Track Listing

1. AMERYKAHN PROMISE
2. THE HEALER / HIP HOP
3. ME
4. MY PEOPLE
5. SOLDIER
6. THE CELL
7. TWINKLE
8. MASTER TEACHER
9. THAT HUMP
10. TELEPHONE
11. (Bonus) HONEY

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #741 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk
Subtitled 4th World War (when was the third, eh?), New Amerykah Part One is the first release in five years from the woman born Erica Wright. The wait was worthwhile though, as this smart, eclectic set, her fourth, adds to the grand tradition of socially conscious soul music. Literally so in the case of opener "Amerykahn Promise", spun by Badu straight over an obscure seventies funk track by Roy Ayers's protégés Ramp. "The Healer" is effectively a tribute to the power of hip hop to ground otherwise lost lives, while the deeply felt "Telephone" commemorates her friend, the late producer J Dilla (and was in fact written the day after his funeral). "The Healer" and "That Hump" deal with the damage caused by drug dependency and "Soldier" is a hard-hitting analysis of the state of Black America. None of which would count for much if the music didn't connect. Though Badu's quirks remain intact--the vocal/saxophone duet at the conclusion of the otherwise ice-cool "Me" (what else) is easily resisted--a terrific team of collaborators including idiosyncratic producers Madlib, 9th Wonder and the three man unit Sa-Ra keep New Amerykah Part One endlessly imaginative, tough, twisted beats sitting alongside softer jazz-funk grooves. The US public certainly assented, sending New Amerykah towards the top of the album charts. Only the eighties-style slow jam "Honey", charming in itself, seems at odds with the serious mood and is thus tagged on the end. The now eagerly anticipated Part Two is due later this year. --Steve Jelbert

About the Artist
Erykah Badu, a Dallas native emerged in 1997 with her masterpiece debut album Baduizm as a primal force of nature connecting old school soul with contemporary R&B. The album garnered her numerous award nominations, pulling 2 coveted Grammys (Best Female R&B Vocal, Best R&B Album) and multiple Top spots on critics' Best-Of-The-Year Lists. In 2000 she followed up with the critically acclaimed platinum selling album, Mama's Gun. In 2003 the EP World Wide Underground was awarded Gold certification.

Album Description
Universal Motown's multi-platinum-selling, Grammy awardwinning singer/songwriter/actress Erykah Badu returns to the music scene with her new album "New Amerykah" featuring the debut single "Honey". Laced with Erykah's bluesy grit and MC style vocals, the song is bolstered by producer's 9th Wonder's razor sharp hip hop beats. Badu describes the song as "an old school track with some funk on it." The release of "Honey" on November 20th also marks Badu's 10th year in the music industry. To celebrate, the gifted trendsetter prepares the release of her much anticipated new album on her birthday, February 26th. Badu has enlisted some of the most talented, groundbreaking underground producers and engineers in the hip-hop game to support her breakthrough return, including Grammy Award winning producer 9th Wonder (Jay-Z, Nas, Mary J. Blige), Madlib, Mike "Chav" Chavarria and R&B singer Bilal. A special, 12-inch pink wax edition will be available only to DJ's next month and will feature underground tracks, "The Healer" and "Real Thang." "The music is the star," says Erykah, "I just laid down my vocals and let the music breathe while the melodies tell the stories." This album is part one of the series New Amerykah Part 1&2.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Album
This to me is Erykahs best cd, it had to grow on me but im glad it did, every track is awesome and the production is ill!! I also had the pleasure to see her live with the Roots and the tracks on the cd sound even better live ..i hope she releases a live cd version of her tour and i cant wait tillllll the next part of this collection..my favorite songs are soldier/hump/master teacher..heck all of em get this cd!!!!!!!

different
it took me a cople of listens to like this cd, but i like it now. alot of people don't like it because it's funky, but that's what sets it apart from other artists out there. i can appreciate her diversity in sound.

Adrianna
This album is amazing. There are a lot of old style beats that drop in and move your soul. Easily one of the best albums of the year. buy it.