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Erykah Badu

Highest Rated: 94% The Piano Lesson (2024)

Lowest Rated: 10% House of D (2004)

Birthday: Feb 26, 1971

Birthday:

Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, USA

Erykah Badu occupied a sweet spot between jazz, traditional soul and hip-hop. Born Erica Wright, she grew up in Dallas as a show business child, studying voice and dance at the Dallas Theater Center well before adolescence. She then moved on to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. After dropping out of college she began recording demos, one of which got to Kedar Massenburg, the then-president of Motown Records. He became her manager and landed her a duet with another of his clients, D'Angelo, and ultimately signed her to his own Kedar label. Her first album, 1997's "Baduizm," was an immediate hit and a cornerstone of the neo-soul genre. Though the production was modern, her voice drew comparisons to Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. It spawned three hit singles ("on & On," "Next Lifetime" and "Otherside of the Game") and won the 1998 Grammy for Best R&B album. Shethen made the unconventional move of releasing a live album as the followup and Live did just as well commercially, including covers of Chaka Khan and Roy Ayers. She recorded it while pregnant and timed its release to coincide with the birth of her son Seven, whose father was Andre 3000 of OutKast. After taking a maternity break she released "Mama's Gun," her first for Motown proper, which toned down her impressionistic lyrics for a more direct approach while upping the jazz influence, notably on the ten-minute finale "Green Eyes." This continued on 2003's "Worldwide Underground" album, which allowed for more instrumental stretching-out. Following another hiatus, she returned in 2008 with "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)," after apparently scrapping a couple albums' worth of recordings made on her home computer. This was followed two years later by "New Amerykah Part 2 (Return of the Ankh)". Both albums return sampling and electronics to the mix; the first was her most political album while the second introduces sci-fi themes. It's also notable for the single "Window Seat" whose video led to her being arrested while filming a nude scene at the spot where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Her only other release in the 2010s was "But You Can't Use My Phone"-- officially a mixtape, though it became an aboveground Motown release. A set of telephone-themed songs, it featured covers of Ray Parker Jr's "Mr. Telephone Man" and surprise collaborations with Pharrell Williams and Todd Rundgren. Some of Badu's acting roles include the series "Hand of God" (Amazon, 2015-17), "Legends of Chamberlain Heights" (Comedy, 2016-17), the film "What Men Want" (2019) and the film "The Piano Lesson" wrapped in 2023.

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Highest rated movies

94% The Piano Lesson Watchlist
92% 86% The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
Watchlist
71% 77% The Cider House Rules
Watchlist
70% 60% The Land
Watchlist
46% 37% Blues Brothers 2000 Watchlist 41% 40% What Men Want Watchlist
10% 73% House of D
Watchlist
Say My Name
Watchlist
Hargrove
Watchlist
88% Bob Marley - One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star Tribute Concert
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
94% No Score Yet The Piano Lesson Unknown (Character) - 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hargrove Self,
Executive Producer
- 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The DOC Self - 2022
41% 40% What Men Want Sister (Character) $54.6M 2019
70% 60% The Land Turquoise (Character) $18.0K 2016
92% 86% The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 Unknown (Voice) $264.3K 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Say My Name Unknown (Character) - 2009
10% 73% House of D Lady Bernadette (Character) $371.1K 2004
71% 77% The Cider House Rules Rose Rose (Character) $57.5M 1999
No Score Yet 88% Bob Marley - One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star Tribute Concert Unknown (Character) - 1999
46% 37% Blues Brothers 2000 Queen Mousette (Character) $14.0M 1998

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Music Performer 2015 2017 2019 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet Most Expensivest Unknown (Guest Star) 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hip Hop Squares Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Desus & Mero Guest 2017
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Music Performer 2010 2016-2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Yo Gabba Gabba! Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
50% No Score Yet The Wanda Sykes Show Music Performer 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wendy Williams Show Music Performer 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Music Performer 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet Girlfriends Unknown (Guest Star) 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sesame Street Unknown (Guest Star),
Guest
2000 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet New York Undercover Unknown (Guest Star) 1997