Erykah Badu: Amerykahn Promise 12″ Erykah Badu

Is this a re-issue of some hidden gold nugget protest funk on acid, or just the new Erykah Badu single? Is this the best extended interlude you’ve never heard, or a current album title track made up of free form musical ideas sewn together with silken strands of guitars, horns and handclaps? Is this a Reason loop with a funk drum kit plug-in, or is that Roy Ayers on the production credits on an album also featuring beats by Madlib and SA RA? It’s all legit and she continues to defy. “Amerykahn Promise” continues Ms. Badu’s explosive return with more high quality music of substance for our deprived ears. I recommend listening to this over and over again or putting on the instrumental and dancing to it with a couple of friends who have some flavor. Between Erykah, Georgia Anne Muldrow, J*Davey and Jay Electronica (watch for big things from this dude, Ak-Boogs put me on to him recently) I’m seeing an exciting future for soulful music again. I’m not talking about, wow it’s nice to hear these smooth sounds while I work on my Macbook in the cafe soulful. I’m talking about climbing out of the pollution of an almost swept under the rug post-Katrina levee breach catastrophe and wanting to say some shit about it soulful. With all of this Badu material flying out of the Lab recently and Barack locking down the nomination, I have to wonder if some tide is turning. Is real change on the way? And if so, dare I call it “change we can believe in?” Shout to Michelle Obama.

• music label: Universal Motown / 2008

reviewed by Telekinetic Kat 06/2008