Erykah Badu has always defied conventions. From her eye-catching hairstyles, which shift between various tying and dying patterns, to her ability to cross genres, Badu has created quite the niche for herself as a writer and producer, but it is her talent as a vocalist that has earned her fame. Her Billie Holiday-esque voice first reached listeners in 1997 on her triple platinum debut album, "Baduizm," followed the same year by "Live," a compilation of her concert performances that currently holds double platinum status.
These albums were touted as extremely influential in the emerging wave of neo-soul or "nu-soul" in hip hop and R&B. After a brief hiatus due to the birth of her first child, Badu followed up with the platinum "Mama's Gun" in 2000 and the somewhat less successful "Worldwide Underground" in 2003. Her studio work, as well as collaborations with such hip-hop greats as Common and The Roots, have resulted in four Grammy awards for the 37-year-old Badu.
With "New AmErykah Part One (4th World War)," Badu unveils part one of a two-part project. The second installment, entitled "New AmErykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)" is expected this July. Whatever her plans for "Return of the Ankh," Badu has definitely attempted to reach out beyond her genre with this latest LP, but with limited success.
The album opens with the wacky, yet pessimistic "Amerykahn Promise", a track reminiscent of Parliament Funkadelic's over-the-top funk. The song's dialogue between a facetious, male circus-barker character and a young girl - Badu's voice digitally sped up - pits the protagonist girl against the voice of the establishment, which eventually demands her removal. As one of the more decipherable tracks on the album, "Amerykahn Promise" lays out the overarching themes that Badu intends to explore later: the current state of American society and politics, the uncertain future for many African-Americans living in this society and her own role as a spokesperson for her race and planet.
The exploration of these themes, however, could easily leave many listeners puzzled and disappointed. Even the most fervent Badu fan will begin to question her artistic judgment when tracks such as "My People" and "The Cell" degenerate into repetitive chanting, lasting a little bit too long for even diehards. Furthermore, the unusual sound effects on many of the tracks begin to strike the listener as gratuitous about halfway through the album. Despite collaborations with some of hip hop's hottest producers, such as Madlib, 9th Wonder and Sa-Ra, much of the production on "4th World War" misses the mark.
Nevertheless, Badu's talent as a singer and composer manages to shine through on several tracks. Clocking in at over seven minutes, "Telephone" stands out as one of the strongest tracks on the album, as it harkens back to Badu's neo-soul origins. Backed by a minimalist jazzy backdrop, Badu uses multiple harmonizing vocal tracks to showcase her unique voice. Her soulful vocals also shine on the album's final track and only single, "Honey," which represents a major departure from the album's themes with its light-hearted love song lyrics and whimsical R&B arrangement.
In addition, "4th World War" does manage to feature a few sociopolitical gems. On tracks like "Soldier" and "That Hump," Badu manages to address current issues, such as poverty and the war in Iraq. The album manages to score a few successes lyrically and musically, but leaves even patient listeners generally unsatisfied and a little mystified.
Reflective of this sense of disillusionment, Badu's political points are best hammered home not through her sung lyrics, but through a speech that appears at the end of "Twinkle," exhorting listeners to arise from their modern, materialistic apathy: "You've got to get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm a human being, damn it! My life has value!'" But Badu might be asking a lot if she expects her listeners to make it that far into the album.
