''Baduizm'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter

Erykah Badu Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by R&B, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut al ...

. It was released on February 11, 1997, by Kedar Records and

Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

. After leaving university in order to concentrate on music full-time, Badu then began touring with her cousin, Robert "Free" Bradford, and recorded a 19-song demo, ''Country Cousins'', which attracted the attention of

Kedar Massenburg William "Kedar" Massenburg (born 1963) is an American record producer and record label executive, who was the president of Motown Records from 1997 to 2004. Massenburg is best known for bringing Erykah Badu to fame. He trademarked the term "neo so ...

. He set Badu up to record a duet with D'Angelo, "

Your Precious Love "Your Precious Love" is a popular song that was a 1967 hit for Motown singers Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The song was written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, and produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol. The doo-wop styled recor ...

," and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal. Recording sessions for the album took place from January to October 1996 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, and

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

. ''Baduizm'' was met with positive reviews from music critics who praised the album's musical style and Badu's artistic vision; other critics noted similarities between Badu and

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

. ''Baduizm'' was a commercial success debuting at number two on the US '' Billboard'' charts and number one on the ''Billboard''

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated ...

. The album was certified three times platinum by Recording Industry Association of America,RIAA
Gold by

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...

and Gold by the

Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It ...

. ''Baduizm'' was promoted with the release of four singles: " On & On", "

Next Lifetime "Next Lifetime" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for her debut studio album ''Baduizm'' (1997). It was written by Badu and Anthony Scott. A mid-tempo ballad, the song describes being in a relationship but longing for another man. ...

", "

Otherside of the Game "Otherside of the Game" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for her debut studio album ''Baduizm'' (1997). It was written by Badu, Questlove, James Poyser and Richard Nichols. The song effectively showcases Badu's debt to jazz aside ...

", and " Appletree". The album received many accolades, including the

Grammy Award for Best R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors ...

at the

40th Grammy Awards The 40th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Rock icon Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, and R. Kelly were ...

. Along with fellow contemporary albums such as D'Angelo's ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' (1995) and Maxwell's '' Urban Hang Suite'' (1996), ''Baduizm'' success helped establish Badu as one of the leading artists in the neo-soul genre and is one of the albums credited with contributing to the genre's commercial visibility at the time.

Background and recording

To focus on music full time Badu dropped out from

Grambling State University Grambling State University (GSU, Grambling, or Grambling State) is a public historically black university in Grambling, Louisiana. Grambling State is home of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum and is listed on the Louisiana African American Herita ...

. Badu then began working and touring with her cousin, Robert "Free" Bradford, during this period she recorded a 19-song demo, ''Country Cousins'', which attracted the attention of

. Massenburg set a recording session up with D'Angelo to record, "

," and eventually signed her to a record deal with

. Badu was partly influenced by Brandy's debut album, notably "I Wanna Be Down" and "Always on My Mind". Badu also took inspiration from her ancestry particularly turbans and African drums. Recording sessions started in January through to October 1996 at Battery Studios in

, Sigma Sounds & Ivory Studios in

, and Dallas Sound Lab in

. Badu provided lead and background vocals, along with keyboards, drum machine and other music programming on the album with the help of Madukwu, N'Dambi,

Bob Power Bob Power is an American Grammy Award–winning and multi-platinum record producer, audio engineer, composer, arranger, performer, and music educator. Early life Power was born in Chicago, moved to Rye, New York, then moved to St. Louis, Missou ...

, Ike Lee III, and Ron Carter. Shortly before the albums release, Badu grew unhappy with the recorded material and travelled back to

to work with the Roots. The sessions led to the demo's "

" and "Sometimes" being included on ''Baduizm''.

Critical reception

''Baduizm'' established Badu as a popular artist and received positive reviews from critics, who viewed the record as a return to the simplicity of early '70s

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

. ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...

'' magazine's Karen R. Good called the record "a conduit of awakening of something dark, familiar and long slept,"Good, Karen R.
Review: ''Baduizm''
. ''

'': 133–134. March 1997. while John Bush from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

felt it was innovative primarily for its sound, "heavier hip-hop beats over organic, conscientious soul music." Badu's particular style of singing drew many comparisons to

. ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'' said Badu echoed Holiday in "her phrasing and cadence," while

Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...

from the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' commented: "Rather than merely mimicking Holiday, Badu offers a canny update of the socially conscious soul of the early '70s with her mid-tempo grooves and sultry, conversational vocals." In the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'',

Robert Hilburn Robert Hilburn (born September 25, 1939) is an American pop music critic, author, and radio host. As critic and music editor at the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1970 to 2005, his reviews, essays and profiles appeared in publications around the wor ...

wrote: "Freely mixing musical eras and inspirations (Billie Holiday to Stevie Wonder, jazz to hip-hop), Badu combines supper-club sophistication with an artistic vision as unique and independent" as

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

in the '80s.Hilburn, Robert
Review: ''Baduizm''
''

''. Retrieved on August 3, 2009. Writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'',

Miles Marshall Lewis Miles Marshall Lewis (born December 18, 1970) is an American pop culture critic, essayist, literary editor, fiction writer, and music journalist. He is a graduate of Morehouse College, class of 1993. Career Lewis was born in The Bronx, Ne ...

stated: "''Baduizm'' showcases the heart and soul of a bohemian B-girl who happens to have an effortless jazz swing." At the end of 1997, ''Baduizm'' was voted the seventh best record of the year in the

Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...

, an annual poll of American critics published by ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...

''. Robert Christgau, the poll's supervisor, was less enthusiastic and dismissed the comparisons to Billie Holiday, deeming Badu "a mite too bourgie-

boho Boho may refer to: Geography * Boho, County Fermanagh, a village and parish in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland ** Boho Caves, a cave system in Boho * Boho, North Sumatra, a village on the island of Samosir, Indonesia Other uses * Boho, short fo ...

" for his tastes.

Release and sales

After ''Baduizm'' was released, it peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the

. The album's success helped establish Badu as one of the leading artists in the flourishing neo-soul genre.O'Donnell, David
Review: ''Baduizm''

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...

. Retrieved on August 3, 2009. ''Baduizm'' was certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, Gold by the

and the

. As of February 2017 the album has sold 2.8 million copies in United States. The album produced four singles; the lead single " On & On" was released in December 1996, and reached number 12 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charts and the

UK Singles Charts The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top- ...

, as well as making an appearance on the New Zealand charts.

Accolades

In 1997, Badu received six nominations and won three: Favorite Female Solo Single for "On & On", Favorite Female Solo Album for ''Baduizm'' and Best R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year for "On & On" at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. In 1998, Badu received fourteen nominations and won eight, including Favorite R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist at the

American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...

;

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards ...

for "On & On" and

Best R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors ...

for ''Baduizm'' at the

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s; Outstanding New Artist and Outstanding Female Artist at the

NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

; Favorite Female Soul/R&B Single for "On & On", Favorite Female Soul/R&B Album for ''Baduizm'' and Favorite New R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist for "On & On" at the

Soul Train Music Award The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...

s. ''Baduizm'' is listed as one of the 261 greatest albums since punk and disco (the year 1976), in the music critic Garry Mulholland's book ''Fear of Music'' (). 'This record works as seduction soundtrack, Saturday night chill-out, Sunday morning church replacement. The success of Erykah Badu's masterpiece briefly threatened to inspire a new era in conscious soul. But only

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

and D'Angelo were at her level. ''Baduizm'' stands alone, a missing link between '70s street funk, basement jazz, bohemian hip hop and the blues reinventions of Portishead." In the 2020 reboot of their list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time",

ranked ''Baduizm'' number 89.

Track listing

Sample credits * "Appletree" interpolates "On & On". * “4 Leaf Clover” covers “Touch A Four Leaf Clover” by

Atlantic Starr Atlantic Starr is an American band based in White Plains, New York. They are best known for the hits " Always", "Secret Lovers", "Send for Me", "Circles", "Silver Shadow" and "Masterpiece". History Atlantic Starr began in Greenburgh, New York w ...

. * "No Love" samples "Lucky Fellow" by

Leroy Hutson Leroy Hutson (born June 4, 1945) is an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and instrumentalist, best known as former lead singer of R&B vocal group The Impressions. His music concerns '70s soul, as noted in the June 2 ...

& interpolates "I Love You Too Much" by Stevie Wonder. * "Drama" interpolates "

Pastime Paradise "Pastime Paradise" is a song by American musician Stevie Wonder, from the 1976 album ''Songs in the Key of Life''. The song was one of the first to use a synthesizer (the Yamaha GX-1) to sound like a full string section. Built initially from s ...

" by Stevie Wonder. * "Sometimes" samples "I Feel Like Loving You Today" by Donald Byrd and 125th St, NYC. * "Certainly (Flipped It)" samples " Summer Madness" by

Kool & The Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. ...

Personnel

Musicians *

– keyboards (track 3), lead vocals (all tracks),

background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

(tracks 2-6, 8-9, 11) * Ron Carter – bass (track 11) * Madukwu Chinwah – additional voices (track 13) * Ike Lee III – keyboards (track 3, track 9; additional on track 10) * N'Dambi – additional voices (track 13) *

– guitar (track 11), keyboards (11), multiple instruments (2) * Tone The Backbone – multiple instruments (track 6) Production * Producers: Erykah Badu (tracks 3, 7, 9), Jaifar Barron (7), Robert Bradford (10), Madukwu Chinwah (1, 8, 13-14), Jamal "Jaborn Jamal" Cantero (2), Ike Lee III (3,9), Richard Nichols (4-5, 12), Bob Power (2, 11),

James Poyser James Jason Poyser is an American songwriter, record producer, musician and current member of the hip hop band The Roots. Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists such as Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, ...

(5, 7, 12), The Roots (4-5, 12), Tone The Backbone (6) * Executive producer: Kedar Massenburg * Recording engineers: Lee Anthony (track 11), Tim Donovan (Additional on 2), Michael Gilbert (1, 3, 6–7, 9–10, 13–14), David Ivory (4-5, 7, 12), Anthony Lee, Bob Power (2, 11), Frank Salazar (8, 10), Chris Trevett (1, 6, 8, 14) * Assistant engineers: Paul Shatraw (track 13), Sharon Kearney (11), Charles McCrorey (1-2, 6–9, 11, 14), John Meredith (1, 3, 10, 14) * Mixing: Ken "Duro" Ifill (tracks 1, 7, 10, 13–14), Tim Latham (3-6, 8–9, 12), Bob Powers (2, 11) * Mixing assistants: Martin Czembor (tracks 1, 3, 5–7, 9–10, 12–14), Tim Donovan (2, 11), Paul Shatraw (4-6, 8, 12) * Music Programming: Erykah Badu (track 3), Ike Lee III (3,9), Bob Power (2), Tone The Backbone (6) * Additional Drum Machines: Erykah Badu (track 10), John Meredith (10) * Art direction: Sandie Lee Drake * Design: Susan Bibeau * Photography: Marc Baptiste * Stylist: Andrew Dosunmu

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Awards

Grammy Awards

References

External links

*
Baduizm
' at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the ...

*
Baduizm
' at Acclaimed Music

at ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...

''
Soul Sister: Erykah Badu
– By '' Spin'' {{Authority control 1997 debut albums Erykah Badu albums Grammy Award for Best R&B Album Kedar Records albums