By Janey Tate
This Saturday make sure you get your incense, scented candles, African prints, knitted hats & shirts and head wraps ready because you’re gonna want to have them when Erykah Badu and Jill Scott give us the best damn show this year! The two Neo-Soul Queens will face off in a friendly Verzuz battle on May 9 at 7p.m. on Instagram live. If you’ve been under a rock and don’t know what Verzuz is, then click here. Just know Verzuz is where the icons come to show us their hits, tell us great music stories and flex on us and each other.
I’m a Erykah Badu SUPERFAN and Jill Scott is in my top 5 favorites singers, so please know I will be getting my life during this Verzuz event. The little girl in me who became a Badu stan in 1997 after seeing her sweep the Lady of Soul awards, is losing her shit right now. I’m too hyped for this. I use to turn my momma sheets into dresses and wrap my head with towels to copy Badu’s signature Neo-Soul look from the 90s. I fell in love with that lady immediately. She had a new sound, was beautiful and unapologetically a Black Woman and proud to be one.
I had no idea when I was 9-years-old that I needed the beauty image Badu provided in a sea of white faces in the media. Badu has always served as a reminder to love myself, to be OK with going against the grain and to be dope & cool af while doing it. Although, I haven’t quite mastered the latter, I’m forever grateful for Ms. Budu/ Erica Abi Wright/ FatBellyBella/ Sara Bellum/ Apples/ Badulla Oblongata/ Analogue Girl in a Digital World/ Manuela Maria Mexico/ Autumn Annie. She’s forever the illest! I learned to “unlearn” problematic rules given to me from society, relgion and family. And her music got me through so many life events, it was like she wrote the lines just for me.
When I’m in my feelings and falling in love I listen to my favorite Erykah Badu song ever “I Want You,” and “Love of Life: An Ode to Hip Hop,” and “In Love With You.”
For breakups “Green Eyes” and “Out My Mind, Just in Time” are on my playlist.
When I wanna be “woke” I play the Baduizm Live Album and “The Healer” and “Soldier.”
For self love I listen to “Me” and “Apple Tree” and “Orange Moon.”
And when I’m feeling sassy I listen to “Booty.”
Badu’s music is smooth like honey to ME and the love of my life– see what I did there 😉
So yeah Saturday night you will find me with my head wrapped, incense burning and hanging on to everyone minute of this Verzuz battle. We are not deserving of this, but these Queens still saw fit to grant us this privilege. Be grateful!
Hy-Lo News Family will you guys be watching the Erykah Badu and Jill Scott Verzuz? Are you rooting for Badu or Jilly from Philly? Sound off.
This Opinion Piece was written by Janey Tate. Follow Hy-Lo News Editor-in-Chief on Twitter @Janey_Tate, Facebook and Instagram.
Extremely excited about this one! I will be ready with my incense, head wrap, candles lit and cognac sipping!
Ayyye ayyye!!! 😁🧡🙌🏾