Mama's Gun is the second studio album by American singer Erykah Badu. It was recorded between 1999 and 2000 at Electric Lady Studios in New York and released by Motown Records on November 21, 2000. A neo-soul album, Mama's Gun incorporates elements of funk, soul, and jazz styles. It has confessional lyrics by Erykah, which cover themes of insecurity, personal relationships, and social issues. Critics have viewed the album as a female companion to neo-soul artist D'Angelo's second album Voodoo (2000), which features a similar musical style and direction. Critics have also noted that while Badu's first album Baduizm contained its share of cryptic lyricism, Mama's Gun is much more direct in its approach, and places Erykah in a subjective position more than its predecessor.
Diving into Badu's album
The album contains the single "Bag Lady", her first top 10 Billboard hit, which was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and for Best R&B Song. The song "Didn't Cha Know?" was nominated for Best R&B Song. The album features substantial contributions from several members of the Soulquarians outfit, of which Badu was a member. It also features guests such as soul singer Betty Wright and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Mama's Gun was met with generally positive reviews from critics. It was less commercially successful than Baduizm, receiving Platinum certification in the US. Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the Top 10 Albums of 2000.
Release Date: November 21, 2000
Label: Motown Records
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