Mama's Gun

Vaca catch up

I tried real hard to like this when it came out since everyone was saying they were listening to her. It has some decent listener counts but do you ever hear anyone mention her or hear one of these songs on the radio? Nope. It felt like she was scolding me from start to finish on the opener "Penitentiary Philosophy". "Didn't Cha Know" has 270M listens and I don't even remember it. Actually, none of these songs rang a bell. After this I know I don't really enjoy her voice. It's a wandering nothing of an album, nothing stood out for me. Not sure what justifies it being a must-hear-before-I-die album but I'll go on record that I disagree. 2 stars, bland, no hits, nothing groundbreaking, minimal influence, no longevity.

Bastante cool, groovy y de chill

It's 3.5

This is the kind of listening experience I’ve most enjoyed through this thing. Something I’m aware of but haven’t given any direct attention to, and then the list makes me give it direct attention, and I think “Oh yeah this is real good”. Oh yeah this is real good.

A good hip-hop album... I have nothing more to say. 3 stars

not for me

Sounds amazing. So chill. Just no 'great' songs.

Very cool, definitely one to come back to

real funky

an easy listen

It's ok. Was expecting more. Something a little different, but it's...ok.

Ok, aber für mich nichts besonderes. 3/5

Good album, but it feels like they tried to jam too many different styles of songs into one package that it loses cohesion.

Det e åpenbart Baduizm som e mitt album of choice, og æ har helt klart ikke hørt på det her så mye som det fortjene, men æ like det skikkelig godt, og æ elske stemmen til Erykah Badu.

4/5. A pretty great hour of Neo-Soul which mixes in a lot of jazzy elements, all held together by the strong vocals of Badu herself. The opener “Penitentiary Philosophy” is the most energetic song on the album and features a great build. But from there the instrumentals get a lot more slowed down and bare, which works very well for Erykah Brady’s confessional style of lyricism. The biggest highlight for me though is the massive closer “Green Eyes” which is a breakup song that goes through several interesting phases during its ten minute run.

Smooth and groove filled soul that begs for a makeout session

It was ok, I can really feel the R&B in the music.

I only like the first song, but I'm happy I got to listen to this... Erykah Badu is a good artist ❤️ Thank you

Very samey the whole time

The only thing worse than this is the Wiki page for it. It reads like AI slop. And the only good thing she ever did was get writers block.

Vad mer kan man önska??

Not bad at all - some good tunes

Very enjoyable. Nice listening.

Silky Smooth.

this album just goes on for too long. the content on it is pretty cool don't get me wrong, but if this was 45mins i'd prob have a more favorable opinion on it!

Why tf is the album so long? Cut a few songs out of the middle, and it becomes a great album. The start and end of the album are so fun and groovy, with great beats and enjoyable little parts. I'm usually critical of vocalists, but her voice works really well in this context, and they have integrated her very well.

Hmm... I don't know about this one. It's probably just ok and not much more than that. My initial assumption was correct, but the first track was actually really good. After that, it kind of became either milquetoast or sometimes grating(the vocal affections on the second track, "Booty" in general). The vocals are usually pleasant but can become grating on certain tracks, especially with overdubbed "Woah-oh"s at the ends of many tracks. The lyrics are smart, with sharp observations about the state of life in America and expectations of being a woman. This album is a nice homage to 70s soul and R&B that can hold its own against that genre's greats at its best, but it frequently isn't at its best. We're ultimately left with a somewhat mediocre album with some showcases of potential. This album is ranked #9 of 26 albums for 2000. Other 2000 albums rated by me: Kid A(1/26)-5 The Marshall Mathers LP(4/26)-2 Stories from the City, Stories From the Sea(6/26)-3 All That You Can't Leave Behind(16/26)-1 Our Aim Is To Satisfy(20/26)-1

não esperava nada, entregou tudo

Pleasant. It's in desperate need of tighter 35-to-45-minute runtime. 3/5.

So totally not my thing, and yet, so perfectly chilled.

Its, you know, ok, but just

The soulful and funky production found here was the best part. Badu doesn't have the strongest or most memorable voice to compliment the silky smooth music. Songs have a habit of blending into each other, and I sometimes didn't notice when one song ends and another began. These lengthy records make me long for the vinyl days as most artists don't have enough worthy material to be interesting for an hour plus. Enjoyable at first, listening to the entire record soon felt like an endurance test.

It starts off funkily promising, but then takes a sharp turn into feeling a bit phoned in and dull. Not for me, even with the interesting twists and turns in production occassionally, such as in AD 2000 with the orbiting vocals when listening to it in stereo.

Very polished and smooth R&B record. I can see how this album is very similar to Voodoo from D'Angelo

Pre Listen: Never heard of Erykah, but her name follows the lame "more complicated spelling of a common name" stereotype of many other artists from this time. Always hesitant going in to albums post 90's :/ Notable Tracks: My Life | ...& On - Major highlight of the album for me, and would've been my favorite if it weren't for a song mentioned a bit further down. Booty - Least favorite track, it's the most hip-hoppy I think, the lyrics are dumb, and the beat is choppy and jumpy as hell. Song is cheesy. Green Eyes - Favorite track on here. The lyrics are kinda stupid, but Erykah's actual singing, the audio mixing, instrumental performance, and overall sound is at it's absolute peak here for this group. Post Listen: Another toughie for me to place on a 1-5 scale. Times like this I really wish it was 1-10 scale, cause I really don't know where to neatly put this thing. It was surprisingly better than expected, the jazzy and slightly disco-ish parts much better than the R&B or hip-hoppy portions. Erykah's vocals were a mixed bag for me, when she inflects hard it's great, but when she's a bit softer her voice has a bit of a nasally quality I wasn't much a fan of. The lyrics were alright too, for the most part. The beats across the album are solid, but rather plain. I know that's the vibe they were going for, more low-key. I sense a lot of inspiration from Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. I would give this thing like a 6.5-7/10 if I could. It has issues, but it *is* a good album. I was generous on my last album, may as well be generous again. 4/5 EDIT - After some thought, I also want to bump this one down to a 3. It's a high 3, but it isn't memorable overall enough for me to give it a 4. A hard choice to make, but a necessary one. 3/5

Laid-back beats with a melodic, smooth and quick cadence of lyrics over top. Erykah Badu is a stellar singer on top of a good MC (you kind of had to be both to break out as a woman in hip-hop around the turn of the century). I came here to praise the breaks she built her beats out of, only to discover that there's an all-star band backing her. No wonder that the rhythm section is both chill and infectious: it's comprised of Questlove and Pino Palladino. I'm also told that this is a neo-soul record, perhaps not hip-hop. Either way; it's excellent. This is wonderful music to set a tone (dinner party, date night) but don't mistake it for wallpaper: it deserves your committed attention as much as any more energetic album. 5/5, stellar.

I get it, but not for me.

Pretty good. I was in the right frame of mind for this and the grooves hit just right.

Ooh I liked this one too! I’m down for some more funk and r and b that I don’t know. Keep it coming!

This was alright. I didn’t mind listening, but it seemed a little long and same-y. I can see a world where this hit me different and I rated it higher.

There’s plenty to unpack lyrically, whether it’s feminist-forward themes, verbal paintings about black struggle, or songs about tension in relationships, but I think this record is best enjoyed simply as a *vibe*. Badu’s ace is her ability to create a relaxed, warm ambiance. “…& On”, “Orange Moon”, and “Bag Lady” were all standouts for me, especially how sweet orange moon was. Lemme get a light 4/5

Always glad to see the Yellow Submarine font on another album cover. I listened to both parts of New Amerykah a few months ago, and I wasn’t a fan. So I was happy to find how much I liked this album. It’s quite good and jazzy. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

*all-time.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

This feels kind of bland at time. Not bad, just bland.

the second album release by soul musician erykah badu; her efforts along with close musician friends and help from the soulquarians artist collective got all sandwiched together to make a fresh soul album for the 21st century. she started cooking up material for this album shortly after giving birth to her baby boy and dealing with a bit of writer's block, and her eclectic stylings and usage of live instruments are notable topics brought up among music critics. honestly i knew this was going to be a five-star as soon as i pressed play. this is some smooooooth soul. everything from her breathy singing style, to the beautiful instrumental arrangements and ambience really get to me in the best way possible. the 2000s especially had some of the cleanest cds i've ever heard and this is no exception. this is honestly the perfect album for the upcoming fall season... even before really taking the time to listen to this album, i've heard almost nothing but extreme praise about badu... and i'm happy to say this album deserves all that and more. two big thumbs up.

olha a pedra brutal de bom tb puta que pariu vai tomando 100% álbum gostosíssimo pra escutar no escuro num domingo a noite sentado no chão da sala e olhando pra duvidosa paisagem paulistana

pedradaça mesmo, nao tem jeito nunca tinha escutado ele inteiro e eh extremamente competente, né. 0 músicas ruins, só pedrada, soulzinho gostoso, letras boas. infelizmente um pouco longo demais, mas mto pica!!

I loved the first two songs on this album but overall it wasn’t super for me ???? I want to listen to more of her stuff though - Erykah Badu seems cool :)

It's silky, it's smokey, it's suitably muzak - it's something and nothing, and something more than nothing, and nothing more than that. You get what I'm saying?

Love the Soulquarians and what they brought to neo-soul. This is such a vibey record, and the full-band sound is excellent. Must-listen #386.

When I first saw Miss Badu, even though it was the “You Got Me” video, I thought oh great. Some horrible sounding tribal music with off key Hindu singing. It’s what I thought. What can I say. Then I learned more about her and I liked what I read and saw. Even this, based on a single she had and the You Got Me song, I didn’t expect this sort of slow jam presentation I’m hearing. I’m not really the biggest fan of her voice. I feel like she’s intentionally singing higher because it’s what she thinks people want to hear. I’m sure I’m wrong but again, what can I say? I don’t believe in looking at release dates for albums so I’m going to just say it. This could easily have been an Aliyah album, Brandi or Monica album, Hell, even a Beyoncé album before she went off the rails and ruined her image by thinking she was a country artist. This is peak sounding 2000’s woman music. For that I grade it at such, even if it wasn’t released in the 2000’s. I will say, there isn’t really a blow away track so it really should be getting a score and a half rather than a full score but fuck it, I make my own rules. Fuck it, I’m done reviewing, I’m going to check the year this was released. 2000? WHAT? I’m a golden God! Choice cut: Bag Lady

I’m probably a bit harsh on this because as I write in the UK in 2026, we live under the yoke of neo-soul Queen of Boring Olivia Dean, but I didn’t enjoy this one. This is a good example of how the genre will often have an enjoyable beat, but tracks just go nowhere. Every song just seems to plod along and be pretty indistinguishable.

This album suffered from the same problem that affects all the neo-soul stuff I’ve heard so far: it’s so smooth there’s very little for my ears to latch on to. There were some good tracks here, however. ‘Penitentiary Philosophy’ was a great P-Funk style opener, and the following track ‘Didn’t Cha Now’ was a good slow R&B number. However, the following two tracks, ‘My Life’ and ‘...& On’ were probably more representative, being decent but a bit dull. Still, there were just about enough good ones dotted across the tracklist to convince me to go for a low 3 stars.

1. penitentiary - 1 2. knouu - 2 3. life - 1 4. on - 1 5. cleva - 1 6. zugah - 0 7. booty - 1 8. kizz - 1 9. 2000 - 0 10. moon - 2 11. love - 1 12. lady - 0 13. timez - 2 14. green - 2

This has a really nice soulful sound to it. Very nice.

easy listening, ahead of their time

2000s with really cool jazz, a little repetitive but very sensitive

WHO IS THIS GODDESS

GREAT lyrics and tones

Neo soul, ok! I could see this being pleasant Saturday morning background music as I potter around the house. I do like her voice and the backing grooves are top notch, but one song does blend a bit into the other. My faves “… & on”.

lange nicht gehört, erinnert mich an Neneh Cherry

MID mah

Still mad at her for being so late for her pitchfork headline set!!!

7.8/10 prolly gonna like it more if i wasnt playing anything

cheverit, auto

Trochę zbyt monotonna dla mnie, ale za to prawdziwa, porządna godzinna przejażdżka przez soulowe ballady i piękny głos. W sam raz na gorący dzień.

Soulful with plenty of funk

Hit and miss. Some tunes were chill; others just annoying. So, it's a pass on balance, and definitely not deserving of this list.

Not my thing at all. If 1.5 stars was an option I would have gone with that, cause I don't think it's bad in a technical sense, it's just really boring and overly long.

Totally fine, but never pulled me in.

This album starts off with a decent track but proves thoroughly repetitive after that, to a point where it is increasingly challenging to listen to it. It goes fine if you are having supper with this as a lounge background but active attention only reveals that you are fed with pretty much the same stuff over, over, and over... again. Apart from Penitentiary Philosophy, I could only find one good track that I would be willing to relisten, and this is A.D. 2000. There are some cool moments in the later part like in tracks Orange Moon and In Love With You, but c'mon, why make this 70 minutes long? Would be significantly better with just 40, preferably 30. Mostly a disappointment to me.

And this album goes on & on. Started strong but why do pop focused albums of this era have to be so incredibly long? The beat just sounds exactly the same from song to song in the middle section.

Timeless in that this album could have been mediocre in almost any decade.

Very chill, great production and performances but it's just a wee bit too long, 3.5

Ok sound but not for me.

Never listened. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I like Baduizm a lot so have high hopes for this one. The opener grooves nicely with a great structure and soaring chorus. Didn't Cha Know is a great song. ...& On is also very good, I love the little breakdown and switch. Kiss Me On My Neck is very good. the panning of the vocals on A.D. 2000 is wonderfully done. A beautiful track. Orange Moon is absolutely stunning. The next few tracks are good and then Green Eyes closes the album on a high note. What a fantastic record. I enjoyed this even more than I expected.

Weird stuff

Probably a +1 based on quirky and beautiful musicality and vocals. Random fact, she played the Queen in Blues Brothers 2000.

Where is erykah badu at? Who dat? Not great outside of the Paul George song

Erykah Badu-be-doo-be-doo - fun vibes

Erykah’s singing in Penitentary Pholosophy is giving the CGI alien singing at Jabba the Hutt’s party https://youtu.be/PiDRgDmXGi4?is=Pa4_IXZ6iXnkl0Mc

Smooth ...too smooth?

Erykah Badu spoke to me as a young college student in a way that few contemporary artists did. I loved music, listened to a lot, went to shows. But none of it spoke TO me. And I don’t think Erykah would have thought of me as “her core audience” if she had met me. But if I looked up to an artist, if I ever thought about being one myself, she was my model. I loved Baduizm. My boyfriend made fun of me. My brother did too. I remember that I was totally excited about the release of this album DESPITE them. It was mine alone. No one I knew saw what I saw in her, but it didn’t matter. It’s funny listening to it again today. It’s a bit like a roller coaster. The album itself both strong and weak. And the memory of all that time ago. There are tracks I continue to love off this album. But it’s uneven. And it’s interesting that I still throw D’Angelo on regularly, but I rarely throw on Erykah. 4 Boolean: True

Not sure it's for me. She has a nice voice, but it all kind of came and went for me. Lounge-y music. 2*

This is really lovely! I love the jazz and funk influences in the instrumentation

The music is laid back funk and Badu delivers jazzesque neo soul vocals, what’s not to like. I prefer Baduizm, but there’s enough here to enjoy. ‘Kiss my neck’ goes on a bit too long, but i like the more acoustic feel of ‘A.D 2000’ which works well as a counter balance.

I have never knowingly listened to Erykah Badu and, while it was perfectly fine, it didn’t spark a lot of joy. Very much a 2.5* album, but not so enjoyable as to be a 3*.

Her voice is lovely, there were rather more n-words than I was anticipating, it was far too jazz for me in places, and the eating a lot of vegetables song really confused me (and felt like it was never going to end). I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more had the runtime been more reasonable (even with me ignoring the last Japanese edition/European reissue bonus track). As it is, this is getting a: 2/5 (but is really a 2.5)

Good album, I really liked Orange Moon and Green Eyes. Just probably won’t be one that comes to mind as something I really need to listen to again. Season: Late Autumn Favorite Song: Orange Moon

Listened before?: yes Penitentiary Philosophy - 5/5 Didn't Cha Know - 5/5 My Life - 4/5 ... & On - 5/5 Cleva - 4/5 Hey Sugah - no rating Booty - 4/5 Kiss Me on My Neck (Hesi) - 4/5 A.D. 2000 - 4/5 Orange Moon - 5/5 In Love With You - 4/5 Bag Lady - 5/5 Time's a Wastin' - 4/5 Green Eyes - 5/5 Average score: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

too long for me pretty good tho

This is a warm, intimate, deeply soulful album that showcases Erykah Badu at her most reflective. Built around organic instrumentation and a groovy, stripped-down neo-soul aesthetic, the album favors emotional honesty over flashy production. Every song feels vintage, allowing the rich and subtle jazz influences to create a comforting atmosphere that perfectly captures the early-2000s soul sound. Badu's unmistakable voice weaves through each track, balancing vulnerability, confidence, and wisdom in a way few artists can. What truly elevates this album Is its thoughtful lyricism. Badu explores love, heartbreak, self-worth, spirituality, and social consciousness with remarkable depth, inviting listeners to reflect alongside her rather than simply observe. While its relaxed tempo may not appeal to everyone, those willing to settle into its groove will find one of neo-soul's most sincere and enduring statements: a timeless album whose warmth and authenticity continue to resonate decades later.

An interesting album.

Really well done but long and not very fun.

#54 Smooth, slow, and jazzy r&b music. I like the use of live instrumentation, and the overall vibe is nice and chill. It is very sonically one-dimensional though, and the lyrics aren't anything special. For as long as its runtime is, it really needs more variety.

Pleasantly surpised, this one was actually pretty good.

1003 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."

eu achei bem vibes, muito groovy, muito massa, mas a voz da querida as vezes fica MUITO anasalada e me dá agonia. se não fosse isso, poderia ter sido um 4.

Lekker groovie, soepeltjes en chill. Alleen verder niet echt dingen die eruit springen

soul, made in the context of hip hop & grunge rather than dew wop and old r&b. ..on my neck--ok like i can get behind this but this is also so corny. i am begging artists to understand what a 5 or 6 or 7 or TEN minute song is ACTUALLY LIKE ad 2000--this is doing this really annoying thing where her voice is going back and forth in stereo for no apparent reason. every measure her voice switches to come from the other ear. mais pourquoi ? i can't finish this album. the last five tracks are 7, 5, 6, 7, and 10 minutes long, respectively. this is insane. the music is fine. she has a decent voice, the instrumentals are nice, the backup vocals are a little weird, like all in all it's a fine album. i just can't handle thirty five minutes with just five tracks. and the first nine tracks were mostly all also 4+ minutes long. points also docked for the weird stereo voice thing in ad 2000. 2 or 3/5, tbd.

A perfectly enjoyable, breezy R&B record with some compelling arrangements, this record swept me along for the ride but I'm not sure there's enough here to bring me back for another listen. It didn't really hook me in and I kind of wished it had. It all drifts by at the same pace - I kept thinking it was going to do something to surprise me but it just didn't deliver. Nice enough though.

Listening to this in the midst of a (2nd) heatwave this album made perfect sense. Showing my complete lack of street cool I have never heard of Erykah Badu before. Orange Moon was a particularly great track which I will return to. A modern take on something which probably has a genre of it's own which in my ignorance I am going to call modern soul jazz. Smooth and a little sweaty, I loved it.

It sounds nice but also somewhat unremarkable. I don’t know why I don’t like it more, but I was not particularly drawn to any songs. A gentleman’s 3/5.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did. 2.5/5

Meh

Not memorable on first listen

A collection of lovely moments, stitched together with deep grooves.

What if they made a whole album out of 'the cut'? Warm and buttery, mellow and pillowy soft, an easy going blend of funk jazz and soul with rich arrangements and laid back but perfectly in the groove playing across a huge swathe of instruments. Her voice fades in and out of the blend, an extra texture, a bit of high end melisma floating around, a fleeting focal point - an album that's more about the vibe than the hook.

75 minutes of my life gone. Insipid and uninspiring .

One or possibly two tracks were interesting, but overall this album is not for me.

Got better as the album progressed. Quite enjoyable.

True it is long but, at least, the songs are very boring

There's some really nice drum work on this album. Thats about the only good thing I have to say though. I found the vocals irritating after a minute, and the album is way too long. I had no interest in where this album was going after about 10 minutes. I dont think Mama's Gun is bad enough for a 1, but this is a 2 for sure for me.

Reminded me of my girlfriend again!

2026.07.01.-05.

Mama's Gun starts off strong, but 70 minutes is simply too long, and I lose interest multiple times. It works wonderfully as background music, though. If it were 20 minutes shorter, a fifth star would be close; as it is, it falls just a bit short of four stars.

This was all nice enough, but it got a bit repetitive and it went on too long.

Definitely a different vibe than what I am used to but I liked a few of those songs.

A little too whiny sounding for me...all the songs had a similar beat, similar sound...it all blended together

So so very long, and, so so very dull. Really can't think why this album is here. Best thing I can think of is the cover which looked to me like a cool Soul Jazz complication and which would have been much much more enjoyable. 1 star only.

Favorite tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn’t Cha Know, My Life, & A.D. 2000. I enjoyed it, but not enough to add to my physical collection.

eh. premda je što se instrumentalne razine tiče, glasovno i tekstovno nikako mi se ne sviđa. premonotono, sve se nekako stopi u jednu zamornu cjelinu koja ne ostavlja dobar dojam

It just sounds cool, Erykah's voice is one of a kind.

Some really cool music here, but R&B just doesn’t click with me for some reason

Definitely an interesting listen, but not really up my alley overall. Found a few songs that I enjoyed, though.

5/10

Album 235. Mama's Gun (https://open.spotify.com/album/4z7ma1ujO4FDL1l2YBGw7b?si=eBU9anf8QOiBdlFFr1CtOA) — Erykah Badu (2000) Great funky hip hop soul. It's chill, smooth and loong. I need to relisten to it later. 4/5 Liked: — Didn't Cha Know — In Love With You — Time's A Wastin

3.1 2x better than expected

This felt like really quite par for the course backing and instrumentation, absolutely lifted by the attitude and quality of the vocals. She's not someone I knew about before listening to this, but I was surprised at the speed with which I was drawn into the lyrics and the songs more generally.

Enjoyed it. Didn’t super stand out to me.

Never heard before. Liked it. Will listen again

I wouldn't have sought this out on my own, but it found me at the right time.

Not my genre. Music was fine. Lyrics less so. Ultimately, it did become tedious from about 1/3 of the way in as it didn’t really change.

She sounds about 90

This album was definitely helped by my mood this morning. Feeling kinda sleepy with it raining outside made this exactly what I wanted to hear. I didn't even notice that it was 70 minutes long until near the very end, which normally would really bother me. A really pleasant listen Favorite Songs: ... & On, Orange Moon, Time's A Wastin

This album was decent but not for me.

funky, soulful, amazing. love the groove, the quality of the vocals and the storytelling. love orange moon.

Holy, that opener… great neo soul record, but I feel it loses a bit of steam on the back half of the record.

I like the smooth groovy sound of the album, but sometimes the vocals were annoying and sometimes they were amazing. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Man this was a long album. Every song just goes on and on. If your not really huge in this genre this just drags on forever. It ends with a 10 minute song preceded by 13 5 minute plus songs that all sound the same. I guess your eating good if you like this. 3/10

Smooth soul, really enjoyed the vibes.

Mama’s Gun is loaded. Not familiar with neosoul (and neither is spell check), but it’s got a good sound. Well thought out lyrics and instrumentation. In Love With You is the to track, but enjoy the whole listen. (3.7*s) I’m a gonna go back and check out her debut sometime.

Mama's Gun is a long slow burn that is off target. Funky, soulful R&B that runs deep but I don't really like Badu's singing and the lyrics aren't as poignant as critics claim. "My eyes are green cause I eat a lot of vegetables" is pretty lame. Erykah is well known but I had never listened to any of her work. I'm glad the list gave me that chance and I can now say I'm not digging it. 1.2 stars for this bag lady.

Not quite sure what qualifies as the Neo Soul genre. Mama's Gun just felt like a female R&B album with some classical instruments thrown in. Not bad, not great. Just felt like Erykah Badu went into the studio with some simple R&B beats and some friends who have some experience with classical instruments and keyboards to just chill and see where the vibes took them. The individual pieces aren't bad but they also don't stand out at all. A couple songs in it pretty quickly faded into background noise. A song here and there would have been appreciated but I didn't need 70 minutes of it. Might work well as some background music at a lounge or between drinks on a nice day but for the most part I didn't take much out of this album. Mama's Gun came and went without making any impact on me. 1.97 stars

First Listen; 3; Very chill soul/R&B album. I really enjoyed some of the instrumentation. Fun riffs on a variety of instruments. Has a very light and airy presentation, between the vocals and instruments. Favorite Track: Orange Moon

Interesting album. Some of the times I really liked her voice and sometimes it was too nasally for me.

I had low expectations, but this was surprisingly soulful and funky. I really enjoyed it from the get go. Hopefully there are more of her albums on this list or more like this and this isn't a one off good album from her.

Suave :) 3/5

way too long but not bad

kinda lo-fi hiphop on any song the bwomp-a-womp-wompa-wowowa would fit

The vocal gymnastics aren't for me

Eh I dunno. Not for me. Too much crammed in.

Ugh no.

Some flashes here of some pretty great stuff. But I didnt think her vocal style matched the music except for some of the slower stuff, which i liked a whole lot less.

Not AT ALL what I was expecting! Quite funky and fun!

A fascinating and soulful rendition of what it means to be heartbroken.

The voice is good, the instrumentals are jazzy in a good way, but it just goes on for too long. The lyrics are supposedly where it's at but I found it hard to keep bringing up the mental energy and focus on them. Not a bad album by any means, but doesn't contain anything for me push it to great.

There is some great instrumentals on here and Erykah Badu has a very nice voice, but this album is very hard to listen to in one sitting because it’s very long and starts to blend together after some time. 3/5

Not awful

Spectacular.

When I want chill music on a Saturday afternoon, this is exactly the vibe I’m thinking of. What a good find!

Big respect to the funk influences here.

own

The music is pretty funky and she has a really nice voice. I found the album drags a bit though, some of these songs don't really need to be as long as they are

3.3

Great album, I've been sleeping on Erykah to be honest, but was really impressed with this album and think Ill continue to explore her discography.

This is beautiful, soulful music with very distinctive vocals. Unfortunately, I'm just not a fan of soul/R&B, and it's hard for me to imagine a mood in which I'd want to listen to this album. But the music is good, and I'm sure it has a lot of fans.

Soulful, funny and thoughtful. Great voice and cool music.

A phenomenal album

Pretty sexy and silky and at the same time- kinda boring.

I'm not used to this genre of music, but I certainly did enjoy this album. Some of it sounded a lot like Stevie Wonder (not just the sample), so now the "neo soul" label makes a lot more sense to me than it did before. I'll revisit this one at a later date, especially now that I'm aware of the project's backstory, but this has already hit like a 5 for me.

2,5

This was good. Soulful, funky and Questlove holding things down on most of the tracks as well as some other credible contributors. Not really in my wheelhouse, and it didn’t really do enough to keep me interested throughout. Her voice is superb but at times it annoyed me. Great for what it is, but wouldn’t revisit.

Once again, skillfully made art that does absolutely nothing for me.

Didn't do much for me

Hits hard, even for a first timer!

I don't think I've ever heard anything before from Erykah Badu's solo work, and overall I enjoyed the album more than I expected after the slow start with "Penitentiary philosophy", and once I made my peace with her singing style. The album itself is too long by half, filled with too many semi-lounge-act songs (even with hits like "Cleva" or the solid but out-of-place "Orange moon"), but thankfully there are some nice highlights too, including "...& on", the funk-filled "Booty" and following chant "Kiss me on my neck", as well as the Cheeba Sac mix version of "Bag lady" (with honorable mention to "In love with you"), and it's really nice to have an album that clearly made extensive use of live instruments and band members rather than samples, synths and sequencers. Also interesting to read that she'd had a child with Andre 3000 before this album was recorded and produced, as I was struck by the musical affinity these two seem to share (down to the videos), even if the relationship didn't last (apparently the inspiration for the ending track "Green eyes", as well as perhaps the entire album).

I enjoyed the music more than the lyrics--at times the songs felt a little too "talky," not as in rap but more like just wordy and delivered a little flatly. The music was really nice though, and it's definitely worth a repeat play.

I found her voice kind of annoying at first, but it did grow on me. Overall this is a style of music I just find kind of boring though. Not unpleasant by any means, just dull

Apparently I love Erykah Badu

This album is so amazing. Erykah Badu is such a soulful spirt and we are blessed by her voice. It also inspired so many artist that I respect to this day. A solid 5/5 album for me.

Really close to a 5, absolutely wonderful R&B album

Le bon côté du chill, mais ya clairement 20 minutes en trop.

What an awful, grating voice. Although I figured this might scrape two stars, the length worked against it and the quality somehow managed to dip near the end, which I wouldn't have thought possible. Truly appalling, one star.

This was a long album (over an hour). It was fine, but I've never been a fan of Erykah Badu. It was fine as background music as I did my New York Times games.

First few songs were really good. Kind of got boring. The last few songs were kind of funny / interesting in terms of the lyrics, so they were memorable in that sense but still kind of boring to me.

Neat

4,4/5

A classic album that better in the 2nd half than the first. This should 3.5 stars

Very pleasant and a bit funky. I really like her laid back vocals and the music is lovely. I had to listen on Apple Music which only had a bonus track edition so it went on a bit too long but never the less I enjoyed it and it was perfect for a hot day in the UK. Will definitely listen again but maybe the normal version.

Nice

Not really my thing. Not offensive 'tho. My world has not been changed or improved after listening to this.

it's smooth, long but not punishingly so, and beautifully performed. knows a thing or two about subtlety. this is a great entry point into neo-soul along with D'Angelo. deserves to be one of the 1001? yes and i think you could make a case for adding Baduizm too

beter dan verwacht, maar toch niet echt mijn ding

Just a beautiful soul record front to back. Had never listened to this record before in its entirety, and I'm glad it showed up here. Erykah's voice is so distinct and captivating. The band backing her is so smooth and adds the perfect accompaniment to her vocals. Beautiful record.

When i was finished listening to SAULT yesterday I really fancied listening to Erykah Badu so this was spooky but very welcome. I loved it all but my favourite was Green Eyes.

This record borrows its moves from 70s-era soul but brings precious little that's new to the proceedings. Without any innovation, the resulting album is a hollow affair that makes me want to go seek out the original sources rather than listen to the copy.

Really good. Not my usual type of music, but I enjoyed the whole album.

The personnel list on Wikipedia is crazy.

Favorite Track: Didn't Cha Know

Not bad but not memorable either

I like it

Most of this has been on heavy rotation for me, since it came out. Badu is an artist. More of her records should be on this list.

The music is wonderful, but the lyrics were missing choruses and hooks that I could really latch onto. I'd enjoy this if it came on again, but I wouldn't seek it out.

no complaints but i can’t see myself relistening

I think almost every song has the exact same beat underneath, with maybe slight variations. I don't hate this kind of music but I just don't care for it either.

Ерика Баду - почеши мою елду

Just an infectious voice. Kind of slow at bits but the way this album flows is so incredible

She is a great singer but I just don't care much for the pitch of her voice, it seems high and kind of screechy. I like the music a lot but her voice throws me off a bit. Obviously she is mega talented and I'm sure most people would enjoy this, it's just me and my preferences.

Solid but liked yesterday more

Very cool, enjoyed the sounds

This is too sassy for me, but I can tell it's good

Interesting album with a lot of different styles and ambiances. I'd globally enjoyed it. 3.5

It is just okay for me. Some nice instrumentals at times.

Erykah Badu is an eclectic artist who fits in her niche very well. So well, in fact, that her music is quite listenable for those of us who may not opt for her particular style. The orchestration is different from standard popular music, incorporating flutes and African percussion, creating a unique sound that combines well with the soul music at its heart. I enjoyed most of the album, but can’t say I’d go back to it. 3 stars

Wasn't really in the mood for the r+b style but there were good lyrics and I liked her voice

Stærkt og varmt Neo-soul RnB album som tager udgangspunkt i Afrikansk musiktradition. Der har været mange store producers indover, bla J-dilla! Angiveligt slog hun igennem med et stort album inden, men det her er vidst mere modent og sådan sammenhængende. Synes det var super godt og chill at lytte til.

(6 estrellas)

oh mama

This is a keystone album. I go back to it on the regular.

Calming- it feels like you are in the studio vibing along Favourite track: Orange Moon

I'm pretty sure I've just listened to the same song on repeat for 70 minutes, but it's not a bad one Decent enough background music

Seems like mostly 2s but overall might push up to 3. Not really my thing, but her voice is wonderful and the songs are nice and chill. Best song: Kiss Me On My Neck

Liked this

Thought is started alright but then pretty rapidly descended into run of the mill R&B which is not really my cup of tea.

Yuck!

Too chill and jazz/soul/reggae for me.

As I was listening I realized that this just completely faded into the background. Like, I don’t recall a single thing I listened to. I have legitimately zero opinion or memory of listening to most of this. Absolutely felt nothing. 2/5.

Very good

Вважаю Бадуізм її найкращим релізом. І я б саме його обрав для цього списку. Ніяким чином не відміняє того, що цей альбом це теж нео-соул діамант. Супер звук, класні музиканти, Джей Ді в продакшн кредітсах. Є хіти, високий рівень матеріалу по всьому треклісту. Раніше дуже багато слухав нео-соул, а останніми роками трохи охолонув і досить давно не слухав саме цей альбом. Зараз кайфонув, тому поставимо 5.

Можливо не такий ідеальний як бадуізм (це суб'єктивно дуже), але все ще супер красивий соул альбом від легенди. Не знаю що сказати про Еріку Баду, чого ще не було сказано. На Mama's Gun навіть фіти для мене працюють непогано.

Rating:★★★ Idk man, not my favorite. There were some great beats but I didn’t really dig the voice.

The playing is very good, she has a nice voice. I think maybe I'm not into neo soul as a genre. Sometimes this would click and I would be like oh yes this is nice then sometimes it just seems like people with not a lot of imagination jamming. Like the jams hit a nice groove, but they don't seem to really go anywhere. I think I prefer D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill. Maybe I will come back to this later but I'm not in a rush. it took concerted effort to finish it

The first time I listened to this I gave it one star. And I was absolutely wrong. A masterpiece

Annoying voice, unlistenable.

love!!!!

I’m not really big on modern R&B but man, that just blew my mind. Incredible album

I liked this quite a bit more than I expected. I've heard of the artist before, and I was expecting something a little harder. This has some nice swing in places, and great instrumentation as well.

Good music but felt more like background than the main event

Erykah Badu is a staple of neo soul, and this album is a shining example of her experimental, introspective style. Sultry beats (courtesy of Questlove) and simple but exquisite harmonic layering like a live show (courtesy of The Soulquarians) give this album its radiance. Badu's voice floats gently like a plume of cigarette smoke above a crowd at a jazz club, pervading every corner of the room. I really enjoyed this album, finding it the perfect embodiment of neo soul: from its themes to its instrumentals to its vocals.

3/5

I love this album so much. I need to spend time digging into all the samples

This is a great record. Booty is an all time great song. It’s a little slow for me in places but that’s a me problem. 25 years old and still an amazing listen. 8.5/10

Never actually listened to an album by EB. I am highly susceptible to this kind of thing ... took in my share of acid jazz in the 90s, enjoyed my share of Soul II Soul, Michael Franti, US3, Thievery Corporation ... the danger with this style of music is that smotth groove can give way to languid, from which "cool but kind of dull" can be glimpsed out on the horizon. This album seems best suited to background listening. It's cool, but ... The high level musicianship is appreciated (eg, the flute on Kiss Me On My Neck). There is no single track to be excited about; I would trade this whole album in a heartbeat for Sister Carol's "Dread Natty Congo," released a few years before. That was not an especially good album, but that song is fabulous. Give me a standout track, Erykah!

I listened to her only peripherally. At the time, I thought she had an excellent and very enjoyable hook--but just the one. Today her music isn't part of my listening world; my rating reflects that.

Went into this one with high hopes. I thought maybe this will be some kind of undiscovered gem. I read about Questlove's involvement and it all sounded great. But no--this isn't for me. Mostly I was just bored. Nothing here I objected to, exactly, but nothing I felt I could really grab on to. No lyrics, melodies, riffs, rhythms that stayed in my mind after hearing them. Disappointing.

Number: 123 Date: 04/06/2026 Artist: Erykah Badu Album: Mama's Gun Year: 2000 Genre: Neo Soul Familiarity: None (1) Rating: 4 Before: ======= Never heard of this artist or album. During: ======= Oh, this is pretty good. Not what I was expecting. I was thinking reggae based on the album cover. This is a nice surprise. 4 Penitentiary Philosophy 4 Didn't Cha Know 4 My Life 5 ... & On 4 Cleva 3 Hey Sugah 3 Booty 3 Kiss Me On My Neck (Hesi) 3 A.D. 2000 3 Orange Moon 3 In Love With You 4 Bag Lady 4 Time's A Wastin' 3 Green Eyes ----------------------------------------------------- 3.52 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= Very good album. It's not the type of music I normally listen to and will probably never listen to this whole album again but did add a couple songs to my faves of 2000 playlist. Not sure they will stay there the next time I evaluate it. 4 my personal rating 4 suitability for this list 3 impact ----------------------------------------------- 3.7 composite rating

Enjoyed more than I expected since it's out of my wheelhouse, very funky

the vibe’s cool but i dont like her nasally vocals…

Overall really great, 5 star quality

What an incredible album. The bass playing is superb throughout. The grooves are filthy and sick and whatever other adjective you might use for grooves that force you into "stank face." Her voice is clear and focused and in tune. Her tone is slightly unusual, but that's a pro not a con. I loved this album start to finish. Easy and enthusiastic 5 stars.

YOOOO the legend didnt cha knoww??????? myyyy eyeees are greeeen cuz i eat a lot of vegetables....

leuk en hiphoppy en soul ik zou wel in achtergrond luisteren

i'm conflicted and a bit sad that i am... i really like this but also it falls just short for me :( i love the instrumentals but the toplines leave something to be desired. the melodies just aren't compelling to me BUTTTTT the backing tracks are so good that i'm compelled to keep giving it chances until it fully clicks. so in a way this is a provisional 4 i do think it's just a touch too long though fave track: bag lady

no me va este genero 1/5

I found this album....confusing. Some decent soul music, with what appear to be rap lyrics. I suspect I'm not exactly the target demographic for this album, and while I wouldn't run out of the room if it were playing there, it probably wouldn't be playing in the kinds of rooms I want to hang out in.

3.3/5 good grooves need listen more

nice voice and junky/jazz groove which i APPROVE! Cool new artist i just discovered

10/10

Holy shit are the tracks the same (in the best way possible). 4/5

It's like okay, but not entirely my vibe. I like the concept more than the execution.

This was really cool and I enjoyed listening to it. I don’t know if I’m really someone with the critical ear to put a ton of words in to the why, but sometimes I think the above sentence is all I need.

6 estrelas vsf esse álbum é OURO

like

EB has great talent & a great range. This has a nice mix of up-tempo and slow-jam R&B. But it’s too long, and doesn’t maintain its edge throughout. The Spotify version seems like it’s the Japanese release —with its 2 versions of “Bag Lady,” it exemplifies the need for editing (the 2nd version is better). It’s still a 4 though.

Heard Before? Yes, although I prefer the "New Amerykah" albums because I'm a weird snob. Notes: - like most every album from 1991-2002, it's too long. the CD era was a bad idea. - like many r&b/neosoul albums, it's a love letter to vocal multi-tracking. bold choice to sing through a phaser on the opening track. - give me this era of neosoul production anytime. the drums are pristine, the mix is spacious and balanced. - arrangements are subtly varied, with nifty surprises in nearly every song. clever restraint rewards careful listening. - more or less devoid of hooks. not a pop album. but the lyrics are mostly worth your time. Verdict: At low volumes, it risks being background mood-fodder. Pay attention and the whole thing comes to life vividly. Listen Again? I'm not opposed, but an Erykah 'best-of' would suit me better.

Like a classic 70’s Motown album…a statement and a triumph.

I can’t believe I slept on this album for so long. I knew Badu as a powerhouse vocalist, and this record also shows off her songwriting skills in full force: blending charm, humor, and wit with effortless style. It doesn’t hurt that she’s backed by an stunning cast of musicians in their prime, from Questlove’s bombastic drumming on the intro, to Dilla’s masterpiece production of “Didn’t Cha Know” to Roy Ayers literally vibing through “Cleva.” There’s so much here that it’s hard to take it all in on just one listen.

I enjoyed the production and Badu's voice paired nicely with it, but the lyrics weren't as compelling...

Lowkey honeyed.

It is OK, not really my thing.

I've been postponing making a review of this album until I had a moment of clearness, because almost every time I've heard it I was almost falling asleep, not only because I was incredibly tired on those occasions, but also due to how incredibly soothing the album is, to the point where I find it hard to stay focus throughout the whole thing. The record starts incredibly strong "Penitentiary Philosophy". It is undoubtedly my favourite part of the whole project, as it has some of the more memorable melodies and a super powerful and expressive ending. From this point and moving forward, almost every song's main focus is to be incredibly groovy and relaxing soul, with some exceptions having some different approaches, like the funky "Booty" and "Kiss Me On My Neck", the song "Orange Moon" being an almost piano ballad and "In Love With You" being an acoustic guitar piece and collaboration with reggae artist "Stephen Marley". While I think the voice performance is incredibly sweat and passionate, the bass very groovy, some transitions between songs are super smooth and everything sounds super clear, I think it is too much for me, as I said in the beginning. In addition, there are some tracks that I wasn't really crazy about, specially the last bunch, from "Orange Moon" until the end, where maybe my lack of concentration was playing a big role, but the fact that they are some of the longest cuts didn't help either. In conclusion, I think it is a decent album. If it was way shorter a see myself giving it a way higher score.

Funky, but maybe too many different vibes per track on this album.

I kept wondering when I’d run out of things to say about three star albums and it turns it’s about now. Idk, didn’t dislike my time listening to it. Was actually vibing probably more than the half the time but it was all spread thin over a long run time

This is what Arnold would play in his room when he got into high school.

good album

4!!!

Kule "jazzy" melodier, litt kjedelig sangstemme.

Reminds me of D'Angelo's Voodoo and the Roots. And just like those albums, I like the sound that Erykah expanded on from Baduizm. Those drum beats are hypnotic and her vocals give it a certain "ASMR" quality. I know I say retro a lot but this is the right adjective to describe this record.

No entiendo el R&B, definitivamente creo que es un género que no es para mi. Disfruté este disco y entiendo porque es mejor que otros de su mismo género, pero no puedo conectar con este estilo de música. Después de un rato se me hace repetitivo, y los juegos vocales se me hacen monótonos y poco creativos. Quizá es la intención, quizá funciona bajo otros parámetros que no entiendo. Personalmente, siento que le falta pop. Recomiendo, pero no lo volvería a escuchar. Si te gusta el género del R&B, este es un LP precioso. Pistas destacadas Orange Moon

She cool

Enjoyed that a lot more than I expected…. Great album. 4

++: Penitentiary Philosophy, ...& On, Cleva, Booty, A.D. 2000, Orange Moon, Bag Lady, Time's a Wastin, Green Eyes +: Didn't Cha Know, Hey Sugah, Kiss Me on My Neck (Hesi), In Love with You +-: My Life 8,5/10

music for sexy times , dont really care about it tho. 2/5

Vocally, she's really talented... Lyrically, repetitive to the point of annoying

Queen!

Thank goodness, this is actually groovy, funky, interesting to my ears. The lyrics are not totally where my head's at, but I will let them go. Erykah Badu's singing, and all the instrumentalists, are on point. I don't have a lot to say, it's Good, 7/10.

Really smooth, enjoyable album. Found it to be really good 'background music' while I got chores and life-stuff done around the house. It's one of those albums I would be really happy to listen through at the coffee show with a nice warm latte and a good book.

Fantastic R&B album. Erykah’s voice and all the instruments meld into one cohesive mixture. 3.7/5.0

it took me several tries to get through the whole thing because I kept getting interrupted so that definitely impacted the flow of it, but it is good if long. i like how cohesive it all is and how it flows into each other, and her personality shines through so much on these songs. she is kinda one of the best of all time probably and this work does epitomize how unique and singular she is as an artist especially in her delivery. not everyone can write a song about a bag lady and have it sound cool and not stupid. *Fav tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy; Didn’t Cha Know; Bag Lady*

This album surprised me. Great voice, interesting tone. Somewhere between jazz & hip hop with a hint of trip hop & traditional jazz. Has been added to my personal play list!!

Wow wow

what else could you give to this album

C'est un album un peu compliqué. Parce que quand on fait cette liste, on est souvent confronté à des albums qu'on aurait jamais écouté de sa vie, tout simplement parce que c'est pas le genre de musique qu'on écoute. C'est mon cas avec Mama's Gun. Je vois sur les sites d'avis qu'il est globalement très bien noté. Pourtant, à l'écoute, je m'ennuie sévèrement (la longue durée n'aide pas). D'un autre côté, je pense que c'est surtout parce que c'est pas du tout un genre de musique qui me parle. Si j'ai bien compris, c'est de la néo-soul (je connais déjà pas du tout la soul, alors la néo ?), autant dire que je n'y connais rien. C'est probablement pas fait pour moi donc je vais pas mettre une mauvaise note. Je vais mettre un 3 en étant un peu subjectif, mais je suppose que c'est un très bon album si on aime le genre.

one of the best to ever do it.

Empä muista tästä mitään muutakuin että kuuntelin läpi. Varsin neutraali levy siis omaan makuun.

Chilliä soul-mussiikkia. Tarvii ehkä ajatuksen kanssa kuunnella vielä, mutta toimi oikein mukavasti

I thought this album was alright, there were some good beats but I just wasn’t hooked for whatever reason. I could listen to it again, but if I don’t, I’ll be ok with that.