Erykah Badu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBirth name
Erica Abi Wright
Born
February 26, 1971 (1971-02-26) (age 38)
Dallas, Texas, United States
GenresR&B,
soul,
hip hop[1]Occupations
Singer–songwriter,
record producer, actress
InstrumentsVocals,
keyboards,
guitarYears active
1997–present
Erykah Badu.comErica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971),
[1] better known by her
stage name Erykah Badu, is an American recording artist, 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 is also very prominent in the documentary film
Before the Music Dies.