What words can describe Ms. Badu? The “First Lady of Neo Soul” is definitely listed in our mental music Hall of Fame, and has long been the source of all things wisdom, good music, humor and consciousness in the 21st century. She’s never fit the mold, and never tried to.
Erica Abi Wright (better known by her stage name of Erykah Badu) was born in Dallas, Texas and raised alongside her brother and sister by a single mother who was in show business. At the age of four, Badu would have her first performance singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theater Center.
Badu went on to study theater at Grambling State University (shoutout to my HBCU’s!), however, she left to pursue her music full-time before she could graduate. Her musical stylings caught the eye of Kedar Massenburg, who aside from pairing Badu to duet with D’Angelo, would also sign her to Universal Records.
Since then, Badu has produced nothing but greatness through the form of albums, artwork and mixtapes, among them: Baduizm, Mama’s Gun, Worldwide Underground, New Amerykah Part One, New Amerykah Part Two, and But You Caint Use My Phone.
Her musical stylings have been compared to Billie Holiday and D’Angelo. However, her magic has come from the deeper, intimate conversations brought on by her music, which is thought-provoking, possesses a level of consciousness, and laced with the remembrance of African roots and African culture.
We all know the Baduizm effect goes so much further than her music. She became the face of Tom Ford White Patchouli fragrance in 2008, the face of Givenchy’s 2014 Spring Collection, and has a list of awards and recognitions for her activism in both Dallas well as in Africa.
Erykah’s personal life is just as thrilling as her professional career, her life and personal choices constantly in the limelight. She’s a huge proponent for the vegetarian and veganism movement (20 years and 8 years, respectively), the mother of Seven Benjamin (with famous rapper Andre 3000 of OutKast), ex-lover of rapper Common, mother of Puma Curry (with West Coast rapper The D.O.C.), and mother of Mars Thedford (with rapper Jay Electronica).
Of course, after all the music, appearances, kids, baby daddies and food wears off, we always remember Badu’s sense of consciousness with political awareness and a true voice for the plight of Black America.
Singer, lyricist, actress, Doula, Midwife, owner of 726 head wraps (yes, we’re serious) with over 7,000 pieces of ankh jewelry (once again, we’re serious) and cultural goddess is everything we could ever imagine and then more. She has said she would run for President, so perhaps we should add fuel to the fire so she can get on board soon?
With a fan base that backs her up no matter the occasion (or daring individual who comes for her on Twitter), Erykah Badu encapsulates everything a living Goddess is and more. The amazing legacy that is Erykah Badu is why she’s our BeautyCrushWednesday. Is she yours?
