All hail the queen — the queen of neo-soul, that is. History will tell us that the majority of female monarchs have stumbled across their royalty through marriages or inheritances, but for Erykah Badu? Not so much. Badu, a native of Dallas, stands in a category all of her own. From her soulful crooning to her iconic regalia, she embodies the very essence of royalty. Unlike the aforementioned queens, Badu didn’t fall heir to her dynasty — she created it while ushering in a unique sound that would change how neo-soul music was consumed. The year 1997 may be notable for its remarkable amount of deaths of public figures, including Biggie Smalls, Princess Diana and Gianni Versace, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the glimmer of light in all of the darkness that year, Baduizm. Released 15 days before her 26th birthday, Badu’s debut album not only birthed her career but an entire generation of consciousness in the minds of listeners all over the world.