During the recording, Badu was pregnant with her first child, son Seven Sirius, whose father is Outkast artist André 3000. Baduizm received critical acclaim and won Badu two Grammy Awards, for best female R&B vocal performance and best R&B album.īadu released her second LP, Live, later that year. Musical Successīadu's debut album, Baduizm, exploded onto the music scene in 1997 with soulful hits such as 'On & On,' 'Next Lifetime' and 'Appletree.' The album marked a shift in the music of its time and began what was labeled a 'neo-soul' movement. In 1996, Badu's demo caught the attention of music producer Kedar Massenburg, who signed her and paired her with D'Angelo to record the song 'Your Precious Love.' Kedar Entertainment, then a small start-up label, later merged with Universal Motown. She moved back to Dallas, where she worked as a drama teacher and as a waitress while she recorded a demo. In 1993, Badu left Grambling to pursue her career in music. She majored in theater and minored in quantum physics.

Following her graduation from high school, Badu attended Grambling State University, a historically black institution in Grambling, Louisiana. She flourished at the arts magnet school, focusing on singing and dance.īadu was also active in the Dallas music community during this time, and even began freestyling on a local Dallas radio station under the name DJ Apples. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. When it came time for Badu to attend high school, she chose Booker T. She danced and sang for her mother from a very young age, and eventually began to perform in shows at the local Dallas Theater Center. (She would later choose the moniker Erykah Badu-'kah' is an Egyptian term for one's 'inner self,' and 'badu' is her favorite jazz-riff scat sound.) Raised by her actress mother, Kolleen Maria Gipson, Badu was exposed to the arts early on. Early Life and MusicĮrykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright on February 26, 1971, in Dallas, Texas. Today, Badu is best known for her soulful music style, which is showcased on albums such as the Grammy Award-winning Baduizm and 1997's Live. In 1996, Badu's demo caught the attention of music producer Kedar Massenburg, who signed her and paired her with D'Angelo to record the song 'Your Precious Love.' Kedar Entertainment later merged with Universal Motown. Singer Erykah Badu was exposed to the arts early on, and eventually began to perform in shows at the local Dallas Theater Center.

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