Erykah Badu

Background

Erykah Badu is a revered name in the American music industry. Her singing and performance style is so unique and fascinating that she has been referred to as “the first lady of neo-soul.” Badu was born Erica Abi Wright on February 26, 1971, in Dallas, Texas. Her mother raised her and her siblings after separating from their father, William Wright. Badu is of West and Central African descent, as revealed by DNA and Ancestry testing. As a Pisces, Badu’s interest in music began at age four, and by 14, she was freestyling on local radio stations. The transition of Erica Wright to Erykah Badu began after she realized ‘Kah’ suited her better and ‘Badu’ was her favorite jazz scat sound. She attended Booker T. Washington High School and studied Theater at Grambling State University. However, she dropped out in 1993 to focus on her first love, music.

By 1997, Badu had released her debut album, “Baduizm.” The album debuted at number two on the Billboard Charts and peaked at number one on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums under Billboard. It went on to be triple platinum-certified by RIAA and gold-certified in Canada and Britain. Badu also recorded her first live album, “Live,” the same year. It was double platinum-certified by the RIAA, and its lead single “Tyrone” was a hit. In 2000, she released her second studio album “Mama’s Gun,” and her single “Big Lady” peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Badu went on to release three more studio albums, a compilation album, and one mixtape.

Badu has done multiple tours, dropped the hottest tracks, won a Grammy, and given riveting performances. She’s also ventured into acting and has been nominated for the SAG Awards, giving her an enviable resume in film and music. Badu has never been married. She however has three children from separate fathers.