ON AND ON AND ON AND ON... Mz. Badu's stunning debut album from '97 reissued on wax! Almost 20 years after its release, Baduizm is still on regular rotation here at the Lab. Erykah melds the vocal inflections of Jazz greats like Billie Holiday with soul sensibilities of ‘70s heavyweights like Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway. Add the unmistakable flow of the hip-hop MC, as evident on "On And On,” and you get verses like: "I go on & on & on & on /My cipher keeps movin' like a rollin' stone.” She’s a hip-hop baby for sure, and that coalesces with classic soul and consciousness to make Ms. Badu the neo soul icon that she is. Includes "Appletree," "4 Leaf Clover," "Next Lifetime," "Sometimes" and "Certainly." Like fine wine, this one just gets better with time. Part of Respect the Classics series, this is the first time the Baduizm in its complete form is available on vinyl.

• black double vinyl pressing
• gatefold sleeve
• original release year: 1997
• music label: Motown 2016
  

reviewed by Von Bee 01/2015