vessa. Herättää aina muistoja. Todella kova.
I'm not the biggest R&B guy, but this record is crazy groovy and the vocals are epic and interesting in each track. 5/5
Awesome, never really listened to her but k oe of her as Andre 3K's baby mama 😂 this is decent. Smooth, groove, soul. Definitely some outkast similarities, also clear inspiration for people like Hiatus Kayote and Childish Gambino. 4. Maybe a 5 actually, loved it
This album is amazing it's a great follow up to Baduizm I really enjoyed my listening experience
This one I came to through my wife's collection - saw her live at First Avenue Main room in the early 2000s and it was an incredible show. I think the is an actually important album, true 21st century innovation in funk.
Given its length, some of the good, but not great songs could have been left out. Nevertheless, the overall vibe of the album and the many great songs made me give it 5 stars.
Cet album est un sacré pied de nez envers les amateurs de musique punk se remplissant les oreilles de merde au jour le jour.
One part Choose Your Weapon, one part Awaken, My Love! (or Maggot Brain), one part straight soul music. R&B, soul, jazz, rap are the ingredients used in this creative experiment. It works well. The vocals always stand out in front of the instrumentation, but Erykah maintains the balance of complimenting rather than overpowering. Very cool record, I wasn't sold on it immediately but it managed to grip me after a few minutes of listening. I will definitely be listening to this one again. My actual rating is a 4.5/5, so I will round up on this one. Fave tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy, Orange Moon, Green Eyes
Quickly jumped to one of my favorite R&B albums of all time. Badu is a master of her craft. Perfect mix of jazz, soul, and blues to make something uniquely her's.
First time hearing it front to back, this was really good. It really should be listened to all in one sitting
A marvelous sophomore release, on which Badu explores a wide swath of emotions and themes, from closing yourself off to outside ideas on "Penitentiary Philosophy", to self-acceptance in the face of the prevalence of superficiality in society on "Cleva", infidelity on "Booty", police violence and racial profiling on "A.D. 2000", the weight of emotional baggage on "Bag Lady", from pure unadulterated romance on "I'm in Love with You" to jealousy with a touch of self depreciating humor on "Green Eyes". An album that is consistent in it's musicality, well written and understated lyrics and excellent production. Speaking of production, it serves as a good introduction to the producer J Dilla, whose classic "Donuts" is (surprise, surprise!) missing from the list. This one may be a grower if neo-soul isn't your bag, but give it a few spins, it's one of those records that not only has a timeless quality, but also infinite replay-ability.
It's really good. It's not really a style that resonates with me, but there's no denying the talent here.
Whispering in beginning starts the scene for real musical album with direction and storyline. Album flows with neo soul, jazzy elements and a prominent voice of Erykah. Liked it a lot
Pretty solid album, very smooth and chill and easy to listen to. Good lyrical content. Really enjoyed it.
I've been meaning to check out some of Badu's stuff. That's something I like about this album generator. I liked this album quite a bit, what I expected really.
I liked listening to this album. It was accessible but it didn't really blow me away on first run through. I think I'll have to come back to it to listen a few times.
Wäre R‘n‘B öfter von solchem Kaliber würde ich häufiger eine große Zielscheibe aufstellen. Was nach ersten Töne einen Kravitz andeutet, entpuppt sich schnell als verschachtelter Soul mit ungewöhnlichen Passagen, einem warmen Groove, toller Stimme, die wie bei Solange nie aufdringlich in den Vordergrund drängt, sondern ihre charaktervolle Prägung dem Gesamtwerk unterstellt. Fat 3.5
I’m not sure about this one, probably needs another listen. Just a bit disjointed but not bad or anything
Really enjoyed this album, and have added it to my catalogue. The chill groove laid down throughout this project is infectious, and I found myself wanting to start from the top as soon as the last song finished.
i wasn't sure about the first song, then i liked the second one but thought "yeah of course i mean it's the hit" but then the third song was super nice too. well i'm done, honestly i just let this played and greatly enjoyed it, i don't have a lot more to say.
funky, good music, 3.5/5 -> 4/5, will come back, but not often, tbf very good sound mix, Green Eyes stands out
The first track is great, the rest of it I am re-listening to as it came off a bit ordinary the first time around Penitentiary Philosophy though.... a great track
This was great. Opening track was such a banger I had to listen to it 3 times. Some of these tracks had some seriously funky P-F vibes. Featuring artists like Stephen Marley and Roy Hargrove were great.
Soft 4. The first half had me but I started to lose interest after the interlude. Will definitely return though
Lepposaa menoa ja kuuntelen varmasti uudelleen jahka saan kirittyä listan kiinni. Jatkoon.
Ну сначала не пошло, а потом вроде расслушал. Довольно годный атмосферный чилл, жалко настроен изначально был немного на другое: на яркий выразительный попс с цепляющими хуками, хз, почему-то с именем Эрики Баду всегда такая ассоциация была (но ранее не слушал). Но в целом прикольный, грувовый неосоул, походить под него, порадоваться первым солнечным денькам. Под конец, правда, утомляет немного эта каша из вокала и рандомных инструментов, я бы альбом сократил до песни "In Love with You", наверное, тем более что она просто парашная. Но начало очень бодрое, с небольшой натяжечкой 7/10 ставлю.
4.4 - Gorgeous. Cozy like wrapping up in a soft blanket on a rainy Saturday afternoon, maybe with a cup of tea and a smoke. This album epitomizes the Danish concept of hygge.
By contrast to yesterday's Kelela, Erykah Badu's voice is versatile and interesting. Perhaps I just prefer "organic" music like this. Excellent.
Real solid and jazzy. Lots of smooth funky guitar and piano and her voice is mesmerising at times.
Probably my favorite "neo-soul" artist. Regret sleeping on this album in the past. Like the atmosphere throughout. Very earthy and organic. Really flows. Perhaps a bit too long.
Lisa shared this album with me a few years ago and for a few months we were both obsessed with "Bag Lady" especially because of the classic Gunter Grocery comment around another Bag Lady. I was so happy to see this album on here today and would never have expected it to be. I will say, listening in this format, it did feel long in the tooth. Sitting at an hour and 12 minutes this is that prime type of album that almost doesn't fit on a CD but you see why when the interludes are 50 seconds and some songs are over 6 minutes but I can't complain. She is a genius and speaks a lot of truth. Also love this album cover, gives of a 60's/70's vibe and for some reason I love the toothpick.
Not as successful as Baduizm, but just as good a listen. I leaned more to the Funk and Soul tracks rather than the Neo-Soul ones.
Some real nice tracks here. Love the groove. Nice soul without as much "thump." Nothing against some big and heavy thump in music; I sometimes love that, just not always in the mood for it. A few elements and styles woven together nicely here. That kind of approach doesn't always work for my ear -- the risk with such mixing together can be it sounds like parts don't gel -- but it does here. That's impressive. I really like her voice. She's got a great ear for matching music to her voice and vice versa. Glad this project introduced me to her.
I liked the energetic and the soul she brought to the work. The feelings where there, a couple of songs felt flat but over all I saved the songs that I liked.
Ich dachte erst 4 Sterne, hat zum Ende hin allerdings leider doch ein paar Längen. Dennoch sehr musikalisch.
First time listen for me. Great voice can see the influence of Motown and 70's Soul in general. some good tunes throughout with great production values. Love "Penitentiary Philosophy", "Cleva" "Kiss Me On My Neck" "Didn't Cha Know" and "Bag Lady" Has a feel of Stevie Wonder "Talking Book" era throughout. Absolutely love it. Will add to my collection when I can!
Very nice, even though the album as a whole is a little overly long. Soul seems to be becoming my highest rated genre
Great music, produced well, singing matches the vibe and even though the vocal directions were difficult they were executed perfectly
This! It's a great album to experience in its entirety. The singing, the rapping, the jazzy instrumentals all just hit the spot. 8/10
Warm album with elements of funk, soul, and jazz styles. Good for late night or rainy day.
Set in the middle of the prosperous Soulquarian era (a moment in time that included the likes of Common, D'Angelo, The Roots, J Dilla, etc.), Mama's Gun finds Erykah at the peak of her powers and fulfilling the use of her abilities (and that of the musicians on the album) to the maximum. Great sounds all around and a fine example of one of the many facets of soul in the beginning of the 21st Century. Favorites: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't 'Cha Know, ...& On, Booty, In Love With You, Bag Lady.
Excellent Erykah Badu album - very consistent, probably the EB album I have listened to the most at the time.
-"Penitentiary Philosophy" is pretty catchy will a cool, groovin', instrumental. Great drumming in particular. Honestly it gets pretty heavy at the end -"...& On" has some very cool parts, specifically the quiet, fast-singing parts -The synth-harmonized parts in "Kiss Me On My Neck" are quite catchy -Overall, album is quite nice soul/funk stuff. A couple great tracks, some kinda boring. I think I'm gonna give it the benefit of the doubt and bump it from a 3 to a 4
i found this quite soothing. soulful, introspective, distinctive vocals (until Macy Gray came along and did a pound shop impression of her). What's not to like?
This album is so good. I’m only docking it for preference points. As a metal head, it is a little too soulful for me. Regardless, I loved this album.
4/18/2022 Today's Album: "Mama's Gun" by Arykah Badu - If I had to compare this album with the other albums of it's genre that I have reviewed so far, being R&B music, I would have to say that this is the most technically impressive and well executed album of the bunch. Mixing elements of funk, soul, and jazz, the artist expresses a lot of her insecurities and opinions about relationships, womanhood, and love. As a whole it doesn't sound like much, but when you dive into these tracks, there are so many relatable and creative sentiments throughout the tracks and the high production and amazing instrumental performances just elevate all of it to the most vibey level possible. Her vocals are clear, confident, and cover such a wide range of expressions as well as pitches. I love the opener Penitentiary Philosophy with it's funky groove and it's pre-chorus that brings in this real haziness to itself as well as the chorus. & On is a really fun neo-soul track that Lin Manuel Miranda has absolutely taken inspiration from because it sounds exactly like Hamilton and he's quoted it in another project of his. Anyways, it's a really cool track with a lot of fun wordplay and rap verses. The interlude Hey Sugah is this really nice psychedelic jazz chorus piece with this flute backing up an extremely groovy beat and chorus hum and it impresses me in such a short time frame. Booty is a really braggadocios track about the artist attracting another woman's man despite what that other woman has, and yet the artist doesn't even want to deal with the guy. It comes off really smooth and funny and has a ton of personality. Kiss Me On My Neck is extremely catchy and similar to most of these tracks, just grooves so damn hard. Her vocals never miss and it is really just building in quality each song. Orange Moon is an absolutely gorgeous 7 minute ballad and it just demonstrates not only her vocal talent, but the musical stability and wit to the instrumental performances. It just builds and builds and by the end it is just a wonder to take in with a whimsical flute performance and the piano and vocalist almost competing with each other. I love the way the artist's voice plays off of the male voice in In Love With You and there's this really funky bass that's shoved back into the mix that I absolutely love. It's a really beautiful love song about being unapologetically in love with someone. I love the little descending scat line the male singer has too. I like the sound of the guitar on Bag Lady and overall the instrumentals of this song are just unbeatable. So warm and smooth and nice. The closer Green Eyes is a really heartfelt break up song about being jealous of your ex's new partner, and I just think it does a good way of wrapping up a lot of the themes of the album and then of course ending with an awesome instrumental jam before the a soft fade out. Overall, there are maybe 2-3 tracks on here that I think are just alright and mayyyybe 1 that misses the mark completely, but a majority of this album is really enjoyable and laid back neo soul R&B and a lot of the lyrics are just nice to listen to even if you don't identify with the perspective. If you like this kind of music, it's a great one to just let ride in the background and notice new instrumental flourishes each time you listen. Score: 8.5/10 Great Highlights: Penitentiary Philosophy, My Life, & On, Cleva, Hey Sugah, Booty, Kiss Me On My Neck, Orange Moon, In Love With You, Bag Lady, Green Eyes
There's a lot of talent on display here. Definitely a lot of groove and nothing to hate here.
Тут все и сразу. Хотите неосоул? Есть. Хотите фанк-рок? Первый трек с альбома мощно вступает в дело. Отличный альбом. Возможно, не то, что я буду слушать на репите, но удовольствие я получил, а любом заслужил 7 из 10.
This album is an incredible mix of classic funk sounds and modern hip-hop/R&B. The instrumentation, groove and recording techniques here are super good. I can definitely hear the influence this album had on future recordings. Kiss Me On My Neck sounds like it would fit right in on Awaken, My Love! and Orange Moon evokes Hiatus Kaiyote. I did find that some tracks where she is rapping like Cleva and Booty felt a little shallow/juvenile to me. I guess she's not particularly known for her lyrical prowess though. Overall fantastic record, will definitely be coming back to this one. Fav Tracks: Kiss Me On My Neck, Orange Moon, Green Eyes
Enjoyed it! Loved the neo soul vibes. Although my only complaint is that it is a little too long and got repetitive. 4.5/5
So much life on this album. She has such a unique voice and delivery, and lyrics. Besides the all-time great Green Eyes, the first track Penitentiary Philosophy never fails to bang the head. And Cleva's lyrics are so heartfelt and convincing. Damn solid album. 4.4444444 repeating.
Yay! I really like Erykah Badu's first album Baduizm. I listened to it so much in high school. But, I don't think I've listened to her other albums all the way through. I have listened to a few songs on this this album, and "Green Eyes" has always been one of my favorite songs by her. It's 10 minutes but unlike other 10 minute songs this one doesn't feel too long. I guess I'm still an Erykah fan.
Particularly dug the “In Love With You” duet with Stephen Marley. This album is solid front to back.
Super funky. Not the kind of stuff I'd usually listen to but really chill, definitely enjoyed
Great album. Neo soul EB goodness. 4.5 stars for sure. Just this side of too sleepy/too samesy for me to be a five.
I was really vibing with this music! The album had a great flow and was super enjoyable to listen to. She has a great soulful, funky voice and I felt extra cool listening to it
Jazz and soul inflected, with soem strong songs, the album is laid back and meanders a bit, but this reflect the way it was made. The album is long and unfocussed for a reason; it's the vibe. Possibly one of the strongest of the soulquarian/neo-soul albums of this period, Badu's voice is at its peak. Questlove and (especially) Dilla bring their woozy rhythms to play.
Altough a little bit repetitive, this album have a lot of good points: so much soul and so much jazz
A perfect album on a sunny day - Erykah Badu’s exquisite vocals over some laid back nu soul grooves.
I liked the vibe of the album. At some points it was a bit repetitive, but overall it was a really nice album with no real outliers
this might be the first album I've had that's over an hour long but feels like half of that - great vibes particularly in the instrumentals which made for an easy listen, and although it does start to lose momentum a little bit towards the end, I never felt completely bored. That being said, I don't know if there were that many standout moments that I'll be revisiting, other than maybe the first 2-3 tracks.
Very class and relaxing listen. Perfect for a Sunday listen or juste a chill hip-hop moment. Would gladly listen again even if nothing was memorable (loved the bumpy's lament sample) 3.5/5
Good vides overall, the prods are really groovy and the overall feel of the album is really chill. Some skips wit ha bit of a repetitive feeling. but overall sweet listening experience. 3.75/4
Never heard of this artist and I'm not big on hip hop but this album is a really pleasant listen
Lekker album. Relaxt, maar niet langdradig of saai. Muziek en zang zijn heel goed uitgevoerd. ****
Real tight band, slightly irritating vocals. This being said, I was listening with a backdrop of annoying five year old, so I also didn’t take in a single lyric, but I’ll probably revisit this one. It might have made it to 4 stars if I’d been paying more attention.
I enjoyed this album more and more the more I listened to it. Not my usual listening by any means but I greatly enjoyed the stong jazz influence and funk grooves.
very soothing album. I would classify the genre as something between soul and jazz. This is not something I would typically listen to, but enjoyed it.
Not bad, not bad at all. I found it started to sound all the same toward the end though.
Muutaman tuttavan hehkuttama artisti, joka itseltäni on jäänyt aika vieraaksi. Pieni pettymys tämä on, kun musiikki vaikuttaa aika perus r&b:ta. Laulajan ääni toimii kyllä hyvin, mutta kappaleet ovat hieman tylsänpuoleisia rallatuksia. Pidin paljon enemmän esimerkiksi Lauryn Hillin levystä. 2,5*, joka pyöristyy nipinnapin kolmosen puolelle.
Some great tracks on the front half, disappointing to hear the album turn to repetitive and uninspired ballads on the back. That being said, the astounding mix of R&B/Hip-Hop + production (especially on the vocals!) show that Badu knows exactly what she's doing.
Yeah I thought this was good but didn't connect with it loads. Thought it was decent r'n'b but didn't stand out to me like Missy Elliot or Layren Hill
J'aime bien l'album, cependant, j'ai l'impression qu'il faut vraiment faire une écoute active pour bien comprendre le sens de l'album, qui comme indiqué est suite à une rupture. Je l'écoute en travaillant donc ce n'est pas l'idéale je crois. Je mets tout de même 3/5.
A long album that is quite dull for its majority. Not necessarily a bad sound, it’s a well produced album with grooves, it’s just that the songwriting is not there.
Hat mir gut gefallen, ich mag offenbar Neosoul. Tolle Stimme, schöne Arrangements! Schöne Geschichte auch um die Soulquarians, und wie das hier gewissermaßen das Schwesteralbum zur hier auch schon besprochenen neueren Common-Platte ist. Mein kleines Problem aber: es eignete sich viel zu gut als Hintergrundmusik, ich hab selten wirklich aufmerksam hingehört. Nun, 3 Punkte dafür? jederzeit!
Can't really remember it now.. was on I the background and didn't. Needs another listn