Born and raised in South Dallas, Koryan Wright is the middle child of Kolleen Queenie Wright. Her birth name (Koryan) spelled backwards is Nayrok. Udab is the flipside of her Platinum, Grammy Award-winning older sibling, Erykah Badu. Although the resemblance is unmistakable, the sisters' music styles are far from related. Nayrok calls hers "Hoodrok" - a combination of rock and hip-hop with a funk twist.
Nayrok's initial influence in music was inspired by her mother's record collection. She was a member of her church choir and the Maureen F. Bailey Concert Choir of Dallas. Nayrok's love of hip-hop and performing flourished when she and her sister formed a rap group called Susta MCs.
On stage Nayrok is uncharacteristically the opposite of her otherwise demure person. She performs with a band and sings from a perspective inspired by years of love-hate relationships, triumphs and shortcomings. A car accident in 1999 caused by a drunken driver in Houston left Nayrok with two severely broken legs and two years of rehabilitation. This life-altering event briefly snatched some physical capabilities but strengthened her mentally and musically. The accident also gave rise to her personal motto, with which Nayrok ends every show: "Live Hard, Love Hard, and Rok Harder."
Information from the artist's site
Grace Jones, Cyndi Lauper, Hall and Oates, The Eurythmics, Aerosmith, Minnie Ripperton, Denise Williams, Stevie Wonder
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