Attending performances: Erykah Badu Mama’s Gun ‘25 (2 points)

On November 24th, I attended the Mama’s Gun 25th anniversary performance. Erykah Badu was up on stage, singing her heart out on stage. It was so enthralling to see her perform live because her music is what my mother and I bonded over while I grew up. The aesthetics of the stage were captivating as she used lighting, metallics, and a kaleidoscopic screen to create an Afrofuturistic vibe. Alongside the intrigue of the visuals, her words were deeply moving and relatable. She sang about so many different human emotions and experiences: passion, devotion, heartbreak, jealousy, spite, sadness, and the list goes on. The crowd held a wide range of ages, yet each person was united by the humanness of her lyrics. This experience was transformative in breaking down my conceptions of human divisions. No matter how different people are, they all experience the same emotions and can often find community in music.

- Taylar Wharton