Mama's Gun

Not so much my thing either but got to throw some respect on her vocals.

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

I quite liked this one. I didn't catch a lot of the lyrics because I had to multitask and listen to this one BUT I liked the sound a lot. Taking a star off because the longer songs are definitely TOO long and started to wear on me. But as a whole I would definitely look forward listening to this one again. Definitely funky, definitely something to groove to.

Die Interpretin hat zweifellos eine großartige Stimme, und einige melodische Aspekte auf “ Dem Album sind durchaus ansprechend. Der Musikstil des Albums lässt sich als Neo-Soul beschreiben, mit Einflüssen aus Funk, Soul und Jazz. Es fehlt es dem Album jedoch an Spannung und Abwechslung. Viele der Tracks klingen ähnlich und bieten wenig Überraschungen oder Höhepunkte. Insgesamt wirkt das Album wie ein Einheitsbrei, der sich durch monotone Rhythmen und vorhersehbare Arrangements auszeichnet und leider zu viel SchummSchumm.

Mama’s Gun is Erykah’s second album I believe and my absolute favorite. I’m definitely a fan of Ms. Badu and listen to her music often. I’ve seen her in concert and heard these songs sang live many, many times. My favorite had to be ‘Didn’t Cha Know.’ The introduction is just so amazing. It’s pure nostalgia and bliss every time I listen to this album. I’ll forever be a fan.

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.

A lot of substance here, and a pleasure to listen to.

Nice enough, but feels pretty dated.

il soul anni tardi 90 con un po' di jazz e sperimentazione mi conquista sempre. brava la mia ononima col nome scritto strano.

Questo album è una bomba assolutamente inaspettata, la tipa è fortissima e il mood è unico. Nota di merito per le transizioni, che al 90% solo così smooth che quasi non ti accorgi che la traccia è cambiata

Mmmmmh

Heard the name but never the music, but I really enjoyed her voice. Super smooth, and really easy listening. My only criticism was that it was longgggg, there’s so many long albums on this list and I seem to keep getting them one after another 😩

Overrated

Astonishingly beautiful and transcendent album.

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

Irresistibly smooth, but with an undercurrent of sly humor and playful sexuality. Could perhaps be a little shorter.

The first track blew me away but my interest slowly faded as the tracks went on. No doubt it is a well constructed album, but it started to feel repetitive and with a 1+ hour runtime it really starts to drag. 2.5

Pretty sweet record.

Didn’t like all the songs but felt like a high quality album. Pino is a god and it’s always a pleasure to hear him play

This album was my introduction to Erykah years ago and I fell in love with her voice and energy. Didn’t Cha Know is perfect for summer time drives

3.96 rym non è il mio purtroppo 2/5

This is a great album held back significantly by the use of a drum machine. Drum machines work in some genres like new wave and industrial music, but on a funk/soul/hip hop-infused album, I really think you need a true drummer who can put some passion and flair into the work that a drum machine is incapable of. Questlove does drum on some tracks but his touch seems light and it’s hard to discern. Otherwise, Badu herself is great, but I really feel like she’s held herself back on all her albums but not involving more meaningful percussion.

Quite a fan of Funk, NeoSoul or general melodic music but this was a turnoff, guess I can't stand the voice.

Very enjoyable easy listening.

Enjoyed cruising through this.

There's something grating about Erykah Badu's voice that turned me off of this album. Still, not as bad as some of the other albums I've listened to on this list.

Good this

This got tedious

3-4

Maybe I’m just inconsistent on neo-soul, but Mama’s Gun didn’t really do much to me. I find myself often getting bored with the monotonous, drawn-out song structures in the neo-soul genre, and while sometimes it works (it does occasionally on here), I lose interest pretty quickly because of the nature of the type of music. This means that my score and overall opinion doesn’t reflect the quality of this album, I genuinely just think it’s not for me

The entire album has a very specific low-energy vibe. Maybe on a different day I would be in a better mood for it. But today I just wanted more movement. It’s too long of an album, and the songs are long too, to not shake it up a bit somewhere along the way. Fine background music for a lounge, or when you’re chilling with friends not really paying attention to the music.

I got really excited for this album after the first song, but then it went into the whole "background music at a strip club" genre, heavy bass and drums, keyboards and lots of moaning.

Solid R&B sound. I don't always love what she does with her vocal inflections, but I was entertained the whole way through.

my eyes are GREENNNN

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.

Ended up digging this way more than I thought I would.

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!

I loved this. Great voice, funky songs, an enjoyable listen all around. I will keep this on the back burner for the future.

This may not be something I listen to every day. But I am sure as hell glad I listened to it today!

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

Maybe anything would have sounded good after the previous album, but the vocals are good and I enjoyed the layered sounds of the instruments. Just wish there were more tracks with the same type of energy as the first one.

She sings her heart out. It's a really good album and not the type of songs I typically hear on the radio.

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

that's where this song comes from lol not bad, definitely not my style very meh though, don't think i'd listen to again

Good chill vibes, maybe not every day listening but it’s good for a specific vibe!

2.5

2.25

Erykah Badu's debut album "Baduizm" is one of my favorite albums of all time. That, and "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" were both my first exposure to the neo-soul genre and are what I think of when I see the word neo-soul. Considering how much I enjoy funk, hip-hop and R&B, plus all of the genre fusions that comprise of neo-soul, it's no surprise that the few albums of this genre that I've been exposed to are among my all-time favorites. But back to Erykah Badu. For whatever reason, I never really explored the rest of her discography. I almost feel bad, because now I'm asking myself where "Mama's Gun" was all my life! This is some more of what I loved from "Baduizm". Almost like a spiritual sequel of sorts, albeit a bit more toned back and introspective here. A lot flows together, which some view as a negative, but that makes an album's overall listening experience pretty smooth. "Baduizm" will always be the "bigger" album to me (an easy 5 if it were on this list), but "Mama's Gun" peels back the curtains a bit and gives us a glimpse into Badu's personal life at the time, as the listener witnesses her artistic evolution in real time.

I would have once took one look at this album and artist and instantly disregarded it. I am nowerdays a bit more receptive to all types of music regardless of genre (well perhaps not rap or hip hop) so look forward to listening to this. Unfortunately I found nothing on it to attract my attention. It was just plain old R&B I’ve heard thousands of times before. Found ‘Erykah’s’ (Yes it is Erica - why change a perfectly good name to something perceived more cool?) voice a bit too screechy for my taste also. 1/5 9/6/24

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)

It took awhile for me to come around by I was sold by Booty. That track and Orange Moon were absolute standouts but I just vibes with this while project. Do yourself and favor and listen on something with proper bass to it. Phone speakers really don't do this justice. Get a dose of your favorite poison (weed, whiskey, whatever), find a cozy couch and a good set of speakers and just chill for 70 minutes.

Green eyes

I don't know. A stoned person singing with a Marley annoys me. Groove is ok

listened to again honestly i slept on this last time i listened to it, it's super solid

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

Esperava bem mais, mais ritmo e sedução.

Very good, very smooth.

What a bloody find! Incredible album! Proper journey! There I was thinking badu was like an 80s Beverly Knight! Revelation! 4.7

At its best, sounds a lot like D’Angelo’s brown sugar (didn’t change know, my life). Lost me when the songs were more about the vocals or the lyrics than the music. Turned a couple up but then skipped a bunch. 2.2

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

In a nutshell: brilliant backing, let down by predictable vocal acrobatics. The drum work is top tier, courtesy of Questlove and Gino Lock Johnson Iglehart. Erykah has swagger on the opening track. Reminiscent of Betty Davis. Then Erykah's voice becomes predictable from track 2 onwards due to limited key exploration and (previouly noted in another review) monotone delivery. This album didn't need to be 71 minutes long either. Erykah has no doubt inspired/influenced many neo-soul singers: Solange, Janelle Monae, Amy Winehouse. However, I feel that this isn't the best representation of her on the list. Overall: 4/10

Couple of decent songs but this whole genre isnt my thing. I imagine those who like RnB would love this though. Quite enjoyed the first track, and …&on, but the rest just blended into one. Pretty boring really, found myself skipping most of the tracks 3/4 of the way through. Perhaps that isn’t a fair way to judge but I just wanted to move on

This almost seems like it was designed to be background music, which isn't a good goal. All the songs blended into each other, even if you are making a laid back album there are ways you can keep things interesting but this album doesn't have any of them. Can't remember how long it actually was but it felt like three hours.

Nearly nothing to add here - just dismal and repetitive. Sounds like she put in barely any effort.

RnB and soul aren't my thing but thought this started ok.... As it went on I got bored though, it's too long and too much of the same thing, which just happens to be not my thing.... 1.5

Fuck, this album is incredible!!!! ?uestlove is perfect on drums, love the snare sound. Badu has killer songs and a great voice. It's for albums like this that I love the generator, because I otherwise would have never heard this

It started kind of slowly for me, but picked up after the first 1/3. Atmospheric in a really nice way and I could hear the influences forward and backward.

Not big on R&B sorry!!! Some songs ok like chill but again would never listen to in my own time really!

Not really feeling it , but could be decent background music

Listening at work, love the vibe.

A bona-fide classic

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!

The whole Neosoul thing never really resonated with me and diving in to a whole album of it didn't seem to make much of a difference. I get why people like this but it is just kind of meh for me.

ganz nett, mir zu jazzig/ruhig

Bang bang. Fucking brilliant. Vaguely aware of her but glad I got thrown into this one today. Great stuff.

👍

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

Of the 1 hour 11 minute runtime the only bit I liked was the interlude "Hey Sugah (Interlude)". That's about the only truly nice thing I have to say about this album, aside from great jazz/funk/soul/r&b instrumental performances that bring forward sounds from the 60s and 70s. It is terrible to say, but truly if you were to take off Badu's vocals, I just might have enjoyed this album, but the vocals aren't doing anything for me and become monotonous pretty quickly. I feel like the songs were left without their own vocal identity. Take "In Love With You" in which Stephen Marley put his vocal stamp on the song and then Erykah comes in with the same phrasing and dynamics she has been using the whole album, which just kills the momentum he created, until finally in the outro their vocals start to really shine together. A neo soul album that won't disrupt the sipping of an an early morning cup of coffee, but is certainly not going to get the emotional or physical senses going like that cup of coffee will. Perhaps an album for a demo I am not the member of. Wouldn't make my list of 1001.

sounded ok, jut it just felt like a generic RNB album from the early 2000's

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

A really vibey listen

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.

En olisi odottanut, että tämä on näin laulelua - ja vielä näin venytettyä. Artisti luottaa efektiin, joka syntyy hänen äänensä nasaaliutumisesta tietyissä, kriittisissä pisteissä. Ei valitettavasti pelasta tylsyydeltä.

"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

I thought i might like this better but it was just ok for me.

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

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

Didn't know this at all. Enjoying the laid-back vibe. Her voice glides over the laid-back rhythms. Soul meets hip hop and they have a rhythm track baby.

There is a London-centric DJ I really like - Robert Elms - not for his taste in music but for his interviews and wit, his love and curiosity about this fair city. The problem with his show was the music and for a good few years I was bombarded with Erykah Badu. Talk about On & On & On… not my vibe but I’ve definitely mellowed and don’t dislike the music as much as I did 20 years ago. It’s obviously wheedled its way into my psyche. And On & On is such an earworm…

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.

Really enjoyed this and I'll revisit to give it some more attention. Sylvia heard me listening and said he's very familiar with Erykah and this album. Cool that she still is relevant to the kids these days.

Was pleasantly surprised by this one. 4/5

Was expecting something else entirely. Not for me, too bad

Real good, just not my thing

Didn’t Cha Know about this one? It’s like that time when the Orange Moon was out back in A.D. 2000

I liked the album, but after listening to it again, after a long time, I don't like it so much anymore. Her voice is very irritating, tormenting. I have to listen to the album again when I have a quiet moment, maybe then I'll like it better again

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.

Liked the music, but not the voice on many songs. Overall, I did not find it engaging enough to seek it out again.

Neo soul. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Oooh, this is funky good. Love her voice. Ahhh, very nice.

I really enjoyed this. Nice way to get through the morning.

Funny, soulful, jazzy

That album was good, but a bit bloated. I definitely prefer the streamlined Baduizm. That being said I like the lyrics and grooves of these songs and could see myself listening to this again. 3.6/5 -> 4/5.

Cool

I can see the comparisons to D'angelo's 'Voodoo', that album also has A+ production. The drums hit hard and the bass is smooth and warm, love all the jazzy instrumentation, great sounding beats over the whole thing. Erykah's voice is lovely throughout. I was tuning out a little bit towards the end when the songs felt a bit more stretched out than the ones before, but never heard a weak song really.

An excellent jazz/funk/psychedelic rock listening experience. "Didn't Cha Know" sounds great. "Booty" sounds like a really shady track, and ends up being a song about solidarity of not wanting to take another woman's unfaithful man. "Bag Lady" is so groovy.

Dope Album

Surprisingly good

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.

Amazing! I loved the sound and the vocals, and the lyrics were interesting.

Höre hier wirklich nichts außer … ! Wahrscheinlich verstehe ich diese Art von Gedudel nicht! 0/5

closer to a 3.5 for me, but I think with more listens, I’ll warm up to this one

The Time I spent listening to this certainly was A Wasted

Good vibes on a sunny day.

I liked some of the songs but then didn't like others a pretty middle-of-the-road album

My kind of music. Listened to it while drinking champagne with my new flatmate which was a vibe. Just going to be a positive album for me I reckon. Possibly even a 5* after a few more listens

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.

Seichter Neo Soul.

Not bad. A little boring though.

To be confirmed when I can listen again

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?

Beautiful voice. Not my thing though.

No disrespect to Erykah Badu, this is a fine album, but the 70 minute, CD-era album just doesn’t work for me anymore. If there’s one thing I’m realizing through out the course of this list is that there’s nothing better than a 40 minute lp. Otherwise, Mama’s Gun is a fun and funky album, even if it runs a little too long for my taste.

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.)

Albums like these are the most unfairly affected by the method in which I consume them: at work. I can't always focus on lyrics, which I think is likely where this album would shine. Musically, sure, it was soulful, even groovy at times, but it's often pretty barebones too. Ms. Badu has a lovely, smooth voice, but I'd have appreciated more active instrumentation. The songs (and the album itself) also go on just a little too long without much diversity to break things up. I acknowledge the album as an R&B classic, but it didn't do all that much for me.

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.

Erykah is always a vibe. she rarely if ever misses, this is a wonderful listen from start to finish, I know her style gets lost on some but its what keeps me coming back. Orange Moon is a fantastic wind down song.

My favorite Erykah Badu album. Just a vibe from top to bottom. ❤️❤️

This is, unfortunately, exactly the kind of music I really don't like. I just can't. Listens: 1 No fave track. Rating: 2

4/14, 29%

hints of things I like but overall not interesting enough

Embarrassingly, this is my first time listening to an Erykah Badu album, though I've heard her on other artists' records. It won't be the last. Sweet, smooth, and soulful.

I tried, just could not get into it…

4.5 Funky and enjoyable all the way through. Another one that I just played over and over on loop all day. Beats for days and such an interesting voice

Good voice and I was into it at times but a bit too long without enough variety to warrant it. Passable.

New to me and really, really good. Touch long but this is full to the brim of quality funk.

I don't like this style of singing. It was OK I guess, but none of the songs really struck a chord with me, and I thought they were all pretty similar throughout the album.

I'm tempted to skip every song. I think I would need weed and a very comfortable sofa to really enjoy this music, maybe some other stoner company. I don't have any of these things, I'm just bored

I thought this album was pretty neat. Not a ton of standout tracks, but just the overall feeling if the album was solid. There's a lot of soul, a lot of jazz...neat stuff. She uses her voice like an instrument. Fav tracks: My Life, Green Eyes

2 pour moi. C'est pas que c'est mauvais, mais je ne pense pas que je ferais jouer ça de moi-même.

Enjoyed that, having never heard of her before.

Ihan kiva mutta mietitytyttää miksei ihmiskunta pystynyt tähän aiemmin.. 2000 luvulle mentävä että päästään tälläisiin lyyrillisiin voivattelu tunnekuohuihin.. Vielä kun ei kappaleet olis samaa paskaa pitkää aikaa = jaksan katsoa tiktokin juuri juuri heh luuletko tällänen jää historiaan.. ei ole jäämässä historiaan.. Jos minulla ongelmia arvostaa ja ottaa aikaa tälle.. et sinäkään tulevaisuuden lukia heh pysty..

Mama's Gun: A Deep Dive into Erykah Badu's Introspection Released in 2000, Erykah Badu's second studio album, "Mama's Gun," marks a distinct shift from the laid-back grooves of her critically acclaimed debut, "Baduizm." This introspective journey delves into themes of motherhood, self-discovery, and resilience, showcasing Badu's growth as an artist and her willingness to experiment with sound. Lyrical Exploration: Vulnerability and Empowerment One of the album's most impactful elements is Badu's lyrical honesty. Tracks like "The World Is a Wonderful Place" and "...& On" lay bare her anxieties and vulnerabilities as a young mother, grappling with self-doubt and societal pressures. In "You Got Me," however, Badu embraces her strength and independence, declaring, "You got me / I got me / That's all we need." This duality, of vulnerability and empowerment, runs through the album, creating a complex and relatable portrait of womanhood. Musically Eclectic: A Fusion of Sounds While "Baduizm" established Badu's signature neo-soul sound, "Mama's Gun" embraces a wider sonic palette. The album opens with the surprising industrial rock influences of "Penitentiary Philosophy," showcasing Badu's fearlessness in exploring new sonic territories. Tracks like "Tyrone" and "Booty" lean towards traditional soul and funk, while "My Life" incorporates jazz influences. This eclectic mix reflects the album's thematic diversity, allowing different moods and emotions to take center stage. Production: Organic and Intimate The production on "Mama's Gun" is deliberately stripped-down and organic. Live instrumentation takes precedence, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere. The use of sampling is minimal, allowing for Badu's voice and the musicianship to shine through. This production style complements the album's introspective nature, making the listener feel as if they are invited into Badu's intimate space. Themes: Motherhood, Identity, and Self-Love The album's core theme revolves around the complexities of motherhood. Badu explores the joys and challenges of raising a child, particularly in "The World Is a Wonderful Place" and "My Life." Beyond motherhood, "Mama's Gun" speaks to broader themes of self-discovery and navigating societal expectations. Tracks like "Bag Lady" and "Time's a Thief" encourage introspection and self-acceptance, empowering listeners to shed emotional baggage and embrace their personal journeys. Influence: A Lasting Legacy "Mama's Gun" received critical acclaim upon release, solidifying Badu's status as a leading voice in neo-soul. The album's influence extends beyond the genre, inspiring artists across different musical styles to embrace vulnerability and experiment with their sound. Additionally, Badu's frank discussions about motherhood resonated with a generation of women, paving the way for a more honest portrayal of this experience in popular culture. Pros: Emotional depth and vulnerability in the lyrics. Musical experimentation and diverse soundscapes. Warm and intimate production that prioritizes live instrumentation. Exploration of important themes like motherhood, self-discovery, and self-love. Lasting influence on the music industry and popular culture. Cons: The album's introspective nature and stripped-down production may not appeal to all listeners who prefer a more polished or commercial sound. Some might find the lyrical content overly personal or even cryptic in its symbolism. The genre-bending approach may leave listeners who prefer a clear musical direction wanting more cohesion. Conclusion: "Mama's Gun" stands as a testament to Erykah Badu's artistic evolution and willingness to explore challenging themes with honesty and vulnerability. Through its diverse soundscapes and impactful lyrics, the album offers a unique and intimate listening experience, prompting introspection and leaving a lasting impression on the listener long after the final note fades. While not without its potential limitations, the album's strengths far outweigh any shortcomings, solidifying its place as a pivotal work in Badu's career and the broader musical landscape.

On & on, & on, & on, & on, & on, & on, & on, & on, & on, & on... Knew about this one before. Dont feel like ALL of the tracks hit right, but some really do. So imma be giving it the V, vhich also stands for very iconic. ...Or vacuum. Whichever floats your boat.

Very well produced and with some great vocal performances. I don't think it quite has enough to push it into the 5* category, but it was a good listen.

Listenable.

Hell yeah. Bag lady is so good.

sassy funky RnB with beautiful jazz and motown elements woven throughout. A truly groundbreaking album.

Didn’t know any of Badu’s music before listening to the album so was pleasantly surprised. Really cool soul album.

Cant get into it.

Very pleasant but unremarkable. If I had a posh dinner party to host I could play it to show how cool I am. A low 3.

No. Not my thing. I was glad I had the distraction of working while listening to this or I might not have finished listening to it. It was a recipe to cure insomnia. Sorry Silly name lady but you were shite! A generous 1.

Dug this way more than I expected. Creative song writing. I had no idea I was into Neo-soul. Really good stuff.

OMFG HOW CAN I GET THIS SO LATE IM ON MY 1069TH ALBUM Ok I thought it would be better actually. Its like ok 2

Soul, R&B, female, slow/mid, well arranged with strings, keys, winds and co, good voice, but songs too much focused on it, songs too simple, album too long

Groovy/funky kinda R&B. Her voice is really nasally and a little annoying though. Bag Lady was pretty good. Album ended strong.

I acknowledge the genuine excellence of Ms. Badu and her band. But it don't half go... on and on 😅 Seriously, why did artists stop knocking out tight 40 minute records? I know the format initially stemmed from what could fit on a 12" record but that constraint also improved quality control on the tracklist. I enjoyed listening to this for 45 mins but by 80 I was honestly getting bored.

Excellent album! So good

Can't say I've heard anything like this before. Even for something released over twenty years ago, it still sounds fresh and vibrant. Love the dips into Parliament-style funk, and the vibe of classic jazz throughout. Only complaint is that it finds the lane it wants to be in, and rarely ever truly breaks free from that, leading to a record that might be a little easy to just vibe to and zone out a little. Favorite tracks: "Penitentiary Philosophy", "A.D. 2000", "Orange Moon"

Cool surprise with great bass lines

Nice album but a bit long for me

There is not enough substance, boring.

Groovy as F*

A whole new experience for me when it comes to this Album 💗

This is awesome.

Pretty good stuff! Not really for me though.

Didn't finish it just not really my thing

nyeeeh 2

R&B, not really my style

Not awful is the best I can say.

I've never actually listened to Erykah Badu despite the immense praise. The first son on this album, "Penitentiary Philosophy", is an absolute banger. The soulfulness of her voice and the intensity of the accompanying music hits you right in the face. It has a lot of the musical vides of Stevie Wonder but with more attitude. Little decisions in presentation as she sings make her songs so good. I'm not sure if it's how the words are supposed to be pronounced, but at about 1:00 in track 4 ("...& On"), she sings "Zika deka del" and the way she does it adds a flourish that makes the song that much better.

Nyeh

4/5. A beautiful and heartfelt album, you can feel Badu's pain and sadness through the album, even if they are silly or not serious. Themes of self-doubt and acceptance, personal view versus society's view. I really enjoyed this, some songs were a little slow, but otherwise, nice and chill, vibing music if you will.

3.5

Not my favorite genre, but some ok songs.

One or two songs of this is fine, but when it's a full album you inevitably stop caring.

its meh

Amazing album. Some of the smoothest beats I have ever heard. Also, Erykah Badu has an amazing voice. It goes great with the hip hop/ jazz instrumentals. The storytelling is also very good. The jazz influence is heavy and I love it. The album ends with Green Eyes, a nice, long, jazzy song that ties the whole album together beautifully. 9/10

Songs seemed to blend together and nothing really stood out

Bag Lady

Really didn’t do much for me. I was Hoping for more as she’s such a legend but I guess not everything connects with everyone.

A very beautiful album Erykah Badu’s voice is wonderful traveling through the songs floating around exquisitely without being overtly showy.

Diana Ross meets Billy Holiday with backgrounds of r and b, funk, jazz and folk?

It came, it left, I barely noticed.

some kid started singing r&b with her friends outside my house at 4am once and you know, she did have a beautiful voice but SHUT THE FUCK UP NOW

Good listen, saved a third of the album and found a bunch of other tracks i liked on another album of hers.

Enjoyed this. I hadn’t heard of her before. Some really good tracks

Okay, this was a great musical journey! Very, very impressed by this album. It might be a bit long, but it's so, so good! And what a great roster of musicians present on this album. All together it makes for an incredible timeless record, one I will definitely come back to! Standout tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't Cha Know, Cleva, Booty, Kiss Me On My Neck, Bag Lady, In Love With You, Time's A Wastin, Green Eyes 9 out of 10

This is solid so far. Only into track 2 but now I know why she is so good. This is a really solid album. I really love the sound, the soulness, her voice, her lyrics.

Interesting, not really what I expected

Didn't know anything about this artist. Album was lyrically interesting, and I like the jazz feel of most of the tracks.

I liked the mix of jazz and soul and funk. The songs were good, but too much alike for me.

Toller R&B!

About halfway through this album I was enjoying it, but by the end, I was ready for it to be over. It felt very repetitive.

A very good soul/funk album. Great beats. Unfortunate that EB has said terrible/controversial things over the years.

Un album en nuances et en recherche formelle. Voix à l’avant-plan sans être magnifiée.

3.5, again I'm a fan of jazz-influenced music. Some of lyrics really got me laughing tho

Love it! Love her!

I’ve always loved Erika Badu. Such a great vibe. Definitely nice morning music. Not a whole lot to her words but overall good. I listen to every minute of this long album. I totally enjoyed it.

"Remember there in school one day I learned I was inferior.....Water in my cereal" Something about this line paints a picture of growing up struggling better than almost anything I've heard before. Great album just not my style

A quality neo-soul album, and maybe Badu’s best? There are some beautifully groovy tracks on here and the first 40 minutes or so absolutely flies by - unfortunately a couple of songs towards the end do drag a little bit, in particular the quite clunky closer Green Eyes

God, that guitar riff on the first track! Just forces you to groove with it. Brilliant! Just some RnB goodness, gloriously made. Songs can drag a little at the end, but that's a small quibble - at some point being able to have the beat continue on for a while would be exactly what I'd want. Favourite tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy(great riff), Cleva (great chorus), A.D. 2000 (great drums), Green Eyes (some great lyrics, if a little long)

It's probably just not my type of music and unfair but I find this pretty boring.

Not a big fan of this. There's this weird double-vocal-tracking thing going on where I'm guessing she couldn't get one good take so they just decided to average two. Just...boring.

Ok, but not great

Nice background music. The duet with Stephen Marley was my favorite. She has a sweet voice. I thought many of the songs were very alike is tone and tempo.

I love Erykah

Ok

This is good enough. Not a big fan of neo-soul, and she modulates her voice in an odd way that I am not a fan of. It's not bad, and very listenable, but I wouldn't choose to play this on my own.

Nicht ganz meins

Great voice.

Blind album and artist. Instrumentals were cool but I did NOT like the singing or vocals. Thought it was produced very well in general

The era of the Soulquarians: A period of like-minded individuals (such as Questlove, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, etc), each with their distinct talent across the music spectrum coming together to create some of the greatest Hip Hop, R&B, and Soul music ever made that continues to be impactful and timeless across the decades since its creation period. Context is important and its supremely important to know this period so one can appreciate the creation of Mama's Gun. It was constructed and executed at this moment in time and it continued on the ongoing momentum of what the Soulquarians were musically bringing to the table. This album is the definition of "old fashioned soul". As soon as it starts it sucks you in with its atmosphere, and at the very end of the journey you come out feeling lighter. Ms. Badu's puts all of her soul into this one and it becomes a kind of R&B therapy session required for the community. One of the greatest creations to come out of the early 21st century. One of the greatest R&B albums ever made. 5 OUT OF 5 FUCKING STARS.

A masterpiece of modern soul music. The instrumentals are gorgeous and funky, and her vocals evoke so much emotion..

2000. А звучит как будто семидесятые. Но ничего против не имею, звучит хайпово. Дослушивать желания нет, это три имхо

I enjoyed the first half a lot but this feels like the definition of bloat in the CD age. She really couldn’t find 20 minutes to trim it down? I think I’d rate it a lot higher if some of the filler was removed. Rating: 3.2

Som bem envolvente, agradável

Now this is the modern funk hip hop fusion I need. I LOVE how she sings, every song is full of personality. It sounds good today. So happy with it, the closest thing I’ve heard to this is the miseducation of Lauryn hill. I’m not sure which one I like more

This album was a good listen and has some very tight playing and interesting vocals. It has a near cinematic feel with most songs segueing into each other or carrying similar themes. This could also be a negative as it could create a sense of sameness. Still, this is obviously well crafted and it also just sounds excellent from a recording stand point.

Nah.

Thoughts before listening: This is cool neo-soul from the late 90s/early 2000s. This was never my thing but I'm sure I will enjoy this...probably more than I would have when it was released. If this has Tyrone on it then that's a great song that I mainly know from My Morning Jacket's cover. Review: Tyrone is not on this album, but I like what I am hearing. Awesome grooves throughout these songs and Erykah Badu is a great singer. I especially like the jazzy backing instrumentation with funky walking bass lines that creates a laid back vibe. That being said, this does drag a bit at times. The whole thing stays in a very similar groove throughout, and while it makes for a pleasant listen I would have appreciated some changes in pace. The best songs are the two biggest hits from this album: Didn't Cha Know and Bag Lady. Those are getting added to the playlist.

A few great tracks here

Quality vocals, great lyrics, good beat Slight religious overtone

Very good, well made and smooth like butter

The vibe of the album is immaculate. I personally don't like her voice, but I fully recognize that this is a me problem and not the singer's.

I missed this artist entirely. I was raising my kids in the years of her work. I enjoyed my first listen, and plan to listen again.

Exceptional. Truly enjoyed the entire album.

Chill with reggae kinda vibes

Not my thing, and regardless much too long.

Started out as a decent listen and then AD 2000 hit and things went off the rails, Badu lost me, the album became a bore and downright bad. R&B continues to be the worst genre as far as I’m concerned. This was exhausting. 2 stars

Great record! I love the sound of Erykah Badu’s voice, it fits her style of jazz/hip-hop so well. I’m mostly familiar with her first album and her many guest vocal appearances, but I liked this even more than I thought I would.

Was ready for this to be lame, but it was very good. I didn't know it would kick as much as it does. 3.75/5

Pretty smooth, definitely see this as the female D’Angelo as compared to with a bit of Erykah’s BFF Andre to it. A little too long for my taste, but it’s an early aughts R&B album, what should I expect? C+

Dont love. 2 stars

Very good. Very interesting vocals but good and compliments the groovy music

Her voice irks me. But I like Stephen Marleys feature

Super chill album but I don’t fancy soul and r&b that much. “Didn’t Cha Know” and “Penitentriapy Philosophy” are probably my favorite tracks on this album.

Really like this! Great vibe, instrumentation (I’m a sucker for Rhodes), production. I like the lyrics and personal style to the singing. It’s so smooth. Orange Moon especially just sits so well in the atmosphere of the track. I could listen to it all day. So comforting. Basically everything A.D. 2000 and on is really good Neo-Soul. Lovin’ it. Above 4 but is it a 4.5? Tricky territory! It’s got a slight edge over Maxwell because it’s a tad more real. I feel like this is right there with Kiwanuka, though it’s more soulful and less psyche. It might even be better. Especially considering its age. I’m going 4.5.

Not bad but to much pop and hip hop leaning for me. Some songs were really great but others were not that soulful as I would have wished for.

Not bad, but kind of sedate? I kept trying to pay attention to this as I was driving, but it kept slipping to the background. I didn't mind it, but wouldn't listen to it again. I liked "In Love with You" (feat. Stephen Marley) but nothing else was really memorable.

Didn't Cha Know Kiss Me On My Neck In Love With You

21 savage car rap driving fast, stuff everyone’s listening to and tic tok songs just stuff to go hard on the speakers

"Unbalanced" often goes with raw, an unsubtle tipping toward strong emotion. Badu's (and how unfair is it to use that name that way) sophomore record is in an adjacent quadrant: The imbalance and indeed the entire sound is carefully controlled. It's easy-going, but the particular affect behind many a song here is anger. Something about that feels very Dallas or is simply newfound-misplaced patriotism.

Was excited to listen but was disappointed by how boring it was

A cool laid back chill album, loved the soul/jazzy vibe.

I feel like this one has some room to grow, I definitely really liked a couple of songs. Calling it a 3.5 for now though.

Kinda TLC vibes

eh, not the worst album on this list by a long shot, but pretty dull and uninspiring to me. the songs all smush together and don't really go anywhere. whenever i thought the music sounded ok, the vocals were there to bore me to death, and vice versa. lyrics were meh and had some secret "god is good" messaging which was an unpleasant discovery. the best compliment i can give it is it reminded me of Rouge's level music in Sonic Adventure 2. also, surprised to see that no one's referenced any of the legal issues or controversies surrounding erykah "hitler was good actually" badu. she's not like, kid rock or marilyn manson level, but still, yikes favorites: didn't cha know (i guess)

Very well-produced, had some bops. I enjoyed it. Consistent start to finish.

Only listened a bit and it was ok

I am not usually a fan of R&B but Erykah Badu is pretty good. I love the soul and trip-hoppy elements in some of her tracks. Favorite Song(s): "Didn't Cha Know", "Cleva", "Bag Lady", "Penitentiary Philosophy"

2.2

Meh, not for me 2/10

Ai että! Hieno levy. Jotenkin ei-häiritsevää neo-soulia. Mutsilla oli tää cd kun olin juniori ja tätä tuli kyl luukutettua. Hyvii tekstejä ja soundit hyvissä maisemissa. Vahva nelonen! 4/5

Huhhuh on tää kova. Groovaa niin hemmetisti. En duunissa pääse ihan tarpeeksi chilliksi, mutta kotona toimi taas 5/5.

Hyvä funk-levy ja kova solisti! 4/5

Liked it

I actually first listened to this album for this quite a while ago and I liked it a lot but didn't feel like I had time to digest it/write a proper review. So now here I am months later to try to do that. Truly a beautiful album that has aged well 26 years later, which I find to not always be the case with this era of R&B. Penitentiary Philosophy is a banger to start of the album and originally I didn't like how the energy tapers off throughout the album. I listened to the album last evening and I found myself appreciating the way it flows. Orange Moon is a highlight on the back portion of the album. Song going on my "1001 Songs" Playlist: Penitentiary Philosophy Songs Going On My "1001 Albums Savelist" Playlist: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't Cha Know, My Life, ... & On, Orange Moon

Erica Bad.

ez 5 for nirvana

This R&B is better than D'Angelo but it's still way too long and quite booty overall 🤡🍑

I could tell it was good, I just wasn't in the target audience.

A difficult listen. Not interested I’m sorry to say. Sort of thing that makes me turn off the radio.

Not my cup of tea

This album is like one big song, with songs oozing into each other and just feeling like one coherent thought, which I imagine is a big plus for those who are fans of this album. I, however, am not. It started to drag quite a bit pretty early on, and the long runtime just made it hard to stomach. I mean, it wasn't awful, but it turned to background noise very quickly, and any time I did tune back in, it felt like something not good was happening, like her weird country twang thing she does on some of the songs. Really at the end of the day this just wasn't really for me, but I can at least recognize that something good is here.

Mega repetitivo pero qué chula voz.

Good chilled

Avoid

I enjoy R&B and I really like neo-soul. I also like it when neo-soul artists use live instrumentation in their music. This album misses me in some ways though. Erykah Badu has a great voice and the music is interesting, but the songs on the back half just go on and on. It's hard to dive in when the pool is so deep and time consuming. The latter half of the album has 7 songs and only one of them is less than 5 minutes long. It made it difficult for me to listen repeatedly since each time through the album took over an hour. I think this album belongs in the book, if only for those who can appreciate this album more than I did. Because there are positives, even if it did not come together all the way for me.

Un très bon album soul, c'est vraiment une bonne ambiance du début à la fin. Erikah a vraiment une très belle voix sensuelle. Le principal défaut de l'album c'Est qu'il est toujours un peu trop pareil et long, mais autrement c'est vraiment très bon. 8/10

"In Love With You" was a really amazing song. All of these were terrific. I loved her voice, style, and the bluesy/R&B/soul vibe to this entire album. This was a really wonderful surprise.

Musik för yxmördare, våldtäktsmän och Karens.

A beautiful and witty album

Close to being really good but something isn't quite there.

Geloof het of niet, maar dit is de eerste artiest van de lijst die ik ooit live heb gezien (want ik ging nooit naar Lowlands en al die andere dingen). Umbria Jazz in Perugia, dubbelconcert met Al Jarreau (die niet in de lijst staat). Toen vond ik het eigenlijk niet zo'n succes, het was een lange zit (Al was beter). Dit album luistert daarentegen aardig weg. R&B, soul, funk, hoe je het maar wil noemen, best relaxt. Maar gratis tip: niet live gaan zien...

Pfff...wat een irritante stem. Eén nummer op de radio vooruit. Maar ik heb nu toch een aantal keer gekeken hoe lang ik nog moest.

Het begint op zich wel lekker, maar ik krijg er wel een enorm pretentieus gevoel bij gelijk. Pretentious Philosophy. Muziek voor het North Sea Jazz festival, waar je dan 200 euro voor een entreekaartje betaalt, en dan alsnog bij moet betalen voor de 'grote' artiesten. En wat me ook stoort, is dat ze haar eigen naam zo vaak moet zingen. Ze vindt zichzelf dus ook wel echt zo verschrikkelijk goed, dat we dat allemaal wel even mogen horen. De foto op de hoes spreekt ook boekdelen. Een soort janelle monae uit de 90s. Ik neem aan dat Erika wel een voorbeeld voor haar was. Het is dat de muziek op zich nog best aardig te pruimen is, al is het niet mijn favoriete genre. Als mannen zoiets zingen, is het helemaal tenenkrommend. Voor haar attitude zou ik een 1 geven. Maar omdat we hier zonder vooroordelen de muziek beoordelen, kom ik nog uit op een milde 3. Al zal ik na dit cijfer door Miss Badu wel gecanceld worden, voor zover ik dat nog niet was als blanke man.

Chill vocals, reminded me of an album I've heard before but I don't know the name of it. It was pretty one dimensional.

I don’t personally vibe with the style much but I can see that it is very quality for its genre. It’s a very well done female R&B/neo soul album. Highlight was definitely the last song. I felt somewhat fatigued in the latter half, but the album ended strong

Beautiful voice, very cool funky R&B album. Not every song caught my attention but I enjoyed it.

This project is really opening me up to actively appreciate genres I’d normally avoid. It helps that this is mixed so beautifully. If you are able, I highly recommend listening to this in Dolby Atmos. The subtle layers of sounds shine so brightly when they come at you from all directions. It really envelopes you and makes you feel like you’re in the studio listening live. The album itself flows nicely throughout, and the songs elegantly blend together.

Decent soul album. Not my favorite genre but it was OK enough.

Mostly just very mellow and low key. Very listenable. Nothing really stands out.

Soulful and smooth. Easy to listen to and enjoy... the music successfully delivers a consistent R&B groove. Not anything i really love on this album, but there's nothing that's really offputting either. Fine.

Meh. Neo soul. Didn't dig it, didn't hate it.

Excellent neo-soul album.

alans psychedelic breakfast alku... holy. LIIAN PITKIÄ ALBUMEJA OLLUT NYT... YLLÄPITO!! tietää että ei aikaa tälläsiin...kiireinen elämä...no...ei oo... synkkä... ja kylmä... syytön.. joo ja syyttömänä joutui tätä kuuntelemaan, uuden milleniumin soulful r ja b tylsää hip hop paskaa. noh puoli kuukautta sai mennä ilman että saamattomalle läväytetään.. striikki ohi. hyvätkin biisit menee ohivain kun joutuu syödä niin paljon paskaa... 3g protein.. not enough didn't . YOU.. know.. voidaan käyttää sitä äidinkieltäkin oikein...english third langue...incredible have to correct..

Very cool 8/10

Um LUXO.

C+ Penitentiary Philosphy 3 Didn't Cha Know 2 My Life 2 ...And On 3 Cleva 3 Hey Sugah* 3 Booty 2 Kiss Me On My Neck 2 A.D. 2000 3 Orange Moon 3 In Love With You 4 Bag Lady 3 Time's a Wastin' 3 Green Eyes 3 Bob Marley's son on In Love With You is fu**in fantastic. This was about as good as I expected it to be. Erykah Badu is an R&B legend, but some songs are meh.

A little bit of Erykah goes a long way 2.5

Love this freakin album. One of the all timers.

I don't know how to put into words how i feel about this album, other than.. I should listen to this album so much more than i do. I heard this album for the first time in late 2019 and i knew within 2 songs that it was fantastic. The vibe of the album is incredible, at times its groovy, at times its lo-fi. The production is insanely good. Lyrically the album is superb, the melodies are fantastic. Its bold and brash and just insanely good There are no lowlights, every tracks is good, the highlights could be any track on the album, but I'll shout out "...& On" and In Love With You I was between a 4 and a 5, but i think with some of the albums I've given a 4 to, this one deserves more. 5/5