Erykah Badu is currently on tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her landmark album, “Mama’s Gun.” Her second album became a Neo-soul classic, creating a sonic blueprint for artists by mixing R&B, hip-hop, funk, jazz, and even hard rock. It was a sign of the times, as the turn of the century brought sonic fusion to the foreground.
“This was neo soul at arguably its most prolific and thrilling moment of growth and possibility,” Pitchfork wrote in an album review. “Innovated by black Gen-Xers who ardently valued and sought to revive their parents’ and their older siblings’ music and the albums that soundtracked their childhood, neo soul runs best on a seductive combination of cultural nostalgia, black solidarity dreams, and the will to couple sensually with an ideal partner while paying attention (somewhat but not always) to the politics of gender equality.”
Of the album’s many amazing tracks, one has always stood out to me as a perfect song. “Didn’t Cha Know” has a slinky, hypnotic groove that serves as a sonically sensual bed for Badu’s irresistible vocals. Although its commercial success at the time was subdued, the song has become a staple of her catalog.
“Didn’t Cha Know” was born out of a collaboration with beat genius J Dilla, whom she met in 1998 through Common. Badu immediately knew that she wanted Dilla on her album, and they soon got to work. He invited her to his basement, where he had thousands of records, and taught her how to sample.
“I went into his basement and every wall from floor to ceiling was records, categorized. He was a scientist,” Badu told the Red Bull Music Academy. “He let me pick out some records and there were a lot of things I’d never heard before in my life. One of them was a Tarika Blue record and I was like, “Wow, this is beautiful,” and it became ‘Didn’t Cha Know.’ Not only did he let me pick the record, he let me pick the spot in the record and taught me how to sample the portion of the song. He was very humble. He wasn’t like: ‘This is my lab.’ He was: ‘If you like this, you can probably do it.’ And that’s where I got my first sampling lesson, from Dilla.”
“Didn’t Cha Know” borrows its dreamy soundscape from Tarika Blue’s “Dreamflower,” then adds heavier R&B drums and bongos to fill out the rhythm. It revolves around an Ebmin7, with a bass line that emphasizes an F at its peak. The note is a 9th, and creates a beautiful yet unresolved feeling. Badu’s lyrics reflect the same feeling.
“When I wrote the song, I envisioned myself on an extended journey or Sabbatical,” she explained on Facebook. “I know what I was trying to metaphorically interpret. But what does the piece say to you?”
Badu made a stop at the New York Times headquarters to perform songs from her classic albums. I’d encourage you to watch the entire tantalizing performance, but be sure to check out “Didn’t Cha Know” at the 27:48 mark.
Now follow along with sheet music for “Didn’t Cha Know”:
