Line-up

Headliner
Erykah Badu Last time in London: 9 months ago

Venue

Blue Note London

St Martin's Ln, WC2N 4HX, London, UK

www.bluenotejazz.com/london/

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Additional details

Doors open: 21:30

Concert in your area for R&B, Funk & Soul, and Hip-Hop.

Find out more about Hip-Hop.

Erykah Badu biography

Neo-soul singer/songwriter Erykah Badu (born February 26th, 1971) has become one of the most praised artists in R&B and soul, drawing comparisons with Billie Holiday with her vocal talents.

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, US, Badu studied at a school of arts where she cultivated her musical abilities, growing up with a love for 70s soul and 80s hip hop. Her first break came whilst she was working as a teacher and part-time singer, when she opened for D'Angelo in 1994. Her performance caught the attention of D'Angelo's manager, Kedar Massenburg, who was so impressed that he signed her to his label, Kedar Entertainment, before then arranging for Badu to record a cover of Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell's duet, "Precious Love."

Badu's debut album, "Baduizm," arrived in 1997, finding fans with her bass-heavy R&B and her emotive, delicate vocals. The album was produced by Massenburg and also featured members of the Roots on several tracks. Her first single, "On & On" topped the R&B charts, with the album also peaking at the top spot. The album also faired well in the mainstream pop charts, bolstered by high profile support slots with R&B stars as well as hip hop acts, including Wu Tang Clan.

She returned to the studio in 2000, recording her sophomore release, "Mama's Gun," which utilized the production talents of Badu herself, James Poyser, Bilal and Jay Dee, scoring a hit single with "Bag Lady." Badu followed "Mama's Gun" a year later with 2003's EP, "Worldwide Underground." Badu pushed her sound towards a heavier, more abstract neo-soul with 2008's "New Amerykah, Pt.!: 4th World War," which featured members of Sa-Ra and Georgia Anne Mulldrow. The album was a huge success, peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, with this stylistic move continuing with 2010's "New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh," although being a more light-hearted affair. Following this release, Badu has featured on a number of recordings with various artists, including Bonobo, Tyler the Creator, and Flying Lotus.

Live reviews

On the last day of the year, I’ve generally stayed at home with candles lit and music on, while writing and reflecting on the upcoming year. My plans would have probably been the same for 2012, but one person changed all that. Erykah Badu. Upon discovering she was spending her New Year’s Eve in Oakland at the Fox Theatre, I did what any fanatic fan would do – I immediately sent word out that I was going and asked if anyone wanted to join. I feel as though she and I share a special bond. We do have a few things in common – we are both water signs (she’s a Pisces, I'm a Cancer); she also attended my alma mater, Grambling State University. I would love to say that I knew her while I was there. It would be nice if I had bumped into her a time or two on campus and knew she was going to be somebody (at Grambling, the motto is “The place where everybody is somebody,” so I guess all students are somebody). But, alas, we were not on campus together; I believe she left the year before I entered the University. But I do actually know someone who really knows her, so there’s something else we have in common. Enough of the digression. One thing I clearly remember from my Grambling days is listening to Baduizm for the first time in 1997. I was in my last semester, set to graduate and officially become a “grown” woman. Gone would be the safety net of college life; now I had student loans to repay, a car note to worry about, and a job to secure. So in my life walks this woman singing about her cipher moving like a rolling stone, picking her friends like she picks her fruit, and asking who gave anyone permission to rearrange her. And I recall thinking, she's absolutely right on point! Erykah’s lyrics and music were refreshingly different than most R&B of the 90s. While we had Mary J. Blige singing about Real Love over a hip-hop beat, Erykah sang about Next Lifetime and No Love. She was an inspirational change of pace, and I clung on to her every word. I am a lover of everything Badu. When Mama’s Gun was released in 2000, I just knew she wrote many of those songs about my life. From Didn’t Cha Know, to . . . & On to Kiss Me On My Neck, Erykah’s growth was apparent. So, back to her show on Dec. 31, 2012. It’s been 15 years since Baduzim’s debut and Erykah has subsequently released five more albums. Each has showcased an ever-changing Badu, but one thing has remained consistent – Erykah’s live performances. They are NEVER a disappointment. Strolling on stage while her band played a lazy and drawn out version of 20 Feet Tall (it came across as if they were still in sound check), she paused at the microphone, taking in all the audience love, before proclaiming, “My love, what did I do to make you fall so far from me?” At the end of the song (and come to think of it, she did this on every song), Erykah struck a warrior/goddess pose. The next three songs (The Healer/Hip Hop, Me and My People) are all from New Amerykah: Part One (4th World Order) – the one album whose meaning I’m still working on grasping. This provided me, however, the perfect opportunity to stop and do some video recording. Playing On & On and . . . & On back to back, Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop) followed with a surprise appearance by Oakland’s own Raphael Saadiq who, according to Erykah, provided the base line for the song. (Side note, I normally am up dancing to this song, but I sacrificed this time so I could record this performance for my readers. I’m glad I did.) As the clock neared midnight, the band began the first notes of Danger. About half way through the song, a count-down appeared on the screen behind the stage and we all stopped, screamed happy New Year, and went back to partying. During Back in the Day (Puff), Erykah exclaimed, “Now is the opportunity for you to smoke,” as if that hadn’t been already occurring. At some point, she took her shoes off and ended the night with Didn’t Cha Know, the first verse from Out My Mind, Just in Time (the one song I just had to hear) and Bag Lady, which I think was an appropriate song to finish with because in the new year, I definitely will be working on letting the bags go!

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