When Erykah Badu comes to the Waterfront Theatre at the American Airlines Arena on April 8, she won't be alone: Bilal and Robert Glasper will open the show.
Philadelphia-based Bilal, known for his screechy falsetto, hasn't released an album since 2001's 1st Born Second -- his second album, Love For Sale, was scrapped after leaking online. But he's collaborated with Jay-Z, Common and Ms. Badu herself: He provided background vocals for five tracks on her 2006 album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War).
He's also featured on Badu's "Jump Up In The Air (Stay There)" with Lil Wayne, which is an online bonus track for her latest album, New Amerykah Part Two (Return Of The Ankh), due in stores March 30.
Bilal has promised a 2010 release for his new release, Airtight's Revenge.
Robert Glasper is a Grammy-nominated jazz and hip-hop pianist and keyboardist whose latest album, Double-Booked, highlights the juxtaposition of his various styles. He's played many times with Bilal, and his RCDC band -- which has often backed Mos Def in concert -- features Badu's excellent drummer Chris "Daddy" Dave.
Tickets for the show are pricey: They run from $58.50 to $125 and are available at Ticketmaster. But this show is unique for South Florida (it's not part of a bigger Badu tour) and is sure to feature some of the jam-centric hip-hop musicianship often found in New York City concerts, but rarely down here.
Comments