I got the album yesterday. It's superb. I've been a big fan of hers from time, but New Amerykah really raises the bar. "Soldier" is just superb, one of the best things she'ever done - musically and lyrically.

Don't know why you're all saying Erykah needs to put on some weight - she's fiiiiine!

badujunkie said:

no cause i'm waiting 4 tuesday

I think I'm going to buy Badu's new joint...I want to supprt her....Glad she is still doing her thing...

Shapeshifter said:

badujunkie said:

Yeah I think she looks good and natural the way she is.....she always been a thin woman.
After halfway destroying my new hearing of Janets album, I saw the download of New Amerykah and had to skip it.

I cannot wait for this CD!!!!

DirtyChris said:

AND I NEEDA HIT...feenin

I've heard the samples from this album and I have one thing to say: February 26th, please come faster! This whole album is a banger and it sounds as if she is changing up her sound and giving us that true music that is lacking in today's music industry. I just love that about our "analog girl in a digital world."

Oh yeah, and check out Allmusic's review on the album, which they rated 4.5 out of 5 stars:

Downplayed and practically disregarded as it was, 2003’s Worldwide Underground was an excellent and brave follow-up to 2000’s Mama’s Gun. Erykah Badu concedes she had nothing to say at the time — the loose 50-minute “EP” was more about sounds than statements — but she evidently holds herself to a high standard. Perhaps that streak was a factor in her protracted silence from its release to New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War; she even thought she might be through with making music. Her creative energy returned at some point, and then some, with this set apparently just the first in a series of releases.


Varied and layered, New Amerykah, Pt. 1 has Badu collaborating principally with the members of Sa-Ra (who are present in almost half of the tracks), Madlib, 9th Wonder, and Baduizm/Mama’s Gun vets Karriem Riggins, James Poyser, and Ahmir Thompson. If you’re familiar with what these people have made in the past, you’ll know to expect plenty of fearless weirdness and a couple relaxed soul-jazz backdrops that do not fail to stimulate. The album is easily the most hip-hop and most out-there release from Badu thus far, with beats bumping, knocking, and booming in roughly equal measure, sometimes switching tacks or vanishing midstream, dropping down dark corridors, gradually levitating into direct sunlight.

Lyrically, there’s much to digest. In the ghostly-mystical “The Healer,” Badu proclaims hip-hop to be bigger than religion and government. Both “That Hump” and “The Cell” are vivid depictions of drug dependency. “Soldier” gives a shout to the Nation of Islam, addresses Katrina and black-on-black crime, sends out a warning (”Now to folks that think they livin’ sweet/They gon’ fuck around and push ‘delete’”). “Twinkle” evokes a lot of thought with few words, alluding to the various failures of the U.S. health, education, and prison systems, and the negative and cyclical effects they’ve had on Badu’s people.

Though this is another album where you can only wonder how different it would be with some input from the late J Dilla, the beloved producer gets an incredibly touching tribute with the floating eight-minute “Telephone,” written the day after the ceremony of his death. Indeed, no listed song is light in sentiment, which must partially explain why the beaming single “Honey” is included as an unlisted track — it doesn’t fit into the album’s fabric, what with its drifting, deeply sweetened, synth-squish-and-string-drift groove. Immediately moving and yet rather bewildering, New Amerykah, Pt. 1 is an album that sounds special from the first play, yet it will probably take years before it is known just how special it is.

you know I luv you baby , you know I do... shoop! doop! doo! wip!



[Edited 2/23/08 14:26pm]

silverchild said:

very well put
especially that last sentence

I had said on another board
that I frequent... that it's like
all three albums in one... but next level
and that's because the producers
from both of the earlier albums
are present... I can't wait to read
the album credits Tuesday...
where's FREAKQUENCY?

it's so weird to me
I GOT IT the first time
it took me a couple weeks
...months really to get into
WWU... once I discovered "I Want You"
it was oh-on...I had to digest the rest of the album
and quickly LOL...

but I felt Erykah the
first spin I gave this album
J'ADOOOOORE that dame!~

3 days!

Got it...Like it a lot for a modern record..

Cinnie said:

how did ya get so funky dudley?

funky funky

how did you get so funky dudley?

I'm sooooo ready!!!!


there are some who are having listening parties.


and e.badu has a street team


http://erykahbadu.fancorps.com/


[Edited 2/24/08 5:32am]

The only album of Badu's I've ever had was her live album, but I'm so looking forward to this one! I love what I've heard, and can't wait to have an actual copy in my hands. In this instance, I think it's perfectly acceptable to judge a book by its cover. Fantastic!

mama's gun is one of my favorite albums. i loved that "live" organic feel it had. she's since, with worldwide underground and this (which i just listened to ) turned in more of a computerized direction, which is although i DO miss the mama's gun style stuff . worldwide underground was a bit more upbeat than this album which is a little on the downer side . most of the songs are awesome and truly it's amazing just to hear her voice again . i especially enjoyed the healer , me , master teacher ("i'd stay woke" ), telephone (which has that mama's gun feel i ) and honey which has definitely grown on me since i first heard it and the video . all in all, a album. some sleeper tunes in the middle like, but i'll probably just have to give it another go. now if only we can get d'angelo (voodoo ) out of hibernation, i'll be on .

purplepolitician said:

i forgot that hump too . god i'm lovin' erykah right now .

purplepolitician said:

THAT HUMP is GENIUS

Tommorrow

2Jay said:

Let the partying begin!!

I can hardly wait

2freaky4church1 said:

I can't stand it but the video is hot shit.

jonylawson said:

YES! That's it!

So far this cd seems like organized noise. I'm NOT feeling it. I hope it grows on me.

Graycap23 said:

What do you mean "organized noise"?

BTW... when you buy it at Circuit City ($10.99)
it comes with a t-shirt
they are limited though
our CC will only have 10...
so it looks like I'ma be
late for work tomorrow

I haven't listened to it since that time last week so I can't wait to pick this up tomorrow. I think I'll slip out for 'coffee' in the morning and just pay the mark up at the local mom and pop. I'm especially feening for The Cell and Twinkle.

JackieBlue said:

I'm definitely getting this record. HANDS DOWN!!!

psss - Big Prince Party Coming Up In Detroit on 3/30/08, details at: www.myspace.com/sanzentertainment .

this album is amazing. i'm definitely buying it tomorrow. erykah . est album i've heard in a long time. can't wait til' the second installment .