Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu may be one of the most unique voices of her generation. Badu embodies the spirit of neo-soul and hip hop while bringing to mind the feeling of legendary songstresses, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Chaka Kan. Born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas, 1971, she could be heard freestyling over radio waves by the age of 14. Erica was a dance student at Dallas's performing arts magnet school, Booker T. Washington High. During her time at Booker, Erica created the stage name of Erykah Badu. In Egyptian, "Kah" refers to the soul, a human's vital energy or the inner self. Badu is a reference to the scat style of singing used by singer's during the hay day of jazz. Badu studied theater at Grambling State University, but left college early to pursue a musical career.

In 1997, Erykah Badu released her first album, the critically acclaimed, Baduizm. In the years that followed, Badu released three more hit albums including: an album of live recordings, "Live", a down to the roots, soulful collection called "Mama's Gun", and her latest album, "Worldwide Undergound", released in 2003. Through the years, Erykah Badu has also worked on numerous collaborations with artists such as The Roots, Mos Def and Queen Latifah.

While Badu's musical accomplishments look impressive when listed across a computer screen, reading about them is nothing compared to listening to them yourself. The deep rhythms, clever melodies and soulful heart of her music can erupt movement in the hips of even the most staunch wallflower. The music alone is enough to make me a fan, her lyrics make her a legend. She expresses female confidence and power in every word, making her an important icon for generations of women to look up to. The beauty of being a woman is something that Badu embodies completely. That sense is complimented by humility, a sense of humor and of course, soul, soul, soul.

"The Kabah", Badu's upcoming album is expected to release October 23, 2007. Warm up your headphones, ladies.