Last night, Erykah Badu brought her "Out My Mind, Just in Time" tour to Roseland in NYC. All respects to Erykah Badu, I was really there because of her opening act - Janelle Monae was on the bill. I wanted to witness Janelle Monae live. So far, ArchAndroid is the best album of the year; the fact that no one seems to be buying it is another story. Questlove was the DJ for the night. When I walked in the door, I knew I had entered a true music zone, Questlove was playing the instrumental that Double Trouble rhymes over in Wild Style. You see, I lost 97% of you already. Questlove dubbed his set "A Lesson in Hip-Hop" and he truly dug deep, cueing up endless dusty albums, blended into the songs that sampled them. I got schooled, had no idea the flute in Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" came from an Egyptian record, but considering it was produced by Timbaland - not surprised. more..

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Erykah Badu is a funny girl - in a good way. She's also forgetful. Erykah Badu tagged the video for "Window Seat" - a song off her new album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh - as being inspired by Matt and Kim. I'll remind her that in 2006, she said to make it pop in the music industry, artists have to get down with butt naked Wednesdays. A little slap to critique female singers for selling ass and shakes for fame. Carved to the core.. "First you have to get yourself some breast implants. What's hot is the butt implant. You really want to rock somebody's world and make it in this business? Get you an ass implant. Get you some calf implants too, if you gonna be wearing them stilettos. You need to get your hair long. If you can.. get your scalp cut off and get you a whole nother scalp. Just be butt naked somewhere. Butt naked with glitter on you and a beeper!" more..

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Here's a little something for your Twitter-side #musicmonday: "Window Seat" off Erykah Badu's new album "New Amerykah Pt.2: Return of the Ankh", due March 30. Erykah could have fast-forwarded the second installment connection and titled the album something with more chipotle flavor. On the soundscape, judging by this first song, Erykah has returned to her roots with an earthy, organic vibe that in today's market can't simply be tagged neo-soul; now it's just music worth listening to. I completely loathe the music monday tag - new music officially comes out on Tuesdays - but guess, what? "Window Seat" is going on the Pod, Monday morning. more..

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On Sunday, Erykah Badu took the stage at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, England. Sunday marked the end of performances in the four day music event which saw Bruce Springsteen, the Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Al Green, Snoop Dogg, Santigold, Public Enemy, Kate Perry and a host of eclectic jazz, African, hip-hop and rock acts entertain concert goers. more..

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Erykah Badu gave birth to a baby girl, yesterday afternoon. She and Jay Electronica, the baby's father, banged around ideas and (according to the folks at Giant magazine) decided her name will be Mars. The little girl in the picture up top would be Mars' sister, Puma, and somewhere Seven is doing the kid thing. Erykah chose a natural child birth. She's also been posting on Twitter as FATBELLYBELLA. When Mars came knocking, Jay Electronica gave a play-by-play, sort of publicly broadcasting the birth to the world. more..

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Erykah Badu is pregnant with her third child. The father is rapper, Jay Electronica: known on the underground, invisible to 99% of the rest of the world. Not that mainstream fame matters. Where the name of Erykah Badu's daughter Puma first disturbed everyone, this time it's that she's pregnant for a third time, with a third baby daddy. It's rumored that Erykah is so upset with the negative comments, she responded on the Okayplayer messageboard. A quick note: Erykah Badu is currently on tour overseas; the above photo is from a stop in Italy, yesterday she was in Spain. more..

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Last night, Erykah Badu was in Miami, FL. performing at Giant Steps 12th annual Sunset Soiree at the Delano hotel. Other than the butterfly print sundress and - are those heels? - Erykah was her usual eclectic self. ERYKAH AT THE GIANT STEP STAGE AT SS 08
"I'd like to tell you and remind you that I am your servant, anything that I have said and anything I do is in the spirit of you. I represent the artists that are often unheard. I'm talking about the singers, the dancers, the painters, the photographers, the DJs.." the.. I can't keep up. more..

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Ah, finally, as bubbled last month, Erykah Badu and Q-Tip are the cover story of this month's Trace magazine. Shout to Concreteloop for reminding me to circle back to the site. Trace is available in a downloadable PDF format (save that after it loads.) Erykah Badu spoke of how much she was inspired by A Tribe Called Quest and the Native Tongues movement. Amen to that. The Native Tongues opened the doors for all the 'freaqs' in rap and if you were a singer, neo-soul became your thing. more..

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Erykah Badu and Q-Tip are on the cover of the new Trace magazine. "Art and Soul" says it all; the two of them embody the words and those two brown bodies leap off the page. I've yet to pick up a copy or I'd scope the article for Trace's meaning of "Art and Soul." I tell you, I look at this and can't help but think back to the days when they were the chart topping artists of the time. Today they represent what has become an oddity in music - truth. more..

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Nothing much to say here, it's more of a question. That's Erykah Badu's daughter, Puma, doing what 3-year olds do. An easy hip-pop culture trivia question is, "Who is the father of Erykah Badu's son, Seven?" So easy, we ain't even gonna answer it. If you wanted to get tougher, try asking who Puma's father is. Had I not done some digging, I'd mess around and say something like the gardener, the fitness trainer or the pool boy. Badu went Madonna/Desperate Housewive's style. The real is, on Father's Day, the master of skits, ghost writer of classics, the D.O.C. gets.. Well, he gets nothing. Dads don't get any more attention or presents on Father's Day than usual, but that's another story. << jokes. Watch out. West Coast 'Funkyness' Below. more..

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