Baduism

Erykah Badu was one of the pioneers of 90's neo soul. "Baduizm", her ultra-cool 1997 debut album, was a huge success. It went triple platinum and won the Grammy for Best R&B Album. The single "On & On" earned for her the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Erykah wrote or co-wrote every song except "4 Leaf Clover". Her lead vocal talent is obvious after listening to a few seconds of the album, and she also contributed background vocals, keyboards and music programming. To me, what distinguishes the album's sound, other than Erykah's talent, is the minimalist production. The standout features which complement the vocals and keyboards are the strong, pronounced bass and the "stick" sound in place of a regular drumbeat. "On & On" uses the stick, which gives the sound a primitive edge, and so do most of the other tracks. The general sound of "On & On" pervades the album, and this is what makes the album as unique as it is. There are two slower tracks, "Other Side Of The Game" and "Next Lifetime"; and there is the funny, old-school bluesy, "Afro (Freestyle Skit)" to lighten things up a bit. There are 2 versions of "Certainly", track 8 and track 13. They are pretty similar. The main difference I notice is that track 8 features melodious piano, while track 13 features a different keyboard. Both versions are fine, and I prefer track 8 simply because I like piano so much. Many of the songs are about relationships, mostly concerning the difficulties therein. "4 Leaf Clover" shows ambivalence about love: "Catch a four leaf clover...Try and love might come your way...Like the way I am free/Going places, being things I wanna be/Settle down is oh so hard/But I will pray you get that one chance". "Next Lifetime" is about forbidden love: "Now what am I suppose to do/When I want you in my world...When I'm already someone's girl...Guess I'll see you next lifetime". Some relationships are just toxic: "Sometimes I don't love you anymore/Sometimes I'm in love with you/Sometimes I think that I'm going mad". Other songs touch on relationships but go further, incorporating ideas about life and social issues. "Certainly" is about independence: "Was not looking for no love affair/And now you wanna control me...When I wake up/I don't need nobody telling me the time". Likewise, "Appletree" celebrates individuality: "I don't walk around/Trying to be what I'm not...And if you don't want to be down with me/Then you don't want to be from my appletree". "Drama" tells of difficulties in modern life ("I can't believe/That we're still livin'...With all the problems of the day/How can we go on") and suggests a solution ("Lift up your hearts to God/Lift up your soul/Teach your children Wisdom"). "On & On" is a bit cryptic: "I'm feelin' high/My money's gone/I'm all alone...If your knowledge were your wealth/Then it would be well earned...You rush into destruction/Cause you don't have nothin' left/The mothership can't save you/So your a** is gon' get left". I feel that the minimal production and Erykah's voice, which is expressive and strong without being overpowering, blend well with the straightforward presentation of the ideas found in the lyrics, giving the album consistency and unity. I like the resulting philosophy of life: common sense and earthiness, laced with humor, hope and self-reliance. And I have to smile when I hear these lines from "On & On": "If we were made in His image/Then call us by our names/Most intellects do not believe in God/But the fear is just the same."

Love this artist.

I finally found this cd!

Baduizm is a true classic. I originally had it on CD, so I’m really happy to have it back in my collection on vinyl. The sound is warm, smooth, and deeply soulful; perfect for the mood and atmosphere of the album. A defining record from Erykah Badu and an essential listen from start to finish.

Happy customer. Perfect addition to my collection.

Love it

Good very good

Although the album looks like a cheap bootleg vinyl with a sticker placed on a black cover and some residual pieces of yellow paper from the label cooked in the pressing in the middle of a track, it really sounds good and is a pleasure to own and show your friends. Obvioulsy it sounds a little better than the cd version but if you don't have a real good turntable you'll probably won't hear any improvements in the funky atmosphere that surrounds the tracks. With vinyls you should keep in mind that you really need a good equipment to extract the sound from the grooves in the proper way or you'll be disappointed. But you won't be disappointed by this true classic record. A must have.