With six albums, four Grammys, and critical and commercial success, Erykah Badu is a familiar figure in the music industry. She certainly seemed comfortable with the press as she recently stood before a room full of critics, musicians, and record label executives. Dressed in rain boots, sweat pants and a grungy long-sleeve thermal top, Badu gave the assembled listeners a preview of her coming album, “New Amerykah Part II (Return of the Ankh),” due out Feb. 23.
The sound of the 11-track long “New Amerykah Part II” is a throwback to her 1997 debut, “Baduizm,” with a more acoustic feel than the digital one she favored on her last album, 2008’s “New Amerykah Part 1: 4th World War.” The topics too, are a stark contrast to her last release. “’New Amerykah Part 1′ was me looking at what was going around me politically, socially,” Badu said. “['New Amerykah Part II'] was looking at what was going on inside of me and other women.” Badu’s personal life since her last release has had some dramatic changes, including the birth of a baby girl in February of this year.
“New Amerykah part II” features long-time collaborator ?uestlove of the Roots, who plays all the drums on the album, and Roots keyboardist James Poyser. One of the album’s standout tracks, “Out of My Mind Just In Time (Undercover-Over-Lover)” is a bare-bones duet between Badu and Poyser.
One of Badu’s newest songs, “Jump Up in The Air,” isn’t on the album. It will be released to major music Web sites and feature different versions with ten different rappers, with each rapper’s collaboration released one at a time. While Badu did not reveal all ten of her musical partners, she did say that one version will feature one of the most popular rappers in the world right now: Lil Wayne.
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