Erykah's year?

Now, I was never a huge fan of Erykah Badu. I certainly respect her work and especially her sense of humor, but I just never really got into her records. It's nothing against her, really. I'm down with all the Soulquarians, I just never really became a huge Badu fan. She just released a new album though, New AmErykah, and the Times ran a profile of her last weekend. Here's what got my attention:

“New AmErykah” is part of a creative torrent that includes a sequel record, due in the summer, and an unrelated retro-minded album, “Lowdown Loretta Brown,” scheduled for the fall, both on Universal Motown. Ms. Badu also plans to start a lifestyle magazine, The Freaq, this summer; the first issue will come with a copy of “New AmErykah: Part Two.” Both records will also be available on a U.S.B. stick for fans to plug into their computers; for added value Ms. Badu wants to record a U.S.B. commentary track to explain her references and inspiration. A tour will start in May.

After eight years without a new studio album, Badu is back with a pair of new albums and some kind of alter ego side project. Add to the mix an experimental distribution strategy and you've hopefully got a show that plays out rather nicely over the next year. Gotta love when artists come back strong from quiet periods. Look at Paul Westerberg a few years ago- when you come out with three albums' worht of material in a year, its easier to forgive the bad stuff and enjoy the good stuff. Here's hoping that Erykah's plans go off without a hitch. Oh, and is The Freaq mag hiring?

The Mind of a One-Woman Multitude - New York Times
(Photo credit: Michael Nagle for the NYTimes)