Get the latest gossip

6 Politically-Minded Erykah Badu Tracks

For Badu’s 54th birthday, we explore her most politically conscious songs.

With a bass contribution by Thundercat, the 2008 “New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)” song “The Cell” was both current and predictive for its lyrics on heightened impoverishment, drug abuse and vaccinations. In collaboration with Georgia Anne Muldrow, Badu pushed “wokeness” on the funky “New Amerykah” track “Master Teacher” long before it became a buzzword. While the song wasn’t necessarily political on its own, Badu’s controversial nude performance art in the “Window Seat” music video represented the scrutiny of self-liberation and repercussions of groupthink.

Get the Android app