Who is Erykah Badu?

Erica Abi Wright, better know as the Erykah Badu is a multi-genre artist with influences spanning from Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Funk and Experimental. She is credited as one of the pioneers of Neo-Soul movement of the mid 90’s and would become one of the most prolific artist of the genre, earning her the title “First Lady Of Neo-Soul.”

What is the meaning behind Erykah Badu’s song “New Amerykah”?

Track 5 off of Erykah Badu’s album titled “New Amerykah, Pt 1”. The song discusses subject matter involving racial inequality and black oppression.

What kind of music does Badu play?

Badu’s work draws from R&B, 1970s soul, and 1980s hip hop, and became associated with the neo soul subgenre in the 1990s along with artists like D’Angelo. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday.

Why did Badu change her name to Badu?

She adopted the surname “Badu” because it is her favorite jazz scat sound; also, among the Akan people in Ghana, it is the term for the 10th-born child. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Badu went on to study theater at Grambling State University, a historically black university.