Erykah Badu

Badu's exploding afro may be stylishly chaotic, but this chart-topping neo soul singer is in complete control of her music. Her mellow grooves, vocal chants and string vamps shout '70s smooth, and her welcome singing style has an energy and bite lacking in the music of her contemporaries.

The most psychedelic of soul singers, Erykah Badu still hasn't found her way through the
haze. Most of the songs on this short album are variations on some atmospheric theme:
Tracks such as "Bump It" and "Back in the Day" don't unfold so much as they slither along
unthreateningly. Only the robustly crunk "Danger" and "I Want You" break the mold; the
latter closes with one minute of video-game synth anarchy, which is pretty cool -... More >

If Andre can sing-song hip-hop, so can his babymama ("Love of My Life Worldwide," "Danger"). (Grade - ***)