She is best known for her singles You Got Me her collaboration with The Roots, as well as her own songs Tyrone, Love of My Life, On & On, Bag Lady, The Healer, Honey and Soldier. Her lyrics are highly personal urban philosophy which throw emotional challenges in the face of the listener. She weaves unusual musical influences together creating a rich texture of sound.
Some music journalists have labeled her Nu soul, nouvelle-soul or neo soul, often comparing her to Billie Holiday in lyrical delivery and grouping her with Maxwell and D'Angelo in musical genre.
Baduizm, Badu's highly acclaimed debut album, was released in early 1997 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Lead single On & On reached #12 on the singles charts in both the U.S. and UK. Badu received notice for her introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, and was hailed as one of the leading lights of the burgeoning neo soul genre. Her sophisticated style of singing drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday. Baduizm eventually went triple platinum and, along with On & On, won Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremonies.
During that year, Badu became involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had a child, Seven, who was born in 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in the late 90s. Badu recorded her first live album, Live, while pregnant with Seven, and the release of the recording coincided with the birth to her child. Live reached #4 on the Billboard charts, selling double platinum, and spawned another R&B hit single in Tyrone a song chiding a selfish, cheap, and inattentive boyfriend. Badu also collaborated with The Roots (who had previously handled production duties on a number of tracks on Baduizm) on their breakthrough 1999 release, Things Fall Apart. She was featured on the song You Got Me co-written by Jill Scott, which hit the top 40 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
After taking some time off to raise her child, Badu returned in 2000 with Mama's Gun, an album more organic in sound than her previous studio album, and primarily produced by the Soulquarians and noted bassist Pino Palladino. A remix of one of the album's songs, Bag Lady was issued as the first single and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. The album was well-received, with the lyrical content winning notices from many publications who found some of her lyrics hard to decipher on her initial releases. Despite not charting as high as her first two albums, Mama's Gun was another platinum-selling success, and Bag Lady was nominated for a Grammy.
By 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common, and Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) was released as a collaboration between the two on the Brown Sugar soundtrack. Love of My Life hit #9 on the pop charts, topped the R&B listings, and Badu was awarded her fourth Grammy for the song in 2003.
After the release of Mama's Gun and Love of My Life, Badu went through a period of writer's block. She hit the road throughout 2002 and much of 2003 on what she dubbed the "Frustrated Artist Tour," in search of inspiration to write and perform new material. The conclusion of the tour saw Badu head back to the studio with new material, and in September of 2003, the Worldwide Underground was released. More jam-oriented than any of her prior releases, Badu was quoted as saying that the release was designed to serve as one continuous groove. Worldwide Underground reached #3 on the Billboard charts and was certified gold not long after its release, and Badu received four further Grammy nominations for the EP.
After almost four years and the birth of a daughter, Puma, it was revealed in 2007 that Badu had three albums in the works over the course of 2007 and 2008. Honey, a new single produced by 9th Wonder, was leaked online in November 2007, and the new album, titled New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), was released on February 26, 2008.
On August 23, 2008, Badu joined the rock band My Morning Jacket on stage at their show in Dallas, Texas to perform her song Tyrone. Her surprise appearance was met with an enthusiastic reaction from the audience.
On February 1, 2009 Badu gave birth to her third child, a girl named Mars Merkaba with her boyfriend Jay Electronica.
Her album New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) was released on March 30, 2010.
Afro Album Version
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm feeling high
My moneys gone
I'm all alone
The world is turnin'
Oh what a day
What a day what a day
Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learn,
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Most intellects do not believe in god but they fear us just the same
Oh on and on and on and on
Whew on and on and on and on
I go on and on and on and on
Ohh on and on and on and on
I was born under water with three dollars and six dimes
Yeah you might laugh 'cause you did not do your math
Na qua two...three...
Damn, y'all feel that? Oh...
Qua two...three...
The world keeps turning
Oh what a day what a day what a day
The man that knows something knows that he knows nothing at all
Does it seem colder in your summertime and hotter in your fall
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Most intellects do not believe in god but they fear us just the same
Oh on and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
I go on and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
I am feeling kinda hungry 'cause my high is coming down
Don't feed me yours 'cause your food does not endure
I think I need a cup of tea, the world keeps burnin'
Oh what a day, what a day what a day
You rush into destruction 'cause you don't have nothin' left
The mother ship can't save you so your ass is goin' get it
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Most intellects do not believe in god but they fear us just the same
Oh on and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
Ooh ooh wee on and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
The lyrics of Erykah Badu's "Afro" express a message of empowerment and self-affirmation. The opening lines, "Oh my my my, I'm feeling high, My money's gone, I'm all alone, The world is turnin'" suggest a sense of vulnerability and instability. However, the following line, "Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned," indicates a recognition of the growth and insight that can come from difficult experiences.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "on and on and on," emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and the need to persist through challenges. Badu references her own origins with the line "I was born under water with three dollars and six dimes," a reference to her birth in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. She also touches on the concept of knowledge, stating that "if your knowledge were your wealth then it will be well earned."
The final verses of the song convey a warning against rushing into destruction and a call to recognize one's own power and value. The lines "The mother ship can't save you, so your ass is gonna get it" suggest that relying on external forces to solve problems is not sustainable, and that individuals must take responsibility for their own lives. The song ultimately celebrates the strength and resilience of Black people, despite the intellectual and societal obstacles they may face.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my my my
Expressing excitement or surprise
I'm feeling high
Feeling euphoric
My moneys gone
Having no money left
I'm all alone
Being by oneself
The world is turnin'
Life goes on
Oh what a day
Exclaiming about the current day
Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learn,
Learning from experiences brings blessings and peace
If your knowledge were your wealth then it will be well earn
The value of knowledge is immeasurable
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Acknowledging the existence of a higher power or creator
Most intellects do not believe in god but they fear us just the same
Although they don't believe in a higher power, people still fear the unknown
Oh on and on and on and on
Continuing to persist despite setbacks
Whew on and on and on and on
Expressing exhaustion or exertion
I go on and on and on and on
Persisting in the face of adversity
Ohh on and on and on and on
Persisting despite being tired
I was born under water with three dollars and six dimes
Starting life with very little
Yeah you might laugh 'cause you did not do your math
Underestimating someone's ability based on their current situation
Na qua two...three...
Unknown expression, possibly referencing numbers or a language other than English
Damn, y'all feel that? Oh...
Making an observation about a shared experience
The world keeps turning
Life continues despite challenges
The man that knows something knows that he knows nothing at all
Humility is a sign of true knowledge
Does it seem colder in your summertime and hotter in your fall
Questioning the changing patterns of the natural world
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Encouraging recognition of individual uniqueness
Most intellects do not believe in god but they fear us just the same
Exploring why people fear what they can't understand
Oh on and on and on and on
Persisting despite setbacks
On and on and on and on
Continuing without stopping
I go on and on and on and on
Persisting despite challenges
On and on and on and on
Continuing without stopping
I am feeling kinda hungry 'cause my high is coming down
Feeling the effects of temporary euphoria fading
Don't feed me yours 'cause your food does not endure
Choosing not to rely on temporary solutions
I think I need a cup of tea, the world keeps burnin'
Seeking a moment of calm amidst chaos
Oh what a day, what a day what a day
Reflecting on the events of the day
You rush into destruction 'cause you don't have nothin' left
Acting recklessly due to desperation
The mother ship can't save you so your ass is goin' get it
No one can rescue you from the consequences of your actions
If we were made in his image then call us by our names
Advocating for individual recognition and appreciation
Most intellects do not believe in god but they fear us just the same
Questioning the nature of fear and its effect on human behavior
Oh on and on and on and on
Continuing despite challenges
On and on and on and on
Persisting through difficult situations
Ooh ooh wee on and on and on and on
Repeating a phrase to emphasize persistence
On and on and on and on
Persisting in the face of obstacles
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERICA WRIGHT, JAHMAL D. CANTERO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind