When Erykah Badu arrived with Baduizm in 1997, she shifted the direction of contemporary R&B. Alongside the late, great D’Angelo, who released Brown Sugar a year and a half earlier, the Dallas native jumpstarted the neo-soul genre. In the decades since, she has built one of the strongest catalogs in music, led by songs such as “On & On,” “Bag Lady,” “Didn’t Cha Know,” and “Window Seat.”
Badu became a central figure in the music industry, drawing from jazz and hip-hop, while developing a style of her own. Grammy recognition followed, along with a stellar reputation for live shows. Her reach has extended into fashion and cultural commentary, but the music remains the core. Now, as she prepares Abi & Alan, her first studio album in 15 years—produced entirely by The Alchemist and set for release on her Control FREAQ Records imprint—interest in her music has been reignited. The lead single, “Next To You,” has only added anticipation for the project.
In celebration of Erykah Badu’s 55th birthday, ESSENCE has ranked her entire discography from her debut release to 2010’s New Amerykah Pt. 2 (Return of the Ankh). For almost three decades, it’s been one hell of a ride, and we’re all waiting to see what’s next.
Released in 2003, Worldwide Underground has an improvisational, jam-session feel that mirrors Erykah Badu’s live energy. The funk-driven production drives the album, especially on tracks like “Back in the Day (Puff)” and “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop).” While the project doesn’t quite reach the heights of her two previous releases, Worldwide Underground still stands as a body of work that you can always revisit.
New Amerykah Pt. 1 (4th World War) found the Dallas-native shifting her sound like never before. Released in 2008, the album leaned into psychedelic hip-hop textures crafted with producers like Madlib, Karriem Riggins, and J Dilla. Lyrically, she tackled systemic racism, addiction, and Black identity. The album marked a decisive turn in her catalog and remains one of her most politically direct statements.
Badu’s 2010 release New Amerykah Pt. 2 (Return of the Ankh) centers on romance, vulnerability, and self-examination, carried by warm, layered production and Badu’s unmistakable tone. It also includes the track “Window Seat,” which highlights her ability to make a track about personal reflection into an amazing song (the video for the record was also groundbreaking). 16 years really flew by, didn’t it?
Badu’s second studio release showcased the artist’s unique talent as a songwriter. “Bag Lady,” a song that many people feel is in the canon of Badu’s song catalog, is about the importance of letting go, and how love can liberate us all. While the sophomore slump in the music industry really is a thing, it definitely didn’t apply to DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown.
Released in 1997, Baduizm was a tentpole album in the neo-soul genre, and introduced Badu as a defining new voice in R&B. Powered by “On & On” and “Next Lifetime,” the album climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and helped reshape contemporary soul. With key contributions from The Roots, Badu fused jazz, ’70s soul, R&B, and hip-hop, and blended it all to create one of the best records ever.
