Erykah Badu and D’Angelo: Connection That Started Before the Spotlight
Before the world knew her name, Erykah Badu was just a young artist from Dallas, hustling her sound through coffee shops and open mics. Long before platinum plaques and sold-out shows, fate linked her path with another rising soul voice — the late D’Angelo.
Their story began in the mid-’90s when Badu passed out her demo at South by Southwest in Austin. That tape landed in the hands of Kedar Massenburg, who was managing D’Angelo and building what would soon be known as the neo-soul era.
“At the time and we were his two artists,” Badu told Red Bull Music Academy. “We decided to roll with Kedar because we knew we’d get the attention we needed. I was working in a coffee shop when D’Angelo released “Brown Sugar.” I was “frother of the month.” [laughter] I would listen to that CD in the coffee shop and in the meanwhile work on music with my cousin.”
In 1996, that partnership came to life when Badu and D’Angelo recorded their duet “Your Precious Love,” a cover of the 1967 Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic. The song dropped on September 10, 1996, appearing on the High School High soundtrack — a hidden gem that showcased their unmatched chemistry before either had dropped their iconic debut albums.
Dallas raised her. D’Angelo inspired her. Together, they created a legacy that still hums through the culture.
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