Erykah Badu & the Cannabinoid's Musical Mental Odyssey at Granada Theatre

Friday, Jan. 20 was a night of melody, elevation and good company as Erykah Badu and The Cannabinoids enlightened Granada Theatre vets and newcomers with tracks from their upcoming album. But before Badu hit the stage with her once experimental, now full blown tour phenomenon, Dallas’ most beloved DJ’s hit the platform. Jay Clipp was the initial party starter, hosting and spinnin’ his concoction of forgotten old skool tunes and new skool crowd pleasers. DJ Sheka Booker later took over and ignited a load of club tunes and pioneering rap classics sprinkled with a mixture of disco favorites.

Underground loyalists were crunked up and anticipating the opening act A+Dd, whose show palette included D-Town favorites like “Like A Mug” and “Getting Far” with the help of their resident vocalist Mz. Fortune whose piercing vocal style reminds you of a young Mystic or Amanda Diva. Afterwars, Picnictyme, a Cannabinoid member and producer of A+Dd's "When Pigs Fly," soon joined the stage to goof off with his homies onstage. 

After a stellar opening from A+Dd, it was soon time to rock with the Cannabinoids. In case you’ve never witnessed the electronika phenomenon, it’s almost a house tradition for DJ Big Texas to rip the turntables. The Dallas bred mix master plays iconic hip hop melodies and mixes in some of his own melody productions as well, that only a true Big Texas follower can appreciate.

 
Then appeared the rest of Queen Badu’s court, which includes many of the music’s industry’s most accomplished producers: Picnictyme (A.Dd+'s “When Pigs Fly”), S1 (Kanye West's "Power," Beyonce's "Best Thing I Never Had,") Grammy Award winning producer Jah Born ("On and On,") producer Rob Free ("Apple Tree,") world reknown DJ A1, drummer Cleon Edwards, and Badu Musical Director RC Williams from Dallas’ favorite live band The Gritz from the Wednesday Night Jam Session at Prophet Bar. 

Taking on their individual human brain personas, the Cannabinoids took their places. Then the Medula Oblongata herself E. Badu hit the stage with the praises of her followers in the audience. Equiped with her Macbook, an MPC (beat machine) and her signature Theremin (a weird instrument that always stokes her crowd,) the crew performed new and unreleased tracks from their upcoming debut album. (Although we're not sure the titles of these songs, obvious favorites included "Everybody Love Me," and also threw in interludes (produced by DJ Big Texas,) as well as a few of the Neo-soul queens classic hits such as Apple Tree (Rob Free,) Ode to Hip Hop (Love of my Life,) Tyrone, On and On, Rim Shot, Window Seat and Bag Lady.