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1 (4th World War), Badu crafted her own bewitching and sometimes bewildering brand of soul, funk, and psychedelia, which she laced with stinging sociopolitical commentary and sly humor. On 2000’s Mama’s Gun and both parts of 2008’s ambitious New Amerykah, Pt. While Badu’s deft and playful vocal delivery garnered early comparisons with Billie Holiday, her creative vision proved to be much broader than the slinky, coffee-bar-ready jazz and soul of her early releases. Indeed, no one could have predicted just how unique her trajectory would be when the singer and songwriter-born Erica Wright, in Dallas, in 1971-first became a leading light of the neo-soul movement alongside friends like D’Angelo and The Roots with the 1997 release of her first hit single, “On & On,” and Baduizm, her impossibly cool full-length debut.
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As fearless as she is unpredictable, Erykah Badu is one of American music’s true originals.
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