One of the most accomplished modern soul artists to draw equally from hip hop and R&B to create a unique sounds, Erykah Badu has been cited -- along with her contemporary D'Angelo -- as one of the acts spearheading the '90s rebirth of the genre that got tagged as "neo-soul" with her languid 1997 debut Baduizm and its breakout hit "On and On."

With her bass-heavy grooves (she wrote all but one song on the album) and jazzy vocal phrasing that recalled Billie Holiday, Badu stood apart from the legion of cookie-cutter female R&B singers. After issuing a live album and an acclaimed sophomore studio effort Mama's Gun, Badu went through an extended period of writer's block that she tried to break through with marathon touring that lasted from 2002 well into 2003. She returned to the studio immediately after the road work, producing the Worldwide Underground EP and garnering more solid reviews and Grammys.

Though she took more time off after the birth of her second child in 2004, Badu has been far from idle. Armed with three full albums worth of material, in 2008 the singer issued New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) -- the first half of an ambitious two-disc set that was followed by New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh). Continuing her eclectic mix of funk, hip hop, soul and jazz, Badu has been delivering the kind of performances that have made her a must-see live act.

Her latest creative group of collaborators The Cannaboids -- featuring no less than five gifted producer/keyboardists -- help the singer deliver futurist live remix versions of her classic songs onstage with turntables, drum machines, keyboards and laptops. She brings songs from throughout her career when she performs for Bay Area fans. Oakland's own revolutionary rap crew The Coup -- who recently celebrated the release of their latest effort Sorry To Bother You to wide acclaim -- and Syd tha Kid open the show.

Erykah Badu
Monday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. $49.50-$75
The Fox Theater