# Erykah Badu

> American neo-soul singer

**Wikidata**: [Q223875](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223875)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erykah_Badu)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/erykah-badu

## Summary
Erykah Badu is an American neo-soul singer, songwriter, poet, and composer who emerged as a defining figure in the neo-soul movement of the late 1990s. She is recognized as a multi-talented artist who blends soul, jazz, and hip-hop influences while also working as an actor, record producer, and writer. Her innovative approach to music and artistic expression has established her as a significant influence on contemporary R&B and soul music.

## Biography
- Born: February 26, 1971
- Nationality: United States
- Education: Attended Grambling State University
- Known for: Pioneering neo-soul music and blending soul, jazz, and hip-hop influences
- Employer(s): Recording artist, performer in music industry
- Field(s): Music, songwriting, poetry, acting, music composition

## Contributions
Erykah Badu has contributed significantly to the neo-soul genre, which emerged around 1998 as a back-to-the-roots subgenre of soul music. As a singer-songwriter and composer, she has created music that blends traditional soul with contemporary jazz and hip-hop elements. Her work as a poet has added literary depth to her artistic expression, connecting her to the broader poetry tradition that emphasizes strong expressiveness of words. Through her music composing activities, she has participated in the creation and writing of music that has influenced the contemporary soul landscape. Her contributions extend to acting, where she has worked in dramatic and comic productions across film, television, and theatre.

## FAQs
**What genres does Erykah Badu perform in?**
Erykah Badu performs primarily in neo-soul, a subgenre of soul music that emerged in 1998. Her music incorporates elements of traditional soul, jazz, and hip-hop, creating a distinctive sound that helped define the neo-soul movement.

**What educational background does Erykah Badu have?**
Erykah Badu attended Grambling State University, a historically black university in Louisiana that was founded in 1901. The university is located in Grambling, Louisiana, and has a significant role in African American higher education.

**What roles does Erykah Badu hold in the music industry?**
Erykah Badu serves as a singer, singer-songwriter, composer, recording artist, and record producer. She writes, composes, and sings her own songs while also overseeing and managing the recording of her music.

**How does Erykah Badu connect to poetry and literature?**
Erykah Badu is recognized as a poet who works within the literary style characterized by strong expressiveness of words. Poetry as a form emphasizes emotional impact through rhythmic and metrical structures, which complements her musical expression.

**What other creative fields has Erykah Badu worked in?**
Beyond music, Erykah Badu has worked as an actor in dramatic and comic productions across film, television, theatre, and radio. She also identifies as a writer who uses written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works.

## Why They Matter
Erykah Badu matters as a pioneering force in the neo-soul movement that emerged in 1998, representing a return to the roots of soul music while incorporating contemporary elements. Her influence extends beyond music into poetry and acting, demonstrating the interconnectedness of artistic disciplines. As part of the United States cultural landscape, she represents the evolution of African American musical expression from traditional soul (which emerged around 1955) into contemporary forms. Her work as a singer-songwriter exemplifies the musician who writes, composes, and sings their own songs, maintaining creative control over their artistic output. The neo-soul genre she helped develop serves as a bridge between classic soul traditions and modern R&B, influencing countless artists who followed. Her multi-disciplinary approach as poet, composer, and actor demonstrates the holistic nature of artistic expression in contemporary American culture.

## Notable For
- Being a defining figure in the neo-soul movement that emerged in 1998
- Combining multiple artistic roles as singer, songwriter, poet, composer, and actor
- Attending Grambling State University, a historically significant institution in African American higher education
- Working as a record producer who oversees and manages the recording of music
- Bridging traditional soul music with contemporary jazz and hip-hop influences
- Contributing to poetry as a literary form emphasizing strong expressiveness of words
- Operating as a recording artist who performs music for recordings
- Being part of the broader American cultural movement that values multi-disciplinary artistic expression

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Erykah Badu was born on February 26, 1971, and holds United States citizenship. She pursued higher education at Grambling State University, a historically black university located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1901 and has played a significant role in African American higher education. Located at 403 Main Street in Grambling, LA 71245, the institution operates as a public educational organization within the University of Louisiana System. As of September 2020, the university had 5,438 students enrolled with an inclusive admission rate of 93%.

### Musical Career and Genre Development
Erykah Badu emerged as a central figure in neo-soul, a music subgenre of soul music that developed around 1998 as a return to the roots of traditional soul. Soul music itself originated around 1955, combining elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, and jazz. Neo-soul represents a contemporary evolution that maintains the emotional depth and vocal sophistication of classic soul while incorporating modern production techniques and influences from jazz and hip-hop. Badu's contribution to this genre has been significant in establishing its parameters and artistic direction.

### Professional Roles and Artistic Identity
As a singer, Erykah Badu performs for listening audiences, utilizing her vocal abilities to convey emotional and artistic messages. In her role as a singer-songwriter, she writes, composes, and sings her own songs, maintaining creative control over her artistic output. Her work as a composer involves being an author of music in various forms, contributing to the creation of original musical works. Additionally, she functions as a recording artist who performs music specifically for recordings, creating content for the music industry's distribution channels.

### Literary and Performance Arts
Erykah Badu's involvement in poetry connects her to a literary tradition characterized by strong expressiveness of words. Poetry as a literary style often employs rhythmic and metrical structures to enhance emotional impact and convey meaning effectively. Her work in this area demonstrates the intersection between musical and literary expression. As an actor, she performs in dramatic and comic productions across multiple media including film, television, theatre, and radio, showcasing her versatility as a performing artist.

### Production and Creative Control
Working as a record producer, Erykah Badu oversees and manages the recording of her music, taking an active role in the technical and creative aspects of music production. This position allows her to maintain artistic integrity and ensure that her musical vision is properly realized in recorded form. As a writer, she uses written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works, extending her creative expression beyond musical and performance mediums.

### Cultural and Historical Context
Within the context of American music history, Erykah Badu represents a continuation of the African American musical tradition that includes soul, jazz, and contemporary R&B. The United States, as a country located primarily in North America with a history dating back to 1776, has been central to the development of numerous musical genres that have achieved global influence. Badu's work as part of this tradition contributes to the ongoing evolution of American musical expression and cultural identity.

### Connections to Other Artists
Erykah Badu's work connects to other significant figures in soul and neo-soul music, including contemporaries like Amy Winehouse, who similarly blended jazz, R&B, and other influences to create distinctive sounds. Ari Lennox represents another connection in the contemporary R&B and neo-soul landscape, showing the continuing influence of artists like Badu on newer generations of musicians. These connections demonstrate the ongoing vitality and evolution of the neo-soul genre that Badu helped establish.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. Montreux Jazz Festival Database
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. MusicBrainz
6. [AllMusic](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p200306)
7. IMDb
8. SNAC
9. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. [Erykah Badu | Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL2786201A/Erykah_Badu)
12. Virtual International Authority File
13. [Source](http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/newartist.htm)
14. CONOR.SI
15. [Source](https://www.happycow.net/vegtopics/famous/erykah_badu)
16. [2016](https://www.self.com/story/vegan-diet-erykah-badu#:~:text=It's%20no%20secret%20that%20Erykah,poultry%2C%20dairy%2C%20or%20eggs.&text=%E2%80%9CI've%20been%20a%20vegetarian,like%20a%20vegan%20in%201997.)
17. BBC Things
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21. The Movie Database
22. Golden
23. YouTube API