Erykah Badu is currently recording in her home studio in Dallas, Texas, hard at work on the follow-up to her 1997 debut LP, "Baduizm." The album should arrive later this year but we fans can expect to hear at least one of the new record's tracks long before it arrives in stores.
"Southern Gul," a new song from the Badu's forthcoming album, reunites the singer with one of her good friends in the Roots, Rahzel (a.k.a. The Godfather of Noyze). Badu had previously appeared on the Roots' hit ballad, "You Got Me," and "Southern Gul" was originally recorded as an interlude for Rahzel's debut solo effort. The two recently converged on Electric Lady Studios in New York to record the segment that eventually developed into a full song that discusses what Badu calls her "Dallas-grown childhood." "Raz got on the mic and started the 'music,'" Badu explains in the single's liner notes, "I just said the first thing that came out my lips. And before you know it, the concept for 'Southern Gul' was born." The multi-talented Badu also did the design and layout for the single release. The cover art features Badu's mouth smiling with four gold front teeth that reads: B-A-D-U. "Southern Gul" will appear on both artists' albums, but until then, look for the CD single to hit stores on July 27. As for Rahzel, he's looking to head out for some solo tour dates later this summer.
