Erykah Badu created quite a buzz this week, unfortunately not about New Amerykah Part 2 (Return of the Ankh) which was rumoured to be coming out July 29th. No, the latest attention is focused on her third pregnancy with her third baby daddy without a marriage ceremony. I thought we lived in a more progressive age where this kind of thing would hardly be newsworthy, or at least an age of nuclear families that make Erykah look like the model parent that she actually is. Instead we live in the age of celebrity mommy gossip; thus, confirmation (i think she personally confirmed it) of Mz. Badu's new pregnancy is overshadowing news of the next installment to New Amerykah. (Oh and if you haven't guessed it, the daddy would be the one and only JAY ELECTRONICA! One things for sure, these kids have gorgeous genes to spare...) I'm more interested in the album, so if you want to learn more about the beef and response to the unborn baby drama, check out this respectable source with a photo of Erykah looking gorgeous in Italy last week:

Erykah Badu baby drama on whudat

I'd say this is an "unplanned pregnancy" at least, since the soul diva previously described her plans to release albums instead of babies in an interview published in May. Here's an excerpt from that interview with Dallas Morning News' GuideLive:

You plan to release three albums in the next two years. That's fast! Usually it's been several years before you release something new.

Right, because there's always a project that comes in between those projects, like a baby. ... And that comes first for me. I'm not pregnant, finally.

So you'll finally be able to concentrate on yourself. What are you looking forward to most?

It's me time. And I feel very selfish, but at the same time I'm equally generous with the ideas and with the creativity. ... The first album, I had no kids, and it was creative and it was just me that I was talking about and feeling. This feels similar to that time again.

This should have no bearing on the next album, since the release date was unofficially said to be July 29th. If that's true, the album is done and ready to hit stores by now. But, it may sidetrack this alleged third album mentioned in the interview.

Erykah on the 1s & 2s... 9th Wonder looks like he's taking notes!

So far, I haven't seen any official news about Part 2 of New Amerykah, but here's what some pretty reliable sources are saying:

During her performance at the VH1 Storytellers Show, Erykah told the audience, "My album on Feb. 26 is part one of a bigger project. ... Part one, called Fourth World War, describes the war you have with yourself. Part two, Return of the Ankh, is more spiritual and emotional."

Pinboard reported:

"Return of the Ankh" is set for an July 2008 released and is to be accompanied by a USB stick which Badu says will include extras ranging from footage of concerts, to commentary on the recording process and "me in the bathtub with Flavour Flav"

That blog also revealed the title of the third installment, which Badu is not ready to discuss publicly yet:

Badu was pretty tight lipped about her third release "Lowdown Loretta Brown" saying only that it's a "period piece"...

The Badu quotes were also published in Wired Mag and HipHopdx, so they're def legit. Finally, Backbeat Online published another great interview with Erykah where she discusses New Amerykah, Part One (4th World War) along with her own ideas about war and solutions.

I'm looking forward to more Badunk funk without having to wait another 8-10 years, so I'll be relieved when I hear confirmation that Return of the Ankh is shipping out. I absolutely love 4th World War and won't be bored of it anytime soon. But if she's preggers again, it would be so sweet to have an extra album to tide me over until that kid is playing GarageBand in 2015. Especially if the world ends in 2012 and that day never comes!

As always, I'll have my ear to the street for more info on upcoming albums from my #1 fashion muse, Erykah Abi Badu, bad azz goddess of music, motherhood and community activism. And, Mz. Badu, if yer listenin' - ignore those nasty critics and do yer thang gal! They wouldn't last a week if they had to face what you do everyday. If those sweet likkle ones give you the strength and optimism to fight another day, than have as many as you need. The world could use a few more soldiers for the upcoming revolution.

Peace.