25 years of 'Baduizm': Dallas native Erykah Badu's debut album was released in 1997

DALLAS — Twenty five years later, Erykah Badu's debut Baduizm LP remains lauded as one of the greatest R&B neo soul albums of all time. In fact, it still very much plays on and on in households around the world and especially so today, as the album celebrates the 25th anniversary its initial Feb.

11, 1997, release. This week, the Dallas native was interviewed by Essence magazine about the success of the album a quarter century after its release. She described being influenced by jazz, but also '90s hip hop greats like Notorious B.I.G. and Nas. She also recalled remembering the moment when she realized Baduizm was going to change her life.

"It was my first show in New York," Badu said in the interview. "My record had not come out. [D'Angelo manager] Kedar [Massenburg] had pressed 100 copies of my CD, and numbered them and gave them to influencers and journalists. And they knew all the words. This is before the album came out.

It was an undeniable moment where you felt like, 'OK, this is something.'" When the album officially dropped, it debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard charts and No. 1 on the Billboard top R&B/Hip Hop Albums list. It has since gone on to become certified three times platinum. The album was an ode to some of Badu's own personal journey's through love, relationships and self care.

I personally remember my mom using words like "refreshing, relaxing, and innovative" to describe the bewitching sounds of Badu. I also remember cruising around with my brother in the backseat of my mother's car, singing and humming along. In fact I guarantee today, at 34 years old, my brother still knows all of the lyrics.

Regaled by critics as well as the masses, Baduizm garnered 14 award nominations in 1998, with Badu winning eight of them including Grammys for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for first single "On & On" and Best R&B Album. With fellow artist like D’Angelo and Maxwell, Badu put neo soul on the map and gave it the visibility it needed to launch it into the mainstream.

For her part, Badu was properly nicknamed the "Queen of Neo Soul" a moniker that still sticks with her to this day. On the singer/songwriter's Instagram story timeline today, celebrities, producers and fans are featured playing classic tracks from the album: "Rimshot", "Next Lifetime", "Otherside of the Game" and "4 Leaf Clover".

Badu also featured this cover by Houston native and singer C.S. Armstrong of her song "Otherside of the Game" on her Instagram feed. Armstrong was only about 8 years old when it came out. A post shared by C.S. ARMSTRONG (@csarmstrong).