| ERYKAH BADU RESCHEDULES 2010 |
| | Posted on 05/05/2010 |  http://www.outmymindjustintimetour.com 
For Immediate Release May 5, 2010 ERYKAH BADU RESCHEDULES 2010 OUT MY MIND, JUST IN TIME ....U.S..... TOUR DATES B.O.B., LUPE FIASCO, JANELLE MONAE, BILAL, N.E.R.D., ?UESTLOVE TO BE FEATURED ON SELECT DATES NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH IN STORES NOW ............................................................................ ERYKAH BADU has rescheduled some of the dates for her 2010 U.S. tour, Out My Mind, Just In Time. The outing will make stops at a mix of amphitheaters and concert halls throughout North America this spring, beginning on May 28 at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. and wrapping up on June 24 at The Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas, NV. In addition, the tour’s exciting revolving cast of opening acts—which includes Janelle Monae, Bilal, N.E.R.D., and drummer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson from The Roots—has been expanded to include Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B. The tour is produced by CD Enterprises, for more information and tickets, please visit www.outmymindjustintimetour.com or www.cdepresents.com. As previously announced, ERYKAH BADU has also joined the lineups for this summer’s Lollapalooza festival and will reunite with the revamped Lilith Fair tour for 7 Canadian and U.S. dates. She will also be featured as a special guest at Maxwell’s upcoming concerts at Phillips Arena in Atlanta on June 11 and Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 26. For more details and ticket information about those shows, please visit www.lollapalooza.com, www.lilithfair.com, www.philipsarena.com, and www.thegarden.com. ERYKAH BADU 2010 OUT MY MIND, JUST IN TIME ....U.S..... TOUR DATES May 28 Washington, D.C. Constitution Hall w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae May 29 Washington, D.C. Constitution Hall w/ N.E.R.D. May 30 ....Baltimore.., ..MD.... Pier Six Pavilion w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae June 2 ....Chicago.., ..IL.... Chicago Theater w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae June 3 ....Chicago.., ..IL.... Chicago Theater w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae June 4 ..Detroit.., ..MI.. ....Chene.. ..Park.... w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae June 6 ....Boston.., ..MA.... Orpheum Theatre w/ Janelle Monae June 7 ....New York.., ..NY.... Roseland Ballroom w/ ?uestlove, Janelle Monae June 8 ....Philadelphia.., ..PA.... Tower Theater w/ Bilal, Janelle Monae June 10 ....Memphis.., ..TN.... Orpheum Theatre w/ Janelle Monae June 13 ....Houston.., ..TX.... Verizon Wireless Theater w/ Janelle Monae June 14 ....Dallas.., ..TX.... Nokia Theatre w/ B.o.B., Janelle Monae June 16 ....Denver.., ..CO.... The Fillmore Auditorium w/ Janelle Monae June 18 ....Oakland.., ..CA.... Paramount Theatre w/ Janelle Monae June 19 ....Saratoga.., ..CA.... The Mountain Winery June 20 ....Los Angeles.., ..CA.... Greek Theater w/ Janelle Monae, Lupe Fiasco June 22 ....San Diego...., CA Humphreys Concerts by the Bay w/ Janelle Monae June 23 ....Phoenix.., ..AZ.... Marquee Theatre w/ Janelle Monae June 24 ....Las Vegas.., ..NV.... The Pearl Concert Theater TOUR DATES WITH MAXWELL June 11 ....Atlanta.., ..GA.... Phillips Arena w/ Maxwell June 26 ..New York.., ..NY.. ....Madison.. ..Square.. ..Garden.... w/ Maxwell LILITH FAIR & FESTIVALS June 27 ....Calgary.., ..AB.... MaMahon Stadium Lilith Fair June 28 ....Edmonton.., ..AB.... Northlands Spectrum Lilith Fair June 30 ..Vancouver.., ..BC.. ....Pitt.. ..Meadows.. ..Airport.... Lilith Fair July 2 ....Portland...., OR Sleep Country Amphitheatre Lilith Fair July 3 ....George.., ..WA.... The Gorge Amphitheatre Lilith Fair August 4 ....Raleigh.., ..NC.... Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion Lilith Fair August 6 ..Richmond.., ..VA.. ....Kanawah.. ..Plaza.... Fridays at Sunset Festival August 7 ....Columbia.., ..MD.... Merriweather Post Pavilion August 8 ....Chicago.., ..IL.... Grant Park, Hutchinson Field Lollapalooza August 11 ....Tampa.., ..FL.... Ford Amphitheatre Lilith Fair ERYKAH BADU NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH OUT NOW! www.erykahbadu.com www.outmymindjustintimetour.com | | |
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| | | Posted on 04/19/2010 For Immediate Release
April 19, 2010
ERYKAH BADU ANNOUNCES 2010 NORTH AMERICAN
OUT MY MIND, JUST IN TIME TOUR
NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH
IN STORES NOW
4 Out Of 4 Stars
—People
“A-”
—Entertainment Weekly
“A-”
—The Dallas Morning News
ERYKAH BADU has confirmed dates for her 2010 North American tour, Out My Mind, Just In Time. The tour takes its name from the closing track on the multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, director, and actor’s new album, NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Digital Albums chart and No. 4 on the Top 200 chart.
ERYKAH BADU’s Out My Mind, Just In Time Tour will make stops at a mix of amphitheaters and concert halls throughout North America this spring, beginning on May 22 at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, MD and wrapping up on June 24 at The Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas, NV. For more information and tickets, please visit www.outmymindjustintimetour.com.
A galvanizing live performer renowned for her electrifying stage presence and soulful vocal ability, ERYKAH BADU’s Out My Mind, Just In Time Tour promises to deliver a fantastically funky live experience not to be missed. The outing will also feature an exciting revolving cast of opening acts that vary by city, including N.E.R.D., Bilal, Janelle Monae, and drummer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson from The Roots.
Released by Universal Motown Records on 3.30 2010 AD (((333))), ERYKAH BADU’s fifth studio album, NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH, arrived to a chorus of critical acclaim that hushed critics of the controversial music video for the album’s first single, “Window Seat.” Newsweek calls NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO “the R&B album of the moment that actually has a hint of timelessness about it.” The Washington Post says, “This is Badu at her retro-futuristic best.” And People raves, “This is the album that fans have been waiting for.”
NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO is the long-awaited follow-up to ERYKAH BADU’s superb 2008 disc, New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War. The current single, “Window Seat,” has been heating up airwaves and will be featured as Delta Airlines in-flight boarding music throughout the month of April. Other highlights from the new album include the funky fresh party jam “Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY),” a hypnotic hustler’s anthem called “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long” that famously contains a sample of “Arrow Through Me” by Paul McCartney and Wings, and the breathtaking three-part suite “Out My Mind Just In Time,” which also inspired the concept and title of the album cover artwork designed by ERYKAH BADU in collaboration with famed artist and poster designer EMEK.
ERYKAH BADU has been busy promoting the release of NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH with recent television performances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (March 3), The Wendy Williams Show (March 25), Good Day New York (March 26), Jimmy Kimmel Live (March 30), Chelsea Lately (March 31), and The Wanda Sykes Show (April 3). She is also visible on newsstands on the April cover of EQ and featured in Nylon, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Time Out New York, Newsweek, and New York Magazine, among many other publications.
In addition to ERYKAH BADU’s Out My Mind, Just In Time Tour, she has joined the lineups for this summer’s Lollapalooza festival and will reunite with the revamped Lilith Fair tour for 7 Canadian and U.S. dates. She will also be featured as a special guest at Maxwell’s upcoming concerts at Phillips Arena in Atlanta on June 11 and Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 26. For more details and ticket information about those shows, please visit www.lollapalooza.com, www.lilithfair.com, www.philipsarena.com, and www.thegarden.com.
ERYKAH BADU 2010 OUT MY MIND, JUST IN TIME TOUR DATES
May 22 Baltimore, MD Pier Six Pavilion
w/ Bilal
May 23 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
w/ Janelle Monae
May 25 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
w/ ?uestlove
May 26 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theater
w/ Bilal
May 28 Washington, D.C. Constitution Hall
w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae
May 30 Detroit, MI Chene Park
w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae
June 2 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae
June 3 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae
June 5 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre
w/ Janelle Monae
June 6 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
w/ Janelle Monae
June 8 Kansas City, KS Midland Theatre
w/ Janelle Monae
June 9 St. Louis, MO Fox Theatre
w/ Janelle Monae
June 13 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater
w/ Janelle Monae
June 14 Dallas, TX Nokia Theatre
June 16 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium
w/ Janelle Monae
June 18 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre
w/ Janelle Monae
June 19 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
June 20 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theater
w/ Janelle Monae
June 22 San Diego, CA TBA
June 23 Phoenix, AZ TBA
June 24 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl Concert Theater
TOUR DATES WITH MAXWELL
June 11 Atlanta, GA Phillips Arena
w/ Maxwell
June 26 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
w/ Maxwell
LILITH FAIR & FESTIVALS
June 27 Calgary, AB MaMahon Stadium
Lilith Fair
June 28 Edmonton, AB Northlands Spectrum
Lilith Fair
June 30 Vancouver, BC Pitt Meadows Airport
Lilith Fair
July 2 Portland, OR Sleep Country Amphitheatre
Lilith Fair
July 3 George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre
Lilith Fair
August 4 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
Lilith Fair
August 8 Chicago, IL Grant Park, Hutchinson Field
Lollapalooza
August 11 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre
Lilith Fair
NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH
OUT NOW!
www.erykahbadu.com
www.outmymindjustintimetour.com
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| Erykah Badu speaks about "Window Seat" video |
| | Posted on 04/05/2010  Just spoke with Erykah Badu about an hour ago regarding the reaction to her "Window Seat" video, in which she walks through Dealey Plaza naked and feigns getting shot near the Kennedy assassination site (see it here). We talked for about 15 minutes about her intentions and thoughts behind the concept, and her fears about the consequences of putting it out there.
Q: To start, what can you tell me about the thought process behind the video?
Badu: It was filmed Saturday before St. Patrick's Day. It was a pretty spontaneous thing. The song "Window Seat" is about liberating yourself from layers and layers of skin or demons that are a hindrance to your growth or freedom, or evolution. I wanted to do something that said just that, so I started to think about shedding, nudity, taking things off in a very artful way. I am from the theater, and this is just a part of expression to us. A part of art. And, I saw a video by a group called Matt and Kim, and it was filmed in Times Square. And I thought it was the bravest, most liberating thing I've ever seen two people do. And I wanted to dedicate this contagious act of liberation and freedom to them. I hoped it would become something contagious that people would want to do in some way or another.
Q: And what was the thinking on the location and the Kennedy element to it?
Badu: Times Square is the most monumental place in New York, and when I was thinking of monumental places, the grassy knoll was the most monumental place in Dallas I could think of. I tied it in a way that compared that assassination to the character assassination one would go through after showing his or her self completely. That's exactly the action that I wanted to display.
Q: And I take it you knew that there would be a similar real-life reaction when the video was released?
Badu: Yeah. I knew that would happen, so as soon as the thought came to my mind, I decided to assassinate myself as a gesture. Because it was going to happen anyway. The video is a prediction of what is happening now.
Q: Tell me about the logistics of filming. Was it really nudity, or was there trickery involved?
Badu: Oh no, it was straight guerilla cam. I got out of the car and I went for it. A day before, I took the same path alone to see where I was going and to see where the "x" spot was. And we only had one shot to get it right, and I decided to go at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. I told the cameraman that I would meet him there, and when he saw me pull up, he started. We had to speed the music up because we wanted the effect to be slow-motion.
Q: So, it all happened a lot faster than it seems, but there was still time for people to realize what was going on. Were you afraid of the immediate reactions from folks?
Badu: Yes. I was petrified, period. The whole thing was frightening. The whole idea was frightening. Not being in love with my body, not being secure about being vulnerable. The police coming to take me to jail. I'm breastfeeding right now. Anything I could think of, I did. But those little things diminished as I thought about the big picture. And, as I started to walk, I confronted a lot of fears, and I hoped that it would encourage others to do the same thing in their own way.
Q: Are you afraid of any ramifications now, since the city has come out with a statement referring to their disapproval of "guerilla filmmaking?"
Badu: No. That fear left when I fell to the ground. With the death of that part of me, a lot of those fears died as well. I had a paradigm shift, of sorts.
Q: So, this was meaningful for you in a more important way than just making a video or stunting?
Badu: Yes.
Q: Do you have anything else to say to the folks who aren't having a positive reaction to this?
Badu: Sure, I would like to say that it was a protest to awaken a term called "groupthink." It's a term that was coined in 1952. It's the recognition of a state of being for humans. It's human nature for a person to be afraid to express his or herself in fear of being ostracized by the group or general consensus. A lot of times people are judged unfairly because of that. I think about the Salem witch trials, I think about the assassination of Christ, I think about the character assassination of artists and celebrities on blog sites. I think about all of these things as groupthink. And when I fall to the ground in the video, the word groupthink spills out of my head, because I was assassinated by groupthink. ... When I told my mother what I wanted to do, she was not 100 percent confident that it was the right thing, but she was supportive. I shared it with my family and made sure I told them that this act is not in any way a reflection of who they all are. It's who I am. They said I had their support. I have young children whom I was considerate of and I told them what I was doing. My 5-year-old said, "OK mommy, can I have some more pudding?" My 12-year-old said, "It's all right because I can explain to everyone that my mother is a wonderful person and she's just having fun." After hearing that, I took myself a lot less seriously.
Q: Did you consider the children in the plaza that day?
Badu: I didn't think about them until I saw them, and in my mind I tried to telepathically communicate my good intent to them. That's all I could do, and I hoped they wouldn't be traumatized. The people that got caught in the shot seemed as if they didn't even see me. There were a couple of people, and a guy picking up clothes. It all happened so fast. Of course they saw the camera, so they knew we were shooting something. But it was a great day for me.
Q: So, no regrets?
Badu: No regrets. Move forward from here. QuickDFW.com | | |
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| "New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh" Album Cover Artwork Revealed
Posted on 03/19/2010 ERYKAH BADU REVEALS ALBUM COVER ARTWORK FOR
NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH
ALBUM IN STORES MARCH 30
Multiple Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and actress ERYKAH BADU has revealed the cover artwork for her upcoming fifth studio album, NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH, which will be released by Universal Motown Records on 3.30 2010 AD (((333))).
The cover art for NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO is a collaboration between ERYKAH BADU and famed artist and poster designer EMEK, who also designed the inspired packaging for 2008’s New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War. The new album cover depicts an underwater image of BADU wearing a suit of armor that symbolizes the tough exterior she developed to protect herself from the harsh realities of life. The armor is her old shell and now she’s liberating herself from it by climbing out of her own head so that she can be reborn. Her tuning fork is summoning the vibrations of the universe and the purple-colored tree of life and purple sky represent the 7th Chakra—the Crown Chakra right above her third eye shield, which represents peace, wisdom, and spirituality. The numerical theme of three is symbolized by three moons, three hidden babies, three trees, and three ankhs. Closer inspection reveals that BADU’s shoulders are surrounded by many of the same objects that filled her abstract afro on the cover of New Amerykah Part One, including handcuffs, a foreclosed home, fast food, cigarettes, broken chains, and a military tank. Here, those items represent refuse and rubble from which new life grows into a vibrant garden of colorful flowers blossoming all around her.
“Working with ERYKAH always brings out the best in me,” says EMEK. “I have worked with hundreds of bands and I have to say that she is pretty unique. The amount of time and energy she spends on all aspects of her life. She is very creative and hands-on, but she also respects and encourages the creativity in others.”
In keeping with the concept of the cover art, NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH taps into BADU’s emotional side by thematically focusing on romance and relationships. “With Part One, I was standing at an apex, looking at what was going on around me politically, socially, and economically,” BADU explains. “With PART TWO, I’m hovering over me, looking at what’s going on inside of me.”
NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH
IN STORES 3.30 2010 AD
(((333)))
www.erykahbadu.com
For more information, please contact:
Margeaux Rawson
Sr. Vice President, Media Relations
Universal Motown Records
(p) 212-373-0702 (e) margeaux.rawson@umusic.com |
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| Erykah Badu Debuts “Window Seat” on “Fallon”: On the Scene
Posted on 03/04/2010 | At noon yesterday, Erykah Badu strolled into the cramped, freezing Studio 6B at New York’s NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center to rehearse “Window Seat” for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. The singer, who’s prepping for the release of New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh on March 30th, arrived in a Slash-style top hat (which she wore on-air) atop her waist-long dreadlocks and walked straight into the center of the action, where a seven-piece band, including Roots drummer ?uestlove, had been warming up, running through the tune’s silken groove over and over again. Badu offered a few musical directions regarding the bass and her backup singers, and rehearsed the song with her eyes closed, in deep focus. If Badu was nervous when the show taped several hours later, nobody could tell: watch the full performance above, and keep an eye out for Rolling Stone’s feature on the singer in an upcoming issue. Plus, read more about New Amerykah Part Two in our new issue’s Spring Music Preview, where Badu reveals she recorded “Window Seat” in her shower to achieve the track’s moody vibe: “I wanted to sound like I was in a tunnel. I got my laptop and closed the door.”
Rolling Stone |
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| Erykah Badu and Paul McCartney Make a Deal via Twitter
Posted on 03/03/2010 | The songstress uses the worldwide tweeting community to help clear a Wings sample for her new single in less than 24 hours. 
Twitter really does make the world smaller. Just this past weekend, the song "Teenage Dirtbag" came up on my iPod, and I tweeted "Whatever happened to Wheatus? Teenage Dirtbag was a great song, right?" In less than four hours, the band themselves replied to me. Having a virtual brush with a popular band from the '90s may have made my weekend, but did you know that Twitter can also be used to cut out the middle men in massive music deals that actually matter? Neither did songstress Erykah Badu until she desperately needed to get in touch with erstwhile Beatle and current Wings frontman Paul McCartney on Feb. 24. According to Pitchfork.com, Badu found out on Wednesday that she had 24 hours to clear the funky Wings track "Arrow Through Me" for sampling on her soon-to-be-released single, "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long." Rather than approaching the usual channels of communication that musicians use to sort these things out — lawyers, managers, publicists — Badu decided to turn to the Twitter community at large as her 24-hour deadline loomed over her. "[I]f i can talk to PAUL MCCARTNEY i can get the sample cleared .. have less than 24 hours or song wont make album . help . it will happen!!" Badu tweeted at 11:13 p.m. on Feb. 24. Adding to that plea, Badu used some business savvy. Knowing that Lenny Kravitz is friendly with McCartney's daughter, Stella, she reached out to Kravitz's daughter, Zoe, and @LennyFANS for his information. Her quest started at 10:25 p.m. with a tweet to @LennyKravitzpeace. Badu also tried reaching out to Stella McCartney directly, and she also tweeted to Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary. "Peace guy ... im erykah badu i understand u are friends with stella mccartney .. can u help us connect ?" Unfortunately, neither of these resulted in success. Finally, at 11:31 p.m., a little more after Badu's desperate Twitter quest to get her Wings sample cleared, she heard from Mathieu Bitton, a member of Kravitz's management. "I am with Lenny. If it really you, follow me then DM me. I'll connect you. (Its me.) twitter is fresh." Following Bitton's message, Badu returned at 11:54 p.m. to thank him for giving Kravitz her number, then her Twitter feed went silent for several hours. The next morning, at 9:50 a.m., social media history was made. Erykah Badu announced what surely must be the first official sample clearance deal made via Twitter: "Paul McCartney approved the sample . Cleared!!!" Badu had her sample, and her single can now be released in anticipation of her March 30 record. The singer also took time to thank her fans and everyone who helped make the deal happen: "I want 2 officially thank my Twitter fam 4 helping me 2 clear my Paul McCartney sample! We kik ass! Put it n the universe' has new meaning ." www.tonic.com
By Lauren Le Vine | Friday, February 26, 2010 6:37 PM ET |
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| New Video: Erykah Badu, Featuring Lil' Wayne And Bilal, "Jump In The Air (Stay There)"
Posted on 02/17/2010 | Put on your party hats because it's time to celebrate two awesome developments: 1) The return of Erykah Badu, and 2) Erykah Badu's discovery of the kaleidoscope filter on whatever editing equipment was used to cut her self-directed video for "Jump In The Air (Stay There)." Now "Jump..." will apparently not be featured on Erykah's new New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) album, but it does serve as a nice appetizer for the platter—albeit a dizzying, mind-bending, epilepsy-inducing appetizer. The stumbling funk track and the chaotic backing vocals (supplied by the great, underrated R&B singer Bilal) sound almost Outkast-esque, giving the song a really ecstatic feel. Plus, Lil' Wayne gets in on the action about midway through, seeming pretty excited to be part of the psychedelic visuals by spitting rhymes about "going nuts like a danish" and inviting everyone to "bring your swimwear." Well, that's really nice of him, isn't it! Check out the video below and put those earmuffs on for some NSFW language. Also, for those who easily get motion sick, be sure to pop a Dramamine because thems some mind-bending effects. |
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| Over The Weekend: Erykah Badu, Jamie Foxx At The Palladium Ballroom
Posted on 02/15/2010 Dallas Observer
By Jesse Hughey in Show Reviews
Erykah Badu, Jamie Foxx
Palladium Ballroom
Saturday, February 12, 2010
Better Than: Any other All-Star event going on that night--especially considering it was free.
 | | Danny Fulgencio | | Erykah Badu at the Palladium Ballroom Saturday night. For more pictures, check out our slideshow. |
It was a night of opposites. Crowd-pleasing pandering and natural creative energy. R&B loverman showboating and organic, funky soul. Jamie Foxx and Erykah Badu may both be Texas-born icons, but their shared set Saturday night proved the similarities end there.
Foxx delivered an amped-up showcase of his hits, but his set was most noteworthy for the scope of people to whom he gave shout-outs or commanded to make some noise and/or put up their hands.
"Dallas, make some noise!" he yelled early in the set. Then, in a nod to the out-of-towners here for the All-Star weekend, L.A. and New York got the chance to do the same. Eventually he got around to everyone, naming Sagittariuses, Libras, Scorpios, Hennessy drinkers, vodka drinkers and customers of the beer company that sponsored the event. But judging by the shout-out count, the group he respects most--or maybe the group he could count on for the biggest crowd response--is Independent Women.
Foxx won an Oscar for his imitation of Ray Charles--as he pointed out a couple of times during the night. It looks like he's trying to win another for his imitation of an average contemporary R&B hit-maker. Granted, he puts on an enthusiastic, energetic, crowd-pleasing show, and there were a few highlights like the clever "Just Like Me" with a cooled-out keyboard jam and riffing on "She's a Sagittarius! She's a sex-ittarius"--but just as many lowlights, like the guest vocals from the perennially shirtless musclebound cheeseball Tank. His extended version of "Blame It" to close the set was fun, but by then I was more than ready for the headliner.
The wait wouldn't be long. After a screening of the psychedelic kaleidoscope video for "Jump Up In The Air (And Stay There)" with Lil Wayne came the familiar opening lines to Weezy's "A Milli"--her customary introductory track--and the sight of her band setting up.
The deep groove and self-affirming lyrics of "20 Feet Tall," the first track of her New Amerykah Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh (due out March 30), set the tone for the set with five band members (including R.C. Williams on keys and Rashad "Ringo" Smith as DJ) and three backup singers (including Badu's little sister Nayrok Udab) laying down a perfect blend of soul, jazz, funk and hip hop. Even though the song has yet to be released, it already felt familiar and warm as a hug. The band was sharp, the sound was clear and the bass was punched up to bone-rattling levels.
"Welcome to Dallas, where we do things real big," she said before the opening chimes of her next song, a hypnotic version of "The Healer."
And she did do things real big, in a two-hour-plus, career-spanning show that demonstrated how she earned the nickname "Queen of Neo-Soul" more than a decade ago and then managed to transcend even that majestic moniker. Her contradictions and unique style make any such label simply inadequate. There was the signature organic, analog instrumentation, sure, but she rarely got too far from her laptop. She sang like a Billie Holiday-loving Earth Mother, yes, but also spat a few lines from Snoop Dogg's "DP Gangsta," and stopped the show down with an enthralling scat-and-drum-machine solo. And despite some eccentric pink eye makeup, she looked incredibly sexy--especially after she ditched her jacket, giving the fellas a better look at black vinyl pants so tight they could have been painted on.
By the closing notes of "Bag Lady," her set had gone more than two hours, but it hardly felt like it.
"We'll be back in a couple months," she promised, referring to the next album. Judging by the roar of approval, so will the crowds.
Personal Bias: New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War was one of my favorite albums of 2008, and I've been looking forward to Part 2 since it came out.
By The Way: Photographer Danny Fulgencio saw Spike Lee's name on the guest list, but I never actually saw the director. Otherwise I don't have much to report in the way of celebrity spotting unless Pikahsso is considered a celebrity. Clearly, Alan Peppard's job is safe. |
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| Total Stories: 114 on 23 pages (Showing 5 stories per page) | Page 1 of 23 |
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... Avec, ce blog, il est pas question de
faire ou dire n'importe quoi et le "talk hard" en préambule ne renvoie en aucun cas à d'éventuelles divaguations (XXX), j'aime pas faire la Pute (je laisse ça à d'autres)....je fais réference à
une certaine idée de la "libre expression", un défouloir certes, mais ds le seul but de faire avancer les choses et je vais moi-même aborder des "sujets" sensibles qui me tiennent à coeur et
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trippes ds chacun des articles, une livre de chair par article n'y plus n'y moins ....ceux qui se sont pris le "pump up the Volume" d'allan moyle comprennent de quoi ça
retourne.....dire merde et chier un million de fois, mais avec l'art et la manière. Maintenant, pour ceux qui savent pas lire entre les lignes, ce blog est mon crachoir "perso" par décret
dictatorial et autoritaire...ces limites étant fixées....it's time 4 me to TALK HARD!!!...fonction comm* désactivée..tu veux cra cher dans la soupe qui te
nourrit fabrique toi un Blog!!..feel me???...
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