Hairstyle File: Erykah Badu

When Erykah Badu first blazed onto the music scene in ‘96, she was instantly crowned the queen of the neo-soul bohemian movement—and her hair, swept up into the endless folds of a mile-high headwrap, was instantly deemed iconic. We all thought the wrap was going to be Badu’s signature look, but the boho-bluesy songstress kept us guessing with a parade of afros, braids, dreadlocks and, in one memorable case, a 1960s Supreme-esque wig. In celebration of Badu’s fifth studio album, “New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh” (in stores next month), let’s take a look back at Badu’s hairstyle evolution since her early incense-waving, tea-sipping, Tyrone-calling days as a music industry newcomer.