Underrated - Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun

Erykah Badu is an extraordinary talent, but she is constantly overlooked.

Her album Mama's Gun is absolutely brilliant. Among the great songs is Green Eyes, which captivates me each time I hear it.

Green Eyes is a little over ten minutes long. Each verse is sung in a different musical style, progressing through the history of 20th century music. Yet, the song itself hangs together beautifully. It's not gimmicky.

The first time I remember hearing it, A and I were driving to Houston or Beaumont (which is neither beau nor mont), and i played the first verse and the chorus and then made him pay attention. We listened to it a few times in the car that night, marveling at her artistry and her risk-taking.

A told me tonight that he thinks it's 2nd best album by a female artist in the last 30 years, second only to Whitney Houston's debut.