Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Influenced by R&B, soul, and hip-hop, Badu gained prominence in the late 1990s with her debut studio album "Baduizm" (1997), which positioned her as a leading figure in the neo soul movement and earned her the nickname "Queen of Neo Soul" from music critics. Her career began after opening for "D'Angelo" in 1994, which led to her signing with Kedar Entertainment. "Baduizm" produced four singles—"On & On", "Appletree", "Next Lifetime", and "Otherside of the Game"—and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her first live album, "Live" (1997), included the song "Tyrone" and was certified double platinum. Badu released her second studio album, "Mama's Gun", in 2000, featuring singles including "Bag Lady", which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, "Didn't Cha Know?" and "Cleva". The album was certified platinum. Her third album, "Worldwide Underground" (2003), featured the singles "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)", "Danger", and "Back in the Day (Puff)", with the first reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified gold. Badu's fourth album, "New Amerykah Part One" (2008), included the singles "Honey" and "Soldier", while her fifth studio album, "New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)" (2010), featured the lead single "Window Seat", whose music video generated controversy. Badu’s voice has been compared to jazz singer Billie Holiday. Early in her career, she was noted for her distinctive style, often wearing large, colorful headwraps. She was a core member of the Soulquarians and has appeared as an actress in films such as "Blues Brothers 2000", "The Cider House Rules", and "House of D". She has also appeared in documentaries including "Before the Music Dies" and "The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975". Badu was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised by her mother, actress Kolleen Wright, along with her siblings. She began performing at an early age under the guidance of her godmother and uncle and started freestyling for local radio by age 14. She altered the spelling of her first name to Erykah and adopted the surname Badu. She studied theater at Grambling State University before leaving to pursue music full-time, forming the band Erykah Free and recording a demo that led to her signing with Universal Records. In the late 1990s, Badu achieved critical and commercial success with "Baduizm" and "Live", earning multiple Grammy Awards, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Album for "Baduizm" and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for her collaboration with The Roots on "You Got Me". In 2000, "Mama's Gun" was released, featuring the single "Bag Lady" and earning platinum certification. Badu continued to collaborate with artists such as Common and Questlove during this period. "Worldwide Underground" followed in 2003, with singles charting on Billboard and critical reception generally positive. Badu toured extensively in support of her albums and co-founded the Sugar Water Festival with Queen Latifah and Jill Scott to promote health awareness among African-American women. Her fourth studio album, "New Amerykah Part One" (2008), received critical acclaim and was supported by the Vortex Tour and the Jam Tour. In 2010, she released "New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)", which charted internationally and included the single "Window Seat". The music video, filmed at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, drew media attention and led to a disorderly conduct charge, which Badu later resolved through probation. Badu has continued to collaborate with various artists, including Flying Lotus, Tyler, The Creator, Robert Glasper, Bonobo, and Janelle Monáe. She released the mixtapes "But You Caint Use My Phone" (2015) and planned follow-up projects that remain unreleased. Badu has also performed live, including her annual birthday concerts, and contributed to film soundtracks, such as "The Land" (2016). From 2020 onward, Badu has participated in collaborative projects including "Beehoove" with D'Angelo, "Lowkey" with Teyana Taylor, and contributions to Bilal's EP "VOYAGE-19" and RM's album "Indigo". In 2025, she announced work on a new studio album produced by The Alchemist, her first in 15 years, to be released on her independent label Control FREAQ Records, and appeared in the documentary "Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery – The Untold Story". Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erykah_Badu Studio albums Baduizm (1997) Mama's Gun (2000) Worldwide Underground (2003) New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008) New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) (2010) . User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.