Worldwide Underground

1	World Keeps Turnin' (Intro) 1:39
2	Bump It 8:49
3	Back in the Day (Puff) 4:46
4	I Want You 10:53
5	Woo 3:14
6	The Grind 2:49
7	Danger 5:49
8	Think Twice 3:02
9	Love of My Life Worldwide 5:26
10	World Keeps Turnin' (Outro) 4:01

Barnes & Noble

No amount of incense can mask the talent of of Erykah Badu, whose voice is so distinctive it's been likened to that of the great Billie Holiday. The Texas-bred singer has been infusing her organic grooves with an inviting spiritualism since the release of her breakout debut, Baduizm, in 1997. But she ups the ante with a dose of hip-hop on Worldwide Underground, which takes a cue from her Grammy-winning single "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" on songs such as the lead single, "Danger." She introduces the track with a sample from an older song, "Other Side of the Game," and the contrast underscores her attitude change. Whereas she mournfully stood by her man's hustling ways on the jazzy "Other Side of the Game," over "Danger" 's hard-rocking bass line an adrenaline-fueled Badu warns, "The glock on cock / The block stay hot" -- signaling she's become Bonnie to her now-incarcerated man's Clyde. Keeping the hip-hop-inspired momentum going, conscious rap duo dead prez check in on "The Grind," and "Love of My Life Worldwide" is an old-school-reminiscent anthem built on the backbone of female rap trio Sequence's 1979 classic "Funk You Up." The latter song features rappers Bahamadia and Queen Latifah and the soulful vocals of former Sequence member Angie Stone. Other noteworthy cameos are by Zap Mama, who lends her eclectic musings to "Bump It" and Lenny Kravitz, who adds potent guitar licks to the backyard barbecue–suited jam "Back in the Day." But Worldwide Underground doesn't only incite riotous partying. The mesmerizing Badu takes a subdued stance on the Chaka Khan–esque "I Want You," which recalls the breathtaking "Orange Moon" from her 2000 disc Mama's Gun. Whether she keeps it gangsta or plays it ladylike, Ms. Badu continues to make uncompromisingly creative and thought-provoking music. Elon D. Johnson

All Music Guide

The so-called "EP" that will make many Erykah Badu skeptics wonder what's going on is actually 15 minutes longer than What's Going On. Why would any musician want to call a recording of such length -- 50 minutes, to be precise -- an EP? The fact that Worldwide Underground is being referred to as an EP makes it apparent that it isn't intended to be considered the true follow-up to Mama's Gun. You also find out throughout the course of the disc that the loose, spare arrangements aren't likely to generate a stream of tidy, four-minute Top Ten hits. As easy as the disc is to slide into, it's far and away the least commercial R&B release of the year. Written, produced, and performed by Freakquency -- a seemingly ad hoc group consisting of Badu, James Poyser, Rashad "Ringo" Smith, and R.C. Williams -- along with a revolving door of guests, the whole thing goes down more like a weekend jam session than an endlessly labored-over, polished project. For the most part, this is a good thing. Both "Bump It" and "I Want You" are over eight minutes in length, leaving plenty of space to establish relaxed atmospheres that are built on uncomplicated rhythms, twinkling keyboards, and vaporous textures. "Back in the Day (Puff)" and "Danger" are the two most single-oriented tracks; the former's essentially a more filled-out version of one of the extended pieces in miniature form, while the latter is the toughest sounding of the whole batch, with punchy, synthetic horn jabs and Badu's most animated vocal. A new version of "Love of My Life" caps off the disc in fine, fun style, with Badu paying tribute to the all-female, old-school trio Sequence, with the help of Angie Stone, Bahamadia, and Queen Latifah. If Worldwide Underground isn't to be taken as seriously as Baduizm and Mama's Gun, so be it; but it only goes to show how apprehensive the powers that be are in allowing their platinum artists to deviate from what's expected. Andy Kellman

Entertainment Weekly

Forget comparisons to Billie or Chaka -- that craggy-yet-smooth croon is Erykah's own. (B+) Larry Blumenfeld

Vibe

1/2 Like her 1997 Live album, Underground was recorded mostly while on tour, giving the collection an improvised sound. Aliya S. King