Artist: Erykah Badu Album: Baduizm

Year: 1997
Duration: 58:19

A Critical Review of Erykah Badu's Baduizm

Erykah Badu's album Baduizm is a classic debut album that captivated the world with its blend of neo-soul, jazz, and hip-hop. Released in 1997, it was a critical and commercial success that helped to establish Badu as one of the premiere artists of her generation. In this blog post, we will delve into the history of Erykah Badu, the music genre of Baduizm, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critical review.

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1971. She was the second of three children born to William Wright Jr. and Kolleen Gipson. Growing up, Badu was influenced by the music of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Chaka Khan. Her parents also played a big part in her musical upbringing, as her mother was a singer and her father was a merchant marine. Badu attended the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, where she honed her singing skills. After high school, she attended Grambling State University before returning to Dallas to pursue her music career.

Baduizm is a fusion of R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and soul, and it was a groundbreaking album that inspired a generation of artists. The album is known for its smooth, jazzy grooves, catchy hooks, and thought-provoking lyrics. It was a fresh take on contemporary R&B and set the tone for the genre for years to come.

One of the standout tracks on Baduizm is On & On, which won a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1997. The song is a love letter to life and a call to live in the moment. Another standout track is Appletree, which features a sampled guitar riff from the song SpottieOttieDopaliscious by Outkast. The song is a fun, upbeat track that showcases Badu's vocal range.

The most innovative part of Baduizm is how it seamlessly blends different genres of music together. For example, the track Drama combines a hip-hop beat with jazzy horn samples and a soulful piano riff. The result is a track that sounds like nothing else on the album and showcases Badu's versatility as an artist.

While Baduizm is a fantastic album, it's not without its flaws. The song Certainly is repetitive and lacks the depth of the other tracks on the album. Additionally, some of the skits on the album feel unnecessary and detract from the overall cohesiveness of the project.

Overall, Erykah Badu's Baduizm is an album that stands the test of time. It's a timeless classic that will continue to inspire generations of artists to come. The album's fusion of different genres of music is innovative and helps to establish Badu as a true pioneer of neo-soul. Despite the album's flaws, it's a fantastic debut that showcases Badu's immense talent and artistry. If you're a fan of soul, jazz, or hip-hop, Baduizm is an album that you won't want to miss.