| New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) | ||||
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| Released | February 26, 2008 | |||
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| Length | 58:52 | |||
| Label | Universal Motown | |||
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| Erykah Badu chronology | ||||
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| Singles from New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) | ||||
New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Erykah Badu. It was released on February 26, 2008, by Universal Motown following Badu's hiatus from recording music due to writer's block. In returning from the hiatus, she received music from several hip hop producers over the Internet and recorded demos of her vocals using the GarageBand software on her laptop. Most of the album was then recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
New Amerykah Part One is an esoteric concept album titled as a pun on Badu's first name and a reflection of the record's political leanings. It features social commentary and themes related to the plight of the African-American community, including poverty, urban violence, complacency, and cultural identity. The record's densely produced music incorporates hip hop, soul, funk, jazz, and electronica styles.
The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, eventually selling 359,000 copies in the United States by December 2009. Two singles were released in support of the album—"Honey" and "Soldier"—and Badu performed its music on her Vortex World Tour. Critically, New Amerykah Part One was a widespread success, being named by many critics as one of 2008's best records. In 2019, it was voted the 92nd best album of the 21st century in a poll of music journalists published by The Guardian.