Erykah Badu Performs “Annie Don’t Wear No Panties” | Billboard Women In Music 2025

Erykah Badu performs “Annie Don’t Wear No Panties” at Billboard Women In Music 2025.

It was legend meeting the next generation she birthed when Ms. Erykah Badu received the Music Icon Award from R&B star Summer Walker. And it turns out that Badu was the doula who delivered Walker’s twin sons. “She’s been my fave artist since I was 12,” said Walker, who also called Badu her idol and mentor. After singling out Badu’s “fearless artistry,” Walker introduced a video that captured the influence that Badu has had on a host of established and emerging artists: “As an artist,” said Badu, “I never thought it was my job to be [limited] to any one category.”

During her warm, freewheeling acceptance speech, Badu shared a story where she explained to her daughter that the vagina was the most important thing on earth, to which her daughter asked, “Where is the earth’s vagina?” After noting that she may have paused too long between the set-up and the punchline, Badu repeated the final part of her anecdote – and on the second time around, Badu had the whole theater laughing.