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Erykah Badu

 
Gale Contemporary Black Biography:

Erykah Badu

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singer

Personal Information

Born Erica Wright in Dallas, Texas, ca. 1971; daughter of Kolleen Wright; changed first name to Erykah in high school; changed last name to Badu in college.
Education: Attended Grambling State University in Louisiana; studied theater.

Career

Hip-hop/soul/jazz vocalist, songwriter, producer, and video director. Performed with cousin Robert "Free" Bradford in duo Erykah Free, early 1990s; Erykah Free opened for touring rap acts, early 1990s; signed to Kedar Entertainment label, 1995; released Baduizm, debut CD, 1997; released Live! CD, 1997; appeared on soundtrack of film "Eve's Bayou," 1998.

Life's Work

Her trademark African head wraps helped inspire a vogue for African clothing in the late 1990s, and her music seemed to carry layers of African American experience, wrapped up and elegantly presented with the latest hip-hop beats. Erykah Badu was a breakout star of 1997, selling over two million copies of her debut album, Baduizm. An original artist, she composed and performed a fusion of soul, hip-hop, and jazz. Both romantic and a bit intellectual, Badu is steeped in African American spirituality, and exudes it in her personal presence. "Sometimes," she told People when the magazine named her one of 1998's "50 Most Beautiful People" of the year, "I do feel quite Queen Nefertiti-ish."

Born around 1971 in Dallas, Badu was the oldest of three children. She was raised by her mother Kolleen Wright and her grandmother on the city's rough south side. Badu told USA Today that she fell in love with the music of Stevie Wonder "at maybe age two." Her given name, which she has called her "slave" name," was Erica Wright. Badu respelled her first name in high school, and in college took the name Badu, which means "giver of truth and light" in Arabic.

Artistic Activities in Youth

Badu's unusual creativity was evident at a young age. She made her own clothes while in grade school, and her mother encouraged the drawings, poems, letters, and writings that filled her daughter's school notebooks. Badu performed in community theater in Dallas during her school years and majored in theater at Louisiana's Grambling State University before dropping out to pursue music. She has also had formal training as a dancer.

Badu and her cousin, Robert "Free" Bradford, formed a duo called Erykah Free and performed at progressive nightspots around Dallas. Initially, they struggled to find success in the music business and Badu had to take work as a waitress and as a hostess at Dallas's Steve Harvey comedy club. She remained determined and, by the early 1990s, Erykah Free was the opening act for some of the big hip-hop acts of the day, such as Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, and Mobb Deep. Mixing abundant creativity and an astute understanding of the music business, "I learned that in order to be a successful entertainer, you have to be a really good businesswoman," she told Ebony.

Badu's big break occurred when R&B executive Kedar Massenburg, who also launched the career of D'Angelo, met Badu and noted the strength of her personality. "It wasn't so much the music, but more her presence and the way she commanded the audiences. They looked as though they were hypnotized," Massenburg told Essence magazine. Massenburg signed Badu, as a solo act, to his Kedar Entertainment label in 1995.

Single Distributed at Awards Program

Massenburg's next step was to pass out 1,000 copies of Badu's debut single, "On and On," at the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards. "And man, when I heard it banging out of somebody's car going down the street that same night, I knew I had something," he later told the Atlanta Constitution. Industry excitement over the innovative young newcomer grew, fueled by a video for "On and On" and the release of her Baduizm album in early 1997.

Baduizm was a sensation. Badu's virtuoso vocals reminded jazz listeners of the tragic vocalist Billie Holiday, not only because of a strong surface resemblance but also in the way Badu seemed deadly serious and mature beyond her years. The album's production used bass-heavy hip-hop beats in a way that, in 1997, was startling and new. These beats were brought down to a quiet level and provided subtle texture for the jazz instrument work (including a contribution from jazz bassist Ron Carter) and the varied poetic structures above them. Badu sang rather than rapped, but the hip-hop flavor of the music was unmistakable. The long opposition between R&B and hip-hop was beginning to dissolve, and Badu was out in front of the trend. She had followed rap since its inception and, as she told USA Today, "my music kind of fused into a soul/hip-hop understanding." The varied subjects of Badu's songwriting, which touched on relationships, spirituality, and social themes, helped her appeal to different audiences.

Badu's debut album shot to the top of the Billboard R&B chart, and eventually made it all the way to Number Two on the pop chart, benefitting from the surprising crossover success of the lyrically complex and oblique "On and On." Baduizm was reported to have sold 1.7 million copies in a span of three months. During the summer of 1997, Badu was in high demand as a concert performer. At her concerts, she burned sandalwood incense and discussed numerology with her audiences. "I like to take a salt bath before I appear in public, to create my own sense of calm," Badu told People. She released her Live! album in late 1997, which was recorded before an invited audience at a New York studio. Live! went platinum and nearly matched the stellar performance of her debut album.

Directed Music Videos

During 1998, Badu was a major presence at music awards programs. She took home two Grammy awards (one for Best Female Vocal for "On and On"), four Soul Train Awards, and an American Music Award. She continued to dazzle the music world with her many talents and directed the videos for her songs "Next Lifetime" and "Otherside of the Game." Live! also contained a hit single, "Tyrone," that was described by Ebony as "the Black women's anthem for dissing and dismissing do-wrong brothers." Badu sang on the soundtrack of the film "Eve's Bayou," and made a guest appearance on an album by the progressive hip-hop group the Roots.

Badu gave birth to a son, Seven Sirius, on November 18, 1997. The father was Andre (Dre) Benjamin of the rap group OutKast, with whom Badu had a long-distance relationship. She chose her son's name because it combined a divine number that could not be divided with the name of the brightest star in the firmament. Badu also announced plans to have six more children. "That's right, six more babies in five years," she told Ebony. "Time passes so fast. I just follow and have faith. I know that I make the right decisions." In 1999, Rolling Stone magazine selected Baduizm as one of the fifty greatest albums of the 1990s.

Awards

Two Grammy awards, four Soul Train Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and one American Music Award in 1998, for Baduizm.

Works

Selected discography

  • Baduizm, Kedar/Universal, 1997.
  • Live!, Universal, 1998.

Further Reading

Books

  • Graff, Gary, Josh Freedom du Lac, and Jim McFarlin, MusicHound R&B, Visible Ink, 1998.
  • Larkin, Colin, ed., The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Muze U.K., 1998.
Periodicals
  • Atlanta Constitution, May 21, 1997, p. D9.
  • Ebony, July 1998, p. 68.
  • Essence, August 1997, p. 90.
  • Jet, February 16, 1998, p. 60.
  • Los Angeles Times, February 22, 1998, p. CAL 4.
  • New York Times, July 8, 1997, p. C9.
  • People, May 11, 1998,, p. 80.
  • Rolling Stone, May 13, 1999, p. 76.
  • USA Today, June 30, 1997, p. D6; March 2, 1998, p. D3.

— James M. Manheim

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Gale Musician Profiles:

Erykah Badu

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Singer, songwriter

Erykah Badu released her first album, Baduizm, in 1997 to a rare degree of popular and critical acclaim. The Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter was hailed as an exceptionally gifted talent who effortlessly fused jazz singing styles of the past with 1990s-style R&B and hip-hop. Her fluent, highly individual vocalizing and spiritually-tinged songwriting were welcomed as something fresh and compelling. Badu's voice drew comparisons to Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and, in particular, Billie Holiday. In concert, she cultivated a mystical persona that drew on African and New Age sources for inspiration. "Habitually attired in a long dress, silver bracelets, necklaces and rings, and a head wrap that juts up like a crown, Badu works the stage lighted by candles and surrounded by incense like a woman on a mission," wrote Kevin Powell in Rolling Stone.

From Badu's own perspective, her music synthesized a wide range of influences, from jazz artists like Holiday through such R&B figures of the 1960s and 1970s as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan. "Everything on the album [Baduizm] is a mixture of all those things I heard growing up as a black youth," she told New York Times writer Natasha Stovall.

Artistic Development Encouraged
Badu benefitted from growing up in a home that nurtured her creativity. Born Erica Wright on February 26, 1971, in Dallas, Texas, she was raised by her mother, Kolleen Wright, and her grandmother, both actresses involved in local theater. They both encouraged Erica to develop her artistic leanings, which included painting, dancing, and acting, as well as music. "I remember the first time I was in a show," she told the New York Times. "I was in the first grade. It was a Christmas play, and I sang ‘Somebody Snitched On Me.’ That's when I knew I could command the stage."

At age 14, she tried her hand at freestyle-rapping for a local radio station, KNON. After being accepted at Dallas's Arts Magnet High School, she gained notoriety as half of a female rap crew under the name MC Apples. "We were even better than a lot of the guy groups," Badu told Rolling Stone. "Shoot, I'm always going to be a freestyle fool. Rap is like the jazz of Billie Holiday's day." It was during her high school years that she decided to discard her "slave name." She changed the spelling of her first name to Erykah, which contained the Egyptian word "kah," meaning "inner light" or "inner self." Later, she changed her surname as well, taking "Badu" from a favorite scat-singing phrase. She subsequently learned that "badu" means "to manifest light and truth" in Arabic.

After high school, Badu enrolled at Louisiana's Grambling State University as a theater student. Before completing her studies, she returned to Dallas in 1993 and supported herself as a waitress and dance instructor while pursuing a music career. She initially formed a hip-hop duo called Erykah Free with her cousin, Robert "Free" Bradford. The pair soon earned local opening slots for such touring acts as the Wu-Tang Clan, D'Angelo, A Tribe Called Quest, Arrested Development, and Mobb Deep, among others. Several recording offers followed, but the one Badu ultimately accepted from Kedar Entertainment was for her alone. Although Bradford eventually received production and songwriting credits on Baduizm, his relations with Badu became unavoidably strained.

A Rising Star
Badu relocated to Brooklyn after her recording deal with Universal's Kedar Entertainment label was secure. Label founder Kedar Massenberg began promoting her by distributing advance copies of her recordings at the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards. He arranged for Badu to record a remake of the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell duet "Your Precious Love" with R&B singer D'Angelo for the soundtrack to the 1997 film High School High. Her first single, the sensual, hypnotic "On & On," was released in January of 1998 and quickly became a pop hit. A month later, Baduizm appeared, rising to number two on the pop album charts and eventually topping the triple-platinum sales mark. An outstanding debut effort, the album was co-produced by the Roots, a hip-hop duo, and featured such stellar session players as jazz bassist Ron Carter. "On & On" was followed up by "Next Lifetime," which also became a hit.

Making the most of her career momentum, Badu received praise as the co-director of videos for "On & On" and "Next Lifetime," the latter featuring her mother, brother, and grandmother as extras. She dabbled in acting by appearing in an episode of ABC-TV's One Life To Live in 1997, and portraying a jazz-singing Creole sorceress in the 1998 film Blues Brothers 2000. During the summer of 1997, she joined forces with funk pioneer George Clinton and hip-stars Cypress Hill, the Pharcyde, and Outkast on the Smokin' Grooves Tour across the United States. That fall, Badu released her Live album, which featured her in an intimate concert setting with a three-piece band and a trio of background singers. In addition to live versions of songs found on Baduizm, the album included the new tune "Tyrone," a scathing portrait of a soon-to-be-former boyfriend set to a slow-burning beat. Live also featured Badu's covers of songs by her R&B forerunners, including Chaka Khan's "Stay."

Badu was honored in 1998 with Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Performance. She spent the summer of that year on tour with Lillith Fair, the all-female concert series launched by singer Sarah McLachlan. In the midst of all this activity, she also found time for a personal life with Outkast member Andre "Dre" Benjamin and their son, Seven, born in November of 1997. (The child's name was chosen because seven is a prime number, which cannot be divided by any whole number except itself and zero.)

With two acclaimed albums behind her, Badu established herself as a major artist. In interviews, she balanced self-confidence with a sense of her overall role in pop music. "It's a blessing, really," she told Billboard's Shawnee Smith, as Baduizm began its ascent on the charts. "I can't take all the credit for it. It's my energy and my voice, but it was a team effort. I'm just a midwife aiding in the rebirthing process of music."

Badu wowed her fans with her acting role in the 1999 film The Cider House Rules, which, along with a Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress, garnered nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Satellite Awards. Although Badu has proved impressive in several television appearances and as Lady Elizabeth in the 2004 feature film House of D, the artist has largely ignored the silver screen in favor of music and family.

Continued Success
Badu's much anticipated third album, Mama's Guns, soulfully blended rock and reggae into her bag of soul tricks. Spearheaded by the hit single "Bag Lady" (2000), the album proved a monster success. She puzzled her fans with 2003's Worldwide Underground, a 50-minute EP (usually the length of an average LP) that featured guest appearances from Angie Stone, Bahamadia, and Queen Latifah. The atmospheric blend of R&B and dance track jams yielded the Grammy-winning hit "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)," which also enlivened the soundtrack of the telefilm Brown Sugar.

For the next few years, Badu's family life took center stage. A relationship with rapper The D.O.C. resulted in the birth of her daughter Puma. "My first job is being a mother," she told Clarence Waldron of Jet Magazine in 2008. "That comes before anything for me. And that helps me be as creative as I am." During her time away from the music business, she transformed her Texas abode into a supplemental school that utilized home school principles.

Badu returned to the limelight in 2008 with New Amerykah: Part 1: 4th World War, her first album for the Motown-Universal imprint. The first of many proposed releases, the work tackled drug addiction, the Nation of Islam, social and political issues, and included a touching paean to her late producer J Dilla. "It's my testimony of where we are as a race, as a people and as a family here in America," she told Waldron. "This is my perspective. That's why I put my name in it, Amerykah."

Selected discography
Baduizm, Kedar Entertainment/Universal, 1997.
Live, Kedar Entertainment/Universal, 1997.
Mama's Guns, Kedar Entertainment/Universal, 2000.
Worldwide Underground, Motown/Universal, 2003.
New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War, Motown/Universal, 2008.

Sources
Books
Larkin, Colin, editor, The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Muze, 1998.

Periodicals
Billboard, March 15, 1997.
Jet, March 3, 2008.
New York Times, April 6, 1997.
Rolling Stone, February 20, 1997; March 20, 1997.

Online
"Erykah Badu," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (June 8, 2008).
"Erykah Badu," Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com (June 8, 2008).
"Erykah Badu," Wall Of Sound, http://wallofsound.go.com (May 21, 1999).
Erykah Badu Biography, Rolling Stone Network, http://www.rollingstone.com (June 8, 2008).
"Jet: Erykah Badu tells why it took 5 years for CD ‘New Amerykah,’" Find Articles, http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_8_113/ai_n24921487/print (March 3, 2008).
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Erykah Badu

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  • Genres: Rhythm & Blues

Biography

She grew up listening to '70s soul and '80s hip-hop, but Erykah Badu drew more comparisons to Billie Holiday upon her breakout in 1997, after the release of her first album, Baduizm. The grooves and production on the album are bass-heavy R&B, but Badu's languorous, occasionally tortured vocals and delicate phrasing immediately removed her from the legion of cookie-cutter female R&B singers. A singer/songwriter responsible for all but one of the songs on Baduizm, she found a number 12 hit with her first single, "On & On," which pushed the album to number two on the charts.

Born Erica Wright in Dallas in 1971, Badu attended a school of the arts and was working as a teacher and part-time singer in her hometown when she opened for D'Angelo at a 1994 show. D'Angelo's manager, Kedar Massenburg, was impressed with the performance and hooked her up with the singer to record a cover of the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell duet "Precious Love." He also signed Badu to his recently formed Kedar Entertainment label, and served as producer for Baduizm, which also starred bassist Ron Carter and members of hip-hop avatars the Roots on several tracks. The first single, "On & On," became a number one R&B hit in early 1997, and Baduizm followed it to the top of the R&B album charts by March. Opening for R&B acts as well as rap's Wu-Tang Clan, Erykah Badu stopped just short of number one on the pop album charts in April. Her Live album followed later in the year.

In 2000 she returned with her highly anticipated second studio album, Mama's Gun, which was co-produced by Badu, James Poyser, Bilal, and Jay Dee and contained the hit single "Bag Lady." Worldwide Underground, a loose affair billed as an EP despite being longer than many full-lengths, was released in 2003. Her next step, 2008's New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War, was a heavy and abstract release featuring collaborations with the members of Sa-Ra and Georgia Anne Muldrow; it reached number two on the Billboard 200 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh, looser and more playful than Pt. 1, followed in 2010. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Erykah Badu

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Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu at a concert in 2008
Background information
Birth name Erica Abi Wright
Also known as Loretta Brown
Born February 26, 1971 (1971-02-26) (age 40)
Dallas, Texas
United States
Genres R&B, soul, funk, jazz, hip hop
Occupations singer-songwriter, Record producer, actress
Instruments Vocals, keyboards, guitar, drums
Years active 1991–present
Labels Kedar, Universal, Motown, Puppy Love, Control Freaq
Associated acts Soulquarians
Website ErykahBadu.com

Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971),[1] better known by her stage name Erykah Badu (pronounced /ˈɛrɨkə bɑːˈduː/), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz.[1] 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" or the "Queen 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. 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. She also speaks at length in the documentary Before the Music Dies.

Contents

Early life

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her and her brother and sister alone; their father, William Wright, Jr., had deserted the family early in their lives. To provide for her family, the children's grandmother often helped looking after them while Erykah's mother, Kolleen 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. Erykah Badu was the owner of Focal point in Dallas, Texas.

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. Badu is her favorite jazz scat sound and is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Akan people in Ghana.[2]

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.[2]

Career

Music

Badu’s style is a prime illustration of Neo-Soul in that it focus’ on the contemporary styles of the genres soul and hip hop and it sends out a deeper message as opposed to common R&B music. The songs in Badu’s album, “Baduizm” exemplifies her personal take on life. Her philosophy features ideologies from African influences, with fusions from the Nation of Islam and the Five Percent theologies, the complex views of the ancient Egyptians, and Southern African-American folk traditions. The majority of Badu’s music is greatly influenced by her beliefs of the NOI or the Nation of Islam and her African roots and heritage. [3] 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 particular style of singing drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday.[4] Baduizm eventually went triple platinum and, along with "On & On," won Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremonies.

Badu performing at the Jazz Reggae Festival, 2009

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 of her child.[5] Live 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.[6] 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 Award 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.[7] 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 Award.

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 Award for the song in 2003.[8]

After the release of Mama's Gun and "Love of My Life", Badu experienced writer's block.[9] 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. The conclusion of the tour saw Badu head back to the studio with new material, and in September 2003, the Worldwide Underground album 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 album. Badu also contributed to Zap Mama's album Ancestry in Progress (2004), adding her vocals to the track "Bandy Bandy."

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. According to Nielsen Soundscan, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) has sold 359,000 copies in the United States [11] Erykah Badu performed at the 10th annual Voodoo Experience in New Orleans the weekend before Halloween 2008.[12]

Erykah Badu released her fifth studio album, New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) on March 30, 2010.[13]

An "Icon" CD series of Badu was released on August 31, 2010. It features 12 of the most favorable hits from different albums of Erykah Badu.

Badu is currently working on new material with Flying Lotus.[14] Badu will also appear on the debut album by the supergroup, Rocketjuice and The Moon which is due for release in March 2012.[15]

Controversy over "Window Seat" video

Badu in 2008

On March 13, 2010,[16] Badu filmed the video for her song "Window Seat", at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, which Badu wrote on her Twitter feed "was shot guerrilla style, no crew, 1 take, no closed set, no warning, 2 min., Downtown Dallas, then ran like hell."[17] Without acquiring permission or permits from the city, Badu shed her clothes as she walked along a Dallas, Texas, sidewalk until she was nude at the site where President Kennedy was assassinated. A shot rang out as the song ended, and Badu's head jerked back and she fell to the ground. Children with their families could be seen nearby as Badu stripped.[18] When asked about stripping nude in the presence of minors, Badu said, "I didn’t think about them until I saw them, and in my mind I tried to telepathically communicate my good intent to them. That’s all I could do, and I hoped they wouldn’t be traumatized."[16] Badu also explained on The Wanda Sykes Show on April 3, 2010, that it was not her intention to insult the memory of the late President Kennedy, saying "My point was grossly misunderstood all over America. JFK is one of my heroes, one of the nation's heroes. John F. Kennedy was a revolutionary; he was not afraid to butt heads with America, and I was not afraid to show America my butt-naked truth."[19] Coodie and Chike, directors of the Window Seat video, admitted they had bail money ready during filming if Badu was to be arrested.[19] Badu said the video was a protest against “groupthink” and was inspired by Matt and Kim's music video Lessons Learned. Badu has also said she has "no regrets."[16]

On Friday, April 2, 2010, Badu was charged with disorderly conduct, a class C misdemeanor, in relation to the music video. "Sgt. Warren Mitchell said Friday the decision to cite Badu for disorderly conduct — a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 — came after witness Ida Espinosa, 32, of Vernon, offered a sworn statement to police Thursday [April 1]. Espinosa declined to comment to The Associated Press on Friday."[20] On April 28, 2010, Badu challenged the disorderly conduct charge by pleading not guilty rather than paying the fee by mail.[21][22] On Friday, August 13, she pleaded, deferred adjudication, meaning that the final judgment in the situation has been deferred until a later time and paid the $500 ticket.

Acting

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 is reported to have a leading role alongside Mos Def in the upcoming indie film, Bobby Zero, which tells a story of a struggling couple who hit rock bottom after Mos Def's character gives up his dream of artistic aspirations to pursue an advertising corporate job to make ends meet.[23] 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. She was named the latest muse to fashion designer Tom Ford in 2008 as the face of his White Patchouli fragrance. Ford, also longtime friends with Badu, considered her the best choice for the campaign. “I have always considered her a true beauty … she just fits”, says Ford.[24]

Personal life

Badu performing in 2005

Badu splits her time between Dallas and Brooklyn, NY in her Fort Greene apartment.[25] Badu has three children. Her eldest child is a son named Seven Sirius Benjamin, born in 1997, with André 3000. From 2000 to 2002, she dated rapper Common. On July 5, 2004, Badu gave birth to a daughter, Puma Sabti Curry, in her Dallas home; Puma's father is West Coast rapper The D.O.C., who is originally from Dallas, Texas. On February 1, 2009, Badu gave birth to her third child at home, a girl named Mars Merkaba Thedford, with her boyfriend of five years, rapper Jay Electronica.[26] In attendance were her two children, Puma and Seven.[27]

After her performance at the 2010 Soul Train Awards, pregnancy rumors spread because of her heavier appearance and her concealing attire. It was said that Badu was pregnant for a fourth time, now by the police officer that allegedly arrested her during the production of her Window Seat music video. Badu quickly dispelled the rumors via her Twitter account December 1, 2010 as she proclaimed "everyone knows I was NEVER ARRESTED for the window seat VIDEO nor put on probation.I only got A TICKET in the mail. and I am NOT PREGNANT," "not pregnant . just chubby."[28]

Badu also remains an activist in her hometown of South Dallas. Her charity organization, Beautiful Love Incorporated Non Profit Development (B.L.I.N.D. 501c3), provides community-driven development for inner-city youth through music, dance, theater and visual arts. In the publication VegNews Magazine, July–August 2008, Ms. Badu stated: "Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure".[29]

Discography

Main article: Erykah Badu discography
Studio albums
Live albums

Tours

Filmography

See also

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References

  1. ^ a b Bush, John. "Erykah Badu > Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p200306. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 
  2. ^ a b Waldron, Clarence (2001). "Erykah Badu". Jet. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_4_99/ai_69202784. 
  3. ^ Marlo David, African American Review, Vol. 41, No. 4,"Afrofuturism and Post-Soul Possibility in Black Popular Music" Post-Soul Aesthetic (Winter, 2007), pp. 695-707.
  4. ^ Rock On The Net: Erykah Badu;)
  5. ^ south by southwest festivals + conferences
  6. ^ "Erykah Badu plans to make music, money and babies". Ebony. 1998. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n9_v53/ai_20847763. 
  7. ^ Erykah Badu: Mama's Gun : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone
  8. ^ "Erykah Badu: on her career and her romance with Common - Biography". Ebony. 2003. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_11_58/ai_106700555. 
  9. ^ Erykah Badu: Worldwide Underground - PopMatters Music Review
  10. ^ Net Music Countdown: Erykah Badu
  11. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/news/erykah-badu-unveils-new-amerykah-part-ii-1004053193.story
  12. ^ Z, Chris (June 6, 2008). "Erykah Badu and Wyclef Join Voodoo Experience Bill". planeturban.com. http://www.planeturban.com.au/urban_news/event_news_erykah_badu_and_wyclef_join_voodoo_experience_bill. Retrieved July 18, 2008. [dead link]
  13. ^ Erykah Badu Puts Her Family To Work On New Amerykah, Part Two - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News
  14. ^ Flying Lotus Working With Erykah Badu
  15. ^ http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/albarn-allen-flea-0104-2012/
  16. ^ a b c Hauk, Hunter.Badu speaks out about 'Window Seat' video DallasNews.com. 29 March 2010.
  17. ^ Erykah Badu Strips On Downtown Dallas Street For Music Video Kwtx.com. 30 March 2010.
  18. ^ Singer Strips Naked on Dallas' Grassy Knoll in New Video Myfoxdfw.com. 29 Mar 2010.
  19. ^ a b Hanek, Joel. Erykah Badu Defends 'Window Seat' On 'Wanda Sykes Show' MTV.com. 5 April 2010.
  20. ^ "Erykah Badu charged over Dallas nude video shoot". Boston.com. 2 April 2010. http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/04/02/erykah_badu_charged_over_dallas_nude_video_shoot/. 
  21. ^ "Singer Erykah Badu pleads not guilty to disorderly conduct charge". Dallas Morning News (DallasNews.com). 29 April 2010. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/042910dnmetbadu.cd6f286.html. 
  22. ^ Kreps, Daniel (30 April 2010). "Erykah Badu Pleads Not Guilty to "Window Seat" Charge". rollingstone.com. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/14639/83328. 
  23. ^ Erykah Badu To Star Opposite Mos Def In 'Bobby Zero' - BV on Movies
  24. ^ Erykah Badu is Tom Ford’s New Muse | The Maven Report
  25. ^ Ryzik, Melena (March 2, 2008). "The Mind of a One-Woman Multitude". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/arts/music/02ryzi.html. Retrieved May 2, 2010. 
  26. ^ "Erykah Badu Twitters Third Child's Birth". Us Weekly. Wenner Media. 2009-02-02. http://www.usmagazine.com/news/erykah-badu-twitters-third-childs-birth. Retrieved 2009-02-04. [dead link]
  27. ^ Sheppard, Ferrari. "Eyrkah Budu Interview". http://www.stopbeingfamous.com/past-interviews/erykah-badu-interview-new-baby-steve-harvey-april-26-2009. Retrieved 2009-09-14. 
  28. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/fatbellybella
  29. ^ Mickleborough, Lisa. "Erykah Badu". VegNews. http://www.vegnews.com/articles/page.do?catId=7&pageId=30. Retrieved December 26, 2011. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Studio albums
Other albums
Singles
"On & On" · "Next Lifetime" · "Other Side of the Game" · "Appletree" · "Tyrone" · "You Got Me" · "Southern Gul" · "Bag Lady" · "Didn't Cha Know? · "Cleva" · "Sweet Baby" · "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" · "Danger" · "Back in the Day (Puff)" · "That Heat" · "Get Live" · "Honey" · "Soldier" · "The Healer" · "Window Seat" · "Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)" · "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long"
Tours
Filmography
Related articles
Soulquarians
?uestlove · Bilal · Common · D'Angelo · Erykah Badu · J Dilla · James Poyser · Mos Def · Pino Palladino · Q-Tip · Talib Kweli
Albums
Things Fall Apart (1999) · Voodoo (2000) · Like Water for Chocolate (2000) · Mama's Gun (2000) · 1st Born Second (2001) · Phrenology (2002) · Electric Circus (2002)
See also

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
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$copyright.smallImage.alttext Gale Contemporary Black Biography. Contemporary Black Biography. Copyright © 2006 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Gale Musician Profiles. Contemporary Musicians © 1989-2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
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