Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erykah Abi Wright, better known by her stage name Erykah Badu, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, activist, and actress. Badu's career began after opening a show for D'Angelo in 1994 in her hometown; record label executive Kedar Massenburg was highly impressed with her performance and signed her to Kedar Entertainment. Her first album, Baduizm, was released on February 11, 1997. It spawned three singles: "On & On", "Next Lifetime" and "Otherside of the Game". The album was certified triple...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionR&B Singer
Date of Birth26 February 1971
CityDallas, TX
CountryUnited States of America
I don't sing melodically. Rhyme pattern is how I sing. I also write like a lyricist or an MC because that's what I was before I was a singer. I just took those elements and put them into music.
We literally just finished making this gown 20 minutes ago. I love it. It's my favorite color.
I'm only in competition with my last level. It don't have nothing to do with music or anything. And the last level is hard competition, the last place you were.
If you make a decision, a pact with someone, your friend, you should say, 'I'm gonna do this,' and you should stick to it.
The wise healer endures the pain. Cry. Tears bring joy.
I don't have any particular thing I do ritualistically. I do the same thing every day. I get up. Drink a lot of water. Have a wheatgrass shot. Drink some green juice. Eat as healthy as I can.
I don't read music or anything, so when I produce, I go basically by ear.
I'm kind of a recluse when it comes to going outside.
But now I realize that this record business really needs me. No one else is trying to take a chance or do something different.
They usually have a piano in every nursing home, and I always wanted to perform for whoever would listen when I learned something. I grew to understand very early that a lot of these people who are in nursing homes are elderly and don't have a lot of things that give them joy from day to day.
Breathing becomes really easy when you're laughing. It kick starts that feeling of joy.
Whereas I want everything to be peaceful during a birth, I take the total opposite approach when I'm helping someone come to terms with leaving this place - I play Richard Pryor records.
I'm in training to become a midwife. I'm almost there and before I know it I'll be able to open my own practice, if that's what I desire.
I don't feel like I need to preach to the world or nothing like that. I just feel like I share what I say, and if listeners get it, they get it. And I never underestimate the audience's ability to feel me.