Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Erykah won a record deal after opening a show for D’Angelo in 1994. Her debut album, Baduizm, won Best R&B album at the 1998 Grammy Awards and was certified triple Platinum, selling more than three million copies in the US. Between 1997 and 2010, Erykah released five studio albums and in 2025 it was revealed she was collaborating with The Alchemist on a new one.

She has also had a number of supporting roles in films including Blues Brothers 2000 and The Cider House Rules.

Why Erykah Badu is vegan

Erykah Badu is vegan for her health, seeing plant-based food as the best fuel for the body.¹Miller, K. 2016. How To Know If A Vegan Diet Is Right For You. Self. Available: https://www.self.com/story/vegan-diet-erykah-badu [Accessed 17 March 2021]. Erykah had been eating “like a vegan” since 1997 but became vegan in 2006, after being a vegetarian for 20 years.²Mickleborough, L. 2008. Erykah Badu. VegNews. Available: https://vegnews.com/2008/10/erykah-badu [Accessed 17 March 2021]. While studying to be a holistic health practitioner, she learned “how the body actually works, and what was best for it.”³Pleasant, M. 2017. The Legend of Erykah Badu. Thrive Magazine. Available: https://www.thrivemagazine.com/single-post/2017/05/12/the-legend-of-erykah-badu [Accessed 19 May 2026]. But it’s not just about health. Erykah Badu told VegNews that it never made sense to eat animals because what farmed animals endure is “just terrible.”⁴Mickleborough, L. 2008. Erykah Badu. VegNews. Available: https://vegnews.com/2008/10/erykah-badu [Accessed 17 March 2021].

“Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And, to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure.”⁵Mickleborough, L. 2008. Erykah Badu. VegNews. Available: https://vegnews.com/2008/10/erykah-badu [Accessed 17 March 2021].