In her decade-plus career, Erykah Badu hasn’t been afraid to wait long periods between projects. But now Badu is making up for lost time. Five years on from her last release, the “Worldwide Underground” EP, she is putting the finishing touches on “Nu AmErykah,” a double-album to be released in separate installments.
The first disc, dubbed “4th World War,” arrives this week via Universal Motown, while the second, currently untitled installment is tentatively slated for the summer.
Since 2003’s “Worldwide Underground” EP, she’s made the occasional in-studio appearance (2002’s “Brown Sugar” soundtrack, Zap Mama’s “Bandi Bandi”), but has spent most of her time on the road. “Artists don’t make any money from recording,” Badu says. “The only thing I make money from is touring. I stay on the road. I’m taking R&B where it’s going.”
Where Badu is going now is “Nu AmErykah,” which she says “is the next place I am in my mind. It’s what I hear and create when I get in front of a board. In taking on a project like this, I’m taking the responsibility to talk for my race and my planet. I’m sure the record company will make their money and they’ve given me the blessing of time.”
