Erykah Badu is a visionary. For her latest project, the neo-soulstress tackled a three-part album series dubbed New Amerykah, releasing Part I: 4th World War last year to critical acclaim. Last night at Chung King Studios in New York City, Badu, with a furry mink cap on her head and a down jacket that flared at the waist like a tutu, played the second installment for a room full of press, explaining that this album is more of the right side of her brain, and that the first album was the left – a “socio-political” album, if you will. New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh sounds like a weight has been lifted off of Badu’s conscience, with tracks like the Ta’Raach-produced “Don’t Be Long” thwacking with its pulsating electric rhythm guitar and the 9th Wonder-produced “20 Feet Tall” cruising with Badu cooing over a stilted marriage of distorted keys and lyrics like “You built a wall 20 feet tall / But if I get off my knees / I might recall I’m 20 feet tall.” The album, which hits stores February 23, 2010, also features production from J. Dilla, Madlib, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and Ms. Badu herself, and if last night’s session proved anything, it’s that this album truly is the return of R&B’s most creative mind.
