Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Good music but felt more like background than the main event
3/5
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.
leuk en hiphoppy en soul ik zou wel in achtergrond luisteren
3.3/5 good grooves need listen more
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.
I enjoyed the production and Badu's voice paired nicely with it, but the lyrics weren't as compelling...
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.
Kule "jazzy" melodier, litt kjedelig sangstemme.
Vocally, she's really talented... Lyrically, repetitive to the point of annoying
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
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.
Some really really great songs and vocals on here, overall good album
Enjoyable enough listen but doesn't quite grab me as really great 3.5*
Some decent r&b. But nothing that felt particularly special or attention grabbing.
Every song on this should be half the length it is, but the music itself is fine. There's nothing really on here that stood out to me, but it was easy background music while I was driving this evening.
Number 800! This is a pretty good album overall. It's pretty straightforward and very consistent. Favorite track: "Time's A Wastin"
I thought I would like this much, much more than I did. The first five tracks are absolutely phenomenal, but the latter half of the album, while having a couple of very good tracks, fumbles with just as much tracks that didn't work for me at all. Favourite track: Penitentiary Philosophy
Not bad from a modern soul album.
Good jazzy vibe
- I honestly didnt think I would like but its not that bad - the album is a little long in my opinion, but it has some good hits - the album feels more of a jazz album that would be made in the 1990s or 1960s rather than the 2000s. - its album I would listen to when I want to sleep or study
Smooth vocals, didn’t capture my attention.
Not what I thought it would be, a good album but a little too long. No individual song stood out to me but was good background music
Fantastic vibes. Smooth and emotional, and still sounds fresh.
I appreciate her great voice and the music, but it’s just not the sound I usually like.
I've always like Erykah Badu from a distance, but never really listened to any of her music at length, so I appreciated the opportunity to listen to this album. The quality is great. I like her voice, and the backing musicians are excellent, seamlessly moving between jazz, funk and soul. It's definitely original. Having said all of this, Mama's Gun didn't quite connect with me and I'm not sure why.
I enjoyed it for what it is, and if I'm being honest I think I actually liked this more than I expected to going into it. But at the end of the day this is just not not my kinda music. R&B just really doesn't resonate with me at all, even though I find this a lot livelier than I was expecting. So for someone who IS into R&B, I would think you'd definitely dig this.
Celkom zaujímavé. Neviem ale, či si to ešte vypočujem. Napriek tomu dávam 3
I enjoyed this. Was good background groovy music. Liked the stereo effect on AD 2000 - felt like I was getting my brain flossed with her voice! No standout tunes for me other than that. I did get a little bored of this after a while because the songs all started to sound the same, but overall it was decent. (3)
Ei iskenyt. 2,75/5.
This was fine overall. I didn’t love any of it, but it’s pleasant and has some nice, groovy moments. In the right setting, I could see it being more enjoyable.
I have a very similar problem with this that I do with Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which is that every song just feels like it drags a little. And obviously she's got a great voice, but it feels like there's just not enough material here to really justify the length. Still decent though, just a little disappointed. Favorites: Didn't Cha Know, ...& On, Booty
truly I don't know if this is my own fault for not listening to enough rnb but every track sounds the same. pleasant, but not interesting, like if you put too much soap on all the tracks and then they all started melting into one undistinguishable soapy mess
She's got a lovely wee voice and it's all very easy to listen to. Would be nice to have on with a car ride with ar Stephanie. But at 75 mins it does go on a wee bit, would maybe rate higher if it was 45 mins. Overall solid tho
The main parts worth complaining about are the relatively simple backings/instruments and Badu's delivery being kind of crap. About the latter: maybe I'm having some post-traumatic reaction, but all I can think of is Dance Monkey if it had less earwormy melodies. Badu's is the sort of vocal you would instinctually tune out, but you can't because the timbre (or something) eats unerringly into your brain and refuses to leave. But everything else? Smooth as heck. The percussion, most of the backing vocals, the keyboards and synths... Lead vocal aside, everything is extremely friendly to the ear, produced with that lo-fi influence that was all the rage in 90s rap (but without the rap itself, thankfully). I get the sense the lyrics are pretty strong too. Those keyboards in Penitentiary Philosophy kick some serious ass despite being pretty toned down. The soft middle section is breathtaking. (I like to think that Radiohead took inspiration. But it's a reach.) I'm not a huge fan of the weird filter on Erykah Badu's vocal, so the song excels more when the unfiltered backing vocals somewhat blot it out. Still, an incredibly strong start to a genre for which I usually have low expectations. What follows is the exceptionally groovy Didn't Cha Know, which is an obvious hit as soon as it begins. My Life is a major step down from Billy Joel's homonymous 1978 song – the delivery of "Wanna throw my hands up in the sky" is a little painful, and the strings feel a bit like a weak attempt at disco nostalgia – but it's not the worth Badu has to offer. ...& On claims the title of "first miss". There isn't much of substance here. Badu says her name a few times, then mumbles for the rest of the track. The melody is poor. I'll give props for the seamless transition into Cleva, though that song is frustrating for a new reason: Badu picks one note that isn't in the main chords of the song and repeats it incessantly. Which gets pretty annoying once you notice it. Another connection to Billy Joel, perhaps, since he commits the same sin in When In Rome (one of his worst songs). Unusually for the genre, the interlude is pretty good. It leads into the funky Booty, which makes use of a sweet horn section and lots of stoppages. Kiss Me On My Neck has an utterly bizarre vocal delivery, and it's a complete miss. And at this point, with a generous number of questionable tracks and musical elements, I'm worried this will be a 2- or 1-star effort. (I promise, I sometimes have positive opinions of this genre!) Fortunately, A.D. 2000 (and all following tracks) completely save this album's prospects. (See?) Orange Mood is a gorgeous jazzy ballad with heavy emphasis on piano and (actually good) backing vocals. In Love With You reworks this jazzier, blue-note-heavy style for acoustic guitar, and it’s really good. (Vocals still need a lot of work, but at this point on the album, I’m not holding my breath.) The album’s lead single, Bag Lady, doesn’t make sense as a single at all – it sounds great yet contains exactly zero of those catchy hooks that tend to define singles – but I’ll allow it. I love Time’s A Wastin’: the synths vibrate slowly in and out, creating this warm, full atmosphere you might find in slow Latin/soul tunes. Think mid-70s Stevie Wonder ballad (or the like). There’s a subtle horn arrangement near the beginning, but the keyboard is definitely the star of the show. The 10-minute finale, Green Eyes, has a perplexing rhythm at first – there are tape artefacts that tap out a vaguely regular beat, but there’s no other percussion, and the rest of the music only partially follows the tape noise. But by the 2-minute mark, we get a slow, emotional, almost melancholic rhythm. With other elements like the flute fills, several mood shifts, and left-right switched vocal panning, there’s plenty here to stave away any late-album boredom. 3/5 Key tracks: Didn't Cha Know, Orange Mood, Time’s A Wastin’
Soul-funk ? Sympa mais pas transcendant
It was hit or miss for me but the hits were super fun listens.
Nice beat and singing. The last song sounds like an old Jazz recording.
Funky and groovy. Her voice wasn’t my favorite (a little nasally) but overall a fun listen. Fave song: Bag Lady 3.5/5
Pretty solid record by a great pop funky R&B artist. Something I like about this record is that it really feels like a band, a cohesive unit, and not just a singer who has some hired guns behind them. They all gel really well and all have moments to shine, and she herself is an amazing singer. So much soul and great lyrics. "Didn't Cha Know" is her big single from this and it's a nice song. As I look now through her more popular songs though I'm surprised to find that she doesn't have too many that I immediately recognize. Maybe she is one of those artists that puts out records and all the songs are just pretty solid. Regardless, this is a nice 3/5 for me, and I think if I listen more it could easily be a 4.
Day 8/9 — Erykah Badu — Mama’s Gun (2000) Listened: Mar 2–3, 2026 Genre: Neo-Soul / Funk Soul Vibe: Chill funky R&B and soul Highlights: • Didn’t Cha Know • My Life • … & On • In Love With You (feat. Stephen Marley) • Bag Lady • Green Eyes Impression: Love the mix of R&B and soul with funk. Beautiful voice and great album top to bottom. Rating: 3.2/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Yes
The vocals are highly skilled and the album is good, but I didn’t feel much engagement. The constant high-pitched singing, continuous vibrato, and slow R&B grooves felt distant to my listening preferences. I found myself almost dozing off at times.
7,2/10 Très chill pour écouter quand on fait quelque chose, mais je suis d'accord avec les review sur le fait que c'est très très répétitif.
Really not a fan of neo-soul. I could appreciate bits of it but it left me wishing I was listening to Everybody Loves the Sunshine, which it sampled at one point (I think).
Franchement un 2,5 : il y avait des moments d’instru vraiment sympa, des bons rythmes, une bonne prod… mais l’album est répétitifs, la voix se trompe de registre et agace vite
Feels a bit mean as I do think she’s great but I found this a little long and samey. Would listen again but not crazy about it. Maybe should be a 4
I enjoy the vibe and the voice is smooth and beautiful. I think this lacks the innocence and youthfulness of her debut though. It ticked along pleasantly and is a perfect three.
Bit of everything on here, not bad Fave track: Bag Lady
Probably really good make out music. Not great for work driving
I’ve now listened to this album on a few occasions, and I’ve become increasingly fond of it. It’s cool and slinky with a real jazzy feel. Songs are sparse and airy and Badu’s voice slides effortlessly through it. Nothing stands out but it’s an interesting listen throughout
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?