March 22, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Stephanie Helper - (310) 247-3090

Beverly Hills, CA -- Actress/singer Erykah Badu has been named a presenter at the 72nd Academy Awards Presentation, telecast producers Richard D. and Lili Fini Zanuck have announced. This will be Badu's first appearance on an Oscar^® show.

Badu, who appeared last year in the Oscar-nominated film, "The Cider House Rules," recently won a Grammy award, which she shared with the rap group, The Roots, for their collaboration on the single, "You Got Me." Her debut album, "Baduism," was released in 1999, and she's currently recording a new album, "The New Du," which will be released this summer.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 1999 will be presented on March 26, 2000, at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. Sunday at the Oscars will televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:00 p.m. (PST), with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment preceding the presentation ceremony.