Erykah Badu Worldwide Underground ( limited shades of purple vinyl series)

Release date: 25-02-2022 ( 2003 )

2022 EU reissue limited shades of purple vinyl series- Feat. Queen Latifah, Angie Stone en Bahamadia. As usual, Erykah Badu hasn't disappointed us. This is another young talented black women with a message for her listeners.

Tracks:
A1     Bump It
A2     Steady On The Grind
A3     Danger
A4     Think Twice

B1     Woo
B2     Back In The Day
B3     I Want You
B4     Love Of My Life Worldwide(Bonus Track)

It's a brilliant set with Erykah doing what she does best, presiding over the neo-soul and hip-hop beats like some kind of musical & spiritual high priestess. The first couple of tunes (including the wonderful "Intro - World Keeps Turnin'"); "Bump It", "Back In The Day (Puff)", "I Want You", "Woo", "The Grind" and "Danger" are simply flawless, in my opinion.
Things get rather ropey towards the end though, and her version of "Think Twice" is not even half as good as the Donald Byrd original. I've always believed that if you're going to do a cover, you need to bring something new (if not better) to the party or there's really no point bothering. And "Love Of My Life Worldwide" with Angie Stone and Queen Latifah is just awful.
Still, she ends on a positive note. "Outro - World Keeps Turnin'" is just a reprise of the intro but it's so good it's worth hearing twice. Besides, it does sound like the latter part of the album was recorded live in front of an audience - but I could be wrong - in which case, aforementioned ropiness is well and truly forgiven. -Olukayode Balogun