Erykah Badu

One of the foundational and still-reigning voices of neo-soul, Erykah Badu has been fusing her ’70s soul and ’80s hip-hop upbringing into lavish, conscious tracks since launching her definitive presence in 1997 with “On & On” and the multi-platinum album Baduizm, winning Grammy Awards for both. Also a top-flight collaborator from the beginning, Badu’s crossovers with The Roots earned her another Grammy as a feature on “You Got Me” off their seminal 1999 album Things Fall Apart.

The powerhouse Badu kept rolling with 2000’s Mama’s Gun and 2003’s Worldwide Underground, each lifting up a top-10 hit—“Bag Lady” and the Common-featuring “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop).” All the while, she also played supporting roles in the movies Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules, and House of D.

Following her New Amerykah albums in 2008 and 2010, Badu lent a string of guest vocals to albums by the likes of Janelle Monáe, Flying Lotus, Bonobo, and Tyler The Creator before releasing her 2015 mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone. Since receiving Billboard Women In Music’s Icon Award in 2025, she’s been collaborating with prolific rap producer The Alchemist on Abi & Alan, touring their new music, including the single “Next to You,” last summer.