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Back to ArticlesThe FreaQs Come Out at Night
Erykah Badu Kicks Off New Era at SXSW
AUSTIN March 20, 2005 - Just hours after launching Control FreaQ Records, Erykah Badu used her considerable star power to draw a raucous crowd to Austin Music Hall—where she showcased her new label’s first signed artist, Jay Electronica, along with an eclectic lineup of supporting acts.
Partners-n-Crime and Houston-based rapper Devin the Dude kicked off the night with brief sets, but the show hit its true stride with the arrival of The Strange Fruit Project. The Dallas hip-hop trio of Myone, Myth and Symbolyc One performed material from previous releases, alongside songs from their upcoming album “The Healing”. Evoking the style of classic rappers like KRS-One and Rakim, S.F.P. delivered smooth rhymes, laced with soulful harmonies and an R&B flavor reminiscent of Stevie Wonder and D’Angelo.
Next up was Badu’s sister, Nayrok, who has charted a strikingly different musical course than her famous sibling. Backed by a hard-edged guitar rock combo, Nayrok momentarily stunned the crowd with her stark contrast to the rest of the bill. But her powerful voice ultimately found its bluesy center—somewhere between Janis Joplin and Tina Turner—and she had the audience singing along by the end of her set.
It was after midnight by the time featured performer Jay Electronica took the stage. The well-traveled New Orleans native lived up to the hype, electrifying the hall and working the crowd with the intensity and passion of a street prophet. The audience reciprocated, responding to his polished flow and seamless production as if they had known him for years.
Jay paid homage to a wide range of influences without coming off as derivative, and he displayed his unique groove and consciousness in songs like “I Feel Good” and “Something to Hold On 2”. Described by Badu as “an incredible artist and a peculiarly intellectual MC”, Jay proved he is all that and more, and no doubt earned new fans in the process.
But, if the showcase was billed as Jay’s coming out party, the night belonged to Erykah. From the moment she slinked onstage to sing backup on her protégé’s final number, all eyes were on her.
Supremely comfortable in her own skin, Badu is both poet and priestess onstage, effortlessly weaving her own style through a tapestry of jazz, R&B and hip-hop. Her hour-plus set featured a dynamic range of light and shade—one moment chanelling Billie Holiday, and the next delivering biting social commentary on songs like “Other Side of the Game” and “On and On”.
Few artists are as at home under the lights and, even with a crowd of thousands, Badu performed with a level of intimacy that turned the spacious hall into a smoky jazz club. It was fitting that, on the day she declared her industry independence, Badu would put on such an impressive display of her artistic self-determination. With her talent and vision, and artists like Jay Electronica, the future of Control FreaQ Records is bright indeed.
—William Haskins