Published on July 25th, 2023 | by Crystal Willis

Erykah Badu Mesmerizes at Final ‘Unfollow Me Tour’ Stop in Dallas

The American Airlines Center was set ablaze with the psychedelic vibrations of the incomparable Goddess of Soul, Erykah Badu. The legendary singer, songwriter, musician, and overall showstopper left her best at the final market on her #UnFollowMeTour in her hometown of Dallas, Texas. In my first-ever Badu experience, I witnessed the living magic of this transformative musical genius in full artistic manifestation. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret for nearly three decades of my life I’d clearly missed out on the opportunity to absorb the greatness of this Queen. Nevertheless, I couldn’t have picked a better stop on her concert run to attend, and The Hype Magazine was grateful to be treated to floor seats by the incredible marketing team representing Ms. Badu and the American Airlines Center.

Alternative hip-hop icon, rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor yasiin bey was there to warm up the crowd and set the vibes as he sprinkled red rose petals across the stage and serenaded the crowd with his rap-sung vocal prowess. As ancestral images of royalty flashed across the screen, yasiin bey schooled the audience as the Negus of versatility and immersive musical art. Performing live graffiti art in his DJ’s booth, yasiin later ushered the nearly sold-out concert of eager Badu fans to their feet. I couldn’t help but appreciate and soak in his uplifting and wisdom-driven lyrical flows backed by bass-heavy beats in wild New York style.

As darkness filled the arena, the anticipation of Ms. Badu’s appearance was palpable. Suddenly, as the stage became illuminated by a futuristic and sophisticated lightning show with flashing images of the Queen, her incredible band sent pulsating tribal rhythms coursing through our bodies. Finally, Erykah Badu emerged in an other-worldly ensemble of costume regalia fitting for a vocal siren. The hour-long performance was heart-pounding as we fell prey to the allure of her spell. Throughout the night, Badu dropped wisdom on her subjects and delivered a stream of hip-shaking performances including hits like Window Seat, Tyrone, On & On, Bag Lady and so many more.

In an especially poignant moment, Ms. Badu bestowed colorful words of wisdom saying, “I cannot give you all of my magic, but I can show you yours. All I ask is that you mind ya business. To each his own. I’m 56 years old, and I’ve given this all I’ve got. Unfollow Me.”

To close out the night, she brought tears to our eyes with a touching tribute to recently lost South Dallas legend, famed Musical Director Daniel Jones. This was particularly touching as The Hype Magazine had only a month ago had the opportunity to interview him as he wrapped up the Janet Jackson ‘Together Again’ tour, his long-time collaborator. In his final direct message to me, Mr. Jones had expressed excitement about hopping over to lend his gifts to Badu’s final leg of the Unfollow Me Tour. I’ll be forever grateful to have witnessed his exceptional skill as one of the world’s leading Musical Directors and World Touring Musicians.

In a final ethereal moment, Ms. Badu led the audience in an experiential outburst of rage as she instructed us to scream and launch any emotional baggage high up into the atmosphere while she sang a high note, leaving us all with a sense of renewal as we left processing our window into her magic.

Erykah Badu - Unfollow Me Tour - ©Tony Krash
Erykah Badu - Unfollow Me Tour - ©Tony Krash
Erykah Badu - Unfollow Me Tour - ©Tony Krash
Erykah Badu - Unfollow Me Tour - ©Tony Krash
Erykah Badu - Unfollow Me Tour - ©Tony Krash
Erykah Badu - Unfollow Me Tour - ©Tony Krash

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Tags: badu, Dallas, Daniel Jones, Erykah Badu, Hip Hop, Janet Jackson, Mos Def, neo soul, soul music, south dallas, yasiin bey

About the Author

Crystal Willis Crystal Willis is an Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Entertainment Publicist and CEO of The Omni Firm. She is also a Transformational Life Coach and Founder of The Crysalis. Her personal story has been seen by millions of people on media outlets like Marie Claire Magazine, PBS, Blaze TV, Daily Signal and more.