Mama's Gun

Ik dacht dat Erykah Badu echt zo'n North Sea Jazz zangeres was, waar ik me dan aan zou ergeren dat ze zichzelf zo goed vind zeg maar. En verrek: Ik heb gelijk. Het is zeker niet allemaal slecht en de band, of de sessiemuzikanten, leveren smaakvol werk af, maar haar zingen maakt er een beetje een grijze drab van in m'n hoofd. Veel nummers lijken op elkaar. Bijvoorbeeld bij '.... & On' wil ik kunnen genieten van die smooth jazz meets boombap achtige muziek op de achtergrond, maar haar soort van kinderstem zit gruwelijk in de weg. De eerste twee nummers dacht ik dat ze dat stemmetje deed als een soort van truukje, maar nu twijfel ik. Het verpest het een beetje voor mij. Ik luister er niet zo graag naar. En dan is 75 minuten lang. Ik wil best erkennen dat dit aardige muziek is, maar je moet er wel een beetje van houden. En dat heb ik niet echt. Op de lekkere momenten gedacht aan een 3, op de slechte momenten was het echt hooguit een 2. Ik zal me van m'n goede kant laten zien, vooruit.

Лучшая песня: Penitentiary Philosophy Худшая: Time's a Wastin Первые два трека порадовали, а потом началось заунывное завывание под скучнейшую музыку. Можно только выделить дуэт со Стивеном Марли и то он показался затянутым.

Не дружу я с подобной музыкой, слушал раньше бадуизм, и вот теперь этот альбом. Не заходит примерно никак. Музыка хорошая, но не моя

Здесь обратная ситуация, нежели с предыдущим альбомом. Изначально были очень высокие ожидания: черная женщина из 90-00х в жанре, близком к R&B, да и единственная песня что я у нее знал шикарная (On & On). Но ожидания не оправдались - слишком фоново, слишком нецепляюще. Увы, если делать альбом однородным, то можно переступить тонкую грань и треки не будут различаться. Эрика, к сожалению, эту грань переступила.

6/10 - good but too laidback, would be a good album for freaky time

She has some really great vocals but the whole thing was kinda boring.

Funky and smooth.

Interesting rnb but not my thing. Much preferred the indie and funk inflected Solange.

Really easy to listen to and I found myself grooving with a lot of the songs. Got a bit same-y by the end of the hour long runtime, but I was never put off by the easygoing jazzy and overall well performed songs.

I can tell the music is done well just again way too slow for me

So smooth and soulful.

Orange moon cok guzel, bu tarz bir albumu ilk defa dinliyorum. Sarkilari album album olarak dinleyip deneyimlemek cok uzun zamandir istedigim bir seydi ve bu siteyi buldugum icin cok memnunum. Ayrica cd koleksiyonu yapmaya basladigim icin cok begendigim albumlerin buyuk ihtimal cdlerini de alacagim. Su anlik album guzel ve yavas gidiyo, bazen de yavas albumler dinlemek lazim.

Lovely, well paced R&B - the Jacob Marley feature was a nice touch

Ima nešto u ovom albumu što ne mogu da ne cijenim, valjda je ipak kvalitetno urađeno posebno što se tiče pozadinske muzike, ali sve u svemu ovo je poprilično mučno iskustvo. Nije ni da joj mrzim glas nego je valjda ovaj kontrast između uspavane muzike i dominantnog glasa prejak.

This started very well with the low key funk of opener Penitentiary Philosophy and generally speaking, the laid back soulful jazzy grooves are something I can get on board with but there was just something missing from this to elevate it above ordinary. I'd have liked her to lean a bit more into the funky energy of the first track throughout the album and of course, like much US R&B and hip-hop of the noughties, its too long at well over an hour.

2,5

a few standout tracks, and a lil long. the genre doesnt do anything for me

wasn't familiar at all with this album, so this was my first time listening. Badu has such a soulful voice and the album just has this chill vibe to it. I can definitely see having this play as background music when you just want to have a laid back vibe going. Badu is so talented and this is definitely a great album.

I know her, I've seen her live too, but not sure I can name any of her songs apart from the Roots one. I like the sound, dense 2000 soul. Never really grabs my attention, drifts to the background. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No 47/194 (24%) Will I get: No

Not really my thing but I enjoyed it

The genre description for the album put me off at first. But it was supposed to include soul, so I thought I'd give it a try. The best thing about the album is that it's not hip-hop. Other than that, the album wasn't unpleasant, but it was surprisingly boring. I probably won't listen to it again anytime soon. 3/5

Good

Erykah Badu is just so cool. She’s great. Where she been??

Soul/R&B isn't really my type of genre of music but I enjoyed the chill vibe of this and only skipped ahead to the next song once which is no small achievement for what I usually get from this project.

I can't help comparing this to D'Angelo's Voodoo, which is not on this list but really is better. They sound similar (thanks to Questlove, I assume) but this feels more rambling and unfocused.

Kendte hende af navn inden. Selve lytningen gør ikke noget særligt ud af sig. Det er fint soul. Frida sov nemt til det. 👌

Nice

не те щоб мені прям дуже сподобалось, але досить вайбово, на фоні включити для розслаблення саме те.

banger

Surprised me as I enjoyed some tracks

Buena data, ese r&b y soul con claritas raíces reggae. El álbum igual mucho no me llegó. Me costó escucharlo. 5/10

It's a good album. Sounds great. Soulful. My biggest gripe, here, is that a lot of the songs sounds remarkably similar. That's not really a bad thing, but the lack of variety made this album really drag on, especially with it being rather long. If it was 40 minutes, I could easily see this being 4 stars, but it's too long. Maybe I'll make a playlist that only includes some curated tracks from this album, and it would be substantially better than this album as a whole.

Good, but just too long. I wonder if it would be better if a few songs were cut out.

Interesting

Not as classic as Baduizm, but ok.

Har lyssnat på innan men tyckte om det mer nu! 3.5/4⭐️

Funky, relaxing. Ficata.

I thought this would be a snoozer, but it was a pleasant listen, bad on me for assuming otherwise.

It reminded me of TLC at some points, but smoother and more lowkey. That doesn't necessarily make it worse, as it was nice to listen to. But, none of the songs really caught my attention.

Good lyrics

Pretty decent, not my usual thing

I trust that this is great because so many people that I think are great say this is great. There’s a handful of tracks I dig. But “modern” R&B is just not my bag. It all sounds like it’s slumped into an overstuffed couch on muscle relaxers and Valium. Lyrically excellent. Thematically excellent. Musically… it can’t be anything but excellent! Pino P, Questlove, Roy Hargrove, Roy Ayers, Jack DeJohnette. I cannot & do not deny its greatness. It just doesn’t move me. Keep your Neo-Soul, I’ll take the original. **EDIT: After a couple days reflection, I want to note: MARK THOSE WORDS. It occurs to me that I have had near identical reviews of artists that are now on my Rushmore &or dearly beloved. That is, smart, sophisticated, deep, made by brilliant musicians & uniquely talented writers/producers. “It just doesn’t click with me…” *insert Homer Simpson meme* “…doesn’t click with you SO FAR.”

I bought Erykah Badu’s Baduizm when it was released and then loved it so much I bought Baduizm Live when it was released straight away but when I saw this album come up via https://1001albumsgenerator.com I had to look it up to see if I owned it (I did). I also didn’t recall any of the tracks on it so probably didn’t play it that much. Two spins later and I kind of know why. Erykah has a great voice, there are some great musicians on board playing the neo soul music. There are some interesting lyrics. Songs cover breakup, sisterhood and the shooting of unarmed Amadou Diallo by NYC cops. I listened to this album twice today and it was a little bit of a struggle. The album clocks in at just under 72 minutes and I feel it is too long and frankly dragged on a bit. Badu has a fantastic voice but at times I felt the tempo and tone was a bit too similar and a bit Languid. By the time it hit into “…& on” the fourth track on the album I was grateful for the change in tempo and style, and possibly just familiar with the take in the song from her familiar first album. It is about 3/4 of an hour before a duet with Stephen Marley and I was really great fil for another voice no matter how good hers is. On second listen I was impressed by some of the musical styles on display in the mix jazzy, funky, soulful and a little bit psychedelic how it all melded together but maybe it was the day I was reviewing as I still didn’t feel that moved. I do think there is a possible great 45 minute album mixed in this somewhat bloated album that I might enjoy on a different as there are some good tracks on this and I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, but I can’t, so it’s a 3 star review for this one.

# Playlist Track - Didn't Cha Know # Notes - Groovy at times, boring in others. - Worth a listen.

Powerful Neo-Soul from the millenium.

Erika, mit dem turban role model für alle Münchner Ragga girlzz. die Musik RnB halt nie mein genre gewesen da reisst sie nicht wirklich was c

This was okay, her voice spoils it though.

This album deserves massive props for its seamlessness – I can’t say I’ve ever heard an album in this vein do such a great job of blurring the lines where tracks end/begin. The instrumental performances are great as well! Not to say Eryka Badu isn’t a good singer, but the instrumentals are definitely a cut above. Mama’s Gun would have easily been a four if it were 20-25 minutes shorter. I started to lose steam the closer the LP got to the hour mark and it also seemed like it was spinning its wheels around that point. Not to say there aren’t good moments toward the end, but the songs just don’t have the same spunk and energy that they did during the first half. Highlights: Penitentiary Philosophy, My Life, Cleva, Booty, A.D. 2000

A funky album that just never got it's legs.

Day725 - those song minus that dumbass booty song in the hands of a better, less whiny singer would make this a high rated album.

Alright

12/29/25. Feels like this is a good album to introduce me to the neo soul genre. Very chill but feel good, really good vocals.

I like her sound, but I think she is a little too free and open for me to love it.

Nothing I dislike here, but nothing I fell I love with either. It was cool music and fun to chill to.

7/10

The music on this album was pretty funky but Erykah Badu's rapping wore me out. There is a tedious sameness to her rhyming that I didn't enjoy. I was over it by about half way through

My mama never had one.

A well-produced, well executed and robust album in a genre that I really don't care all that much for. This is a bit of a theme as I try to navigate my way across 1001 albums.... I do see the appeal to this album, it's genuinely impressive and Erykah Badu is a very talented musician. The vocals are top notch. I think there was some experimentation on this album that worked well, it pushed the RnB genre forward and went outside the box. All this said, it didn't necessarily click with me in a way that leaves me wanting to come back for more, despite being happy to have heard it and genuinely impressed by it.

This feels like something perfect for a wake-and-bake alarm clock on a summer Sunday. That’s not a bad thing-Badu has a great voice and there’s a lot of funky R&B influences I’m not mad at. It’s not really my thing, but it’s a solid sound.

Always a vibe, though not one that I tend to seek out, I always appreciate it.

instrumentals were quite nice Will I listen to again: 14%

When I first heard this album, I was still pretty resistant to listening to music beyond what I was already familiar with. Whilst I can't say that my tastes have changed enough to love this album, I can say that I appreciate it a lot more than I did back then.

2.5

While I did enjoy the way each song flowed into the next, the album did make me feel a little eepy.

Decent chill out album. Some soothing vibes but I wish it had a tad more energy and zip. Still, this is one I may listen to down the road. It has a chance to click with me.

Not too bad.

I've never heard of Badu nor do I listen to a lot of soul/R&B. There are elements of this album that are really fun, jazzy, and filled with funk. Then there are other parts where the vocals feel very lackluster and don't offer much, combined with basic instrumentals. I wish it was a little better but I enjoyed listening

A drum clinic. The drums and percussion are the most compelling thing about this album. Really for me, not a huge modern R & B fan, this was entertaining and nicely executed. In an endless sea of soulless pop music this album stands out for its natural feel. Erykah Badu has a unique sound not unlike Diana Ross, though less powerful and dynamic. Not bad.

Some good grooves on here. Reminded me a bit of Soul ll Soul in places. Lots of collaborations, notably with Isaac Hayes. Worth a listen

Not bad. Good.

Coole Mucke.

The band couldnt be more laid bck. I dont mean lazy, just smooth, flowing, dialed in. Wonder if they all blazed up before recording. Shes got a great voice, very instrumental in its application. Songs got funk, r&b, swagger and sway. Nice album. It think to listen over amd over i’d need to be in a certain mood but there are some songs i’ll have on high rotation - didnt cha onow, …& on, bag lady.

Not bad at all. Not great either.

Album 959 of 1089 Erykah Badu - Mama's Gun (2000) Rating : 3.5 / 5 I really enjoyed this one. It’s not my usual go-to genre, but it didn’t take long for me to appreciate just how smooth and soulful this record is. I went in expecting more of a straight hip-hop sound, but it quickly opened up into something richer - soul, jazz, R&B, and funk all weaving together into an easy, natural groove. The musicianship is first-rate, the arrangements are warm and layered, and Badu’s vocals are just stunning - confident yet relaxed, intimate without trying too hard. There’s a real sense of mood here, the kind that draws you in rather than demands attention. It’s the kind of album that you can sit back with and let it unfold on its own time. I wouldn’t have guessed this would hit the spot for me, but it really did. A fine, well-crafted record that proves good music crosses genres.

A few of these songs I quite liked, they were lovely to have on in the background. But overall I didn’t feel like the album had enough that distinguished it from others to really grab me.

This has been on my radar for quite a while but it’s honestly left me quite underwhelmed. It’s not bad by any means but a generational album, I wouldn’t say so

Enjoyable instrumentals with funky production

Very funky, but a lot didn't really stick for me past Penitentiary Philosophy. It was a great start that the rest of the album didn't really live up to for me.

A nice vibe but nothing that stands out that much. The voice is at times annoying and nasally.

Really chill album; nice grooves and unlike some others I enjoy her vocals. Does suffer from a lack of variety though - too many tracks of the same tempo and vibe.

According to Wikipedia, Erykah Badu's “Mama's Gun” is an important representative of neo soul. I wasn't familiar with this term, but it apparently describes a reinterpretation of the soul genre under the influence of contemporary R&B. That may be true, because just as contemporary R&B isn't really R&B, the music on this album is, in my opinion, not soul, but rather simple pop with distant inspirations from soul and hip hop. The record isn't bad, but to me it's rather on the unremarkable side. Probably good easy listening background music.

This is a good, mellow R&B album. Nothing terribly exciting, but good. Pitchfork: 9.4 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #158 (2023) Best Songs Didn't Cha Know Orange Moon Bag Lady

Funky soul goodness. It goes on a little too long like a lot of this jazzy expressive shit does. Does the last song on an album always have to be the longest? Hard 3 close but no cigar on a soft 4.

The backing instrumentals are pretty interesting but I just don’t care for Erykah Badu’s singing. It’s pretty monotonous throughout. 90s/00s soul has never appealed to me. I can only appreciate this so much before getting a bit bored

I would rate this a 5, but it's my first listen so not sure. we'll see.

An album that starts off incredibly strong, then doesn't really go anywhere or do anything. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 20 minutes or so, but the album starts to become incredibly repetitive and almost droning. Would've liked it to either be shorter or more musically diverse. Not a bad listen by any means, but could've been a lot better. Top tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't Cha Know, Cleva

Very good but not what I would pick on my own.

Not too bad. In fact there were some tracks that were pretty interesting. However, overall it just was not to my taste.

One of those albums that sounds familiar but it’s not. Great original voice.

Not too bad. Good start and a couple of nice ones.

Ok, but not something I'd ever listen to.

Better than the reviews. Funky wild crazy, really fun listen. I enjoyed the production also. Stereo production was used really well. 6.0

Decent album, musically good. I just never got into the R&B sound. 3/5 not for me I guess

4 from Sian 2 from Deb

Pitchfork review said, “ It was music for the revolution that wasn’t televised.” Yea it seems a little forward politically, but her voice is crystal on porcelain. I agree with the independent” At 74 minutes, it wanders out of the groove far too much. They could have chopped 20 minutes off this.” I at times wanted to groove and was yawning instead. 3 star for me!

I was pleasantly surprised by this. Really enjoyed listening to it and would give it another listen. On second listen its very Soul and was enjoyable to listen to, but I still cannot see myself wanting to discover more or listen again. 3 stars

7.2

Im almost entirely new to Badu’s voice. And without embarrassment, Im thoroughly drunk on it after one listen. Mostly neat tracks here, but Didnt Cha Know is a clear standout. Pretty sick that this album came after she took a break to raise her first child. My one note is that the album is kind of slow and feels like a single note/long concept - which tends to happen with this genre for me.

I remember Erykah Badu performing "...& On" (maybe the worst-titled song I've ever seen, like Elon Musk naming his kid !6&&XUYG or whatever) on All That when this album came out. My sister and I lost our minds laughing at her get-up (a gigantic headdress and a Cruella DeVille style long cigarette). I kinda get her music more now that I'm older, but I still don't love love it. It's just a little arty and overwrought for my taste. Her pretty recent album with Andre 3000 was an extreme example. But I still like the vibe enough that I'm kinda into it

Not sure why this album is on the top 1000 list but it's easy listening. Each song flows into the next so you lose track of which song you're on. Overall not a bad album but nothing amazing.

Seriously tasty grooves under those vocals.. it's like she’s stuck in one gear. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Didn't Cha Know - In Love With You - Bag Lady

A vibe for sure. Originally thought I was in 1979 with a big ole Afro and a fist in the air.

I’ve been behind on these! Whoops! This one was funky and I liked the beats. I don’t like her voice though

That is one smooth voice. But it violates my rule about the inclusion of songs over 10 minutes that don't need to be over 10 minutes.

I have a soft spot for soul sisters singing sweetly. This album has a ton of great tracks. It doesn’t hang together as a unified album necessarily, so runs way too long. But I like plucking tracks from this for other playlists. How to rate?

Superb!

It wasn’t really my thing, but interesting and fun

This one started out good. Groovy, funky, it was great. Then it started falling apart a few tracks in. I love the funk, but the tracks that are more jazz like were hard to get through. Badu's vocals were also a bit hit or miss with me too. Some were great, and others not so much. The raspyness can be slightly annoying. The album also suffers from the early CD era problem of being too long. I'd like it a lot better in about 20 minutes was cut off somewhere in the middle. In the end, I liked it overall, but it's not something I'll go back too much. So about a 3.5, but it was just annoying enough that I can't round up.

Pleasingly inoffensive, with a mid-seventies smooth-jazz-funk groove. Not much variety or uniqueness here.

Pretty pleasing to listen to while the snow falls. I hear the complaints about her voice but I think it works in that 90s/early 00s r&b sort of way that conveys authenticity but I also think I have a higher tolerance for unconventional singing voices. Production is really good too. I award a 3.5 with the right to revise upward at a later date if this sticks in the craw like previous albums heard for the first time.

Interesting but I don't like it enough to add it to my library

I was deep into nu metal when this album came out, I know, I regret it too. So, I was excited to listen to this & it started off great, but after about 10 songs, for me, the album ran out of steam. This is a Motown album, but it ain’t your dadd…or your great-grandaddy’s Motown. The musicianship was incredible. Around 2000, Questlove & others started the neo-soul movement & Badu was the high priestess. At least, according to what Wikipedia told me. I enjoyed the album for what it was, but in the end, it was too long & I got bored in the middle. I think the more boring songs were less neo-soul & more samples of other songs. Penitentiary Philosophy is going into my favorite songs playlist, but that’s about it. However, this is prime baby-making music if you want to add to or start a family.

Not my thing

I'm not that into her

Solid album. Beautiful voice.

Background groovy funk. 7/10

Det hele lyder egentlig super lækkert, men ville ønske det var kortere (både pladen og de enkelte numre)

good, not for me tho

Not bad.

oki chill

Quite nice but not 100% my vibe

It's always hard for me to review albums like this - talent and quality musicianship are obvious, but it's music I would never choose to listen to.

Erykah Bah Dooo

some great funky parts but it went on way too long and I got bored

Me no like R&B but I gave Lauryn Hill a 2 and this album gets on my nerves less than Lauryn Hill's, so I'll give it a 3. Many songs have a groove and nice funky elements. Good musicianship. One of the better albums I have heard in the genre I suppose. I still don't like it but who knows, one day I might.

It was ok, just not my style.

I remember this album being a big deal when it came out. I don't really remember why but it was everywhere. My biggest complaint about it is that the vocal arrangements are all oddly the same. Like you can almost replace the vocal parts for one song with any other on the album. That's obviously not 100% true but still, it was something that I noticed. I can see that her voice would also be a bit of a debate for a lot of people. There are good and bad things about it, but I think I like it for the most part. It's, maybe not unique, but different enough to stand out a bit. I don't really know her music well, but I wouldn't be surprised if this album was kind of a departure from the one she had done before - like her saying 'look how grown up and sophisticated I am now'. But I don't really think it shows that. It sounds like someone trying to make you believe that. I don't know, that may be way off, like I said I don't know her music at all, that's just how it sounds to me. And the lyrics are just bad. If you listen without paying attention it makes it better. Overall I think this album is good, but not something that would make me want to explore the rest of her catalogue. And I probably wouldn't play it again but if it came up randomly, I'd probably let it play for at least a while. 2.5/5

As far as souly RnB albums go, I quite enjoyed it. Wouldn't go back too regularly but would definitely give it another spin on a chilled out weekend morning.

Достаточно лёгкая и спокойная музыка, соул с примесью джаза

I enjoyed it. Not something I'm going to listen to every day, but I can see why people would love it. Great vibes, a lot of talent. I could see some basic elements that Motown records were doing with some of their other records at this time also (Nelly)

Although I’m not inherently much of a neo-soul fan, there are quite a few musical elements here that I’m really digging, particularly the bass work on “Didn’t Cha Know”, Roy Ayers’ guest spot on “Cleva”, and the string arrangement/coda of “Time’s a Wastin”. Really, really cool stuff. I definitely felt the length of this one a bit, and there are also a few aspects that I’m not so hot on (definitely just personal preferences, though), but the aspects that I like of it are enough to get me to 3 stars. Perhaps it’s because I listened to it once more out of context, but I actually quite like “Green Eyes”. The jazz kid in me really, really digs the soundscape and shifting sections in that one. Similarly, “Cleva” is hard for me not to really like, and as I mentioned before, that bass line on “Didn’t Cha Know” goes so hard. One hour and 11 minutes of a genre I don’t love is a bit tough, and I don’t think I’m likely to visit the whole album again any time soon, but I do have a lot of respect for it/her and I’m glad I was finally given a good excuse to check it out. 3/5

2nd album added to spotify list. I kind of pick up some groovy reggae beats.

Det är ju väldigt mysig och behaglig musik. Men inte alls min kopp te. För mig är det najs i bakgrunden. Typ ha på när det kommer folk, jag går inte igång på det och vill inte sätta mig själv å lyssna (som jag gärna gör med musik jag gillar).

Önskar att jag gillade denna mer än vad jag faktiskt gjorde. Det är ett oklanderligt hantverk, men lite för tråkiga produktioner och lågmält i största allmänhet för att det ska bli mer än en trea.

Some nice tunes

Jazzy and hip, obviously. A little meandering for my taste.

Interesting 🧐

Pleasant. I fear this is yet another case of me not being able to process human language and probably missing out on a lot.

first time really listening to erykah badu outside of her features on other artists' songs and honestly I'm a little disappointed. the music is a little too flat for my tastes, there's no ups and downs, just very chilled out and stable, both in terms of volume and energy. her voice is undeniably good but i feel like she's not doing anything too crazy with it, again she's keeping it at like a 4-6 the whole time when I'm wanting her to crank it up to 10 and pull it back to 1 as needed. not a bad album, just very much not to my tastes

⭐️Didn’t Cha Know

Pleasant enough, but I forgot it was on mostly.

Good summery atmospheric album, like the melody and bass. Wouldn’t listen for singing along with the lyrics or beat.

Unremarkable. Musically good lyrically meh

Erykah Badu has a great voice and the backing music is good, chill jazzy stuff... but the overall effect is kind of boring. Good background for a coffee shop but not that interesting for a close listen.

01) Penitentiary Philosophy - 6,0 02) Didn't Cha Know? - 6,0 03) My Life - 6,5 04) ...& On - 6,5 05) Cleva - 6,5 06) Hey Sugah - / 07) Booty - 6,0 08) Kiss Me on My Neck (Hesi) - 6,0 09) A.D. 2000 - 6,0 10) Orange Moon - 6,5 11) In Love with You - 6,5 12) Bag Lady - 7,0 13) Time's a Wastin - 6,5 14) Green Eyes - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,31 (63/100) Current ranking: 423/571

7/10 While Badu has many great ideas and lovely jazz production, she fails to carry them throughout a whole hour and 15 minute project. There are great highlights however, such as Green Eyes and In Love With You where her performance really suits the tone of the song. Favorite Tracks: In Love With You, Green Eyes, AD 2000, Penitentiary Philosophy

Nice

If it weren't for this album's length it really would be that much better, and I get that an hour and 10 minutes isn't *that* long, but for this kind of music, especially with how many moments on this album are so long and monotonous, you really do feel the length. It's still super smooth and funky, and showcases loads of really cool ideas. But the whole album as a finished product really could have had it's runtime cut down by a lot.

really good , 3.5

It's alright, need more time for this one than just 1 day, but I can see some potential here.

This is a nice time, but in a quite unassuming way. My main criticism, if it even is one, is that it doesn’t feel immediate and engaging. It plays more like pleasant, soulful background music, with just a touch of jazz and funk. But you know, everything has its place, and in circumstances where you just want to play something casual, which will sit nicely in the background, this is perfect. 3.5 rounded down.

I find Erykah Badu's voice a little nasally and flat, but the instrumentation almost comes close to making up for it. Almost. The stereo effects on some of the songs are annoying on headphones.

these all kind of sounded the same. when the next song would come on and if i wasn’t paying attention it just seemed like all of the same song. also hard to relate to any of the lyrics. some of them were also weird. but the beats were good and if this were on in the background somewhere i wouldn’t be upset but idk if i would want to listen to this on my own.

I find albums like this tough to rate. I’m just not that into this genre, and also I dislike the ‘sexy baby voice’ in singing (and IRL) it just really grates! (with one exception on a track called Plenty by Guru) That being said, Erykah Badu was hugely important within neo-soul, is an icon, and a powerhouse woman in a male dominated industry. I’m not into the music, but I do think it should be on the list

Neo Soul. I like her voice and production quality.

Fine, groovy

Liked, didnt love. Some parts stood out a lot though. I prefer baduizm

6.5/10. The vocals are incredible, but the music gets a bit boring over time.

Альбом приятной черной музыки.

Nice, but not fantastic

Hype for this album was high... then I started listening. Nothing much standing out or making me excited, but it's pleasant enough

Most fun when it's most jazzy

Parts of this were cool - jazzy and chill - but others annoyed me a bit, and tracks that weren’t even that long felt like they dragged (“Kiss Me On My Neck”). I wasn’t in a mood to feel especially charitable toward it, unfortunately, even though on another day I might’ve really enjoyed it.

Really impressed here, expected this was going to be not great but enjoyed it more than expected. Definitely long but still solid. 6.1/10

Nice chilled vibe

Was digging the first half of this album and enjoyed songs like the opener, Didn't Cha Know, and &On. Really enjoyed the upbeat pace and groovy instrumentals. Badu's vocals also standout really well. It started losing me in the second half right around Orange Moon. Just felt slow and dragged out. Felt as though I landed in a "liked it, not loved it" territory, so I'm going with a 3 here.

This definitely had its moments but overall is just not my jam. Not bad but not great.

Not my style but listenable.

An okay album but no stand out songs.

Relativ entspannti Hendergrondmusig. Typisch RnB

Love r&b but not the weird political shit

Beautiful voice

It's nice background music - in the best meaning of the word. There is nothing worse than being in a restaurant trying to enjoy your meal and the music is shitty. This would be perfect with a good meal or a nice drink.

One really good song. Easy to listen to otherwise

Some good ones

She has a nice voice and I like early 2000s R&B. 3.5 Stars.

A very chilled vibe - enjoyed

solid

With so many of these neo soul albums from the 90s and 2000s I start by really liking them and slowly come to think they’re mid by the end. Not a lot of variety and probably a bit longer than it needed to be.

It's been a week of albums falling outside of my wheelhouse but being very good at the same time. Some of this was brilliant and really impressed me. Love the voice and at times the rhythm section and production are fantastic. It also had some really dull moments and went on for far too long. I fluctuated from a 2 to a 4 so obviously need to settle on a 3 for Ms. Badu. Won't mind if it comes on again but doubt I'll seek it out.

2.75 - Easy listening

Not my jam but interesting

A vibe. I'd listen again.

I see why Erykah Badu and Andre 3000 were married. On a different note, this album is a seminal piece of work, but it just didn't click with me like other R&B/Soul does. Best Songs: Didn't Cha Know, ..& On, In Love With You Worst Songs: My Life, Kiss Me On My Neck

Pleasant and enjoyable, but I don't think it reached its full potential.

It’s good. Nothing wrong with it. Nothing amazing about it.

Never heard of this. Wanted to like it more but alas, just wasn’t great. Got better towards the end but she doesn’t have a great voice. This album is definitely a vibe and I just wasn’t getting it today. Maybe another time but I won’t come back to this.

I like the instrumentation, specifically the bass. Sometimes it gives me a cozy wintery vibe for whatever reason. That said nothing super duper grabbed me.

Easy listening on a Sunday morning with coffee.

This is a nice and groovy RnB album. It's a bit lengthy and several tracks sound quite similar, but it' still a solid album.

She has a nice voice and I like early 2000s R&B. 3.5 Stars.

Interesting example of neo soul. The songs all sounded the same, though, specifically the vocals. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

Nu soul, good grooves, relaxed vibe - pleasant without being essential listening

Erykah Badu, eine amerikanische Künstlerin aus den USA, veröffentlichte 2000 ihr zweites Studioalbum Mama’s Gun. Der Neo-Soul-Klassiker wurde in den legendären Electric Lady Studios in New York sowie in den Dallas Sound Lab Studios in Texas aufgenommen. Das Album verbindet Jazz, Funk und Soul mit tiefgründigen, oft gesellschaftskritischen Texten. Songs wie Bag Lady oder Didn’t Cha Know zeigen Badu als kreative Visionärin, die mit ihrem warmen Gesang und organischen Arrangements die Neo-Soul-Bewegung prägte. Die instrumentale Unterstützung der Soulquarians, darunter ?uestlove (The Roots) und James Poyser, verleiht dem Sound eine analoge, fast improvisierte Qualität. Mama’s Gun ist ein zeitloses Album, das Soul mit Tiefgang und sozialem Bewusstsein verbindet. Mit seiner warmen, handgemachten Produktion und Badus charismatischer Performance bleibt es eines der wichtigsten Werke des Neo-Soul.

Sounds like a jam session. Not exactly something I'm clamoring to listen to on repeat, but it's fine enough.

It's pretty basic. I know fans will say it's effortlessly cool and sophisticated. I get that. But I found it pleasant - no more. I liked it more towards the later tracks too.

I really enjoy the instrumentals to this album, especially Bag Lady and Orange Moon. My issue is that I don't particularly like her voice, I find it a tiny bit grating. I enjoyed this album.

3.5 really as I enjoyed it more on second listen. Think it is one that would grow on me

I thought I’d enjoy this more than I did - it’s still very good but I found it quite repetitive. 3.5!

Likeable album, some fun soul elements, definitely a nice foray into a genre I don't usually listen to, but no true taste breakers here

Interesting voice but not a style of music I prefer so 3 stars or C.

Þetta var skemmtilegri plata en ég bjóst við. Ekki að ég hafi búist við leiðinlegri plötu. Hún var samt bara eitthvað svo þægileg að hlusta á. Ekki samt nægilega mikið til að toga hana upp um stjörnu en ég ætla samt að reyna að hlusta á hana aftur við tækifæri

Not at all what I expected. Mostly good but way too long

Solid listen, not really my bag but Erykah Badu has an important place in music history/culture.

Another of this artists album that is very good

rating up from 2.5

Quite a retro sound- chilled and mellow. I enjoyed it but nothing special.

Gorgeous and atmospheric

One of the greatest snare productions this list has ever seen - no wonder with Questlove behind the kit. Badu is a great singer, but there’s simply not enough interesting material on here to warrant the runtime.

Every song got continually more boring. Like why keep going for an hour we get it.

This first track just makes me smile. Liked Orange Moon. Just a nice album from beginning to end.

Very nice

Not really my thing, this was inoffensive and pleasant enough in the background but I doubt I'd choose to give it another listen

Starts alright, but the last few tracks are whiney as shit

A nice vibe, but it dragged towards the middle/end and didn't go anywhere

I don’t particularly like this style of music, but this is fine.

Good one. Too much of the N bomb for me, personally, but great music/vocals.

This album was OK. I like the sound but the songs didn't stand out. I only marked "Green Eyes" as a song I like, and even that one was borderline.

Really like the concept of this and really cool parts but I’m sorry most of these songs are too long.

Cafe R&B? First listen it just felt like the kind of music you would put on in your hip little cafe. On the second listen I started to appreciate the personal lyrics a bit more. Still it didn't really grab me. Fave: ...& On

Chill soul/R&B from the 2000s. Standouts: Cleva, Didn't Cha Know, Penitentiary Philosophy.

I mean... It's nice... But is it enough? I somehow place this album close to Lauryn Hill's music. Hill's album from the list is great representation of her talent. And if this album is representation of Erykah Badu's talent, then it's not enough for me.

I was grooving to this

Smooth rhythms and great singing. The whole album is full of great R&B songs. Not much more to say, just a solid album through and through.

Her voice is just okay. Other times it's really not it. The production is super solid though.

back half was better for me. good production. voice isn't my favorite

This is actually fun, instrumentally speaking. The vocals are not the worst, but it could have been better if she made different choices regarding the voice. Otherwise, a pretty fun record.

Really enjoyed the first half. Second half dragged a bit. Standout songs: Didn't Cha Know ...& on Cleva

Went in skeptical, appreciate it more than I expected to.

Yeah it's alright. Not much variety, but at least it sounds nice

Bueno

I haven’t listened to much Erykah Badu, so this was a new listening experience. Overall, this is a solid funky sound. Some tracks run long for no rhyme or reason but this album is great background fodder nonetheless.

i was so ready to love this album but the second half of it dragged on and got samey

I'm vaguely familiar with Erykah. It's not bad. It's not great either

Sveiflast á milli þrists og fjarka. Alveg solid stöff og oft glettilega gott, en svo kemur það sem mér finnst vera filler á milli. Gæti kannski fílað enn betur með fleiri hlustunum, en áfram gakk!

The jazz influences, especially on Orange Moon were spectacular. However for many of the songs I found myself feeling they were too long. I think some songs could have been shortened and that would make this a tighter, better album in my opinion

Soulful

Killer r+b record. While her voice does get a lil annoying, overall I enjoyed this one

I really enjoyed the music on this but her vocals got old pretty fast

This is an interesting album. Not a genre I'd typically listen to, but I quite enjoyed it. There were a lot of sections throughout the album that were really cool. I'm a sucker for jazz fusion, and this has A LOT of jazz influence throughout. Every song has its moments and every song is worth listening to. What I really enjoyed about this album is that it never did the expected. Key changes, odd time signatures, those were the main take aways from this. It's definitely an album that needs a lot of attention, like, "Sit in a dark room with no distractions". Fortunately, I was commuting while listening to this so I was able to close my eyes and let the music take me on a journey. Enjoyed my time with it, but probably will not be returning.

Didn't leave much of an impression but I enjoyed it while it was on.

Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun showcases her distinctive voice and creative flair, with a range of inventive arrangements. Badu’s vocal performance is strong, delivering both emotional depth and technical skill. The album blends elements of funk, soul, and R&B, creating a varied soundscape. However, while the production is polished and the arrangements are intriguing, the overall style might not appeal to everyone. The album’s eclectic mix may not resonate with all listeners, including myself, but it’s clear that Badu has put significant effort into her craft. Mama’s Gun is a solid listen for those who appreciate genre-blending and soulful artistry. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 2 STAND OUT TRACK - Penitentiary Philosophy

Disappointed with this one. I really recognise the cover and love what I’ve heard (mostly “on & on”) so had very high expectations. It didn’t deliver at all, no discernible bops and I found her tone pretty unpleasant. Still, I’d rather listen to this than more CSN&Y or whatever.

Maybe I like Neo soul?

Another one of those albums that feels that feels like it was created for characters in a movie to put on their radio in the background

Just kinda meh?

If I was a big hip hop fan, I feel like I'd be very fond of this album. I quite enjoyed the flow of the beats throughout the album, but I just don't really care for it much overall.

I liked this album quite a bit. Jake Streek’s a fan of her which had me worried but good album. 3.5

So distinctive and so soothing. Somehow I never really got into Erykah Badu, but listening to this album certainly fills me with respect for her, and curiosity about her other work.

This is solid.

Smooth, sleek, chill

All right Album but I liked her later stuff more. After a while it's just unnecessary convoluted I find.

First track is the best, memorable... The rest less so. Great vocals, but it all becomes quite boring as it continues... Good for music in the background though.

chill

Enjoyed, great vibe

Nice mellow vibe

For over a decade, until he died in 2022, I used to store my old mate Neil’s insulin in my fridge, because his fridge had given up & he wasn’t interested in buying a new one. As a way of thanking me for this arrangement, he would often run me off cd’s or dvd’s. He was a few years older than me & was an encyclopaedia of funk. And it was Neil who woke me up to Erykah Badu, when he gave me a copy of her 2008 dvd, Live at VH1 Soul Stage. I’d missed Badu when she landed in the late 90’s. I’ve since picked up her hugely successful debut cd, Baduizm, which I love, but I’d never heard this, her second album before. Not quite as exciting as her debut. I have to agree with the dude from Entertainment Weekly, who claimed that it “ too often substitutes good taste for good tunes." Still, there’s a lot to like. Any album that opens with some wah-wah (it was after all recorded at the studio named after Hendrix’s great album) on Penitentiary Philosophy, co-written with the great Questlove, has credentials. I don’t know about the references to her sounding like Billie Holiday. Sometimes she sounds more like Blossom Dearie to me. I really like the funky Booty (hush your mouth) & the following track, Kiss Me On My Neck (one of two tracks featuring the great Betty Wright). And I really enjoy her duet with Bob’s son, Stephen Marley, on In Love With You, which they co-wrote. But the best is left for last - the ten-minute-long Green Eyes, together with record scratches to place it back in the day. One of her better lyrics here. A really good listen.

It was fun to listen to while I wrote to work and sat and checked my emails but 12 hours later I honestly can't recall a single song in any specific way. It was good but nothing to write home about

First track got me interested , nice and funky, but the next few were competent if not exceptional r n b. Zero recognition of any of these songs, I thought she was a chart-botherer? Enjoyed Orange Moon and AD 2000, sunny slices of soul. Overall, decent enough listen, glad I heard it, will probably just stick to Come to my Garden though.

Endlessly listenable yet unique in it's own right. Combination of R&B and reggae that I haven't really heard and thought was a ton of fun. Smooth and crisp like a McDonald's diet coke

Solid album that is both sound musically and vocally. My biggest gripe would be that the album is too long, 20-30 minutes could be cut and the album wouldn't lose much. The other issue plays along the same line, but it's just a bit repetitive. I understand keeping the vibe similar but 1.25 hours of soft r&b needs something to stand out. With that said, she has a great voice and stays within a music range that she can thrive in. I found this to be great work music but probably not something I would throw on in my car or leisure time.

Nice enough, but feels pretty dated.

Mmmmmh

Quite a nice listen. The patrician's choice of 2000's female R&B / Soul artist.

Enjoyed cruising through this.

This got tedious

Groovy throughout, and full of soul. The perspective of someone who is determined to see the good in everyone.

I have never listened to this album and to end, and it was worth the lesson. I enjoyed orange moon and in love with you A lot.

It's a little groovy but not enough Seems well produced and she has a unique voice but I wish the hooks were stronger and in this kind of thing, that's a big deal. The longer songs drag and don't make use of their runtime. Ultimately it showcases one style of RnB and stretches it out to a full album.

I didn't think I was going to like this as much as I did. It reminds me more of artists like early Bonobo or Morcheeba than the singles I had heard from her. Some of the songs are samey and her voice, while distinct and cool, does get a little weird at times. The instrumentation is spot on, and I love the groove the backing tracks pull. I liked the first half more than the second, which is like the reverse of the spotify plays. This isn't something I'll play all the time but I did enjoy it!

Pleasant voice and interesting compositions, but the songs ran too long to keep my attention - R&B rambling.

I don't love the lyrics or her singing. Some of it's pretty repetitive, too. Music's fine, though.

Groove. That word can elicit wonderful memories of music. But there's also a less pleasant connotation to that term, especially when it's associated with more negative-sounding words. As in the phrase "being stuck into one single groove". I just can't get the appeal of early-noughts "neo-soul", generally speaking. It's a lush sound for sure, but it's usually devoid of memorable vocal hooks and harmonies. Who suddenly decided that "soul" can't be found in the latter, and that you'd have to go to drowsy instrumentation and unimaginatic vocal lines instead--with a result that's so "laidback" that you actually end up lying on the cold hard floor? I'd rather have livelier hip hop-inspired beats instead, and not as many shapeless, meandering compositions lacking any true backbone as they run into endless circles. Fans of this genre need to explain to me what they hear when they listen to it. My take is that those listeners are more in love with "sound" than with music per se--music as in "surprising harmonies", "enticing rhythms", "dynamic chord sequence", "verse/chorus/verse", " propulsive middle-eight", "experimental flair"... All of which you can find in classic "soul music", by the way. But very rarely in Erykah Badu's "Mama's Gun*. A nice flute sound here and there, or a double-bass flourish, or a sensual piano fill are all fine enough. But if that's all you can notice in a record, I think you're doing something wrong. Especially when said record is so damn long. Self-editing never hurts when you're privileging mood over compositional chops. Unless you admit writing "wallpaper music", like Brian Eno. Seems to me this is not Erikah's goal here. But what is her goal? Does anyone even know? I might admit being under the sway of a blind cultural spot here. So I'll refrain giving this record the lowest mark this app can provide (a 1/5 is still equalling a 6/10 grade for more general purposes in my book, but I won't go as low as that on this one, don't worry). In the middle of the tracklist, "A.D. 2000" get things going a little, thanks to its mesmerizing tones (and it does not hurt that the song is a heartfelt tribute to a victim of police violence). And at the umpteenth minutes, you have two stellar tracks back-to-back. They're "Time's A Wastin" and "Green Eyes", nicely closing the proceedings. The first is a mysterious-sounding, strings-enhanced, progressive soul gem (seventies progressive soul being the corrective to what late-nineties / early-noughts "neo-soul" constantly missed). And the latter is a ten-minute wonder, almost starting like a Billie Holiday bluesy standard, and then building up to a multi-layered jazz epic, glowing like a perfect closer should glow. For those three tracks, and for the admittedly tasteful (yet ultimately empty) ditherings found elsewhere in the record, I can give a 7.5/10 grade (5 + 2.5). But as far as "essential albums" go, it's a 2.5/5 grade, here rounded up to a 3/5 mark. Hope Mama's not gonna point her gun at me for that. Number of albums left to review: 169 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 361 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 208 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 266 (including this one)

Green eyes

Ritmo muy marcado y estilo propio. Suena super interesante y tiene mucho flow. Alguna de las canciones son remarcables, quizás a lo largo del disco no veo que haya una marcada diferencia entre temas, está genial que haya una especie de hilo conductor sobretodo en la primera mitad del disco entre canciones, pero no veo algo distintivo, se me hace repetitivo al final. Sin embargo son canciones animadas y divertidas

3.4 If I ever get a fly honey back to my place, I will put this on

Not really feeling it , but could be decent background music

beautiful, soulful album. Her voice is powerful, tender and urgent. The tracks themselves are well orchestrated and arranged in way that even at 6 minutes a track never gets stale. Really enjoyed this album!

Just okay, long. Did get into it by the end though.

Not a fan of neo-soul but this is ok-ish

Pidin kovasti! Samantyyppisiä biisejä, jotka kuitenkin varioivat melodioitaan ja aiheitaan niin, että mielenkiinto säilyi ja tunnelma pysyi. Makee ääni. Lepsummalla arvostelullani voisi saada jopa nelosen! Jää aivan karvan verran siitä pituuden vuoksi.

"Nice!" as the presenter of Jazz Club used to say. But, I would add, a bit meandering and annoying? I don't know. It's fine. It makes me think I am sat in a coffee shop. It's like it has all the components of music I like and then it just slides off me. I dunno. I don't get it. Maybe I'll return to it when I'm in a more receptive mood.

Great - would revisit.

Of its era

Wonderful lounge music, Erykah is unique in her peer group. Also love that jam she did with the Roots

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

For the first half of this album, I was thinking it was a 4 for sure, maybe even a 5? Erykah Badu has a style I've heard emulated, and there were some fierce moments I wasn't expecting, and I was really impressed with everything happening. But as the songs rolled on, the album started growing tired, and by the end, I was wondering if it had sunk to a 3-star rating. What sounded fresh and inspired started sounding monotonous, and the mid-tempo vibe of the latter half didn't help to bring the diversity I was craving.

I like Erykah Badu's overall aesthetic. She's cool, empowering, and chill. She's a unique presence, and she avoids the cliches that many of her contemporaries fall into. The music on this album is often pretty groovy. I just wish I liked the compositions more. Some of the songs were cool, but most came and went before I ever had a sense of melody. And I can't decide how I feel about her vocals. Sometimes they work nicely, sometimes they grate, and sometimes—especially when she's singing her own backup—I swear she's off-key. I feel like she's a great feature more than she is a solo star.

Real good, just not my thing

Good album, the instrumentals are really great. I like the jazzier songs. I'm just not a huge fan of her voice, and the album does go on a little long.

Cool

I’m not sure if I’ve come across Erykah Badu before. Her name feels vaguely familiar, but I can’t place why that is. It’s possible that her name isn’t familiar to me at all, and that I’m just trying to convince myself that I’m cool and know all of the musicians. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Orange Moon I wasn’t sure about this for the first few tracks. It felt like jazz background music with soul singing that didn’t really add anything to the music. However, as it progressed I found myself enjoying it more and more. I do think that this is better suited to ambient cafe music rather than focused listening, but I did end up liking it more than I expected. Still wouldn’t say I love it, but it’s not bad.

It's okay. A little too modern-day R&B for my tastes (I prefer retro-soul and classic R&B), but I didn't hate it.

This is like peak early 2000s hip hop/R&B. Can’t believe I had never heard of it before.

Not bad. A little boring though.

Well-done update of ‘70s R&B, but it didn’t grab me.

not really a genre of music I've gotten into, but I think the writing and production is good. 3 stars?

Groovy jazzy funky. Bass is trunk rattling. She has a unique voice - I normally don't like a slow vibrato, but hers is good. Sounds like it would be ideal to see live. Overall a chill listen. 3.8 (Except the song with vocals continuously panning left to right.)

High quality contemporary R&B from an absolute queen. I'm not always in the mood for it, but when you require a certain vibe - this absolutely bangs.

4/14, 29%