ERYKAH BADU - World Wide Underground (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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.  by Andy Kellman 
Tracklist :
1     Intro - World Keeps Turnin'     1:39
2     Bump It    8:49
Backing Vocals – China Blac, E. Badu
Drum Programming – Rashad "Ringo" Smith
Keyboards – James Poyser
Lyrics By, Vocoder [Funk Box] – E. Badu
Music By – A. Magget, E. Badu, J. Poyser, B. R. Smith
Percussion – Doc Gibbs
Vocals [Additional] – Karon Wheeler, Zap Mama
3     Back In The Day (Puff)    4:47
Drum Programming – Rashad "Ringo" Smith
Electric Guitar – Lenny Kravitz
Keyboards – James Poyser
Lyrics By – E. Badu
Music By – A. Maggett, J. Poyser, B.R. Smith
Percussion – Doc Gibbs
4     I Want You    10:53
Keyboards – James Poyser
Lyrics By – E. Badu
Music By – A. Maggett, E. Badu, J. Poyser, B.R. Smith
5     Woo    3:14
 Backing Vocals – A. Perez, Alfredo Gray, Jazz Bell, Robert Pack, Sam Bell, Tisha Creer
Drum Programming – Rashad "Ringo" Smith
Flute – Dwayne Kerr
Handclaps – Braylon Lacy, Eevin Wright, Rod Rice
Keyboards, Other [Funk Cuts] – R. C. Williams
Lyrics By, Other [Funk Box] – E. Badu
Music By – E. Badu, R. C. Williams
6     The Grind    2:49
Drum Programming – E. Badu, Rashad "Ringo" Smith, dead prez
Featuring, Music By, Producer – dead prez
Lyrics By – M1, Stic Man
Vocals – E. Badu, M1, Stic Man
7     Danger    5:49
Backing Vocals – China Blac, E. Badu
Drum Programming – Rashad "Ringo" Smith
Keyboards – James Poyser, R. C. Williams
8     Think Twice    3:02
Drum Programming – Rashad "Ringo" Smith
Keyboards – James Poyser
Trumpet – Roy Hargrove
Vocals – E. Badu, Roy Hargrove
Written-By – Donald Byrd
9     Love Of My Life Worldwide    5:26
Drum Programming – Rashad "Ringo" Smith Featuring – Angie Stone, Bahamadia, Queen Latifah
Keyboards – James Poyser
10     Outro - World Keeps Turnin'     4:05
 - Bonus Track -
11     Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)    3:50
Bass – Raphael Saadiq
Drum Programming, Other [Cuts, Spices And Herbs] – Rashad Smith
Producer – Erykah Badu, Raphael Saadiq
Producer [Additional] – Jake & The Phatman, James Poyser
Vocals – Erykah Badu