A singing voice that is said to be the second coming of Billie Holiday and a strong character that you will never forget once you see her. Beauty, talent, intelligence, fashion sense, high fertility, and hazel eyes. What happens when one woman has all of these things? ERYKAH BADU. 20 years after her impressive debut in 1997 with "Baduizm," ERYKAH BADU continues to sit in a special seat in American pop culture as a one and only. Her influence is so immense that it is hard to know where to begin, so we take another look back at Erykah Badu in anticipation of her upcoming visit to Japan for Billboard Live in early October.
First and foremost, the music. She was the muse of the neo-soul movement that revived warm old soul music in the mid-1990s. She broke through with D'Angelo and Maxwell, who were also under the same management, and seemed to be at the opposite end of the hip-hop scene at the time, which was glitz and glamour, but they coexisted in a well-balanced way and enlivened the scene as a whole. Close to socially conscious artists such as the hip-hop band The Roots, he was also part of a loose musical unit called the Soulquarians from the late 90s to the early 00s. The Soulquarians, which also included Common, Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, and the genius producer J. Dilla, was a non-promotional group that helped each other create sounds, held shows together, and was supported by deep empathy and respect. It was wonderful. The musicians in this unit created "Mama's Gun" in 2000 and "Worldwide Underground" in 2003. The sound world that we can listen to today still remains the same. The "New Amerikah" series from the 2010s, with its abstract sound and politicized lyrics, was controversial immediately after its release, but by the end of the year, it was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike. It was well received by critics and fans alike.
Erykah Badu as a fashion icon. The combination of head wraps, organic fabrics, and oversized silver accessories that marked her debut has spawned a large following that has spread to Japan. Erika's attitude of not following any brand or trend, much less "what men like," and sticking to her own style is what makes her unique. In fact, she is a beautiful woman with a small face and an ideal body shape that shows where it needs to show. I have seen her many times from up close and from afar, from the showcase just before her debut, to the listening session in 2010, to her guest appearance at the Maxwell's concert, and she is so beautiful as a living organism that simple words such as "aura" or "fashionable" cannot fully convey her charm. She is a person. No wonder she has been revered as an icon for many years.
Erika, as a magical woman. She has been dating a string of famous rappers. Outkast's Andre 3000, Common, who is very popular in Japan, The D.O.C., who was in the movie "Straight Outta Compton," and Jay Electra, who is signed to Jay-Z's label. All of these faces, who look like they could have a little hip-hop festival, are Erica's exes. All but Common have one child each, so they are also baby's fathers, and even after the man-woman relationship is over, they still function as a family in a big way. In the U.S., pregnancy does not necessarily mean marriage, and since she has the mentality and financial strength to raise three children, she is receiving respect, not disapproval, from the public. Shortly after Andre broke up with her, Outkast got an even bigger break, and Common's collaboration with Erica, "The Light" and "Love Of My Life," became big hits, so some people think he is an upstart. Love Of My Life," subtitled "An Ode To Hiphop," is a song about love for hip-hop and won a Grammy in 2003 for Best R&B Song. While she has a seat at the R&B table, her influence on hip-hop culture is what makes her so unique. She practices vegetarianism, preaches spirituality, and raises her children to the best of her ability. Her unwavering commitment to her own style, both as an artist and as a woman, is what makes even the most star-studded men fall in awe of her.
Erykah Badu's recent work, including an interesting phone-themed mixtape in 2015 and her second consecutive year as the overall host of BET (Black Entertainment TV)'s Soul Train Music Awards), is increasingly free in her 40s! She is now in her 40s and increasingly free in her activities. Her greatest strength is her theatrical live performances. Her voice is both lovely and powerful, and you will soon be able to hear it in Japan.
Text_Minako Ikeshiro
Edit_Jun Nakada
BBL 10th Anniversary Premium Stage Erykah Badu
Venue: Billboard Live Tokyo
Date: Sunday, October 1, 2017
Doors open: 17:30, Concert begins: 19:00
Dates: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, Friday, October 6, 2017, Thursday, October 12, 2017
Doors open: 18:30, Concert begins: 20:00
Venue: Billboard Live Osaka
Dates: Monday, October 9, 2017, Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Doors open: 17:30, Concert begins: 19:00
*All special operating hour performances of one show per day.
www.billboard-live.com
MTV presents SOUL CAMP
Venue: Shin Toyosu area, Tokyo
Dates: October 7 (Sat.), 8 (Sun.), 2017
Doors open: 13:00, Concert begins: 14:00 (tentative)
*Erykah Badu will appear only on the 7th.
http://soul-camp.jp/
