Just returned from Wingate Field and Erykah was her usual ecclectic,funky,and spiritual self. Despite the initially too-cool brooklyn crowd, she treated brooklyn to a gem. No neo soul here this was hip hop from he essence, From Roy Ayers to Bambatta sonically, she took you on a trip to Nigeria afro beat style, we have coffee with freddie hubbard within a few stone throws of Donald Byrd and resting at the memoriam of J Dilla. The wild child was on tonight mantra in full tow. It’s bigger than religion, it’s bigger than “my nigga”…Erykah takes it back to her roots. Soundng great with new material from her just released World WOrld 4 part one. Happy to be back in brooklyn she even came down to frolic with the crowd which must have been a nightmare to the security troupe but no harm no foul, even after a reveler reached over for a hug. All in all I was not dissapointed my little one younger than tyrone shook and wiggled like she had a few tyrones in her young life. On my way to the store, a rare occurance in the dog days of the music business to cop the album. More artists should give the people a heartfelt, sincere performance and for free at that.

Thank You Badu. Love the hair, love the pure artist in you …..

ONE

Left by negril on August 5th, 2008

I loved her performance last night! It was off the chain! I’m not sure what was up with Brooklyn last night, but people were acting as if they were in a Catholic Church at first by simply rocking in their chairs and silently snapping their fingers. It wasn’t until Badu pondered our silence, that we stood and showed her how we really felt about her music despite the barricades.

Left by Nicole on August 5th, 2008

Erykah Badu is inspiring, beautiful and smart. I thank Erykah Badu and all those involved in making the concert possible. It was great!

Left by MireyaInParis on August 5th, 2008

Mine eyes have seen what it looks like at the crossroads of Erykah Badu’s career. It happened tonight at her *free* concert in Brooklyn’s Wingate Park. As a practicing Baduist I was virtually required to attend this event as I can scarecely afford to see even local bands these days. Erykah Badu for free? I’m there.

After much pre-show ado there she finally was…offering healing in the form of fresh Madlib beats then taking us through a live remix of many of her songs older & new. She had me 100,000 miles from heaven when Brooklyn dropped me back down into this cold, cold world!

Yes I’m calling out Brooklyn ’cause that’s whose land this stuff went down on (I’m from the Bronx personally – birthplace of hip hop and receptive to all things creative and fly). But yeah, Brooklyn started leaving the park in droves only about a quarter of the way into her set. I heard complaints from the bleachers (“play ‘Tyrone!!!!”). Suddenly I knew where this was going. This was the ’separate the wheat from the chaff’ moment. A moment that really should not be present in black music today (or ever) but nevertheless we were “there”. When I first got wind of the concert I knew the house would be packed but I hadn’t imagined we’d end up with two *factions* (if you will) of Badu fans present. There were what I’ll call the “OG” fans. These fans like to hear “On & On”, “Love of My Life” and the aforementioned “Tyrone”. At a certain point during her show when she was in the midst of some of her *new shyt* she abruptly shut down the stage and said “Goodbye Brooklyn!”, to which she received a smattering of “boos”. Of course, after the hardcore OG crowd left, she came back on and played some of their favorites All I could keep thinking as they left (and never thought I’d ever have want or occasion to use this phrase but…) “BYE HATERS”.

I know she’ll catch a lot of flack behind this show BUT can you honestly blame the artist if the so-called fans don’t keep current? I could tell she was pissed. My piscean sisterhood antennae was up. I could empathically feel her deep disappointment. She was playing percussion and really getting all spiritual and interactive and what not, only to receive a “where’s Tyrone?” reception. She at one point actually stopped and said what “Oh, I see what’s happening”. SAD! People! Have we grown so far away from our organic musical roots that we can’t recognize great talent when it’s in our presence? There was a part too where she was almost shrieking…my girl was wailing over the condition of black audiences today! The Black community *at large* would have her “Frankie Beverley’d” — resigning her to a life of never-ending “Joy & Pain”. Having her sing Tyrone and Bag Lady On & On (and on & on!). Don’t get me wrong. Those were great songs. Hell, THOSE ARE THE ANCESTOR SONGS…they deserve much respect (and continued rotation on the ipod). BUT Ms. Badu is a rolling stone. She can’t stay in one place too long. She’s from Neptune…there they just float…float on. She started us off in the basement, the foundation, the rhythm-y, blues-y Baduizm. From there above ground to the bad-ass funk of Mama’s Gun then on to the aphrogalactic realms of the Worldwide Underground. Now she’s taken us 110 more stories up to New Amerykah. The sky is the limit with Badu and I plan to hang on for the ride. With each rise in musical consciousness though there has been a fall in her so-called fan base. Many falling back to kinder gentler days. Content to get their lessons “next lifetime”. Who needs “so-called fans” when one has a molten hot core of true fans & tribemates with you from On & On and beyond.

Thank you Erykah for never compromising and for staying true to your art and the direction that art is leading you in. You have and will continue to be blessed by it. I salute you Badu!

Left by Maryjane on August 5th, 2008

What are you talking about Maryjane? I was at the same concert (in the front with th true stans) & WE were with her 100%. I only saw two old women leave before her set was over.

It was amazing!

Left by Kay on August 5th, 2008

I hate it when people think they have connections, i waited in line to get turn back with my wife and son.

Left by Black Man on August 5th, 2008

Hey Kay…I was in the bleachers…I had a bird’s eye view of the entire park…there were STREAMS of people leaving but I’m sure at the “core” close to the stage people stayed true. I just didn’t feel the applause either…it was there but not like it should have been IMHO.

I agree though…GREAT performance.

Blessings to Badu!

Left by maryjane on August 6th, 2008

Interesting reading some of the stuff written above.. especially the ramblings of Maryjane.. I am new to the US, and NYC, and have been to 5 free concerts this summer.. I am a great fan of Erykah’s, but I did not feel the performance was great.. my judment was based on the vibe that i didn’t get.. the vibe i didn’t feel from the othet 25000 peeps.. but maybe I was wrong. If Erykah was really scorning the fans who were asking for Tyrone, then that’s a bit ruff.. I saw smokey robinsonb at coney island a few weeks back.. he entertained, he engaged the crowd, young and old.. i am no big smokey fan, but i loved that performance. i saw janelle monae on the weekend in central park.. she was on fire – as were the crowd.. many of which had never heard of her. I saw jungle brothers last night in redhook.. only about 500 people, but they rocked that crowd – and i aint no hardcore hiphop fan, but i was catching the vibe in that little park.. so, to that end.. I have to say that I hope Ms Badu was not dissappointed with her fans.

But more importantly.. I gotta give props to NYC for staging these events.. FANTASTIC

Left by Speedie on August 6th, 2008

I was there also, She has gotten very little air play the crowd was not really prepared for her new material, I was looking fwd to the new songs, the new songs did not provide the um felling the OG crowd was looking for except honey and maybe soldier but have yet to hear it on the radio, really people Erykah appeared tired of singing Tyrone,etc she did it for the crowd people get with it I guess you can say sometimes is hard for us as a people to move fwd we are always looking at the past get over it Tyrone is Dead women have received the message.. all in all I enjoyed the new songs as well as the old.

Left by Chewyu on August 12th, 2008