Latest news with #Mama'sGun
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Erykah Badu Working On First Album In 15 Years With The Alchemist
Erykah Badu has been in the studio, working with none other than acclaimed producer The Alchemist on an upcoming album. On the cover of Billboard, the Texas native explains her creative process and shares minimal details on the pending work. Journalist Damien Scott describes the album as 'taking up most of her time,' and continues adding the 54-year-old's anticipation for completion. Once released, the unnamed work will be her first official album in 15 years, however, the gap in drops has not hindered the Grammy-winner from performing. According to the interview, her intention behind her music is to bring it to life on stage. 'I tour eight months out of the year for the past 25 years,' she explained. 'That's what I do. I am a performance artist. I am not a recording artist. I come from the theater. The Mama's Gun creator continued, 'It's the immediate reaction between you and the audience and the immediate feeling. The point where you become one living, breathing organism with people. That's what I live for. It's my therapy. And theirs, too. We're in it together. And I like the idea that it happens only once.' Badu's most recent solo release came in the 2015 mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone, however at this year's Grammy Awards she earned a gold trophy for her '3:AM' collaboration with Rapsody, featured on the latter's latest Please Don't Cry album. 'That's the one record I have enjoyed the most because it was a process, and getting to know her more and building a deeper friendship. She's such a beautiful human being. You know the talent is in this style icon. She FaceTimed me the first time and she didn't even say hello. She was in bed and she had a microphone and she was just humming melodies, and it was so dope to see her process. And we were speaking the other day and I told her, 'I appreciate your process. You taught me how to slow down.' detailed Rapsody of working with the Neo Soul veteran. As for The Alchemist, the collaborative Life Is Beautiful with 2 Chainz and frequent collaborator Larry June was issued earlier this year. Badu is set to be recognized with the Icon Award from Billboard later this month at the magazine's annual Women In Music celebration. Doechii, Tyla, GloRilla, and more will also be honored at the live-streamed event. Read the full list of recognitions below: Doechii – Woman Of The Yearaespa – Group of the Year AwardÁngela Aguilar – Breakthrough AwardErykah Badu- Icon AwardGloRilla- Powerhouse AwardGracie Abrams – Songwriter of the Year AwardJENNIE -Global Force AwardMegan Moroney- Rulebreaker Award presented by Crown Royal WhiskyMeghan Trainor- Hitmaker AwardMuni Long- Rising Star Award presented by Honda StageTyla- Impact Award presented by Bose. More from J. Cole's Final Dreamville Festival Is Bringing Out The Hip-Hop And R&B Heavyweights Doechii Named 2025 Billboard Woman Of The Year GloRilla, Tyla, Muni Long, Erykah Badu Announced As Billboard Women In Music 2025 Honorees
Boston Globe
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Roy Ayers, a jazz legend who influenced hip-hop and R&B musicians, dies at 84
His music never went out of style, appearing in the 2019 'Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack.' His song 'Running Away' propelled A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 opus 'Description of a Fool,' and the song was sampled by Big Daddy Kane and Common. Ayers was heard on Tyler, the Creator's album 'Cherry Bomb' and Erykah Badu's 'Mama's Gun.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Well, I have more sampled hits than anybody,' he said in a 2004 interview with Wax Poetics magazine. 'I might not have more samples than James Brown, but I've had more sampled hits. Oh, man, and there's a few I don't know about.' Advertisement One of Ayers' most popular albums was 'Lifeline,' which peaked at No. 9 on what has become the Top R&B/Hip-hop chart in 1977 and contained the hit 'Running Away,' which peaked at No. 19 on the R&B chart and became a massive club hit. During a visit to Johannesburg in 2017, Ayers offered some rhythmic advice for youth in the city's Soweto area: Get serious, be inspired, rap on, keep on and 'eventually you'll get it.' 'You guys, you have to pick your plateau. Get serious about everything,' said Ayers. He also named a few musicians who have inspired him: Nigerian Fela Kuti ('he was really like a genius'), Herbie Mann ('he taught me the business') and Miles Davis ('He was the coolest. He was the grandmaster. He was out of sight'). After debuting on record with hard bop tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy's group in 1962, he teamed with jazz flutist Mann to record three albums for Atlantic Records — 'Virgo Vibes,' 'Stoned Soul Picnic' and 'Daddy Bug' — and wrote and produced the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film 'Coffy' starring Pam Grier. He also moved on to work with David 'Fathead' Newman, the tenor mainstay of Ray Charles' great '60s orchestra. Advertisement In 2017, he appeared alongside such acts as Tom Petty, the Shins, Alabama Shakes, Charles Bradley and William Bell at the eclectic Arroyo Seco Festival in Los Angeles. Ayers is survived by his wife Argerie, and their children Mtume and Ayana Ayers.
