Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971),[3] 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 album Baduizm (1997), placed her at the forefront of the neo soul movement, earning her the honorific nickname “Queen of Neo Soul” by music critics.