high 'freaquency'

past: Blackstar, Yahzarah
present: Erykah Badu, Worldwide Underground
future: Nappy Roots, Big Boi, Andre 3000, Mya, Anthony Hamilton

You know how it goes when you hear a CD more than a couple of days since it's been out, and during that week, you've seen reviews, right? First I hit Renaissance Sistah's review, and then .daily.'s review. Then I got the CD and I had to put my foot in the water.

It started with the foot, and then the legs and before you knew it, I was backstrokin'. I'm talkin' swimmin' around in circles. I continue to do so. I even bought new headphones so I got to listen to this at work and at home. For the first time in recent memory, I'm actually listening to an album which was recently released with only 10 songs on it.

Never fear, it's damned entertaining.

With Freakquency (Erykah, R. C. James, Breezy and Ringo) at the controls, there's a good amount of diversity going on. Erykah leads in with Bump It, encouraging you to turn it up for over 8 minutes (!), but if you can get past that, you'll be just fine, dipping into Back In The Day (Puff). With Lenny Kravitz on the electric guitar and some old-school claps going,she brings you into the spirit of reminiscing. Woo steps right on out there right after I Want You, with less of a song and more of a steady groove.

The Grind is less Erykah and more Stick Man and M1. After that, Danger lifts you up back into Badu mode, after which she come's out swingin' with Think Twice, penned by Donald Byrd, with Roy Hargrove kicking it on vocals and trumpet. Once back in the groove, she gives you Love Of My Life Worldwide. With Queen Latifah, Angie Stone, and Bahamadia on lock, this is one clubbin, radio rockin' cut. With an outro of World Keeps Turning, Erykah delivers a fine finish.

One could say that I'm hella biased, because I've been to three Erykah concerts, and I have all of her CD's. You be the judge. Better yet, check Monique out, too. She's rambling in the affirmative.

e-scale.... 8/10

ej wants you to share your world. Express yourself to eXponent. It's a good thing.


Block on lock, the trunk stay locked
Glock on cock the block stay hot
- Danger

We were laughin and jammin' and singin' and talkin' and bumpin' in the trunk with the windows rolled up. Puff.
- Back In The Day (Puff)