Mama's Gun

I just can't get over the idea of hearing Jools Holland announcing "Erykah Badu" before sitting down to do some boogie woogie piano over some of these tracks. They're perfectly good, but does go on a bit and drifts a little too far towards the jazz-funk for me. Bit indulgent, but I'm happy they're having a nice time.

A decent r and b album. I knew of Badu from bag lady and I like that song. However I figured the rest of the album would be similar. The instrumentals were good all around but I found Badus singing to be the low point. Lyrically it was fine but after halfway I got tired of hearing her sing. It’s not a bad album just one I don’t prefer. 4.8/10

Fantastische zangeres. Dit album was even tot rust komen.

Altough a little bit repetitive, this album have a lot of good points: so much soul and so much jazz

Jazz and soul inflected, with soem strong songs, the album is laid back and meanders a bit, but this reflect the way it was made. The album is long and unfocussed for a reason; it's the vibe. Possibly one of the strongest of the soulquarian/neo-soul albums of this period, Badu's voice is at its peak. Questlove and (especially) Dilla bring their woozy rhythms to play.

I guess I wasn't totally in the correct mood but I struggled through the first part of this album, then it got a lot easier around “kiss me on my neck”. Couldn’t actually tell why but that is what a felt. I like her style but it felt a bit theatrical for me, the music is amazing.

p864. 2000. 3 stars Classy soul/jazz background music. Vaguely reminiscent of What's Going On, but without any standout tracks. It sounds like a Nora Jones outtakes album. Can imagine this being played whilst the black forest gateaux is being served.

I was really vibing with this music! The album had a great flow and was super enjoyable to listen to. She has a great soulful, funky voice and I felt extra cool listening to it

This was a really interesting album. Loved the feel and flow of the album. 4 stars

I loved the vibe of this album! Pretty chill and really enjoyed Erykah's voice.

Very cool and unique. Enjoyed the listen.

Listened Before? N I know who she is, and I've heard a song by her back in the day, but I've never paid much attention. This is not really my style. It's okay, and I don't hate listening to it, but I'll never listen to it again. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Didn't Cha Know

Not for me

Not really my style but ok.

Pretty smooth and droning in a good way. Not necessarily standout but ya no complaints, nice to throw on in the background for study with lyrics or just a nice chill hang on the porch with a book. Def a good joint sesh album.

Great album. Neo soul EB goodness. 4.5 stars for sure. Just this side of too sleepy/too samesy for me to be a five.

Weirdly ponderous. The repeat of 'On & On' and all the segues just make it feel like it's not got any contained songs, despite this clearly not being the case. Flawless playing, great feel but overall not grabbing me.

Ok, not my cup of tea

Some great sounds and musicianship from the musicians - in particular the drummer and bassist. This is quite far out of my comfort zone and I definitely haven't been turned onto funk as a result but can appreciate the craft.

Was expecting it to be more. Just come up flat for me.

Good. Maybe a bit too smooth.

Super funky. Not the kind of stuff I'd usually listen to but really chill, definitely enjoyed

Very chill vibe. Had a few songs that had a good upbeat feeling to them.

Erykah brought it back at the end with "Green Eyes". Album's too long, had some major weak points where I just didn't care, but the occassional clever lyricism and chill vibes throughout, along with the strong closer make this a worthy listen, if maybe only once.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Penitentiary philosophy, In love with you

Perfect

I did it myself. I can't blame anyone else. I am the responsible party. I was sitting down, listening to this and rather enjoying it, but then, when the fourth song started, three words popped into my skull. Those three words absolutely torched the album, then salted the earth upon which the album stood so nothing could grow back. I gained no joy from those three words, but I can't deny that they're true. I really don't want to be mean to this album, and I apologise for any upset I cause, but if I tell you them, you'll realise I'm right and the album will be ruined. So, I'm going to give you every chance to back out. If you stop reading this and just listen to the album, you'll probably get quite a bit of pleasure from it. But when you hear those three words, there's no going back. I'm serious. You may very well be better off ignoring me and instead trying to spot the jazz and hip-hop inflections throughout the album. You may find Erykah Badu's earnestness charming in its lack of guile, and though you'd probably think the album overlong, such ambition may impress you. But with those three words, there's no doubt that you'll immediately recoil from the album and never wish to hear a note from it again. And I'm sorry. I didn't want to conjure those three words. But I did, and it's done, and I have to be honest, but you don't need to know. You can just continue in happy innocence, or you can continue reading. I'll give you some time to think. ... ... ... ... ... Here's another warning. Think about what you're doing by reading on. If you want to keep on finding sausages tasty, you don't see how they're made. ... ... ... ... ... One more chance. Next time I'll say the three words, and it'll be on your head. By going on, you accept your share of responsibility. Once again, I am sorry. ... ... ... ... ... Are you ready? ... ... ... ... ... "Jamiroquai with tits!"

BUEN DISCO AUNQUE NO TODAS LAS CANCIONES

The music is alright but I'm not a fan of her voice. It's not bad just not for me. I'm glad I listened to it but I probably wouldn't play it again.

Particularly dug the “In Love With You” duet with Stephen Marley. This album is solid front to back.

Yay! I really like Erykah Badu's first album Baduizm. I listened to it so much in high school. But, I don't think I've listened to her other albums all the way through. I have listened to a few songs on this this album, and "Green Eyes" has always been one of my favorite songs by her. It's 10 minutes but unlike other 10 minute songs this one doesn't feel too long. I guess I'm still an Erykah fan.

So much life on this album. She has such a unique voice and delivery, and lyrics. Besides the all-time great Green Eyes, the first track Penitentiary Philosophy never fails to bang the head. And Cleva's lyrics are so heartfelt and convincing. Damn solid album. 4.4444444 repeating.

sounds like an alround r&b album

Enjoyed it! Loved the neo soul vibes. Although my only complaint is that it is a little too long and got repetitive. 4.5/5

Redelijk R&B plaatje maar zal het niet nog eens aanzetten

Favorite Tracks: Didn't Cha Know My Life A.D. 2000 Time's A Wastin

Beautiful from start to finish.

You dont have to say everything 20 times!

It was musical. Just not to my taste.

5/10 Best Song - In love with you

Eh

Quickly jumped to one of my favorite R&B albums of all time. Badu is a master of her craft. Perfect mix of jazz, soul, and blues to make something uniquely her's.

I started out not really liking this album, but as I listened through each song, I began to enjoy it more and more. There’s a whole chill vibe to the album, but there’s still a semblance of energy put into each song. Her voice tends to get a little bit grating sometimes, but overall, it fits really well to the music and is rarely ever a problem. Speaking of the backing music, it’s what carries the whole “cool, slick” feeling that’s within this album. I liked the piano parts the most, when it was present, and I think that was a large contributor to the aforementioned feeling. Favorite track: My Life

The album definitely drags on in the middle. A lot of it is fine, but a lot of it feels bombastic just for the sake of being bombastic. It's just lacking something, but I am not sure what. Highlight: 1.

One part Choose Your Weapon, one part Awaken, My Love! (or Maggot Brain), one part straight soul music. R&B, soul, jazz, rap are the ingredients used in this creative experiment. It works well. The vocals always stand out in front of the instrumentation, but Erykah maintains the balance of complimenting rather than overpowering. Very cool record, I wasn't sold on it immediately but it managed to grip me after a few minutes of listening. I will definitely be listening to this one again. My actual rating is a 4.5/5, so I will round up on this one. Fave tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy, Orange Moon, Green Eyes

This album is an incredible mix of classic funk sounds and modern hip-hop/R&B. The instrumentation, groove and recording techniques here are super good. I can definitely hear the influence this album had on future recordings. Kiss Me On My Neck sounds like it would fit right in on Awaken, My Love! and Orange Moon evokes Hiatus Kaiyote. I did find that some tracks where she is rapping like Cleva and Booty felt a little shallow/juvenile to me. I guess she's not particularly known for her lyrical prowess though. Overall fantastic record, will definitely be coming back to this one. Fav Tracks: Kiss Me On My Neck, Orange Moon, Green Eyes

Oye, esto estuvo bueno. Me gusta el R&B de Erykah y especialmente cuando le añade funk como en este disco.

Тут все и сразу. Хотите неосоул? Есть. Хотите фанк-рок? Первый трек с альбома мощно вступает в дело. Отличный альбом. Возможно, не то, что я буду слушать на репите, но удовольствие я получил, а любом заслужил 7 из 10.

There's a lot of talent on display here. Definitely a lot of groove and nothing to hate here.

4/18/2022 Today's Album: "Mama's Gun" by Arykah Badu - If I had to compare this album with the other albums of it's genre that I have reviewed so far, being R&B music, I would have to say that this is the most technically impressive and well executed album of the bunch. Mixing elements of funk, soul, and jazz, the artist expresses a lot of her insecurities and opinions about relationships, womanhood, and love. As a whole it doesn't sound like much, but when you dive into these tracks, there are so many relatable and creative sentiments throughout the tracks and the high production and amazing instrumental performances just elevate all of it to the most vibey level possible. Her vocals are clear, confident, and cover such a wide range of expressions as well as pitches. I love the opener Penitentiary Philosophy with it's funky groove and it's pre-chorus that brings in this real haziness to itself as well as the chorus. & On is a really fun neo-soul track that Lin Manuel Miranda has absolutely taken inspiration from because it sounds exactly like Hamilton and he's quoted it in another project of his. Anyways, it's a really cool track with a lot of fun wordplay and rap verses. The interlude Hey Sugah is this really nice psychedelic jazz chorus piece with this flute backing up an extremely groovy beat and chorus hum and it impresses me in such a short time frame. Booty is a really braggadocios track about the artist attracting another woman's man despite what that other woman has, and yet the artist doesn't even want to deal with the guy. It comes off really smooth and funny and has a ton of personality. Kiss Me On My Neck is extremely catchy and similar to most of these tracks, just grooves so damn hard. Her vocals never miss and it is really just building in quality each song. Orange Moon is an absolutely gorgeous 7 minute ballad and it just demonstrates not only her vocal talent, but the musical stability and wit to the instrumental performances. It just builds and builds and by the end it is just a wonder to take in with a whimsical flute performance and the piano and vocalist almost competing with each other. I love the way the artist's voice plays off of the male voice in In Love With You and there's this really funky bass that's shoved back into the mix that I absolutely love. It's a really beautiful love song about being unapologetically in love with someone. I love the little descending scat line the male singer has too. I like the sound of the guitar on Bag Lady and overall the instrumentals of this song are just unbeatable. So warm and smooth and nice. The closer Green Eyes is a really heartfelt break up song about being jealous of your ex's new partner, and I just think it does a good way of wrapping up a lot of the themes of the album and then of course ending with an awesome instrumental jam before the a soft fade out. Overall, there are maybe 2-3 tracks on here that I think are just alright and mayyyybe 1 that misses the mark completely, but a majority of this album is really enjoyable and laid back neo soul R&B and a lot of the lyrics are just nice to listen to even if you don't identify with the perspective. If you like this kind of music, it's a great one to just let ride in the background and notice new instrumental flourishes each time you listen. Score: 8.5/10 Great Highlights: Penitentiary Philosophy, My Life, & On, Cleva, Hey Sugah, Booty, Kiss Me On My Neck, Orange Moon, In Love With You, Bag Lady, Green Eyes

This album is so good. I’m only docking it for preference points. As a metal head, it is a little too soulful for me. Regardless, I loved this album.

Cet album est un sacré pied de nez envers les amateurs de musique punk se remplissant les oreilles de merde au jour le jour.

Un superbe album d'imitations que proposé ici par Erykah. Absolument tout y passe: mauvaise imitation de Childish Gambino, mauvaise imitation de Norah Jones. Un florilège délicieux, qui finit en apothéose avec une mauvaise imitation de Nicolas Canteloup imitant François Hollande. A mettre entre toutes les mains.

2.5

nice, groovy, sexy

The album is long at over 70 minutes. It is difficult to describe the music as it is not traditional soul, funk or R&B. The best way is to simply say it is not good. The music was not memorable. I was waiting for each song to end. The one noteworthy thing is that the mixing was done well as one song went right into the next song.

i found this quite soothing. soulful, introspective, distinctive vocals (until Macy Gray came along and did a pound shop impression of her). What's not to like?

Smooth, jazzy, soulful, but not to my tastes. I found this quite dull. 2/5

3/5

Uh, daybreak after a brewery tour, and up early with toddler. Not a bad album for a slow cruisy morning. I think I liked the second half of the album best

Good funk album with soul overtones. Have to be in the right mood to enjoy it, which I am not currently. But this is a solid 3/5.

A few interesting moments

a nice album! a pleasant listen while there are some great themes and lyrics. "why world do you want me to be so mad" from "penitentiary philosophy" hit me, today, in the year 2022! every song had such a mellow vibe and it wasn't a bad listen at all. but it simply didn't wow me. a lot of it blended together, and some songs unfortunately didn't want to end. i'm satisfied i listen to some erykah badu and i wouldn't be upset to listen to this again, but i wouldn't seek it out.

This was my first exposure to Erykah Badhu's music. I love her voice and the way it seemed to just gracefully dance across the music. It was a smooth, easy listen, but ultimately there were no specific standout moments for me.

Smooth rhymes and soulful lyrics wax in life and love in a way that makes you want to slither. Slither ever so slightly through the songs in this. A really well produced r&b record.

Very chilled, would listen a third time

Amazing voice. Had never listened to much of her work and really enjoyed this

-"Penitentiary Philosophy" is pretty catchy will a cool, groovin', instrumental. Great drumming in particular. Honestly it gets pretty heavy at the end -"...& On" has some very cool parts, specifically the quiet, fast-singing parts -The synth-harmonized parts in "Kiss Me On My Neck" are quite catchy -Overall, album is quite nice soul/funk stuff. A couple great tracks, some kinda boring. I think I'm gonna give it the benefit of the doubt and bump it from a 3 to a 4

No comment

Really great, loved the vibe and flow of this.

I liked this album. Its a good album to have in the back. Different

Great album very funky first time listening to a true retro funk album

Chill, but soulful. Love her voice

Smooth and soulful

Excellent Erykah Badu album - very consistent, probably the EB album I have listened to the most at the time.

Given its length, some of the good, but not great songs could have been left out. Nevertheless, the overall vibe of the album and the many great songs made me give it 5 stars.

Awesome! Pure cool choons, funky beats and neat riffs. Love it!

There was one good song on this album, it is just a shame that it got repeated for 72 minutes. I really wanted to enjoy this album as I like some songs I've heard from Erykah Badu in the past. This album though is not for me. I never got into the whole Neo Soul style. Her voice and the instrumentation is great but I don't find any highs or lows on Mamma's Gun just mid range monotony.

It starts off with a 60s throwback sound to it. Didn't Cha Know is a lovely soulful album that has a good sway to it.  I like this Ok  but it's not the type of music that can keep my attention for too long 

I like the fact she was brave enough to strip down the songs so that there was just her voice and lyrics remaining a lot of the time. Nice enough.

this was a miss for me, nothing really grabbed me and like most have noted this album is waaay too long at 71 mins.

Set in the middle of the prosperous Soulquarian era (a moment in time that included the likes of Common, D'Angelo, The Roots, J Dilla, etc.), Mama's Gun finds Erykah at the peak of her powers and fulfilling the use of her abilities (and that of the musicians on the album) to the maximum. Great sounds all around and a fine example of one of the many facets of soul in the beginning of the 21st Century. Favorites: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't 'Cha Know, ...& On, Booty, In Love With You, Bag Lady.

Афроамериканская музыка. Лирические отступления в виде диалогов о любви. Ритмичные композиции . Хорошая музыка, просто мне такое не заходит.

Really nice, smooth album. I enjoyed it.

Didn’t really vibe with this.

Not my vibe

Very smooth, love erykah badu!

Warm album with elements of funk, soul, and jazz styles. Good for late night or rainy day.

Great R&B album

Some good vibes but largely outside of my area of enjoyment.

The backing music is ponderous at times and weaves wonderfully through jazz and R&B motifs. This albums suffers from its length the most. If this album cut a few songs, it would flow so much better. Because the backing is just there to support a singer, it just isn’t enough to keep interest for too long despite how skillful it is. There are some really great songs her though.

Good vibes overall. Very groovy. Not for me. You can tell she is very talented though.

I was very excited when I got this album. It seemed like something I would really enjoy. However, a few songs in, my excitement disappeared. There is just something about this album that doesn't hold up today. I think the instrumentals are good, but at times I feel the vocals are lacking or boring.

This one I came to through my wife's collection - saw her live at First Avenue Main room in the early 2000s and it was an incredible show. I think the is an actually important album, true 21st century innovation in funk.

This is tough. It's a brilliant sounding album, with tight instrumentation and dazzling vocals. But at the same time, there is little I feel inspired to go back to after the first listen. It's a coffee table neo soul album. It sounds gorgeous but doesn't rise beyond a surface pleasantness, musically. Lyrically too, it's brilliant. I just can't see myself putting it on again, despite it's obvious technical and lyrical greatness.

Neo-soul classic

I enjoyed this album a good amount. Goes from pretty chill to funky to soulful, great range of songs and production is top notch.

I've said this a few times about albums from the 90s and early 2000s, but while the sound of this album is great, it's just so so so damn long.

couldnt stand the growing pains🍏

Not my thing.

Easy to listen to, even if I’m not a fan

Yeah, there’s chill and then there’s Badu chill. I found myself lulled to sleep with this one. Can’t deny the music or the soul.

This! It's a great album to experience in its entirety. The singing, the rapping, the jazzy instrumentals all just hit the spot. 8/10

Great music, produced well, singing matches the vibe and even though the vocal directions were difficult they were executed perfectly

Where is Erykah Badu at? Who dat? Actually this album was better than expected and good background music.

Not gonna lie, liked it more than I thought I would

pretty sweet 4

Neither here nor there.

Very nice, even though the album as a whole is a little overly long. Soul seems to be becoming my highest rated genre

First half was fine. Second half it began to drag out. The songs would've been better if they weren't as long. Only 3 songs stood out to me. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad.

First time listen for me. Great voice can see the influence of Motown and 70's Soul in general. some good tunes throughout with great production values. Love "Penitentiary Philosophy", "Cleva" "Kiss Me On My Neck" "Didn't Cha Know" and "Bag Lady" Has a feel of Stevie Wonder "Talking Book" era throughout. Absolutely love it. Will add to my collection when I can!

Some pretty nice tracks mixed in with some more average ones. I liked the vibe but I found the album dragged on toward the end. Penitentiary Philosophy was my favorite.

Interesting to hear, but a bit too jazzy

This album is amazing it's a great follow up to Baduizm I really enjoyed my listening experience

enjoyed this a lot!

Enjoyed it, though by the end it had become monotonous. Reminded me - slightly - of Lauren Hill's Miseducation. Listenable, but not re-listenable, at least not for a while. Added, to give it a second shot down the road.

This album does a lot of cool things, just not really my cup of tea. Nice vocals, cool layering, jazz inspired instrumentals. 6/10.

Interesting type of music 3/5

Mellow sounds and I like her voice. Quite enjoyed it. 3*

Not really my thing.

A keeper or two here. Not quite what I expected, only knowing her part from The Roots song. I think Andre3000 was influenced here.

Ich dachte erst 4 Sterne, hat zum Ende hin allerdings leider doch ein paar Längen. Dennoch sehr musikalisch.

Amazing album! I wonder if it would get five stars if I was deeper into the year.

Eh I'm not a fan of it - just typical 90s R&B - it all just kind of sounds the same. 4/10.

Interesting. Not my favorite genre though.

Really smooth jaz fusion album. Nice easy listening

It's warm in here....

Very cool. Sultry and textured

A nice pleasent listen, silky smooth R&B and good vocals. A song didn't stand out in particular to me though. I feel like this would work better as background noise to a party or even studying then as an album you solely focus on listening to.

Prettig op de achtergrond, meer is het niet voor mij

Meer soul-achtige hiphop waar ik een broertje dood aan heb. Kan hier weinig mee, maar klinkt niet slecht denk ik...

Tja, ook best oké maar ik mis de energie een beetje. Iets te laidback allemaal.

Slaapverwekkend 😴

Ik zou willen dat ik hiervan hield, maar dat is niet zo.

looking forward to it but also idk.

Its good.

Fairly generic musically, but is pretty good for what it is. Wouldn't be bad for the background, but don't think I would go out of my way to listen to it again.

Not good not bad.

pretty funky.

I dig it

Really enjoyed the mellower, jazzy songs.

Decent R'n'B album but I felt let down slightly by week vocals. Badu's voice doesn't have the depth and strength of some of her contemporaries and she seems sing from the throat rather than diaphragm, so she lacks the power and richness that would accompany the music well. Enjoyable on the whole though.

I liked the energetic and the soul she brought to the work. The feelings where there, a couple of songs felt flat but over all I saved the songs that I liked.

I really wanted to like it.

Not my cup of tea

Some real nice tracks here. Love the groove. Nice soul without as much "thump." Nothing against some big and heavy thump in music; I sometimes love that, just not always in the mood for it. A few elements and styles woven together nicely here. That kind of approach doesn't always work for my ear -- the risk with such mixing together can be it sounds like parts don't gel -- but it does here. That's impressive. I really like her voice. She's got a great ear for matching music to her voice and vice versa. Glad this project introduced me to her.

70s soul vibes throughout. Not something I'd go out of my way to listen to normally. Its very slow and to me it drags on and I couldn't wait for it to be over.... all 71 minutes of it. Best: Cleva Worst: ...&On 1.5 Stars

Not as successful as Baduizm, but just as good a listen. I leaned more to the Funk and Soul tracks rather than the Neo-Soul ones.

Erykah Badu me suena de haberla escuchado en Radio3, pero nunca le he prestado atención. En esta escucha de un disco entero tampoco lo ha hecho. Entiendo que puede ser interesante pero no para mí, se puede escuchar como música de fondo pero no me ha parecido algo que tenga que estar en una lista de los mejores 1001 discos.

Awesome, never really listened to her but k oe of her as Andre 3K's baby mama 😂 this is decent. Smooth, groove, soul. Definitely some outkast similarities, also clear inspiration for people like Hiatus Kayote and Childish Gambino. 4. Maybe a 5 actually, loved it

This took me three days to get through. One of the most miserable experiences I've had, nearly 300 albums in. I'm not a fan of the genre, but can generally appreciate artistry/talent. This one I really struggled to find anything redeeming about. Inane lyrics bellowed dramatically over pedestrian jazz licks.

Talk about a bresh of freath air! This is very jazzzz. She's got a lovely voice and it has the feel of comfortable leather and polished walnut, but despite a few punchy tracks it failed to grab me by the lapels and shake me out of my stupor. Could probably be a few songs shorter to keep it sweeter. Though this is sounding a bit negative for something I actually really rather liked.

Had a really good time of it listening to this, but ran out of steam before the end.

If I was currently undertaking the task of compiling my 101 favourite albums of all time--inspired by, for example, a commitment to listen to, rate and review 1,001 albums from The Canon--I can imagine Mama's Gun would be a conundrum. Should I include it? There's so much to like. It has the intangible quality of making you want to restart the album as soon as it's over; not because it's a hooked-filled sugar rush, but because Badu's sound is tantalising, a tease, there then not then there again. But for that reason, is there *enough* of it to occupy a whole spot on my list? (I'm speaking, of course, hypothetically. Merely riffing on an idea that just popped into my head.) When she says, "you won't be naming no buildings after me", it's not just because she's a black woman (okay, it's mostly that), but because any Badu building would only be structurally sound half the time. Her buildings, like her songs, would be beguilingly simple feats of engineering, held up with the barest of resources. Then they'd turn to jelly and, er, uh-oh. To decide, I'd need to listen to it two or three times. I might even get an extra opportunity through my extensive (imaginary, you understand) canonical appraisal. But even after that, I imagine I still won't have settled--just like Mama's Gun.

Liked it…. Very different

They are great musicians and a spectrum of 🥁 🎹 🎸played. Should of had Expletive symbol on the cover for “Booty” song 🎧 and Bag lady

Lisa shared this album with me a few years ago and for a few months we were both obsessed with "Bag Lady" especially because of the classic Gunter Grocery comment around another Bag Lady. I was so happy to see this album on here today and would never have expected it to be. I will say, listening in this format, it did feel long in the tooth. Sitting at an hour and 12 minutes this is that prime type of album that almost doesn't fit on a CD but you see why when the interludes are 50 seconds and some songs are over 6 minutes but I can't complain. She is a genius and speaks a lot of truth. Also love this album cover, gives of a 60's/70's vibe and for some reason I love the toothpick.

Wow, this one blew me away. Erykah Badu is legendary but I've yet to hear an album from her. This was fantastic, each song bleeding into the next. Reminded me of Dark Side of the Moon, and funny enough when I was doing some Erykah Badu research she lists Dark Side of the Moon as one of her top 10 albums of all time. The grooves on here are undeniable, so many tracks that I loved and will surely return to. Also special shout out to the sample on Bag Lady, the same sample used by Dr. Dre on Xxplosive the year prior. It's a long album, but the length doesn't bother me because it's so smooth. How refreshing to have an album from this century, from a black woman nonetheless, and it's better than a lot of the old foagies we get from across the pond. Just like I did with Dark Side of the Moon, I'm preemptively giving this a 5 star. It can only improve with further listens. Favorite tracks: No idea how to narrow this down, but Didn't Cha Know, My Life, Cleva, Kiss Me On My Neck, Bag Lady, Time's A Wastin'. Album art: Really like the font and framing here. Obvious throwback, and a bit unassuming, but I think it fits the vibe of the album really well. Little do you know how impressive the music within will be. 5/5

Too horny

Not bad, thought it was going to be rap and it wasn’t so that was cool

I'm not the biggest R&B guy, but this record is crazy groovy and the vocals are epic and interesting in each track. 5/5

R&b. Серьезно блять!? Ну, ок, надо как-то привыкать к такому, мне три года так жить

chill hip hop, r&b vibes. like chilling in a jacuzzi in the Sahara.

While a single song really doesn’t stand out to me here, this album as a feeling works really well. The neo-soul feel is here and vibrant, the instrumentation and the production is top notch. And it all flows very well, the downside is that it just kinda moves without emphasis. It’s good, but I might need another listen to fully appreciate it

Phenomenal.

Really nice. Definitely has a background music vibe to it.

Erykah Badu's reputation precedes her but I haden't listened to any of her albums. I was disappointed, I found that the songs were not holding my attention, but were fading into the background. Not too crazy about her voice either. Could grow on me.

Probably my favorite "neo-soul" artist. Regret sleeping on this album in the past. Like the atmosphere throughout. Very earthy and organic. Really flows. Perhaps a bit too long.

Not bad, but not my kind of soul. All very competent though.

Real solid and jazzy. Lots of smooth funky guitar and piano and her voice is mesmerising at times.

By contrast to yesterday's Kelela, Erykah Badu's voice is versatile and interesting. Perhaps I just prefer "organic" music like this. Excellent.

4.4 - Gorgeous. Cozy like wrapping up in a soft blanket on a rainy Saturday afternoon, maybe with a cup of tea and a smoke. This album epitomizes the Danish concept of hygge.

Didn't pick up on anything here. It just seemed to get into a groove and become stuck there.

Made me convert to baduism

Great! A lot of very well written and performed songs.

Ну сначала не пошло, а потом вроде расслушал. Довольно годный атмосферный чилл, жалко настроен изначально был немного на другое: на яркий выразительный попс с цепляющими хуками, хз, почему-то с именем Эрики Баду всегда такая ассоциация была (но ранее не слушал). Но в целом прикольный, грувовый неосоул, походить под него, порадоваться первым солнечным денькам. Под конец, правда, утомляет немного эта каша из вокала и рандомных инструментов, я бы альбом сократил до песни "In Love with You", наверное, тем более что она просто парашная. Но начало очень бодрое, с небольшой натяжечкой 7/10 ставлю.

Сложно. Понимаю, что записано качественно, у тян приятный выразительный голос, в наличии внятные мотивы. Но положительных эмоций от сего как-то не возникает. И даже с трудом представляется ситуация, когда может возникнуть. Если бы услышал в кафе – постарался бы поскорее уйти, услышал бы по радио в GTA – сменил бы станцию. Попробую найти что-то хорошее. Penitentiary Philosophy – припев довольно мощный, но будто и он загублен странным звуком. Didn't Cha Know, My Life, Cleva, Booty, Kiss Me On My Neck, A.D. 2000, Bag Lady, Time's A Wastin – монотонная жвачка, местами раздражающая. ...& On, Orange Moon – нераздражающие треки. Hey Sugah – как начал слушать, подумал, что наконец-то первый интересный трек. А это, блять, интерлюдия на 51 секунду. Предваряющая очередной скучный трек. In Love With You, Green Eyes – хорошие треки. Кун на фите тащит. Вроде бы 6 треков выкупить удалось. Наверное, уже неплохо. По десятибалльной – 5, по пятибалльной всё-таки тройку натяну.

семпл др дре вишенка

Lepposaa menoa ja kuuntelen varmasti uudelleen jahka saan kirittyä listan kiinni. Jatkoon.

Nostalgiset fiilikset! Levyhyllyltä löytyy samainen levy CD:nä ja toimii edelleen ku junan vessa. Herättää aina muistoja. Todella kova.

Lovely, calming, easy listening.. beautiful songs, beautiful lyrics, soul healing..

Didn’t hate any of it, didn’t love any of it, not a huge fan of R&B but this sounds like a decent R&B album.

This album is very adequate.

Like most soul, "Mama's Gun" is incredibly smooth. However, I was expecting Erykah Badu to do more to really stand out, as I remembered her emergence in the 90s being a big deal for the genre. But I'm not really getting that here. Seems like pretty straightforward soul, though I say that without much knowledge of soul music, though there were a couple of bits of funk that made for a nice shift. Overall this is just fine, but mostly for background listening.

Mama's Gun starts off on an aggressive note, and with the first track, I was afraid I wouldn't like this album. But Erykah won me over with the string of tracks 2-5. Her voice is a bit odd at times, some whininess I could do without, but the power in her voice and her lyrics holds firm throughout. In all, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. While I could do without Penitentiary Philosophy, Booty and Kiss Me on My Neck, I dug a lot of the other tunes here.

I varied between it fading into the background and actively wanting to switch it off. It was a mash-up of spoken word poetry, jazz, and soul that ultimately I just don’t get.

I don’t have a lot to say that is negative about this album. I also don’t really have any tracks I’d seek out to hear again. Just meh.

Soft 4. The first half had me but I started to lose interest after the interlude. Will definitely return though

Nice

This was great, macey gray meets alicia keys

A mixed bag

Not bad. Easy listening background chill out.

I don't really care much for the timbre of Erykah Badu's voice, it feels thin and nasal to me, but that's the biggest criticism I have of her. I like her phrasing. Clearly, her voice is flexible and her pitch is enviable. But where she really differentiates herself is her music. She has appropriated and synthesized various threads of soul and funk from the past into something unique to her. For modern soul and funk, it's layered and sophisticated. She knows enough to hire first rate musicians to add complexity and depth to her sound. She's not content to stick with one style, which is a good thing. Still, too many of the songs on Mama's Gun feel underdeveloped, little more than glorified vamps over which Badu vocalizes. I've heard that she gets more experimental in later albums, which makes me hopeful. Maybe her songs will become more through composed as well. As it is, Mama's Gun is probably the best soul/funk hybrid I've heard in the last 20 years, which isn't saying much, but it's something.

Soul

Not for me. Not outright terrible, just a style I dislike.

cool

joo no iha okei mut ei mitää sellast mitä kaipaa elämäänsä

chilli rnb, 3/5

This was great. Opening track was such a banger I had to listen to it 3 times. Some of these tracks had some seriously funky P-F vibes. Featuring artists like Stephen Marley and Roy Hargrove were great.

Melted into the background. and all warbling sounded the same to me in the end. One line that stuck out, “I have green eyes because I eat vegetables”. She has brown eyes on the album sleeve. Sorry for being glib.

Don't usually listen to that much old R&B/Soul albums, but this was really nice. Reminded me of Awaken, My Love! by Childish Gambino, cause that is the only R&B album I know :)

Truly enjoyed this one. Would listen again

good composition, great dynamics but has some voice artifacts

Black intelligent people music and I am white

The first track is great, the rest of it I am re-listening to as it came off a bit ordinary the first time around Penitentiary Philosophy though.... a great track

// Favs: - Score: Decent 3

Not really my jam. Definitely wouldn't buy

Erykah Badu’s second album is similar, with its combination of rap, funk, soul, and jazz sounds by a female artist, to the lauded: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which I did not exactly enjoy. Unfortunately, I find Mama’s Gun to only be slightly more enjoyable than Lauryn Hill’s record. Highlights are Penitentiary Philosophy, with a tight chorus, great funk, more subtle vocals overall, and the mysteriously catchy Kiss Me On My Neck. A 2/5 is a good score.

A very free-spirited and compelling record. It comes off more as an emotional experience, something you have to be relax and be in the right frame of mind for. The first half of the album starts of strong and vibrant, while the back side comes off with more of a slow burn. I think the album length overextends its impact a little bit, and listening to it in chunks would leave just the same impression. 3.5/5

Good soul/R&B.

funky, good music, 3.5/5 -> 4/5, will come back, but not often, tbf very good sound mix, Green Eyes stands out

this goddamn woman can do no wrong. also i owned this IRL and its good to listen to with the right company (y'know, to DO THE THING)

i wasn't sure about the first song, then i liked the second one but thought "yeah of course i mean it's the hit" but then the third song was super nice too. well i'm done, honestly i just let this played and greatly enjoyed it, i don't have a lot more to say.

Lovely album.

Never even heard of it before. Left me cold. In fact I hated it. 1 Star

Wow. So good.

O R&B é me alheio, não o aprecio, então como é possível imaginar este álbum não fugiu muito deste meu desgosto. Gostei muito do arranjo instrumental no entanto a voz da senhora não me agradou, a questão é que ela não canta mal, mas não é algo que me cative. Um exemplo de como ela canta bem é o Time's Wastin. A minha música favorita do álbum é a In Love With You. Nota: 5/10 Dia: 03/09/2026

This is a good vibe to listen to once but i cant see myself going to this to listen to over and over. no songs really stuck out either. but i did enjoy listening to it and her voice it very good. Misty Ray vibes.

So very very long. Sadly it turns the listen into a chore and while I didn’t necessarily dislike the album, there was very little on there that would make me go back for for 2nd listen

Really chill, well made

Nice enough but extremely bland. Won't revisit.

I didn't mind this. Probably a low 3.

Clearly talented and some nice little moments but far too long and it drags very quickly

It's R&B.

Akright but drags on and on

Clearly talented and some nice little moments but far too long and it drags very quickly

Not bad, u have to say

Very interesting music, glad to have seen it in this list

Very funky and extremely soulful r&b. The tracks simmer along very smoothly. A great album for playing on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 3 Stars!

3.5/5 there were some interesting tracks here, i'll have to relisten.

Uma mistura de musica de divorciada, musica de lobby de hotel e umas reggaezera marromeno. Musica preferida foi "Time's A Wastin" porque foi assim que eu me senti ouvindo. 10/10 would never listen again.

Goddamn this is dull. All the songs are bland and blend into one mass of yawn. BT: Penitentiary Philosophy, Didn't Cha Know, Bag Lady

This is what I thought it would sound like, I like it

Really enjoyed this album, and have added it to my catalogue. The chill groove laid down throughout this project is infectious, and I found myself wanting to start from the top as soon as the last song finished.

I’m not sure about this one, probably needs another listen. Just a bit disjointed but not bad or anything

Ei ehkä ihan stereotyyppisintä R&B:tä, mutta ei nämä tämän tyyppiset oikein puhuttele. Alkuun olin toiveikas, että olisi jotain jatsahtavampaa tai bluesahtavampaa tavaraa tarjolla, mutta enempi perushutun suuntaan mentiin.

Can't really remember it now.. was on I the background and didn't. Needs another listn

Loved this, missing a stand out tune to make it a 5

This is a cool album. Female Stevie wonder vibes. She's a bit of a fruit cake

Decent but a bit samey

Grooovy

Second: Provisional Rating: 6.5/10

4

I can appreciate the coolness of the record, the vibrant funky vibes with more moody r&b/soul and smooth arrangements. Just not my thing, I feel bored and it is just too long

Wäre R‘n‘B öfter von solchem Kaliber würde ich häufiger eine große Zielscheibe aufstellen. Was nach ersten Töne einen Kravitz andeutet, entpuppt sich schnell als verschachtelter Soul mit ungewöhnlichen Passagen, einem warmen Groove, toller Stimme, die wie bei Solange nie aufdringlich in den Vordergrund drängt, sondern ihre charaktervolle Prägung dem Gesamtwerk unterstellt. Fat 3.5

Hat mir gut gefallen, ich mag offenbar Neosoul. Tolle Stimme, schöne Arrangements! Schöne Geschichte auch um die Soulquarians, und wie das hier gewissermaßen das Schwesteralbum zur hier auch schon besprochenen neueren Common-Platte ist. Mein kleines Problem aber: es eignete sich viel zu gut als Hintergrundmusik, ich hab selten wirklich aufmerksam hingehört. Nun, 3 Punkte dafür? jederzeit!

Brought back a lot of good memories and I was like “oh yeah, erykah baud is awesome!”

funky and mad rhythm right off the bat. this album grooves so hard. Kiss Me On My Neck is a good groove. Yea this album slaps

Hmmm, tá bom, beleza

Ok

For chilling not for biking

This was okay. She has an amazing voice but the songs didn't really connect with me.

Not my thing.

3.5 probably

Funky dunky but too slow for my typical taste

Really dug this one.

Also meh

She's such a badass. And this album is so good. Funky and soulful.

I liked listening to this album. It was accessible but it didn't really blow me away on first run through. I think I'll have to come back to it to listen a few times.

2000, Chillig, rnb, soul, jazz, Übergänge 10/10

A long album that is quite dull for its majority. Not necessarily a bad sound, it’s a well produced album with grooves, it’s just that the songwriting is not there.

J'aime bien l'album, cependant, j'ai l'impression qu'il faut vraiment faire une écoute active pour bien comprendre le sens de l'album, qui comme indiqué est suite à une rupture. Je l'écoute en travaillant donc ce n'est pas l'idéale je crois. Je mets tout de même 3/5.

Interesting, not sure I would listen again

Loved this!

Nice :) Funk, Soul Sister

I've been meaning to check out some of Badu's stuff. That's something I like about this album generator. I liked this album quite a bit, what I expected really.

Pretty solid album, very smooth and chill and easy to listen to. Good lyrical content. Really enjoyed it.

Silky & Smooth™. Nice grooves.

Good

Man, this was a great record. Such a vibe

Yeah I thought this was good but didn't connect with it loads. Thought it was decent r'n'b but didn't stand out to me like Missy Elliot or Layren Hill

timanttinen levy.

another album i heard way too late after it was released. this was such a good listen to, i'll definitely have to make more time to listen to it again.

Whispering in beginning starts the scene for real musical album with direction and storyline. Album flows with neo soul, jazzy elements and a prominent voice of Erykah. Liked it a lot

Nice morning listen. Wouldn’t revisit anytime soon tho

Not my cup of tea

GO OFF QUEEN!

Execution, vision, and funk--what's not to love?

Ok. Really slow start to a lot of tracks. Not bad but not special. Found myself skipping around a lot in the second half. 2.5

nice n groovy

Incredible. Great production. Very fun

I can't believe I've never heard this album before! This is going in my regular rotation

not for me

Fantastic

Emotional

What a voice! This is lyrically, instrumentally, and produced so uniquely. The album gets much better in the later half. Worth revisiting for sure. For that alone it's getting the highest honor: adding to my spotify favorites.

Soulful, not really my thing but I didn’t hate it

8

Funky and soulful with fusiony bits. Very cool!

I was hitting next in the middle of each track and half the time I wasn't sure if I really was on the next track.

Pretty smooth and chilled. Not really sure about adding it into this list but whatever

This was definitely different than most of the albums on this list. Not bad, but not something I would want to listen to often.

3 meh soul

Meh

I didn’t finish it. While likely a good album, it really didn’t appeal to me.

Some great tracks on the front half, disappointing to hear the album turn to repetitive and uninspired ballads on the back. That being said, the astounding mix of R&B/Hip-Hop + production (especially on the vocals!) show that Badu knows exactly what she's doing.

So very groovy and seemlessly interesting

It was quite nice but not really energetic enough for me. I didn't finish it.

Decently r&b soul album.

Really groovy, cool backing beats and vocals. Fave songs - Penitentiary Philosphy