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.
U Use to Call Me
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ugh, man
You're so beautiful
Look I'm about to go in
I'm gonna get inside these bitches head like a sew in
Post to drop in Halloween but really I don't know when
I take all the W's I can get and you get no wins
Recognition from a great, man, about time
Fanbase growin' at a steady pace
I don't talk unless the money straight
Look I do it for the music man, the money just a bonus
Everybody that I know is still rap personas
Niggas comin' out the wood works like they Louie
My hair's longer than the twist in the movies
Real niggas wassup
(You used to call me) (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
The first paragraph addresses the caller's admiration for the subject of the lyrics. The phrase "You're so beautiful" indicates that the caller finds the subject physically attractive. It sets the tone for an intimate and reflective conversation that is about to take place.
The second paragraph delves into the caller's mindset and approach. The line "I'm gonna get inside these bitches head like a sew in" suggests a determined and potentially manipulative attitude towards others. The reference to dropping something on Halloween indicates a planned release date for a project, possibly a musical one. However, the singer admits uncertainty, emphasizing the lack of control over timing. The line "I take all the W's I can get and you get no wins" implies a competitive nature, highlighting the contrast between the writer's successes and the subject's lack thereof.
The third paragraph introduces Erykah, likely referring to Erykah Badu herself. The mention of her "hotline" implies a close connection or communication channel between the singer and Erykah. The line "Recognition from a great, man, about time" indicates that the singer has received acknowledgment from someone they consider significant or influential. Furthermore, the line "Fanbase growin' at a steady pace" suggests personal and artistic growth, possibly resulting from this recognition. The singer's focus on money indicates a pragmatic approach, highlighting the importance of financial stability in their pursuit of music.
The final paragraph touches on the singer's mentality and network. "I do it for the music man, the money just a bonus" showcases the singer's passion and genuine love for their craft, with monetary gain being a secondary consideration. The line "Everybody that I know is still rap personas" implies that the singer's peers or associates are also involved in the rap music scene, indicating a circle of like-minded individuals. The line "Niggas comin' out the wood works like they Louie" suggests that people are emerging from unexpected places, possibly referring to others trying to get involved or compete in the industry. The mention of the singer's hair being longer than the twists in movies could be interpreted as a unique individuality or a metaphor representing the singer's unrivaled creativity and authenticity. The phrase "Real niggas wassup" asserts the singer's authenticity and loyalty to genuine artists in the rap music community.
Line by Line Meaning
(You used to call me)
You would contact me regularly in the past
Ugh, man
Expressing admiration or surprise
You're so beautiful
You are incredibly attractive
Look I'm about to go in
I am about to dive deep into a situation
I'm gonna get inside these bitches head like a sew in
I will penetrate their thoughts and understand them deeply
Post to drop in Halloween but really I don't know when
I intend to release a project on Halloween but uncertain about the exact date
I take all the W's I can get and you get no wins
I seize every opportunity for success while you have none
Yeah, Erykah on my hotline
Erykah Badu is frequently contacting me
Recognition from a great, man, about time
Receiving acknowledgement from someone influential, it was long overdue
Fanbase growin' at a steady pace
My followers and supporters are increasing gradually
I don't talk unless the money straight
I am focused on financial stability, won't engage without proper compensation
Look I do it for the music man, the money just a bonus
My motivation is the artistry, money is an added benefit
Everybody that I know is still rap personas
Everyone in my circle maintains a rap persona
Niggas comin' out the wood works like they Louie
People suddenly appearing, trying to gain attention like they're famous
My hair's longer than the twist in the movies
My hair length surpasses exaggerated movie twists
Real niggas wassup
Greetings to genuine individuals
(You used to call me) (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
You used to contact me, yeah, yeah, yeah
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group,
Written by: Aubrey Graham, Erica Wright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind