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.
Other Side Of The Game
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you?
Gave me the life that I came to live
Do I really want my baby?
Brother tell me what to do
I know you got to get your hustle on
So I pray
And I love you strong but
What you gonna do when they come for you?
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you?
God I can't stand life without ya
Now, me and baby got this situation
See brotha got this complex occupation
And it ain't that he don't have education
'Cause I was right there at his graduation
Now, I ain't sayin' that this life don't work
But it's me and baby that he hurts
'Cause I tell him right
He thinks I'm wrong
But I love him strong
He gave me the life that I came to live
Gave me the song that I came to give
Pressure on me
But the seed had grown
I can't make it on my own
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
He became the sun
I became the moon
Precious gifts that we both received
Or could this be make believe
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you?
Gave me the life that I came to live
Don't I know there's confusion
God's gonna see us through
Peace out to revolution
But we paid though
Don't you worry, I know there's confusion
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Don't you worry...
Gave me the life that I came to live
Don't you worry...
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Don't you worry...
"Other Side of the Game" by Erykah Badu is a song about the struggles and complexities of being in a relationship with someone who leads a lifestyle that is not always honest or morally acceptable. The song begins with a question that sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics: Whatcha gonna do when they come for you? The singer is unsure of how to handle a difficult situation she is in, possibly referring to her relationship with a man who is involved in illegal activities for the sake of providing for them.
The lyrics delve into the hardships of living with someone who has a "complex occupation" and the toll it takes on their loved ones. The singer questions whether she really wants to have a baby with this man and seeks guidance from her brother. She understands that the man she loves is doing what he needs to survive, but she also acknowledges that his actions are not always honest. She loves him "strong" but is unsure how she will handle the consequences of his actions.
Overall, the song highlights the dilemma that many people face when they love someone who is engaged in illegal activities for survival. It shows the emotional turmoil they go through, the balance between supporting their loved ones and the guilt associated with condoning their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
What action will you take when faced with trouble?
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
While work may not be morally upright, it provides financial stability
What we gonna do when they come for you?
What is the plan when the trouble arrives?
Gave me the life that I came to live
He provided me with a life that I wanted and was meant to have
Do I really want my baby?
Is my relationship with my partner worth the struggles we face?
Brother tell me what to do
Asking for advice and guidance from a trusted friend
I know you got to get your hustle on
I understand the need to work hard to succeed
So I pray
Turning to faith and spirituality for strength and guidance
I understand the game, sometimes
I comprehend the challenges and obstacles in life and how to navigate them
And I love you strong but
Despite my love, there are still difficulties in our relationship
God I can't stand life without ya
Expressing the deep emotional connection and reliance on one's partner
Now, me and baby got this situation
My partner and I are in a complex and difficult circumstance
See brotha got this complex occupation
My partner has a complicated and challenging job
And it ain't that he don't have education
Despite his job's difficulty, he still has a good education
'Cause I was right there at his graduation
I witnessed his academic achievement
Now, I ain't sayin' that this life don't work
I am not denying that our current situation has its benefits
But it's me and baby that he hurts
Despite the benefits, our partner's job still causes us pain and difficulty
'Cause I tell him right
I try to steer him in the right direction
He thinks I'm wrong
My partner disagrees with my advice
He gave me the life that I came to live
My partner provided me with the life I always wanted and desired
Gave me the song that I came to give
My partner helped me to find my voice and purpose in life
Pressure on me
There is a lot of stress and pressure on me
But the seed had grown
Despite the difficulties, we have grown as individuals and as a couple
I can't make it on my own
I cannot handle everything alone
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
Despite the struggles, there are still moments of beauty and growth
He became the sun
My partner takes on a dominant role in our relationship
I became the moon
I am content to take on a supporting role in our relationship
Precious gifts that we both received
We are both lucky to have each other in our lives
Or could this be make believe
Perhaps our love and partnership is not as great as we make it out to be
Don't I know there's confusion
I am aware of the complexity and confusion in our relationship
God's gonna see us through
We rely on faith to overcome our challenges
Peace out to revolution
A farewell to the radical or revolutionary movements in society
But we paid though
Despite the struggles, we have still paid our dues and worked hard
Don't you worry, I know there's confusion
I understand that our relationship is complicated and confusing at times
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Despite the lack of moral integrity, we need to work to provide for ourselves
Gave me the life that I came to live
My partner provided me with the life I desired and worked towards
Don't you worry...
Do not fret, things will work out
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Ahmir K. Thompson, Erica Wright, James Jason Poyser, Leonard N. Hubbard, Richard Nichols
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@natashachiware4882
Repeat after me:
I am beautiful
I am clever
I am not dumb
I am protected
I will get good loyal friends
I will find a good godly husband
I am a billionaire
I shall not fall asleep anymore and use out in opportunities.
@Xcyper33
Erykah Badu looks like those traditional African Oil Painting figures come to life. So beautiful
@sachelvt9929
Yes black people need life
@LinaG91
I think it's because we're all coming to life rn..
@roblangsworld
Genuine..............
@PatinaEdochie
Agreed 💯👑
@dior-fh7gf
so true she looks like a African goddess
@mitchywolf4841
Man I really wish there was some type of documentary on just Erykah & Andre’s relationship at this time in ‘97.. Like I can feel their energy through the screen. This is like the most authentic aesthetic I’ve ever seen.
@PatinaEdochie
Yea that would be interesting and cool asf to see fasho 💯💓
@mrlopez-pz7pu
They are acting. This is a music video. WTF?
@KadiJonesy
@@mrlopez-pz7pu wtf did you come to the comments of this specific video to just troll? Seen you under several comments already bozo.