Holy Crap – Erykah Badu Started Her Birthday Bash on Time

Maybe it was the change in ownership at The Factory or maybe it was just a sign of maturity, but Erykah Badu did not keep the crowd waiting on her 52nd birthday show.

The notoriously late performer celebrated her annual birthday bash on Friday in Deep Ellum by taking the stage at 10:30 p.m. But some things were unchanged: The show had a lineup of incredible talent. 

The concert was hosted by Legendary Baller and opened with Dallas’s own Marc Rebillet, sporting his trademark bathrobe and insane energy. Despite his recent collaboration with Badu, and his own massive fame, it seemed like most of the crowd was unfamiliar with Rebillet. But his performance brought everyone in.

Even Ms. Badu jumped onstage and danced with the artist known as “Loop Daddy,” giving the crowd an early thrill. He turned out to be the perfect opener.

From there, Zach Witness took the crowd through a hip-hop journey and brought out a gallery of emcees including Space Boi Fresh, Big X The Plug, Maxocreme and Texas favorite Bun B.

WuTang’s own Raekwon was definitely a crowd favorite, and he set the stage for the queen of neo-soul.

But Friday night was definitely Erykah’s night. Ms. Badu came out in the most Badu way possible, sporting a mirrored top hat, white furs and fringe off her arms. Her gold teeth sparkled; she was gorgeous and wasted no time taking the mic and owning the room.

The audience was in sheer ecstasy and hung on her every note.  “I Want You,” was a highlight, but the house came down for “Bag Lady.”

And just as the party had gotten off to an early start, it came to an early end, wrapping up before midnight.

Badu seemed to have gotten her birthday wish yet again, and she’s coming off an incredible year, with a recent Vogue cover and a continuously growing fan base despite not releasing any new music in years.

The singer was visibly in an excellent mood throughout the night, and it’s no surprise: This city is hers, and she only gets better with age.