It is common knowledge that Kolleen Maria Gipson is the mother of the neo-soul star Erykah Badu, however, her narrative is much more than a well-known family relationship.
This extraordinary woman created one of the most unique voices of music with silent power, uncompromising commitment, and parenting philosophy that supported creative freedom and independence.
Early Life and Background
Kolleen Maria Gipson was born in 1950 in Grimes County, Texas, in a small Southern community where faith, family and resiliency were the backbone of life. She was brought up by parents L.A.
Gipson and N.M. Gipson whose childhood was well grounded in religious backgrounds and positive ethical beliefs.
Being grown up in the period of the radical civil rights movement and cultural changes of the 1960s, her worldview was influenced greatly. This era marked the time when the black artists were taking over new creative spaces and the discussion of identity changed radically.
Her parenting philosophy, which encourages independence and creativity, might have been affected by the cultural background of her youth.
Marriage and Family Life
At the age of her teenage years, Kolleen got acquainted with William Wright Jr., who would father her three children. In 1971, at a very young age of 21, Kolleen and her spouse got married and had their first child Erykah Badu (then Erica Abi Wright) in the same year. Subsequently, there were two other children Nayrok Wright and Eevin Wright.
This was not to be however and the marriage was going through difficulties and towards the end of 1970s the couple began experiencing irreconcilable differences which culminated into divorce.
Following the separation, William Wright Jr. was not actively involved in the daily life rearing of his children, and Erykah Badu has stated that she and her siblings were the subject of a mother-grandmother relationship.
Single Motherhood and Rearing Creative Children
This divorce was the beginning of a new life for Kolleen. However, Kolleen did her best to ensure that the children felt loved even in the face of mothering three children single-handedly and she invested her efforts in creating an environment that is stable and nurturing.
She brought up her children in Dallas, Texas, where there is also an existing rich arts community, and exposure, but without the overload of big show entertainment capitals. Her home was not merely a survival home, but a creative prosperity home.
During interviews, Erykah has often given credit to her mother and said that her mother taught her to do her. It is a simple but strong mantra that became one of the characteristics of Erykah and her music.
Kolleen also allowed Erykah the room to develop without pressures and judgment and she says that the childhood setting was very soft, liberal and free.
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The Real “Ms. Jackson” Story
The most intriguing part of the story by Kolleen perhaps is the relationship she has with one of the most memorable hip-hop songs.
After a breakup with Erykah Badu in 1997 after they had her son Seven Sirius Benjamin, Andre directed his emotions toward the song that became a Grammy-winning hit by the OutKast group, which was titled Ms Jackson.
Andre 3000 told Atlanta Journal-Constitution: I would hardly ever reach out there and say to the mother of Erykah, I am sorry that this happened.
Music provides you with an opportunity to say what you want to say. The song was his emotional apology to Kolleen after having broken up with her daughter.
What about the actual Ms. Jackson reaction? As Erykah Badu stated, she purchased a license plate of Ms. Jackson for herself. The mug, the ink pen, the headband, all that.
That’s who loved it. Kolleen received the accolade in grace and generosity and said of Andre: I absolutely love Andre Benjamin as an individual. He is actually a great guy and on behalf of all truly great guys or girls or anybody who are decent people I wish them success.
Her Children’s Achievements
Erykah Badu (Erica Abi Wright)
Erykah Badu is a trailblazer of the neo-soul movement who, despite being born on February 26, 1971, began to perform at Dallas Theater Center when she was four years old then went to attend Booker T. Washington High School of Performing and Visual Arts.
Baduizm, her first album, came out in 1997 and was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, and received her the title of Queen of Neo-Soul.
Nayrok Wright
The middle child has also become the career of comedy and acting and sometimes even on stage with Erykah. Nayrok has been able to find her own way of creativity even though she has kept a low profile unlike her famous sister.
Eevin Wright
The youngest son has been very secretive and at the same time, he is engaged in the entertainment business. The Wrights are very close-knit brothers, which is a testimony to their mother who managed to provide a strong family background.
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Impact on Erykah and her Career and Philosophy
Kolleen had been raised with a sense of appreciation of the performing arts either in church or in community theater, or in local cultural events. She knew the strength of creativity of expression and applied this literally to her parenting style.
Her kids were not allowed to play with art, they were supposed to create their own voices. The reason is that Erykah was able to live through the trials of fame without compromising herself due to the openness and wisdom of Kolleen. The desire to lead a holistic life and focus on spirituality may be easily traced back to what Erykah learned with her mother.
Life Today and Legacy
In the mid-70s, Kolleen Maria Gipson still leads a rather private life, and she is always ready to focus on her family instead of focusing on publicity.
The last social media posts have featured four generations of women within the family such as Kolleen, Erykah and granddaughter Puma, which provide some uncommon insights into the ongoing power of family bonds that she established.
Although her daughter, Kolleen, became famous and had a spotlight, she still decided to lead an ordinary life without the publicity and concentrate on her family life and personal growth.
This was a move that permitted all her children to be real to their creative careers without any form of unwarranted scrutiny.
Although Kolleen Maria Gipson has never tried to place herself in the spotlight, she has a voice that is heard by many more than just her immediate family, and is the voice of millions of mothers who are the baseline of great accomplishments and of whom no one notices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kolleen Maria Gipson?
Kolleen Maria Gipson is the mother of Erykah Badu, a neo-soul artist with a Grammy. She was born in 1950 in Grimes County, Texas, and was a single mother who brought up three gifted children who have grown to be the inspiration of the hit song of OutKast, Ms Jackson.
What is Kolleen Maria Gipson’s age?
Kolleen Maria Gipson was born in 1950, which means that she is around 75 years old by 2025. She has experienced most of the developments in the music industry but has remained constant as the supporter of her children.
Is it really Ms Jackson about Kolleen Maria Gipson?
Yes, when Andre 3000 of the OutKast band was questioned about why he wrote Ms Jackson, he replied that he was apologizing to the mother of Erykah Badu, after splitting with the latter.
Kolleen also accepted the song with her heart, and she was buying Ms Jackson merchandise such as a license plate, mug, and a t-shirt.
Kolleen Maria Gipson has how many children?
Kolleen is a mother of three children with her ex-husband William Wright Jr.:
- Erykah Badu (born Erica Abi Wright)
- Nayrok Wright
- Eevin Wright
The three have followed creative careers in the entertainment field.
What does Kolleen Maria Gipson do now?
Kolleen Maria Gipson has a family oriented personal life. She still has to take care of her children and likes to be with several generations of the family members including her grandchildren.
What has Kolleen Maria Gipson contributed to the career of Erykah Badu?
Kolleen developed a supportive atmosphere that focused on creative freedom and independence as well as authenticity.
She showed Erykah the possibility of experiencing music, dancing, theatrical performance without forcing her to achieve mainstream success, she taught her how to do it, which became the main idea of Erykah as an artist.
What was the birth place of Kolleen Maria Gipson?
Kolleen Maria Gipson was born in Grimes County, Texas in 1950. She went on to bring up her own children in Dallas, Texas where the arts community was alive and the children were exposed to the creative opportunities of the future through it.
