Erica Abi Johnson also known as Erykah Badu was born in South Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her and her brother and sisters alone. Her grandmother often helped in looking after them while Erykah's mother, Kollen Maria Gipson (Wright), performed as an actress in theatrical productions. When she was 4 she sang and danced with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre. At 14 she was free-styling for a local radio station. While a teenager she decided to change her name from Erica to Erykah, she believed her original name to be her 'slave' name. The term 'kah' signifies the inner self, which, when translated from Arabic, means 'can do no wrong'. Badu is also an African name for the 10th born child. Badu in Arabic means truth and light...good choice kid.
She attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and studied theater at Grambling State University. She didn't graduate but had many jobs, teaching drama and dance to children, and working and touring with her cousin. While with her cousin she recorded a demo whis was discovered by Kedar Massenburg who helped her do a duet with singer D'Angelo, which lead to her signing with Universial Records.
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