Bag Lady

---

title: "Bag Lady" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2000-singles", "erykah-badu-songs", "songs-written-by-dr.-dre", "songs-written-by-erykah-badu", "2000-songs"] description: "2000 single by Erykah Badu" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bag_Lady" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 2000 single by Erykah Badu ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Bag Lady
cover	Bag Lady.png
border	yes
type	single
artist	Erykah Badu
album	Mama's Gun
B-side	On & On
released
recorded	1998
genre	Neo soul
length
label	Motown
writer
producer
prev_title	Southern Gul
prev_year	1999
next_title	Didn't Cha Know?
next_year	2000
misc
::

| name = Bag Lady | cover = Bag Lady.png | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = Erykah Badu | album = Mama's Gun | B-side = On & On | released = | recorded = 1998 | studio = | venue = | genre = Neo soul | length = | label = Motown | writer = | producer = | prev_title = Southern Gul | prev_year = 1999 | next_title = Didn't Cha Know? | next_year = 2000 | misc =

"Bag Lady" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for her second studio album Mama's Gun (2000). Written by Badu and Isaac Hayes, the song is about a woman who is trying to begin a new relationship but has too much emotional baggage and can't get close to anyone. The song's message is to "pack light" and have hope for the future. It was released as the lead single from Mama's Gun on August 8, 2000, by Motown Records.

A commercial success, "Bag Lady" peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Badu's first top-ten hit on the chart, and topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for six weeks. Critically acclaimed, it earned Badu two nominations at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards (2001), for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.

Commercial performance

In the United States, "Bag Lady" debuted at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated August 19, 2000. After weeks of ascending and descending within the chart, it reached its peak at number six on October 7, 2000, thus becoming Badu's first top-ten hit on the chart. It spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart and finished at number 69 on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 for 2000. It also became Badu's second Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one hit, spending six consecutive weeks atop the chart and 33 weeks on the chart in total. Internationally, it charted only in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 93 on the Dutch Single Top 100.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Bag Lady" was directed by Badu and designed by visual artist and designer Ron Norsworthy. It uses the Cheeba Sac remix of the song, which samples Dr. Dre's "Xxplosive" from his album 2001 (1999), which was based on the song "Bumpy's Lament" from the soundtrack for the film Shaft (1971). In a segment during the video, Erykah and her "bag ladies"–including singers Yahzarah and N'dambi, as well as Badu's mother and sister–dance to an excerpt of Johnny Hammond's "Gambler's Life" (1974). The video was shot on Mini DV digital video—an unusual choice for a mainstream music video production–which gave it an appearance similar to a home movie.

Track listings and formats

US 12-inch vinyl

1. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac version) – 5:09
2. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac radio edit) – 4:04
3. "Bag Lady" (radio edit) – 4:06
4. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac instrumental) – 4:57
5. "Bag Lady" (instrumental) – 5:50
6. "Bag Lady" (a cappella) – 5:40

US cassette and CD single

1. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac version) – 5:09
2. "Bag Lady" (album version) – 5:50

European maxi CD single

1. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac radio edit) – 4:04
2. "Bag Lady" (radio edit) – 4:06
3. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac instrumental) – 4:57
4. "On & On" (live) – 5:25

Japanese maxi CD single

1. "Bag Lady" (Cheeba Sac radio edit) – 4:04
2. "Bag Lady" (radio edit) – 4:06
3. "Bag Lady" (instrumental) – 5:50

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (2000) | Peak position | Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | |---|---|---| | 6 | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (2000)	Position	US Billboard Hot 100	US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)
69
12
::

::data[format=table]

Chart (2001)	Position	Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)	US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)
143
77
::

Release history

::data[format=table title="Release dates and formats for "Bag Lady""]

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.	United States	Japan	United States	France
August 8, 2000		Motown
August 15, 2000	12-inch vinyl
September 6, 2000	Maxi CD	Universal Music Japan
September 12, 2000		Motown
September 25, 2000	Maxi CD	Barclay
::

Notes

References

References

1. Copel, Shelby. (2020-05-08). "These Are Some of Erykah Badu's All-Time Best Songs".
2. "Erykah Badu continues on her funky way".
3. "Erykah Badu".
4. (2001-01-03). "43rd Annual Grammy Nomination List".
5. (August 19, 2000). "Billboard Hot 100".
6. (October 7, 2000). "Billboard Hot 100".
7. "Bumpy's Lament by Soul Mann & the Brothers on WhoSampled".
8. "Erykah Badu's Booty sample of Johnny Hammond's Gambler's Life". WhoSampled.com.
9. Badu, Erykah. (2000). "Bag Lady". [[Motown Records]].
10. Badu, Erykah. (2000). "Bag Lady". [[Motown Records]].
11. Badu, Erykah. (2000). "Bag Lady". [[Universal Music Group]].
12. "Erykah Badu Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)".
13. "Billboard Top 100 – 2000".
14. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2000".
15. "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2001".
16. (December 29, 2001). "2001 The Year in Music".
17. (August 4, 2000). "CHR/Rhythmic: Going For Adds 8/8/00".
18. (August 4, 2000). "Urban AC: Going For Adds 8/8/00".
19. (August 4, 2000). "ADDvance Notice".
20. (August 15, 2000). "Bag Lady [12"] – Erykah Badu". [[Motown Records]].
21. (September 6, 2000). "バッグ・レイディ". [[Oricon]].
22. (September 12, 2000). "Bag Lady [CD5-Cassette] – Erykah Badu". [[Motown Records]].
23. (September 25, 2000). "Bag lady – Erykah Badu – CD maxi single". [[Fnac]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::