Erykah Badu – Mama’s Gun (Vinyl 2LP)

Mama’s Gun is the second studio album by Neo Soul singer Erykah Badu, released in 2000. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, the album incorporates Funk, Soul and Jazz styles. Covering themes of insecurity, social issues and personal relationships, Badu delivered a highly intimate and personal album that reached Platinum two months after its release. Mama’s Gun features substantial contributions from several members of the Soulquarians outfit, of which Badu was a member. It also features guests such as soul singer Betty Wright and trumpeter Roy Hargrove.

The album contains the single “Bag Lady” which, with its colorful, artsy music video, shot to #1 on the R&B charts, and also into the Top 10 on the billboard charts. “Bag Lady” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and for Best R&B Song. Also the song “Didn’t Cha Know?” was nominated for Best R&B Song.

Rolling Stone magazine applauded her for taking “chances the way Stevie Wonder or Nina Simone did in their prime” and went on to say “she has taken her art to the next level.” Entertainment Weekly called the album a “’70s soul homage featuring live musicians and a smooth-funk sound that wouldn’t be out of place on a CTI record.”