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On Nov. 18, 2000, Erykah Badu released Mama’s Gun. Twenty-five years later, Badu has been celebrating the anniversary through commentary on the influence of her sophomore album on neo-soul and special performances, such as an upcoming global livestream of her show from King’s Theatre in Brooklyn on Dec. 6.
If you don’t want to wait until next month, Spotify Music Studios shared an anniversary film focusing on Badu’s Mama’s Gun. The performance draws from the tracklist, with signature Badu arrangements and the intimate storytelling that has defined her live shows. It’s a bit like an in-studio mini-concert, where she delivers reimagined versions of her tracks. She’s joined by Thundercat on bass and reunited with members of her original Mama’s Gun band to perform “Penitentiary Philosophy,” “…& On,” “Time’s A Wastin,” “Green Eyes” and “Didn’t Cha Know.”
Between songs, she sits down with Thundercat and DJ Quik to share stories behind Mama’s Gun while watching VHS tapes of the recording process. She even still had the same Chuck Taylors from the 2000s, wearing them again for this performance.
Badu explains the title of her album, which stems from a story about her grandma, who kept a revolver in her nightstand. “We were forbidden to touch it,” she remembers. “‘Cause it was mama’s gun. I feel like Mama’s Gun is untouchable. I feel like Mama’s Gun was the words and the messages that I had … that is the power and the ammunition. Each song was a bullet.”
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Badu believed she was snubbed for a Grammy for this album. “Mama’s Gun turned out to be this critically acclaimed record, but it didn’t win any awards,” she says. “I’ve gotten so much from this album that it is much better than any award that I can imagine. We were just making music that we really loved.”
During the last conversation break, Badu speaks about her theatre background and how she treats each live performance as if you’re seeing it for the first time, before it disappears. “But in the studio, I put everything into it. This is a monumental piece of art. I’m gonna carve away at that clay until whatever it is under there, I find it,” she says.
She teases that more music is coming, a “new portal” as she puts it. We can’t wait.
Watch the performance below.
In addition, you can watch Badu perform live at The New York Times office. We also have a space, Badu. Just saying.
