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Erykah Badu
Erykah performing at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards in April 2004
Background information
Birth name	Erica Abi Wright
Born	February 26, 1971 (1971-02-26) (age 37)
Origin	Dallas, Texas, United States
Genre(s)	Soul, hip hop, R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, actress
Years active	1997–present
Label(s)	Kedar/Universal (1997–1999) Motown (1999–present) Puppy Love Entertainment (2007-present)
Website	ErykahBadu.com

Erykah Badu (born February 26, 1971),¹ is a multiple Grammy-winner American soul singer and songwriter, whose work encompasses elements of R&B, hip hop and jazz.² She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical stylings and sense of fashion. She is known as the "First Lady of Neo-Soul".

Early in her career, Badu was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday.² She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a range of supporting roles in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules, and House of D.

Biography

Early life

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Johnson in South Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her and her brother and sisters alone, since their father, William Wright, Jr., had left the family early in their lives. To provide for her family, the children's grandmother often helped in looking after them while Erykah's mother, Kollen Maria Gipson (Wright), performed as an actress in theatrical productions. Influenced by her mother, Erykah had her first taste of show business at the age of 4, singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre. By the age of 14, Erykah was free-styling for a local radio station alongside such talent as Roy Hargrove. In her early youth, she decided to change the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah, as she firmly believed her original name to be her 'slave' name. The term 'kah' signifies the inner self, which, when translated from Arabic, means 'can do no wrong'.³ Badu is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Ashanti people in Ghana⁴⁵. Additionally in a letter written to Erykah from her father, "Badu in Arabic means truth and light...good choice kid." Erykah Badu currently resides in Dallas, Texas.

Upon graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Badu went on to study theater at the historically Black college Grambling State University. Concentrating on music full-time, she left the university in 1993 before graduating and took on several minimum wage jobs to support herself. She taught drama and dance to children at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Working and touring with her cousin, Robert "Free" Bradford, she recorded a 19-song demo, Country Cousins, which attracted the attention of Kedar Massenburg, who set Badu up to record a duet with D'Angelo, "Your Precious Love," and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal Records.⁵

Music career

Baduizm, Badu's highly acclaimed debut album, was released in early 1997 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Lead single "On & On" reached #12 on the singles charts in both the U.S. and UK. Badu received notice for her introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, and was hailed as one of the leading lights of the burgeoning neo soul genre. Her sophisticated style of singing drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday.⁶Baduizm eventually went triple platinum and, along with "On & On," won Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremonies.

During that year, Badu became involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had a child, Seven, who was born in 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in the late 90s. Badu recorded her first live album, Live, while pregnant with Seven, and the release of the recording coincided with the birth to her child.⁷Live reached #4 on the Billboard charts, selling double platinum, and spawned another R&B hit single in "Tyrone," a song chiding a selfish, cheap, and inattentive boyfriend.⁸ Badu also collaborated with the Roots (who had previously handled production duties on a number of tracks on Baduizm) on their breakthrough 1999 release, Things Fall Apart. She was featured on the song "You Got Me," co-written by Jill Scott, which hit the top 40 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

After taking some time off to raise her child, Badu returned in 2000 with Mama's Gun, an album more organic in sound than her previous studio album, and primarily produced by the Soulquarians and noted bassist Pino Palladino. A remix of one of the album's songs, "Bag Lady," was issued as the first single and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. The album was well-received, with the lyrical content winning notices from many publications who found some of her lyrics hard to decipher on her initial releases.⁹ Despite not charting as high as her first two albums, Mama's Gun was another platinum-selling success, and "Bag Lady" was nominated for a Grammy.

By 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common, and "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" was released as a collaboration between the two on the Brown Sugar soundtrack. "Love of My Life" hit #9 on the pop charts, topped the R&B listings, and Badu was awarded her fourth Grammy for the song in 2003.¹⁰

After the release of Mama's Gun and "Love of My Life," Badu went through a period of writer's block.¹¹ She hit the road throughout 2002 and much of 2003 on what she dubbed the "Frustrated Artist Tour," in search of inspiration to write and perform new material.¹² The conclusion of the tour saw Badu head back to the studio with new material, and in September of 2003, the Worldwide Underground EP was released. More jam-oriented than any of her prior releases, Badu was quoted as saying that the release was designed to serve as one continuous groove.¹³Worldwide Underground reached #3 on the Billboard charts and was certified gold not long after its release, and Badu received four further Grammy nominations for the EP.

After almost four years and the birth of a daughter, Puma, it was revealed in 2007 that Badu had three albums in the works over the course of 2007 and 2008. Honey, a new single produced by 9th Wonder, was leaked online in November 2007, and the new album, titled New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), was released on February 26, 2008. Part two of the album is currently slated for November 2008 release.¹⁴ Erykah Badu is set to perform at the 10th annual Voodoo Experience in New Orleans the weekend before Halloween 2008.¹⁵

On August 23, 2008, Badu joined the rock band My Morning Jacket on stage at their show in Dallas, Texas to perform her song "Tyrone". Her surprise appearance was met with an enthusiastic reaction from the audience.¹⁶

The second installment of her New Amerykah series, Part Two, is due out sometime in the near future. While it was originally planned to be released sometime this year, her pregnancy has cast some doubt as to if this will actually happen.

Music style

Badu's lyrics are highly personal philosophies which throw emotional challenges in the face of the listener. She weaves unusual musical influences together creating a rich texture of sound. In many instances she references old school rappers and songs in her songs, adding a general Hip hop sensibility to her music.

Some music journalists have labeled her Nu soul or neo soul, often comparing her to Billie Holiday in lyrical delivery and grouping her with D'Angelo in musical genre. An eclectic collaborator, she has performed with artists from many different genres and backgrounds, among them roots reggae musician and singer Burning Spear.

Personal life

Badu has a son named Seven Sirius born in 1997 with ex-partner André 3000 of OutKast. On July 5, 2004, Badu gave birth to a daughter, Puma Rose, in her Dallas home. The father of her second child is West Coast rapper The D.O.C. who is originally from Dallas, Texas. She also dated rapper Common from 2000 to around 2002. She is currently expecting her third child with boyfriend of three years - rapper Jay Electronica.

Badu divides her time between Fort Greene, Brooklyn¹⁷ and Dallas, Texas.

She is a vegan.

Badu also serves as an activist in South Dallas where she grew up. Her charity organization, Beautiful Love Incorporated Non Profit Development (B.L.I.N.D.) provides community-driven development for inner-city youth through music, dance, theater and visual arts.

Acting career

Badu appeared in the films Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules, House of D, Before the Music Dies, and Dave Chappelle's Block Party. She also appeared in scenes of the music video of Miko Marks' 2006 recording 'Mama' and Common's video for "The Light" as well as making a special appearance on the sitcom Girlfriends.

Awards and nominations

• American Music Awards
  • 1998, Favorite Soul/R&B Album: "Baduizm"
  • 1998, Favorite R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist (won)
  • 2003, Video of the Year: "Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop)"

• BET Awards
  • 2001, Best Female R & B Artist
  • 2003, Best Collaboration: "Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop)" feat. Common
  • 2003, Best Female R & B Artist
  • 2003, Video of the Year: "Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop)" feat. Common (won)
  • 2008, Video of the Year: "Honey"
  • 2008, Best Director (won)

• BET J Virtual Awards
  • 2008, Album of the Year: New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
  • 2008, Song of the Year: Honey
  • 2008, Video of the Year: Honey
  • 2008, Live Performer of the Year

• Black Reel Awards
  • 2000, Best Supporting Actress: The Cider House Rules
  • 2003, Best Film Song: "Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop)" from Brown Sugar

• Grammy Awards
  • 1998, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "On & On" (won)
  • 1998, Best R&B Album: "Baduizm" (won)
  • 1998, Grammy Award for Best New Artist
  • 1998, Best R&B Song: "On & On"
  • 1999, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Tyrone"
  • 1999, Best R&B Album: "Live!"
  • 2000, Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: "You Got Me" (won)
  • 2001, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Bag Lady"
  • 2001, Best R&B Song: "Bag Lady"
  • 2002, Best R&B Song: "Didn't Cha Know"
  • 2003, Best R&B Song: "Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)" (won)
  • 2003, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop)" feat. Common
  • 2003, Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media: "Love of My Life (An Ode To Hip-Hop)"
  • 2004, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Danger"
  • 2004, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Back in the Day"
  • 2004, Best R&B Album: "Worldwide Underground"
  • 2004, Best R&B Song: "Danger"
  • 2007, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "The Heat" feat. Sergio Mendes

• Lady of Soul Awards
  • 1997, Favorite Female Solo Single: "On & On"
  • 1997, Favorite Female Solo Album: Baduizm
  • 1997, Best R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year: "On & On"
  • 1997, Best New R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist: "On & On"
  • 1998, Favorite Female Solo Single: "Tyrone"
  • 1998, Best R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year: "Tyrone"

• MTV Video Music Awards
  • 1997, Best Female Video: "On & On"
  • 1997, Best R&B Video: "On & On"
  • 2008, Best Editing in a Video: "Honey"
  • 2008, Best Special Effects in a Video: "Honey"
  • 2008, Best Cinematography in a Video: "Honey"
  • 2008, Best Direction in a Video: "Honey" (won)

• NAACP Image Award
  • 1998, Outstanding Female Artist (won)

• Soul Train Awards
  • 1998, Favorite Female Soul/R&B Single: "On & On" (won)
  • 1998, Favorite Female Soul/R&B Album: Baduizm (won)
  • 1998, Favorite New R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist: "On & On" (won)

Discography

Main article: Erykah Badu discography

• Baduizm (1997)
• Live (1997)
• Mama's Gun (2000)
• Worldwide Underground (2003)
• New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008)

References

External links

• Erykah Badu at the Internet Movie Database
• Erykah Badu at Allmovie
• Erykah Badu at MySpace