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Erykah Badu
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
Erykah Badu's real name is Erica Abi Wright, and she was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1971. At the age of four she was already on stage with her mother, an actress, and as a teenager she rapped live on a local radio station. She changed her first name to Erykah because she saw Erica as a slave name. She chose Badu because it was her favourite scat sound from jazz. After studying theatre she turned to music. In 1994 she opened for D'Angelo, and the manager Kedar Massenburg gave her a record contract.
Music and breakthrough
In 1997 her debut Baduizm appeared, with On & On, Appletree and Next Lifetime. The album made her one of the figureheads of neo-soul and earned her the nickname Queen of Neo Soul. Her voice was often compared with that of Billie Holiday: low, languid and playful with the rhythm. That same year the live album Live appeared, with Tyrone. Mama's Gun (2000), with Bag Lady, Worldwide Underground (2003) and the two parts of New Amerykah (2008 and 2010) followed.
Influence
Badu combines soul and R&B with hip hop and jazz. She belonged to the Soulquarians, a circle of musicians around D'Angelo and Questlove who made records together. With her large, colourful headwraps she also had a recognisable look. Besides her music she played roles in films such as The Cider House Rules and Blues Brothers 2000.
Listening
On and On · Erykah Badu, 1996Apple Music ↗
Discography
Studio albums
- 1997Baduizm
- 2000Mama’s Gun
- 2003Worldwide Underground
- 2008New Amerykah, Part One (4th World War)
- 2010New Amerykah, Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
- 2026Before the World Blows
In School of Rock
The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.
- Mixtape 6: Fear of a Black PlanetNL Reader
- After Hours: Session 4NL Reader
Mentioned in other articles
- Neo-soul Genre
Neo-soul is R&B that harked back to the soul of the 1970s, with Erykah Badu and D'Angelo, among others.