She is best known for her singles You Got Me her collaboration with The Roots, as well as her own songs Tyrone, Love of My Life, On & On, Bag Lady, The Healer, Honey and Soldier. Her lyrics are highly personal urban philosophy which throw emotional challenges in the face of the listener. She weaves unusual musical influences together creating a rich texture of sound.
Some music journalists have labeled her Nu soul, nouvelle-soul or neo soul, often comparing her to Billie Holiday in lyrical delivery and grouping her with Maxwell and D'Angelo in musical genre.
Baduizm, Badu's highly acclaimed debut album, was released in early 1997 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Lead single On & On reached #12 on the singles charts in both the U.S. and UK. Badu received notice for her introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, and was hailed as one of the leading lights of the burgeoning neo soul genre. Her sophisticated style of singing drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday. Baduizm eventually went triple platinum and, along with On & On, won Grammy Awards at the 1998 ceremonies.
During that year, Badu became involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had a child, Seven, who was born in 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in the late 90s. Badu recorded her first live album, Live, while pregnant with Seven, and the release of the recording coincided with the birth to her child. Live reached #4 on the Billboard charts, selling double platinum, and spawned another R&B hit single in Tyrone a song chiding a selfish, cheap, and inattentive boyfriend. Badu also collaborated with The Roots (who had previously handled production duties on a number of tracks on Baduizm) on their breakthrough 1999 release, Things Fall Apart. She was featured on the song You Got Me co-written by Jill Scott, which hit the top 40 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
After taking some time off to raise her child, Badu returned in 2000 with Mama's Gun, an album more organic in sound than her previous studio album, and primarily produced by the Soulquarians and noted bassist Pino Palladino. A remix of one of the album's songs, Bag Lady was issued as the first single and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. The album was well-received, with the lyrical content winning notices from many publications who found some of her lyrics hard to decipher on her initial releases. Despite not charting as high as her first two albums, Mama's Gun was another platinum-selling success, and Bag Lady was nominated for a Grammy.
By 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common, and Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) was released as a collaboration between the two on the Brown Sugar soundtrack. Love of My Life hit #9 on the pop charts, topped the R&B listings, and Badu was awarded her fourth Grammy for the song in 2003.
After the release of Mama's Gun and Love of My Life, Badu went through a period of writer's block. She hit the road throughout 2002 and much of 2003 on what she dubbed the "Frustrated Artist Tour," in search of inspiration to write and perform new material. The conclusion of the tour saw Badu head back to the studio with new material, and in September of 2003, the Worldwide Underground was released. More jam-oriented than any of her prior releases, Badu was quoted as saying that the release was designed to serve as one continuous groove. Worldwide Underground reached #3 on the Billboard charts and was certified gold not long after its release, and Badu received four further Grammy nominations for the EP.
After almost four years and the birth of a daughter, Puma, it was revealed in 2007 that Badu had three albums in the works over the course of 2007 and 2008. Honey, a new single produced by 9th Wonder, was leaked online in November 2007, and the new album, titled New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), was released on February 26, 2008.
On August 23, 2008, Badu joined the rock band My Morning Jacket on stage at their show in Dallas, Texas to perform her song Tyrone. Her surprise appearance was met with an enthusiastic reaction from the audience.
On February 1, 2009 Badu gave birth to her third child, a girl named Mars Merkaba with her boyfriend Jay Electronica.
Her album New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) was released on March 30, 2010.
Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I don't fuck with you
It's 'cause I'm from the D, the other D
But Detroit has a special place in my heart
Creative, deep, rooted, organic, cosmic, fantastic, futuristic, ancient, musical
When I think of Detroit, I think of these things
There something in that dirty water that gives it its flavor
There's an invisible intelligence that runs though the streets like an underground rooting system
And I've seen it evolve into things only felt in the heart, I know this to be true
Thank you Berry Gordy, for that little house
Thank you Stevie Wonder for always calling me and reminding me that it is there, that thing
I always long to reconnect with it when I lose my way musically
Thank you J Dilla for your peculiar, peculiar intelligence
Yeah, Detroit just has a magic, and I know it to be true
Not Big Sean, but I don't fuck with you
Live from Badubotron, Nubian phenomenon
Detroit, where the Nubians grow
The lyrics to Erykah Badu's song "Erykah Badu" pay homage to Detroit, Michigan, and the many influences the city has had on the artist. She begins the song by clarifying that she is not Big Sean but still has a deep-rooted love for Detroit. She goes on to list a variety of descriptions that come to mind when she thinks of the city, such as being creative, deep, organic, cosmic, futuristic, and musical. Badu believes that Detroit has a unique flavor, and there is an invisible intelligence that runs through its streets like an underground rooting system.
Badu highlights the importance of music in Detroit's culture, mentioning the city's rich history and thanking icons like Berry Gordy, Stevie Wonder, and J Dilla for contributing to its musical legacy. She asserts that the city's gritty atmosphere helps to infuse its artistry with a raw intensity that can only be found in Detroit. In the end, she affirms that Detroit possesses a certain magic that cannot be denied.
Overall, the song "Erykah Badu" is a tribute to Detroit and the vast array of cultural phenomena that have influenced the artist's work. With poetic lyrics and an intimate understanding, Badu captures the essence of the city and its impact on her artistry.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am, Miss Badu, not Big Sean
I am not Big Sean, but I am introducing myself as Erykah Badu
But I don't fuck with you
I do not have any association or connection with you
It's 'cause I'm from the D, the other D
My lack of association with you is because I am from Detroit, also known as the D
But Detroit has a special place in my heart
I have a strong emotional connection to the city of Detroit
Creative, deep, rooted, organic, cosmic, fantastic, futuristic, ancient, musical
When I think of Detroit, I think of its creative, deep, rooted, organic, cosmic, fantastic, futuristic, ancient, and musical qualities
There's something in that dirty water that gives it its flavor
There is an intangible quality in the essence of Detroit that gives it a unique flavor
There's an invisible intelligence that runs though the streets like an underground rooting system
Detroit has a mysterious, intelligent energy that permeates throughout the city like an underground rooting system
Millions and billions of memory of atoms of all of the beautiful music that has been created there
Detroit has a rich musical history with countless memories and stories connected to its atoms
And I've seen it evolve into things only felt in the heart, I know this to be true
I have witnessed Detroit's evolution into something that can only be felt on a deep emotional level, and I know this to be true
Thank you Berry Gordy, for that little house
I am grateful to Berry Gordy for founding Motown Records in Detroit and for starting it all in a small house
Thank you Stevie Wonder for always calling me and reminding me that it is there, that thing
I appreciate Stevie Wonder for keeping me connected to that special energy in Detroit
I always long to reconnect with it when I lose my way musically
Whenever I feel lost musically, I yearn to reconnect with the creative spirit of Detroit
Thank you J Dilla for your peculiar, peculiar intelligence
I am thankful to J Dilla for his unique and brilliant musical intelligence
Yeah, Detroit just has a magic, and I know it to be true
To me, Detroit possesses a magical quality that I know to be true
Not Big Sean, but I don't fuck with you
I reiterate that I am not Big Sean and have no affiliation with you
Live from Badubotron, Nubian phenomenon
I am broadcasting live from my creative mind which I refer to as Badubotron, where the Nubian spirit thrives
Detroit, where the Nubians grow
To me, Detroit is a place where creatives of African descent can thrive and grow
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Sean Michael Anderson, Roget Chahayed, Erica Wright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marcus Batch
I never get tired of listening to the voice of the century.
Keep singing Erykah❤
Beverly Sharkey
Me too.
Learningwith Leigh
She killed it in Jersey last week. Love her! ❤❤❤❤
Rosely Raposo de Faria
Está em minha playlist!
Rogerio Viana
Tenho minhas cantoras preferidas, como Sade, mas ouvindo este estilo colocarei próximo, não na mesma prateleira pq Sade é única.
Sthefany Danielle
00:36 f1 enquanto a chuva cai lá fora ouvindo essa obra d ARTE🥰🤎
Conmigo Misma
Me haces viajar sin momerve ... Gracias Erika. AMO TU MUSICA ❤❤❤ y tu buena vibra siempre
Eva Dixon
Went to her "Unfollow Me Tour" in Dallas last night it was amazing and rejuvenating! Live performance is the bomb.
Diva Kim
Lucky you😍 I know it was life😊
miguel rosales
Yes. It was a great show. Took my daughter to the show out here In San Diego. She totally rocked it!!