 b. Erica Wright, 26 February 1971, Dallas, Texas, USA. This uncompromising R&B performer has made rapid progress in her brief career to date. Signed to Kedar Entertainment, Badu effortlessly repeated the label's blueprint for success that propelled D'Angelo to international stardom. Her debut album, Baduizm, was largely self-written, and was co-produced with the Roots, D'Angelo collaborator Bob Power and several old friends and colleagues from her days on the Memphis, Tennessee music scene. Among them was her cousin, Free. Before electing to turn solo, Badu had performed alongside Free in the group Erykah Free. The album's contents, which fluctuated between warm jazz textures and hip-hop and soul rhythms, won almost universal critical praise, with Badu picking up Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("On & On") and Best R&B Album.  |
