ERYKAH BADU

Quincy Jones says of Erykah Badu “She is UNBELIEVEABLE!” Badu, like so many artists of her generation, grew up with Jones’ classics such as Off the Wall, and proudly pulls out the original vinyl albums when talking about the man known as “Q”. She recently stated that it’s an honor to be coming to Bermuda and be in the presence of the legendary producer who has shaped music history.

Since her groundbreaking debut Baduizm in 1997, Erykah Badu has gone from wearing earthy fabrics to flashing nameplates. She has evolved from a humble Southern girl grounded by Eastern spirituality, and is one who happily embraces her Hip-Hop roots. Whether it’s falling in love and having three beautiful children to show for it, renovating the Dallas theatre where she performed as a child, or simply performing for her faithful fans, Badu has renewed the world around her. She has literally created a new mentality, a new approach to life, a New Amerykah.

Born Erica Wright on February 26, 1971 in Dallas, Erykah Badu inherited a taste for the arts from her mother Kolleen Wright, who worked as a professional actress. At the tender age of 4, Badu began sharing the stage with her mother, singing and dancing in productions at the local Dallas Theatre Centre. It wasn’t until her acting debut in the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Center’s production of “Really Rosie” that Badu realized she was a natural performer.

The New York Times described Badu’s groundbreaking debut, Baduizm as “traditional soul vocals, staccato hip-hop rhythms and laid-back jazzy grooves.” Badu topped Rolling Stone’s Reader’s poll for Best R&B Artist, and Entertainment Weekly named her Best New Female Singer for 1997.

The year yielded more blessings as Badu gave birth to her first child, Seven, whose father is Andre Benjamin of Outkast. It was the same day that her second LP, Live, was released in the U.S. Live fed off of Baduizm’s success, going double-platinum. On the album, Badu showed that she could playfully tell off a trifling man, as the improvised, “Tyrone,” became a megahit, peaking at #1 for 6 weeks straight.

Badu also kept busy outside of the studio. She founded her non-profit group, B.L.I.N.D. (Beautiful Love Incorporated Non-Profit Development) in 2003 that is geared toward creating social change through economic, artistic, and cultural development. Her whole family is equally important to her, and is with her wherever she goes. She feels that wherever you are needs to be “home” for your children. She’s also a proud mother of second child, Puma, and gave birth to a third child, Mars Merkaba, in Feburary.

Now, with change in the air as a result of last year’s presidential election, Badu has her own offering for the evolving times. With New Amerykah, the first of a two-part studio project, Badu keeps her Hip-Hop spirit kindled, beat shopping for the best soundsmiths in the game. With the singles “Honey” and “The Healer” generating significant buzz in cyberspace, Badu is ready to reclaim her cherished seat as a soul music phenom.

“My music is a measure of who I am, and who I was at the time that I wrote and recorded it,” says Badu.

Through triumph and transformation, Badu represents the classic story of resilience and resurgence. It’s only fitting that New Amerykah’s theme is the war fought we fight within ourselves, because Badu has channeled her own inner contrasts into a marvelous souvenir.