Tag: Erykah Badu

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Entertainment Last Night in NYC

#GrammyWeekend: Celebrities Attend Essence’s Black Women In Music Gala Presented by Lincoln Motor Company

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The Lincoln Motor Company returned this year as an exclusive automotive sponsor for ESSENCE’s eighth annual Black Women in Music event held last night in Los Angeles. 2017 marks the eighth consecutive year Lincoln has been an elite patron for the event.

This year’s event celebrated nominees from the biggest night in music, along with singer/songwriter Erykah Badu on the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album Baduizm.

Award-winning singer/songwriter Estelle joined Lincoln on stage as part of the festivities to premiere her feature in Lincoln’s ongoing First Listen series. The latest feature, available for viewing on Lincoln Now, previews Estelle’s latest track, “Be in Luv,” from behind the wheel of the all-new Lincoln Continental.

Nigerian singer-songwriter, actress, and Roc Nation‘s very own Tiwa Savage also performed live as an opening act just before Erykah hit the stage.

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“This is a big week for Lincoln as it relates to music,” said Raj Register, multicultural communications manager, Lincoln. “From celebrating women at events like Black Women in Music, to debuting Estelle’s First Listen piece, to premiering Gary Clark Jr.’s new Continental commercial, it’s clear music drives us.”

READ MORE: FLY CARS: LINCOLN TEAMS UP WITH GARY CLARK JR. FOR NEW COMMERCIAL [VIDEO]

Celebrities that hit the Black Carpet were: the cast of BET’s New Edition mini-series (Luke James, Keith Powers & Woody McClain), Mya, Remy Ma, Lil Mama, Billboard‘s Bozoma Saint John, Diana Gordon aka Wynter Gordon, Gabrielle Dennis, Chloe x Halle, Faith Evans, Serayah McNeil, Simone Missick, Mario, Master P & his daughter Cymphonique, Tasha Smith and many more. shared the red carpet with the all-new Continental and Lincoln MKZ.

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Entertainment

Watch: Migos Freestyle On Sway In The Morning and Gets A Surprise Appearance From Laurence Fishburne

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Migos stops by Sway In The Morning on the brink of their new album release Culture. The trio speaks with Sway Calloway as the industry vet gave them props for leading the new rap culture, and sticking together for so many years.

Since their mentioned by Atlanta‘s Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino at the 2017 Golden Globes during his win, Migos’ “Bad And Boujee” charted at #1 on Billboard Hot 100 spot with a 240% spike in sales, literally within 24-48 hours.

During the interview, Quavo, Takeoff and Offset capped off a freestyle with only later being surprised by legendary actor Laurence Fishburne.

Check it out above.

To add, a petition has been raised for Migos to replace Lady Gaga at the 2017 Super Bowl Halftime show.

In addition to the replacement, the request also states that the Preshow should include Rae Sremmurd, Gucci, Goodie Mob, Ludacris and Young Jeezy, Young Thug needs to sing “Guwop Home”, the official anthem of Atlanta, Andre 3000 should sing the national anthem with Erykah Badu. By sing, they mean hit Donald Trump with a FIRE 64 bars. Lastly, the halftime should be Migos killing “Bad and Boujee,” Future with “March Madness”, then Outkast comes out and does an AQUEMINI sampler and then they end it with Bun B and Jay Z doing “Big Pimpin.”

Thoughts?

 

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Entertainment

Erykah Badu To Be Honored at Essence’s 8th Annual ‘Black Women In Music’ 2017

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Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) Essence, the preeminent brand for African-American women, will host its highly anticipated 8th annual “Black Women in Music”—an official GRAMMY Week event—on Thursday, February 9, in Los Angeles. The invitation-only soiree will salute the year’s extraordinary GRAMMY nominees and fête four-time GRAMMY winner Erykah Badu on the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album, “Baduizm.” The evening will also feature a performance by Roc Nation management artist Tiwa Savage, an award-winning Nigerian singer-songwriter making an indelible impact in the U.S.

“From the time that she first hit the scene with her album ‘Baduizm,’ we all fell in love with the genius that is Erykah Badu. It is only fitting that we honor the accomplishments of our neo-soul queen, whose remarkable artistry still moves us 20 years later,” said Essence Editor-in-Chief Vanessa De Luca. “We congratulate Erykah on her incredible career, as well as all of this year’s GRAMMY nominees, who share their amazing gifts with the world.”

“Our collaboration with The Recording Academy® underscores the mission of our ‘Black Women in Music’ platform,” said Essence President Michelle Ebanks. “Essence, like the GRAMMYs, has always been at the forefront of recognizing the genius of so many artists and influencers—from iconic legends to the next generation’s rising stars, like Tiwa Savage. We also applaud our event sponsor, Lincoln, for returning once again to support the vision of this event.”

“We’re closely aligned with the inspiration behind the ‘Black Women in Music’ event that helps bring a highly talented group of artists together through the power of music,” said Evan Greene, chief marketing officer of The Recording Academy. “The Recording Academy has always strived to recognize and celebrate diversity within the music industry.”

Established in 2010, ESSENCE ‘Black Women in Music’ has heralded the accomplishments of both emerging and established artists and influencers during GRAMMY week. Previous celebrants include GRAMMY Award winners Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland and Janelle Monáe, GRAMMY Award nominees Solange and Andra Day, as well as music industry veteran Sylvia Rhone and singer/songwriters Lianne La Havas and Emeli Sandé.

The 2017 ESSENCE ‘Black Women in Music’ event is sponsored by Lincoln. Stay tuned to Essence.com for highlights and behind-the-scenes access. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram@essence #BlackWomeninMusic. Join in the discussion on Facebook.

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Entertainment

Beyonce, Chance the Rapper and Fat Joe & Remy Ma Win Big at Soul Train Awards 2016

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SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2016 celebrated the best in Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop by highlighting both returning legends and breakout stars with unrivaled musical moments and titillating performances. The awards show, which aired tonight on CENTRIC and BET, was hosted once again by the funkadelic Godmother of neo-soul, Erykah Badu, who also served as Executive Producer.

Beyoncé led the night’s winners dominating in top categories including Video of the Year, Album/Mixtape of the Year, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, and Song of the Year. Fat Joe and Remy Ma featuring French Montana and Infared took home two awards of their own, Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year) and Best Collaboration, for their smash hit “All the Way Up.” Artists were honored across 12 different categories and additional winners included Kanye West featuring Teyana Taylor for Best Dance Performance for “Fade,” Chance the Rapper (Best New Artist), Anderson .Paak (Centric Certified Award), Andra Day “Rise Up” (The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award), Maxwell (Best R&B/Soul Male Artist), and Kirk Franklin “123 Victory” (Best Gospel/Inspirational Song.)

The evening marked the inaugural Soul Train Awards since BET Networks officially acquired Soul Train earlier this year and it did not disappoint. The night featured crowd-loving classics and current favorites from the best Soul artists of yesterday and today.

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Dru Hill kicked off the Soul Train Awards 2016 with the ultimate throwback of their 90s R&B jams including “Tell Me,” “In My Bed,” and “Beauty.”

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Dru Hill lead singer Sisqó then took the stage solo to perform his late 90’s mega-hit “Thong Song.”

 

An endearing and  inspired Jill Scott presented Brandy with the second annual Lady of Soul Award, who went on to blow the crowd away with a full dance and stunning vocal performance of her most beloved hits including “Almost Doesn’t Count,” “What About Us,” “Full Moon,” “I Wanna Be Down,” “The Boy Is Mine,” “Talk About Our Love,” “Have You Ever,” and “Sitting On Top Of The World,” joined by MA$E.

 

Soulful newcomers Anderson .Paak and BJ the Chicago Kid performed “Waters” and “Cha Cha” singer D.R.A.M. joined Badu on stage for their recently released single, “WiFi.”

The awards ended on a high note with Teddy Riley pulling out all the stops for an unforgettable showcase following his receiving of the night’s highest honor, the Legend Award. Riley brought out retro hitmakers and past collaborators including Doug E. Fresh, Bobby Brown, Tito Jackson, Wreckx-N-Effect and Guy for a medley of classics including “My Prerogative,” “Remember the Time,” “Rump Shaker,” and more.

Alongside the amazing performances, the second annual Soul Cypher, featuring Erykah Badu, Tyrese, Ne-Yo, Angie Stone and the incomparable Gladys Knight was another musical moment not to be forgotten.

SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2016 WINNERS

Best New Artist – Chance the Rapper

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist – Maxwell

Centric Certified Award – Anderson .Paak

Video of the Year – Beyoncé – “Formation”

Best Gospel/Inspirational Song – Kirk Franklin – “123 Victory”

Album/Mixtape of the Year – Beyoncé – “Lemonade”

Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year) – Fat Joe & Remy Ma featuring French Montana & Infared – “All the Way Up”

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist – Beyoncé

Song of the Year – Beyoncé

The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award – “Rise Up” – Written by Andra Day and Jennifer Decilveo (Andra Day)

Best Dance Performance – Kanye West (Dance Performance featuring Teyana Taylor) – “Fade”

Best Collaboration – Fat Joe & Remy Ma featuring French Montana & Infared – “All the Way Up”

The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2016 are produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Executive Producers of the network telecast are as follows: Debra Lee, Stephen G. Hill and Connie Orlando from BET; and Jesse Collins for Jesse Collins Entertainment.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for BET

More photos below:

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Music SFPL's Artist Spotlight

SFPL’s Artist Spotlight: Fantasy Soul Singer QUIÑ Delivers “I Am”

Recently, quickly rising “fantasy soul singer,” QUIÑ, has released her latest track, “I AM.” The LA Native is set to release her debut EP, GALACTICA, on October 28, which features songs such as “Over Again” featuring G-Eazy.

Take a listen to “I Am” below:

The LA native recently partnered with The FADER to premiere her bewitching introductory film – GALACTICAT – which serves as a visual and audio tasting of what to expect from her debut EP. On top of her recent releases, QUIÑ is currently gearing up to join singer-songwriter, DJ and producer g-nash on tour. She will be making stops in Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles and more for part of his U, Me & Us tour. Full tour listings can be found below.

The fantasy soul singer is quickly making a name for herself as one of the next great talents to come out of Los Angeles, CA. The West Coast native is looking to break barriers and blend genres with a new sound she has dubbed as ‘fantasy soul’, her inspirations are fueled by the likes of Erykah Badu, Sade, Brandy and more. Prepare yourselves to take flight with QUIÑ this fall.

QUIÑ OPENING DATES FOR GNASH:
OCT. 22 DENVER, CO
OCT. 23 SALT LAKE CITY, UT
OCT. 25 SEATTLE, WA
OCT. 26 PORTLAND, OR
OCT. 28 SAN FRANCISCO, CA
OCT. 29 SACRAMENTO, CA
OCT. 30 SAN DIEGO, CA
NOV. 1 LOS ANGELES, CA

For more info & purchase tickets, head to: www.quincat.com

Purchase & listen to QUIÑ’s “OVER AGAIN ft. G-Eazy” below:
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/quin_overagain_it
Spotify: http://smarturl.it/quin_overagain_sp
Apple Music: http://smarturl.it/quin_overagain_am
YouTube: http://smarturl.it/quin_overagain_yt

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH QUIÑ:
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
SOUNDCLOUD
www.quincat.com

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Music

D.R.A.M and Erykah Badu Explore Their Connection on “WiFi” [New Music}

D.R.A.M is gearing up for the release of his debut Big Baby D.R.A.M. tomorrow. Ahead of the drop the Virginia crooner links with Erykah Badu on “WiFi,” appearing on the upcoming album.

A sensual record about disconnecting from distractions and giving each other some one-on-one attention, the duo go back and forth about establishing a connection.

D.R.A.M. sings,

“We in these Hills and we all alone / Yeah, do you got wifi? / Do your boyfriend pay your bill for you? / Do Netflix and chill with me / Do you got wifi? / Is there signal in your house? / While we chillin’ on the couch, baby / Do you got wifi? / ‘Cause I really wanna show you somethin’ / But my phone is fuckin’ up”

Ms. Badu follows up with,

“Forget about your WiFi for a second / Put your phone down, please don’t check it / Mama Badu about to teach you a lesson / All I need is you with me.”

“WiFi” follows the music video for “Cash Machine” and the Lil Yachty assisted “Broccoli” currently No. 1 on Rhythmic Radio.

Listen to “WiFi” below.

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Entertainment

Erykah Badu Returns To Host Soul Train Awards, Drake and Beyonce Lead Nominations

CENTRIC today announced the godmother of soul, Erykah Badu, will return to host the Soul Train Awards 2016. The four-time Grammy-award winning soul singer and songwriter will once again take over the Vegas stage with her eccentric style, cerebral music, incomparable spirit and comedic commentary. The yearly celebration will honor the best in soulful music from returning legends to the next generation. Filmed November 6 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, the awards special will air on Centric and BET on November 27th, 2016 at 8PM ET. 

Centric also announced the all-star nominees for the STA 2016 across 12 different categories. Drake leads the pack with 12 total nominations including two nominations for the highly coveted Video of the Year Award for his feature on Rihanna’s single “Work” and this year’s mega hit “Hotline Bling.” Beyoncé follows with 8 nominations including Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Album/Mixtape of the Year for her groundbreaking album “Lemonade,” and multiple honors for lead single “Formation” including Song of the Year, Best Dance Performance and The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award. Rihanna, Kanye West, DJ Khaled and Usher also received multiple nominations this year including Video of the Year, Album/Mixtape of the Year and Best Collaboration. The next generation of soul is also being recognized, including Bryson Tiller, Chance the Rapper and Anderson .Paak who are multi-nominees across categories including Best New Artist, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist and the Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year.)

Multi-platinum and three-time Grammy award-winning producer, singer-songwriter, artist, musician and technology expert Edward Theodore “Teddy” Riley, also known as the creator and king of “New Jack Swing,” is set to receive the coveted Legend Award. His major accolade was producing Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous LP” which sold over 32 million copies worldwide. Riley produced number one hits for countless icons which have governed the airways for decades.  As a founding member of the multi-platinum groups Guy and Grammy award-winning Blackstreet, Riley’s “Swing” sound was the epic lifeline that forever changed the design for R&B and Hip-Hop music. He is the first African-American producer to bring Korean Pop (K-Pop) music to the USA and has been producing number one hits on Billboard charts for nearly a decade.

The 2nd annual Lady of Soul Award will be presented to singer-songwriter and actress Brandy. The platinum selling artist and actress has sold over 40 million records and received numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, one American Music Award, and seven Billboard Music Awards. Last year’s inaugural Lady of Soul Award went to R&B torchbearer Jill Scott. Both Brandy and Teddy Riley are being recognized for their longstanding presence in the music industry and influence on the world of soul and R&B music past and present.

Congrats to all of the nominees, Teddy Riley and Brandy!

Hope you will be watching! We will!

Photo Credit: Photo by Paul R. Giunta/FilmMagic

The complete list of nominees for SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2016 are:

Best New Artist

ANDERSON .PAAK

ANDRA DAY

BRYSON TILLER

CHANCE THE RAPPER

RO JAMES

TORY LANEZ

 

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist

ANTHONY HAMILTON

BRYSON TILLER

MAXWELL

THE WEEKND

USHER

 

Centric Certified Award

AFTER 7

ANDERSON .PAAK

BILAL

LALAH HATHAWAY

MUSIQ SOULCHILD

 

Video of the Year

BEYONCÉ – FORMATION

BEYONCÉ – SORRY

DRAKE – HOTLINE BLING

KANYE WEST – FADE

RIHANNA FT. DRAKE – WORK

 

Best Gospel/ Inspirational Song

DONNIE MCCLURKIN – I NEED YOU

HEZEKIAH WALKER – BETTER

KIRK FRANKLIN – 123 VICTORY

TAMELA MANN – GOD PROVIDES

TRAVIS GREENE – MADE A WAY

 

Album/Mixtape of the Year
BEYONCÉ – LEMONADE

BRYSON TILLER – T R A P S O U L

DJ KHALED – MAJOR KEY

DRAKE – VIEWS

KANYE WEST – THE LIFE OF PABLO

RIHANNA – ANTI

 

Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year)

CHANCE THE RAPPER FT. LIL WAYNE & 2 CHAINZ – NO PROBLEM

DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE – FOR FREE

DRAKE – CONTROLLA

DRAKE FT. WIZKID & KYLA – ONE DANCE

FAT JOE & REMY MA FT. FRENCH MONTANA & INFARED – ALL THE WAY UP

 

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

ALICIA KEYS

BEYONCÉ

FANTASIA

JILL SCOTT

RIHANNA

 

Song of the Year

ADELE – HELLO

BEYONCÉ – FORMATION

BRYSON TILLER – DON’T

DRAKE – CONTROLLA

RIHANNA FT. DRAKE – WORK

 

The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award

HELLO – WRITTEN BY: ADELE LAURIE BLUE ADKINS, GREGORY ALLEN KURSTIN (ADELE)

RISE UP – WRITTEN BY: ANDRA DAY, JENNIFER DECILVEO (ANDRA DAY)

FORMATION – WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL L. WILLIAMS II, BEYONCÉ KNOWLES, KHALIF BROWN, AAQUIL BROWN, ASHETON HOGAN, (BEYONCÉ)

DON’T – WRITTEN BY: JOHNTÁ M. AUSTIN, MARIAH CAREY, BRYAN-MICHAEL COX, JERMAINE DUPRI, TAVORIS JAVON HOLLINS, ISOM BRANDON STEWART, BRYSON DEJUAN TILLER (BRYSON TILLER)

NEEDED ME – WRITTEN BY: NICHOLAS VALENTINO AUDINO, RACHEL DERRUS, ADAM KING FEENEY, ROBYN R. FENTY, BRITTANY TALIA HAZZARD, CHARLES HINSHAW JR., LEWIS BERESFORD HUGHES, DIJON ISAIAH MCFARLANE, KHALED ROHAIM, TE WHITI TE RANGITEPAIA MATAA WARBICK (RIHANNA)

 

Best Dance Performance

BEYONCÉ – FORMATION

DRAKE – HOTLINE BLING

KANYE WEST (DANCE PERFORMANCE FT. TEYANA TAYLOR) – FADE

RIHANNA FT. DRAKE – WORK

USHER FT. YOUNG THUG – NO LIMIT

 

Best Collaboration
BEYONCÉ FT. KENDRICK LAMAR – FREEDOM

CHANCE THE RAPPER FT. LIL WAYNE & 2 CHAINZ – NO PROBLEM

DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE – FOR FREE

FAT JOE & REMY MA FT. FRENCH MONTANA & INFARED – ALL THE WAY UP
RIHANNA FT. DRAKE – WORK

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Music

Nas and Erykah Badu Ready for Theater Debut of ‘The Land’, Drop “This Bitter Land” [New Music]

Nas and Erykah Badu have linked up for a brooding new record titled “This Bitter Land.” Off of the soundtrack for the upcoming theatrical release of The Land which the duo not only contribute music for, but Nas is an executive producer and Badu stars in the film.

Delivering a standout performance clearly channeling her inner Nina Simone, Badu’s voice staggers and sweeps over the beautiful stringed instruments. Enter Nas with an acerbic verse, offering a deep reflection of his youth and the struggles one encounters when striving for success.

The Land and the accompanying soundtrack will be in theaters and available on July 29. The film tells the story of a group of teenage skateboarders in Cleveland with a dreams of going pro. The four friends however find themselves caught up in a dangerous drug deal that could jeopardize all of their futures. Machine Gun Kelly, Moises Arias, and The Wire‘s Michael K. Williams also star. The film’s soundtrack features other hip-hop legends including Pusha T,  Kanye West, French Montana, and more. The soundtrack is currently available for pre-order.

Listen to Nas and Badu’s powerful collaboration below. You can also watch the trailer for The Land in theaters this Friday.

 

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Music

Kari Faux Release New Surreal Music Video for Single “Fantasy” [New Video]

Breakout female emcee and Little Rock, AR native, Kari Faux premiered her new music video for “Fantasy,” on TheFader.com, this Wednesday. “Fantasy” is the third single from Kari’s debut album, Lost En Los Angeles (aka L.E.L.A.) which was released April 8, 2016 via Wolf & Rothstein.

“This song started off as a poem, then I began making this little beat on Logic as a reference,” Kari told The Fader. “It took some time, but I got a couple of musicians on it and it became what it is now. “Cool Like That” by Digable Planets and “Certainly” by Erykah Badu helped as inspiration. It’s really just a song about how I was feeling in that specific moment.”

The video helps bring Kari’s feelings to life, giving viewers a look inside her darkest thoughts as it explores the duality within the songs opening lines, “I’m no man’s fantasy. I never plan to be.” Is it a cry of empowerment or an unfortunate realization on behalf of the artist? The video takes place in one continuous shot of a small claustrophobic room in an apartment building. As the camera slowly pans the room you see Kari staring off blankly, as well as the rest of the studio apartment. The camera circles within the room 2 more times, each time getting a little more surreal, a little more disheveled, and taking the viewer a little further into Kari’s subconscious as she sinks deeper into her own thoughts.

By the end of the video we are fully immersed within one of Kari’s nightmares. Strings play in the background as her building is brought crumbling to the ground by a giant upright bass, one of the very instruments that helped her create the atmosphere for the track.

The video drives home the point that not everything is as it seems. Even the strongest/calmest people must battle their inner demons.

Check out the new video above.

Also make sure to check out her new album Lost En Los Angeles, which chronicles the past eighteen months of this breakthrough recording artist, producer, painter, explorer’s process of “discovery” and “disconnection.”

Kari Faux Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KARIFAUX
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kari.faux/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karifaux/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/karifaux
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/karifaux

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Entertainment

Erykah Badu Talks About Her Past Career as a Teacher & Her Aspirations to Open a School

Two days ago, the first clip of Erykah Badu‘s surprise visit and impromptu performance for students from The Future Project at Malcolm X High School in Newark, NJ swept the internet. In this second segment Eryakah Badu speaks to the students about her experience as a teacher and her aspirations to open her own school.

Erykah shared with the students about her own educational background and career of majoring in theater and minoring in physics at Grambling State University and going on afterwards to teach dance, theater, science and math. She also gave some details around what her school would ideally entail from curriculum to hours and a shortened school week.

While, on her visit, Erykah, was named an honorary Dream Director from The Future Project. The Future Project places dream directors in schools to provide coaching, offer courses, and apply culture-change techniques to create impact on building will and skill in students and improving the culture of the school. Currently the Future Project is in schools in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, New Haven, Newark, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

For more information on The Future Project please visit TheFutureProject.org.