Erykah Badu

Solo Artist · Queen of Neo Soul

Photo: Radiobums at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Active 1994-present
Origin Dallas, Texas
Albums 5
Tracks 60
Most frequent collaborator James Poyser · 21 tracks
Genres Neo SoulR&BPsychedelic SoulConscious Hip Hop
Artist
92%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 55 of 60 tracks

Did Erykah Badu write her own songs?

Yes, on nearly all of them. She is credited on 55 of the 60 tracks across her five studio albums. What she almost never does is write alone: only four of those tracks carry her name and no other, two of them the intro and outro of Worldwide Underground. James Poyser is her most frequent co-writer at 17 tracks.

By the Numbers

5
Studio Albums
60
Tracks Credited
92%
Self-Written
32
Years Active
87
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 55 / 60 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 60 tracks: how many Erykah Badu wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Erykah Badu has a writing credit92%
7%
85%
8%
Sole author4tracks7%
Co-written51tracks85%
Outside writers5tracks8%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Erykah Badu's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 60 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)92%
Composer (music)92%
Producer72%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Erykah Badu's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 92%
93%
100%
80%
82%
100%
1997Baduizm
2000Mama's Gun
2003Worldwide Underground
2008New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
2010New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
Early · 92% written
Late · 91% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

93%
1990s
Baduizm
89%
2000s
Mama's Gun, Worldwide Underground +1 more
100%
2010s
New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Erykah Badu sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Erykah Badu
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Aaliyah0%
Backstreet Boys25%
NSYNC41%
Kelly Rowland53%
Usher74%
John Legend83%
Justin Timberlake100%
92%Erykah Badu
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

On & On
Baduizm
Written by Erykah Badu, Jahmal "JaBorn" Cantero, Erica Abi Wright
Co-wrote
Bag Lady
Mama's Gun
Written by Erykah Badu, Erica Abi Wright, Shaun Martin, Isaac Hayes, Andre Young, Brian Bailey, Craig Longmiles, Ricardo Brown, Nathan Hale
Co-wrote
Danger
Worldwide Underground
Written by Erykah Badu, R.C. Williams, Rashad Smith, James Poyser, Erica Abi Wright
Co-wrote
Honey
New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
Written by Erykah Badu, 9th Wonder, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett, David Shields, Erica Abi Wright, Patrick Douthit
Co-wrote
Window Seat
New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
Written by Erykah Badu, James Poyser, Erica Abi Wright
Co-wrote

Discography 5 albums

The discography also lists Before the World Blows, an album credited jointly to Erykah Badu and the Alchemist rather than to Badu alone. It sits outside this catalogue.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Erykah Badu60 tracks
21James Poyser, 21 tracks on The Roots's page RS8Rashad Smith, 8 tracks S7SLJ, 7 tracks MC4Madukwu Chinwah, 4 tracks 4Questlove, 4 tracks on The Roots's page JD4J Dilla, 4 tracks SM4Shaun Martin, 4 tracks RW4R.C. Williams, 4 tracks M4Madlib, 4 tracks RB3Robert Bradford, 3 tracks RN3Richard Nichols, 3 tracks TR3The Roots, 3 tracks AM3Audrie Magget, 3 tracks MC3Mike Chavarria, 3 tracks BP2Bob Power, 2 tracks JB2Jah Born, 2 tracks IL2Ike Lee III, 2 tracks PP2Pino Palladino, 2 tracks BL2Braylon Lacy, 2 tracks RA2Roy Ayers, 2 tracks KR2Karriem Riggins, 2 tracks OK2Om'Mas Keith, 2 tracks GA2Georgia Anne Muldrow, 2 tracks 9W29th Wonder, 2 tracks J"1Jahmal "JaBorn" Cantero, 1 track AS1Anthony Scott, 1 track TT1Tone the Backbone, 1 track JB1Jafar Barron, 1 track DL1David Lewis, 1 track WL1Wayne Lewis, 1 track TM1Tyallen Macklin, 1 track JC1Jahmal Cantero, 1 track N1N'dambi, 1 track JD1Jack DeJohnette, 1 track BW1Betty Wright, 1 track E"1Eugene "Snooky" Young, 1 track SM1Stephen Marley, 1 track IH1Isaac Hayes, 1 track AY1Andre Young, 1 track BB1Brian Bailey, 1 track CL1Craig Longmiles, 1 track RB1Ricardo Brown, 1 track NH1Nathan Hale, 1 track GY1Geno Young, 1 track GI1Gino Iglehart, 1 track VD1Vikter Duplaix, 1 track DP1Dead Prez, 1 track S1Stic.man, 1 track M1M-1, 1 track DB1Donald Byrd, 1 track QL1Queen Latifah, 1 track AS1Angie Stone, 1 track B1Bahamadia, 1 track WA1William Allen, 1 track EB1Edwin Birdsong, 1 track DV1Daniel Vangarde, 1 track MM1Malcolm McLaren, 1 track AP1Anita Poree, 1 track LC1Leonard Caston Jr., 1 track TB1Tom Barlage, 1 track WE1Willem Ennes, 1 track HW1Hans Waterman, 1 track GW1Guus Willemse, 1 track TA1Taz Arnold, 1 track CM1Curtis Mayfield, 1 track CM1Clarence McDonald, 1 track FB1Fritz Baskett, 1 track DS1David Shields, 1 track DW1Douglas Wimbish, 1 track DS1David Sancious, 1 track SS1Sylvia Striplin, 1 track JB1James Bedford Jr., 1 track T"1Terrell "Ta'Raach" McMathis, 1 track PM1Paul McCartney, 1 track on The Beatles's page T1Ta'Raach, 1 track L"1Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, 1 track IR1Ira Raibon, 1 track WB1Waldo Benzworth, 1 track JC1Jonathan Cantero, 1 track GG1Garry Glenn, 1 track EK1Eddie Kendricks, 1 track on The Temptations's page JJ1Jackson Jr., 1 track KA1Kirsten Agresta, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. RS Rashad Smith · S SLJ · MC Madukwu Chinwah · JD J Dilla

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Badu is credited on 55 of her 60 studio tracks, which puts her near the top of the catalogue for self-authorship. The number hides how rarely she works alone. Only four of those 55 carry her name and nobody else's, and two of them are the intro and outro of Worldwide Underground. James Poyser writes with her on 17 tracks across four albums, Shafiq Husayn on six, Rashad Smith on five. She is a writer on almost everything and a solo writer on almost nothing.

Quick Facts

  • Self-writtenBadu is credited on 55 of her 60 studio tracks
  • Written aloneFour tracks in the catalogue carry her name and no other
  • Closest writerJames Poyser, credited on 17 tracks across four albums
  • Best sellerBaduizm, 2,800,000 in the United States
  • Biggest song"Bag Lady" reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100
  • Awards16 awards from 59 nominations

Creative Fingerprint

A writer on nearly every song she sings, and almost never the only one.

The Story

Erica Abi Wright opened for D'Angelo in Fort Worth in 1994, which led to Kedar Massenburg signing her to Kedar Entertainment. Baduizm followed in 1997 and critics started calling her the Queen of Neo Soul. Five studio albums came out between 1997 and 2010.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (2000)
Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance, "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" (2003)
BET Award for Video of the Year, "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" (2003)
BET Award for Best Director, "Honey" (2008)
MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction in a Video, "Honey" (2008)
Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Favorite Female Solo Album, Baduizm (1997)

Frequently Asked Questions Erykah Badu

Did Erykah Badu write her own songs?
Yes, on nearly all of them. She is credited on 55 of the 60 tracks across her five studio albums. What she almost never does is write alone: only four of those tracks carry her name and no other, two of them the intro and outro of Worldwide Underground. James Poyser is her most frequent co-writer at 17 tracks.
Who wrote "On & On"?
Badu and Jahmal Cantero, who produced under the name Jah Born. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was her first hit.
Who wrote "Bag Lady"?
Badu and Shaun Martin, with the writers of the sampled record credited alongside them, including Isaac Hayes and Andre Young. It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest placing.
How many albums has Erykah Badu released?
Five studio albums between 1997 and 2010: Baduizm, Mama's Gun, Worldwide Underground, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) and New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh).
Which tracks did she write by herself?
Four. "Didn't Cha Know" and "Booty" on Mama's Gun, and the two halves of "World Keeps Turnin'" that open and close Worldwide Underground.
Who is James Poyser?
A keyboard player and producer from the Soulquarians circle who has worked with Badu since Baduizm. He is credited as a writer on 17 of her tracks, more than anyone else outside Badu herself.
Which album sold the most?
Baduizm, at 2,800,000 in the United States. The RIAA certified it 3x Platinum.
Why is she called the Queen of Neo Soul?
Critics gave her the nickname after Baduizm put her at the front of the neo soul movement in 1997.
What awards has she won?
16 awards from 59 nominations. They include a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2000 and a second for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2003 for "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)".
Is Before the World Blows part of this catalogue?
No. It is credited to Badu and the Alchemist together rather than to Badu alone, so it sits outside the five solo studio albums counted here.

Sources

Wikipedia: Erykah Badu Wikipedia: Erykah Badu discography