Ratings

Why is it that every time an artist makes a "laying everything down" type of album, it ends up being one of said artists' best? "4:44" by Jay-Z, "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers" by Kendrick Lamar, and "Magdalene" by FKA twigs. All personal albums AND some of their best. This album is no different. The production on this album is really crazy, Usher's goal with the production was to cover all eras of R&B and it really does. Songs like "Superstar" and "Throwback" really show off that you old-school R&B vibe that's only more exemplified by the 70s samples in both tracks. While "Caught Up" & "Red Light" shows off what was considered "new school" in 2004. But what interests me the most is the lyrics and how it ended up leading to what I like to call "Gossip Music. It's the kind of music that made the connection between gossip pages online and album sales/charts extremely strong. Songs like "Burn" which describe the way Usher's relationship with TLC's Chilli started dwindling, "Confessions Part II" being about Jermaine Dupri's relationship about how he cheated on his girl and got another woman pregnant in the process. I wonder if it weren't for the lyrics on this, would albums like "Dirty Computer" or "Thank U, Next" have been made? If the Crunk combined with R&B track "Yeah" was never released, would artists like 6LACK be here? Idk, but what I do know is that more artists should be confessing their secrets, it's sounds good asl.

My favorite kinds of teachers in school were the substitutes that instead of teaching the class about the subject or just handing students work and going about their business, talked about their life and ending up giving students a life lesson. That's exactly what this album feels like. Both the songs and skits throughout this album showcases different types of love with Lauryn being the teacher talking about her life and the skits showcasing the lessons being taught. These lessons which include unrequited love, self love, and that love cannot only be romantic but also platonic as well. But love isn't the only lesson that's taught. "To Zion" teaches both the how motherhood can make someone feel but also that sometimes it's better to think with your head. While "Every Ghetto, Every City" shows the feelings one can get when they reminisce on their childhood. All the while Lauryn Hill smoothly flows between singing and rapping, and merging both R&B and Hip Hop into this phenomenal album. Not to mention that this is entirely produced by herself. It's no wonder to why this won FIVE Grammys in one night. It's no wonder to why this was considered both album of the year/decade immediately when this came out. Truthfully, I can't imagine anything else to say about this album that hasn't already been said. However, if you are one of the 13 people who haven't listened to this album, then listen.

I'm backstage at a NYC nightclub in the 80s

Is this what bubblegum bass is? If so, then I think I want more of it. You would think that for an album that goes on for an hour and 40 minutes that it would get dull at some point, but it never does. With all three discs bring something new, it was hard to get sick of this album. Speaking of which, let's get into those now. The first disc, titled "Past", is a almost like a tribute to A.G. Cook's bright and colorful sound. Similar to the production he did in PC Music. However, it reminds me of when people in real life talk about their past with a rose-tinted lens and how they'll mention, similar to the production on this disc, how bright and colorful everything was. Especially since I can imagine songs like "You Know Me" and "Heartache" being one of those songs on a kids TV show that just goes hard. The second disc, also my favorite of the three, is titled "Present". This one features a more rock-heavy sound, and this type of production can be found on some of the slower songs on the new Charli xcx album. Going back on the rose-tinted lens connection for "Past", this reminds me on how those same people talk about their present. More open, more raw, and like this section of the album, at least on a sonically, a bit more depressing. This disc ends off with "Without", a song about the late producer Sophie. There's not much I can say about this, except beautiful. The third and final disc, is titled "Future". This, is the most weirdest out of the three in my opinion. But it makes sense. In a way, it's like an amalgamation of the first two discs and this weird sound. It takes those sad feelings you have about the present, making this doubtful sound if anything is going to get better. It also brings back the hopeful, cheery sound of the first disc, bringing excitement into the future. And then of course it has to contain weird sounds, because the future is weird, nobody can expect what will happen. I never thought that a bubblegum bass album would take me through multiple worlds AND have me contemplating my life, yet here we are.

There's many ways people cope with life as a whole. Some people do drugs, some follow religions, and some of them follow philosophies. Going more into the philosophy aspect there's multiple that people follow. Absurdism (life has no meaning and thus you must create said meaning), Stoicism (you can find true happiness by focusing on what you can control and accepting events you cannot), and Hedonism (human behavior is motivated by the desire to maximize pleasure and to minimize pain) just to name a few. But, what I really wanna figure out in this review is: What is Baduizm? Well first of all, it's really easy to become a follower of Baduizm. All you have to do is listen to the music. Do that and you get entranced by the smooth and bassy production which sounds like an even smoother and jazzier version of "The Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest. Along with that you have Erykah's glossy vocals which are quiet and unique as that of Billie Holiday's. The entire album just makes you want to stop whatever you're doing and just listen to it. It's more harder to NOT be a follower of Baduizm than to become one. Just like any other philosophy there's a bunch of teachings in Baduizm. For example in "Next Lifetime" there's the belief that what you want but can't get, will come back to you in another lifetime. "Sometimes" deals with the feeling of having both love and disdain for someone and coming to terms with your emotions. "4 Leaf Clover" focuses on the themes of luck and destiny by putting it as a love song. But I think the key point of Baduizm can be described by "On & On". Not being upset and instead feeling a high during bad days due to knowing that you're eventually gonna learn a lesson due to said experience. Learning lessons and passing them down, along with good vibes. That's the key core of Baduizm. The album is amazing too btw.