SS 5: Erykah Badu — Worldwide Underground EP
Depending on the context of various black freedom-fighting waves, the afro has swung in an out of mainstream fashion across the years. Its most noticeable period on American album covers is during the 1970s, presumably influenced by factors like the rise of the Black Panthers in the late 60s.
Afros on 70s covers tended to be perfectly round-shaped though, like Roberta Flack’s on her Quiet Fire album art, but Erykah allows hers to be placed front and centre in its glorious imperfection. It’s realistic because the shape of an afro can be annoyingly volatile.
The dent in the back, the loose curls and the asymmetry all say, ‘Perfection doesn’t exist in this afro, in this music or this world but that’s what makes things all the more interesting to experience’.
By the early 2000s when Worldwide Underground was released, afros were seen less and straight hair had taken over again. But the thing is, artists like Badu have never needed a reason or ‘movement’ to show off the beauty of being black; they just do.
Symbolically, the mass of hair may allude to a mass of intellect (she is also called Badoula Oblingada so better act like you know lol). The lyrics from some of the songs are written around her frame and the afro, as if to show that they emanate from there.
She’s not only sharing the complete musical work, but also an example of some drafts and doodles that went into creating it.
Like 80s and 70s kids had entire books dedicated to writing lyrics, I wrote them on the covers of my school exercise books. There wouldn’t always be money to buy the pretty paper to cover them in, so when I had to use that default ugly brown paper, I’d fill it with verses I love. As with the writing on this album art, it’s about having your ideas up front and exposed so people get a hint what to expect before they dig deeper.
A review by Pop Matters says “much of Worldwide Underground was inspired by a relative period of writer’s block, so she and her band hit the road [for] the Frustrated Artist Tour (…) and it’s the folks who got her focus back.” Her audience became an anchor for her creative process in a way. That context makes sense as one gets a more experimental feeling with this album than with Baduism and Mama’s Gun which are more tightly arranged with themes coming across more consistently.
Pitchfork’s, Andy Beta, writes that, “This disc contains more filler and fluff than her fresh-picked fro can symbolize on the cover.” I see where he’s coming from, to an extent. Some sections do come across more like vocal training sessions, but I do think it’s important for an artist to mess around a little — which is why it’s interpreted as ‘playful’ here rather than ‘filler and fluff’.
I mean, the woman was going through writer’s block and still managed to create something that still sounds fresh 17 years later. Like in the Lupe Fiasco Tetsuo and Youth review, she’s another one of those artists whom people expect so much from that what would be regarded as good from someone else is considered average for her.
All in all, the album art and the music exude a natural, authentic and relaxed yet gritty vibe. It’s a soundtrack for bumping up the attitude of black excellence while giving breathing room for the flaws that are part of it all.
Sound Sightings album art score: 8/10
Top 3 tracks: 2. Bump it, 4. I want you, 7. Danger
Album artist/designer: Erykah Badu, Kenny J Gravillis, Marc Baptiste
Label: Motown Records
Pub Date: 2003
References
Beta, A. (2003) Erykah Badu: Worldwide Underground. Pitchfork [online magazine]. Available: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1083-worldwide-underground/
Neal, M.A. (2003) Erykah Badu: Worldwide Underground. Pop Matters [Online magazine]. Available:https://www.popmatters.com/baduerykah-worldwide-2495851897.html
