Erykah Badu: The First Lady of Neo-Soul

by Joel McIver

A Grammy Award winner for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Album, Erykah Badu is considered by many to be the next Lauren Hill or Macy Gray. Joel McIver tells her story.

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 20, 2002

Reviews

[RainbowWriter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This profound biography tells about the birth of Neo Soul movement and its most famous trailblazer Erykah Badu. Though the biography tells about her career only until 2003 and so just about the creation of her two first albums, "Baduizm" and "Mama's Gun" it's well worth reading for Neo Soul and Erykah Badu fans like myself :). I feel that after reading this book I understand Erykah Badu's controversial and complex personality a bit more as well as Neo Soul movement itself. Very profound, professional, personal and revealing book. One of the best I've read.

[Mini · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Erykah Badu, but I do NOT love this book. I believe the wrong biographer wrote this. I had difficulty getting through it when it should have been an easy read. The author knows nothing of soul, r&b or funk but continually gives false information about the genres that are my sustenance. After having made some seriously inaccurate claims, I looking into who Mr. McIver is. He writes music books, but heavy metal/hard rock (or whatever the proper term is) is his genre. He is out of his league with Ms. Badu. He should stick to what he knows.

[Carrissa Glarner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Erykah Badu then this is a great way to learn some of the most intimate pieces of her life, her loves and her work.

[LeGrand · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is book is not riveting but is interesting..
covers her early and young life up to the release of mama's gun (2000)