Erykah Badu is a powerful creative force who transcends music, film, and fashion. She is not only renowned for her songwriting, singing, and production skills; she is also celebrated for her capacity to heal, promote female wellness, challenge oppressive structures, and uphold the values of her Afrocentric and Black Feminist roots. Her imaginative blend of soul, funk, hip-hop, jazz, and gospel has earned her multiple awards and praise since the release of her debut album, Baduizm (1997), continuing through her fifth release, New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh (2010), plus every mixtape, soundtrack, single, video, and musical collaboration in between.

Badu incorporates elements of spirituality and mysticism into her music. Drawing on a range of religious and philosophical traditions to explore the nature of existence and consciousness. In this way, her music can be seen as a form of resistance against dominant cultural narratives and a celebration of alternative ways of being.

The past few years, both during and after the COVID pandemic, have been transformative for the Dallas native. Self-described as the “laziest artist in the world,” Badu has been anything but idle. “Our need will be the real creator,” Plato famously predicted, and Badu, resurrected by the pandemic, teemed with enough innovative ideas to crown her the mother of invention. She established a livestream company for artists, revolutionized home concerts, and launched BaduWorldMarket.com–an online exchange to showcase her favorite artisans who share her values and aesthetics. Then, in October 2021, came Badubotron, her own radio station on Sonos Radio filled with psychedelic music that’s inspired her life and career. Her entrepreneurial streak continues.

Most recently, Apple Trees, Badu’s cannabis accessory brand, collaborated with Cookies, an international cannabis lifestyle brand, to introduce That Badu, a premium line of cannabis designed with women’s wellness in mind. With this release, the green-eyed singer-songwriter, best known for her hit “Bag Lady,” aims to use everything in her sac to dispel stigmas surrounding cannabis usage, particularly for moms and women, by fusing wellness, fashion, art, and culture.

Badu’s fashion influence has always been a natural extension of her artistry, and the impact her unique personal style has had on the fashion industry is hard to ignore. From her appearances at Fashion Week and the MET Gala to her numerous magazine covers, most recently Vogue, Badu’s eclectic fashion statements have made her a style icon like no other. In May 2023, luxury fashion brand Marni will launch a capsule collection, featuring 40 fun and playful Badu inspired pieces.

While her success as a musician propelled her into the spotlight, it is her creative genius, ethereal wisdom, invention, style, fearlessness, and pioneering spirit that have enabled her to remain relevant and revered for the past three decades. To fans and followers who may look to her as a leader and a source of inspiration, eagerly awaiting her next release, both in music and in the market, she says, “Don’t follow me; chart your own path.”