Erykah Badu has been a practicing midwife and doula for years, a passion she discovered in 2001 while helping a friend through natural childbirth. In a 2015 interview with Pitchfork, Badu explained how she discovered this love for welcoming new babies into the world.
“I became a doula by default,” she said. “I had [son] Seven naturally, at home, and a couple of years later I was traveling through Europe, and one of my best friends, Afya, who is the wife of stic.man from dead prez, went into labor. I naturally knew what to do, and it was then that I figured out that this was something I can do that makes me so fulfilled.”
Now, Teyana Taylor evidently wants some of that Badu magic. During an interview with Nick Cannon’s Power 106 show, the singer revealed she has enlisted Badu’s help to deliver her second child at home.
“You know what’s crazy?” she replies. Even though the Junie [daughter] story is crazy, it kind of put me in the comfort zone where I don’t know if I want to go to the hospital for this next baby. I’m going to make sure it’s not on the toilet or the bathroom floor. I’m just going to do a home birth and I’m actually going to be doing it with Erykah. They’re going to deliver my baby. I’m going to have her sing her verse from ‘Lowkey’ to me so I can be calm.”
View this post on Instagram#PressPlay: #TeyanaTaylor reveals that #ErykahBadu is her midwife and will be delivering baby #2 for her and #ImanShumpert!! ❤️ (?: @power_106/ @nickcannonmornings)
Badu contributed to Taylor’s song “Lowkey” off her latest project The Album, which arrived on June 19. While speaking to Beats 1 Radio, Taylor told Ebro Darden she was shocked the neo-soul goddess agreed to the collaboration.
“I have to brag about this because I’m very excited about this,” she said. “Erykah’s not just giving anybody features. “I get the chills every time I hear her on this track because it took me three months to ask her. Like that’s how scared I was. I was prepared for her to say no because this is Erykah Badu.”
Taylor is married to Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Iman Shumpert. The couple tied the knot in 2016 and have one daughter together named Junie. Taylor went into labor at home in 2015 and Shumpert was forced to deliver the baby himself with the guidance of a 911 operator.
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Taylor recounted the whole story in a 2015 Instagram post, explaining, “On Dec 16th at 6:42am in our bathroom Junie decided she wanted to take her first breath into this world. She came out as a wonderful surprise to everyone! Not knowing I was in labor until I felt her head…it took two ten count pushes with my fiancé playing Dr and she entered this world into his bare hands!
“Eyes full of tears and barely able to speak to the emergency operator @imanshumpert tied a pair of red headphones around the umbilical cord and the ambulance made there grand entrance 5 min later. She opened her eyes right away, gazed into mine and never cried! He handed her to me wrapped in our bath towel and wiped her face for me to see what LOVE really is.”
Check out the post below.
View this post on InstagramOn Dec 16th at 6:42am in our bathroom Junie decided she wanted to take her first breath into this world. She came out as a wonderful surprise to everyone! Not knowing I was in labor until I felt her head…it took two ten count pushes with my fiancé playing Dr and she entered this world into his bare hands! Eyes full of tears and barely able to speak to the emergency operator @imanshumpert tied a pair of red headphones around the umbilical cord and the ambulance made there grand entrance 5 min later. She opened her eyes right away, gazed into mine and never cried! He handed her to me wrapped in our bath towel and wiped her face for me to see what LOVE really is. She has blown Christmas away! Our family is complete. Her blueprint will be unmatched. Welcome Iman Tayla Shumpert Jr. Mommy carried you. Daddy delivered you. #MeetTheParents we love you baby girl?????