Erykah Badu's "Baduizm" (1997)

Neo-Soul is such a sad term - it implies that anything remotely influenced by the soul of the 60s and 70s is a conscious revitalization act, rather than a natural evolution from a prior genre. And it's not that - one listen to ?uestlove and The Roots' production will tell you that it belongs in nowhere else but the 90s. Everyone compares Badu to Billie Holliday, and I wouldn't have really thought of it if I had not been previously told so, but her voice is actually strikingly similar, but, of course, much funkier. The hit here is "On & On," but "Next Lifetime" is that one that really sold it for me.

Now what am I supposed to do
When I want you in my world
How can I want you for myself
When I'm already someone's girl?

I guess I'll see you next lifetime
No hard feelings
I guess I'll see you next lifetime
I'm gonna be there

No, I never really care about lyrics, but it doesn't hurt that these compliment the best groove on the album. It's high time pseudo-intellectual white people stop obsessing over the past and realize great music that charts still is a reality, and has been, always - particularly in 1997.

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