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'Erykah Badu' (born 'Erica Abi Wright' on February 26, 1972 in Dallas, Texas) is an American R&B, soul, neo soul, and hip hop singer and songwriter whose work crosses over into jazz. She is best known for the single "On & On", as well as "Love of My Life", "Tyrone", "Next Lifetime", "Bag Lady", and "Cleva". Influenced early on by singers such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Chaka Khan (her all-time favorite artist), Badu was taking to the local radio microphones, freestyling on the air by the age of 14.

Contents

Biography

Music style

Personal life

Acting career

Awards/Nominations

Discography

Albums

Singles

Other musical recordings

Filmography

External links

Biography

While a dance student at Booker T. Washington High, Dallas's performing arts magnet school, Badu was known as "Apples" (her high school nickname), while using her freestyle rap skills as a member of a female hip-hop duo. In addition to the Apples moniker, she would also change her name from Erica Wright to Erykah Badu - "kah" referring to "inner self," and "Badu" referencing the scatting style that many jazz vocalists utilize. [1]
Upon graduating high school, Badu went on to study theater at the historically Black college Grambling State University. Choosing to concentrate on music full-time, she decided to leave 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 and 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. [2]
''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. Badu received notice for her introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, and was hailed as one of the leading lights of the burgenoning neo soul genre, while her singing often drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday. [3] ''Baduizm'' eventually went triple platinum, and both it and "On & On" won Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremonies.
Badu was involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast for a time in the late '90s, and the relationship, since ended, produced a child, Seven, who was born in 1997. Badu recorded her second album, ''Live'', while pregnant with Seven, and the live recording was released on the same day that she gave birth to him. [4] ''Live'' reached #4 on the Billboard charts, went double platinum, and spawned another R&B hit single in "Tyrone," a song chiding an irresponsible male in a relationship. [5] Badu also collaborated with the Roots (who had previously handled production duties on many of ''Baduizm's'' tracks) on their breakthrough 1999 release, ''Things Fall Apart''. She was featured on the song "You Got Me," 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,'' a more organic album than her previous studio album had been. 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. [6] 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.
Badu was in a relationship with Common in the early 2000s, 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. [7]
After the release of ''Mama's Gun'' and "Love of My Life," Badu went through a period of writer's block. [8] She hit the road throughout 2002/2003 on what she dubbed the "Frustrated Artist Tour," looking to find inspiration for writing and performing new material. [9] 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. [10] ''Worldwide 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.
Nearly four years (and the birth of a daughter, Puma) passed between ''Worldwide Underground'' and any news of Badu's next album, but in 2007, it was revealed that three albums are in the works over the course of 2007 and 2008 - the first being released in September, and the next two to follow after six-month intervals. [11]

Music style

Badu's lyrics are highly personal urban 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 aspects she remains the quintessential Hip-Hop B-Girl, although she no longer rhymes.
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. She has performed with roots reggae musician and singer Burning Spear.

Personal life

Badu has a son named Seven (b. 1997) with ex-boyfriend André 3000 of OutKast fame. On July 5, 2004, Badu gave birth to a daughter, Puma, in her Dallas home; ^[1]
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."

Awards/Nominations

★ Black Reel Awards

★
★ '2003, Best Film Song: "Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop)" from Brown Sugar (Winner)'

★
★ '2000, Best Supporting Actress: The Cider House Rules (Winner)'

Discography

Albums

★ ''Funky Cousins (Demo)'' as Erykah Free

★ ''Baduizm'' (1997) US #2 (3x Platinum)^[2]

★ ''Live'' (1997) US #4 (2x Platinum)

★ ''Mama's Gun'' (2000) US #11 (Platinum)

★ ''Worldwide Underground'' (2003) US #3 (Gold)

★ ''The Kabah'' (2007)

Singles

★ "On & On" (1997) (Gold) US #12; 'US R&B #1'; UK #12

★ "Next Lifetime" (1997) UK #30

★ "Otherside of the Game" (1997)

★ "Apple Tree" (1997) UK #47

★ "Tyrone" (1997)

★ "Southern Gul" ft. Rahzel (1999) US #76; US R&B #24

★ "Bag Lady" (2000) US #6; 'US R&B #1'

★ "Didn't Cha Know?" (2000) US R&B #28

★ "Cleva" (2001) US R&B #77

★ "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" (2002) US #9; 'US R&B #1'

★ "Danger" (2003) US #82; US R&B #27

★ "Back in the Day" (2004) US R&B #62

Other musical recordings

This section excludes recordings which solely sample Erykah Badu's recordings

★ "Your Precious Love" collaboration with D'Angelo on ''High School High'' soundtrack album (1996)

★ "A Child With The Blues" and "A Child With The Blues (Izm Mix)" on ''Eve's Bayou - The Collection'' soundtrack album (1997)

★ "One" on Busta Rhymes' ''When Disaster Strikes'' album (1997) UK #23

★ "All Night Long" collaboration on Common's ''One Day It'll All Make Sense'' album (1997)

★ "The 'Notic" collaboration (vocals) with The Roots and D'Angelo on ''Men In Black'' soundtrack album (1997)

★ "Ye Yo" on ''Hav Plenty'' soundtrack album (1998)

★ "Funky Nassau" collaboration with various artists on ''Blues Brothers 2000'' soundtrack album (1998)

★ "Liberation" collaboration on Outkast's ''Aquemini'' album (1998)

★ "Understand The Game" collaboration on A+'s ''Hemstead High'' (album) (1999) UK #5

★ "You Got Me" on The Roots' ''Things Fall Apart (album)'' (1999) UK #31

★ "Be Thankful" on Omar's ''Best By Far'' album (original UK version) (1999)

★ "No More Trouble" virtual collaboration with Bob Marley on ''Chant Down Babylon'' (1999)

★ "Plenty" on Guru's '' album (2000)

★ "Hollywood" on ''Bamboozled'' soundtrack album (2000)

★ "The Light" Remix (for U)" collaboration with Common on ''Bamboozled'' soundtrack album (2000)

★ "The Blast Remix" single collaboration with Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek (2000)

★ "Humble Mumble" on Outkast's ''Stankonia'' album (2000)

★ "Southern Girl" on Rahzel's ''Make The Music 2000'' album (2001)

★ "Sweet Baby" on Macy Gray's ''The Id'' album (2001) UK #23

★ "Today (Earth Song)" on ''Red Star Sounds Vol. 1: Soul Searching'' album (2001)

★ "Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)" collaboration with Common. Version of song on ''Brown Sugar'' soundtrack album (2002)

★ "Aquarius", "Jimi Was A Rock Star" and "Heaven Somewhere" collaborations on Common's ''Electric Circus'' album (2002)

★ "Come Close Remix (Closer)" collaboration with Common. Remix of Common's ''Come Close'' on CD single (2003)

★ "Poetry" collaboration on Roy Hargrove's ''The RH Factor: Hard Groove'' album (2003)

★ "I C U (Doin' It)" single collaboration with Violator and A Tribe Called Quest (2003)

★ "Akai Inochi" collaboration with J-pop singer MISIA on ''MARS & ROSES'' album (2003)

★ "Bandy Bandy" collaboration with Zap Mama on ''Ancestry in Progress'' album (2004)

★ "Searching" and "Searching (Extended Version)" collaboration with Roy Ayers on ''Mahogany Vibe'' album (2004)

★ "Everybody loves the sunshine" collaboration with Roy Ayers on ''Mahogany Vibe'' album (2004)

★ "Blast" live recording collaboration with Talib Kweli on ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' original soundtrack album (2006)

★ "The Light" live recording collaboration with Common and Bilal on ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' original soundtrack album (2006)

★ "Back In The Day" live recording on ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' original soundtrack album (2006)

★ "You Got Me" live recording collaboration with The Roots and Jill Scott on ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' original soundtrack album (2006)

★ "That Heat" collaboration with Sergio Mendes and will.i.am on Sergio Mendes' ''Timeless'' album (2006)

★ "Get Live" collaboration with Strange Fruit Project on ''The Healing'' album (2006)

★ "Ain't no mistaken (Danger part II)" collaboration with Big Tuck on ''The Absolute Truth'' album (2006)

★ "Fly Away" collaboration with Sa-Ra Creative Partners and Georgia Anne Muldrew on ''The Hollywood Recordings'' album (2007)

★ "Hold On" collaboration on Pharoahe Monch's ''Desire'' album (2007)

Filmography

★ ''Blues Brothers 2000'' (1998) as 'Queen Mousette'

★ ''The Cider House Rules'' (1999) as 'Rose Rose'

★ ''House of D'' (2004) as 'Lady' Bernadette Odelia Glasser

★ ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' (2006) as herself

★ ''Before the Music Dies'' (2006) as herself

External links

★ Erykah-Badu.com

★ Erykah Badu's Black Forest Theater in Dallas, TX

★ Control Freaq Records

★ Baduizm

★ Badu World

★ B.L.I.N.D

★

★ [12]

★ MySpace

★ Erykah Badu at Tv.com