We cannot begin to tell you how excited we are about upcoming Black Radio album from Robert Glasper Experiment!!!

Here we have the first taste from the album, “Afro Blue,” which was originally composed by Mongo Santamaria and made world famous by John Coltrane. Glasper and Badu spin it around and make it into something new to our ears. It’s gorgeous!

Black Radio is scheduled to release on February 28. The hype says Black Radio “boldly stakes out new musical territory” as he utilizes the help of his friends – such Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra), KING, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Stokley Williams (Mint Condition).

Robert Glasper x Erykah Badu – Afro Blue by BamaLoveSoul

Every time Red Bull Music Academy rolls around, I wish I was a musical artist! The chosen few who pass the extensive application process, attend a month long series of seminars where they get to not only learn from some of music’s legends, but also get to create music with the best in the industry. Check out Erykah Badu‘s session at RBMA 2011 in Madrid, where she gives an honest account of her career from being a performance art student, the various players instrumental to her success, giving us great insights to the legendary J Dilla (the story behind Erkyah’s song “Telephone” from New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) will pull at your heart strings), and she talks about her upcoming album that is produced by Flying Lotus. The interview encompasses all that is the musical sensation Erykah Badu is today. Great interview!

“I’m a recovering, undercover, over lover. Recovering from a love I can’t get over.” Such a revealing and vulnerable song on how the mind turns things around in ones head, till there’s no other way to describe the condition than it be an addiction one needs to kick. Donning a tattered nightdress and wild hair, Ms. Badu goes back to her contemporary dance roots in an abstract dance, as a form of recovery.  This woman would pop, break, and make it from scratch for him. As I always seem to end my posts on Erykah… I love this woman!

Whatever it is that Ms. Badu has, please can I have some?

More in the vein of a time in the life of, this video floats between Badu playing it up for the camera in a relaxed performance and having us become voyeurs into her lifestyle—a creator, a mother, a partner, a singer, a nurturer, a player—it’s all captured here. It’s actually quite enjoyable to watch, due to its authenticity and Badu being such an arresting subject. Erykah Badu is who she be—like it or lump it! I love this woman!

ERYKAH BADU IN STUDIO from Creative Control on Vimeo.

The idea of Erykah Badu being mass-produced actually gives me goosebumps. That would be some serious on the edge girl power! And not the lightweight Spice Girls nonsense either. “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long” (my favourite track off New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh album) puts Erykah on an assembly-line like conveyor belt, against what could be an architectural blueprint. The video, directed by alternative music producer Flying Lotus (who recently directed the video for Bilal‘s “Levels“), seems to have a running theme of creating interesting and visually compelling metropolises as he whets his appetite in the world of videography. Check out the video below and let me know your thoughts.

First and foremost, let me stress—the ONLY reason Rick Ross is on Muphoric Sounds is because of this collaboration with Erykah Badu, and to be completely honest, he didn’t bring anything outstanding to the track. As always, Erykah is so engaging; she could be sitting crossed legged on the floor, doing nothing and we’d still be interested to watch her. She has the id. Ms. Badass (pun intended!).

It’s finally here — the New Amerykah, Part Two: Return of the Ankh and it was worth the wait. Part One was riddled with heavy political messages, while Part Two stares love in the face, with mixed emotions, battles with commitment, honesty, freedom, and fright —phases in new love.

This album is a little more sample heavy than her previous releases—the favourite being the short but sweet, “Agitation” which uses David Sancious‘s 70s classic, ”Just As I Thought.” While Erykah’s cover of Sylvia Striplin‘s “Turn Me Away” is more to its original form with the wiry bassline and slapping drums, it plays like an ode to Notorious B.I.G. as she recounts his lyrics also. ”Fall in Love (Your Funeral)” uses former Temptation, Eddie Kendrick‘s “Intimate Friends” which was also used by Alicia Keys for “Unbreakable.” Despite that, Erykah still manages to make the tune sound brand new with her funkafied spin. We’ve heard about the hypnosis she bestows upon the chosen few, and “Fall in Love (Your Funeral)” acts like a deterrent, as she croons, “you don’t want to fall in love with me,” which could even mean her not wanting to fall in love either. The rotation track is “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long,” where she whispers, “Gone baby gone, don’t be long” to her lover, providing the understanding of giving your partner the freedom to be and do whatever they need, but not to be gone for too long.

Badu’s Return of the Ankh contains all that psychedelic funk and soul grooves we’ve grown to love her for. It’s a great time to be living in the world of New Amerykah; this is her world, and we live in it! Let’s take Erykah Badu to triple platinum. Go get your physical copy here!

“Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Love”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Amazing video! Turning objectification on its head, Ms. Erykah Badu clearly has given us something to think about. Can one evolve in objectification? Yes. But the choice is yours. I love this woman’s work! New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) hits stores 3.30.10. Get your copy; it’s mandatory.

If you know me personally, you’ll know how much I absolutely ADORE this woman’s music. She does NO wrong. She’s what I call “über-talented,” incapable of whack, has this knack for finding amazing talent, working with nothing but best, and still manages to keep a high level of integrity in all she does.

I’ve scheduled my computer appointment for 3:33pm, and will be visiting ErykahBadu.com, where Erykah will be sending out the first song leak from the long-awaited A New Amerykah Pt. 2 Return of the Ankh’ to her fans. I can’t WAIT to get some Baduisms. Watch video below where she discusses the new album, which releases March 30th; one of the ‘eargasm’ highlights for 2010.

Thanks to BamaLoveSoul for the reminder!

The dynamic trio, Om’Mas Keith, Taz, and Shafiq Hasayn of Sa-Ra are back with their highly anticipated sophomore album, which should be seen as their debut, since The Hollywood Recordings (2007) consisted of material they’d put out over the years.

Nuclear Evolution: The Age Of Love is full; 23 tracks, covering everything you’d expect from Sa-Ra, except this composition sounds more complete and controlled. Whether you’re listening to the futuristic world in “Love Czars,” or the hard hitting soulful groove of “I Swear” featuring Noni Limar, or the sweet tales of adoration with “My Star” featuring Erika Rose, and of course “Dirty Beauty” with Erykah Badu, with its dark and haunting melody and flat keys — it is clear that the Sa-Ra can claim their ‘future-soul avatars’ title without pretense. What I love about this album is with each musical genre they touch, the psychedelic funksters put their own unique spin on it — catchy yet very far from commercial. Nuclear Evolution is this summer’s required listening. Check out the tunes below and then click over to iTunes to get your Sa-Ra!

“Can I Get You Hi?”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“White Cloud” feat. Rozzie Daime and Lil Kenny

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.