Two years after
D'Angelo
brought the organic sound and emotional passion of
R&B
to the
hip-hop
world with 1995's
Brown Sugar
,
Erykah Badu
's debut performed a similar feat. While
looked back to the peak of smooth '70s
soul
, though,
Badu
sang with a grit and bluesiness reminiscent of her heroes,
Nina Simone
and
Billie Holiday
.
"On & On"
"Appletree,"
the first two songs on
Baduizm
, illustrated her talent at singing
with the qualities of
jazz
. With a nimble, melodic voice owing little to
from the past 30 years, she phrased at odds with the beat and often took chances with her notes. Like many in the
contemporary rap
world, though, she also had considerable talents at taking on different personas;
"Otherside of the Game"
is a poetic lament from a soon-to-be single mother who just can't forget the father of her child.
's revolution in sound -- heavier
beats over organic, conscientious
music -- was responsible for her breakout, but many of the songs on
don't hold up to increased examination. For every intriguing track like
"Next Lifetime,"
there's at least one rote
jam like
"4 Leaf Clover."
Jazz
fans certainly weren't confusing her with
Cassandra Wilson
--
had a bewitching voice, and she treasured her notes like the best
vocalists, but she often made the same choices, the hallmark of a singer rooted in
, not
. Though many fans would dislike (and probably misinterpret) the comparison, she's closer to
Diana Ross
playing
-- as she did in the 1972 film
Lady Sings the Blues
-- than
Holiday
herself. ~ John Bush