It takes a lot to shock me these days but R n’ B diva Erykah Badu has managed to do just that with the video for her new single “Window Seat.” Shot in one take on the streets of Dallas, Texas, Erykah exits a car and slowly begins to strip until she is totally naked. The actress tweeted about the experience- saying the video was shot “without warning” and that she “ran like hell” when it was over. The stripping part may end up being the least controversial part of this video however. The reference to the assassination of JFK may really be what gets some people upset. Whatever the case, if Erykah wanted to get people to talking she has definitely done it.
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It is a shame that such talented people have to resort to such foolish behavior in order to get people to notice great music. What’s next?
Am I the only person shocked at how huge Erykah Badu’s @ss is? :lol2:
:lol2: @sista..you knw you’r wrong for that!
I thought the concept and the message behind the video was brilliant! I may be mistaken, but it appears that Ms. Badu video was made in the same location where John. F. Kennedy was assassinated. If people listen to the message, they will understand that John. F. Kennedy assassination was purely used symbolically to convey her message. If people truly understand the message, then maybe those who are upset about the John F. Kennedy reference won’t be.
Ms. Badu said in her video. “We are afraid to respect the individual.” That has been the case throughout history. When people don’t respect your ideas or respect who you are and view you as different or not as one of them, they literally and in some cases they actually shoot you down.
Ms. Badu is one of those rare artist whose music has some substance. She is a true artist who’s never been afraid to go against the grain. She is one of my favorites…..
She does not say so but I am pretty sure she did follow the route JFK took before his murder.
?Both music and the video are pieces of art.
Hmmmm… I don’t think I would call either a piece of art. Erykah wanted to get everyone’s attention and she got it the way most female artists get it today… by stripping. Whatever message she was trying to convey was lost the minute she took her clothes off. No one is talking about the message they are talking about her taking off her clothing. This is not a message song of message video. :noway:
I don’t see art in this video either. The nudity (which we don’t even see) doesn’t bother me but the hypocrisy does. I can name a whole host of artists who would be crucified had they had done such a thing. Why Erykah gets a pass for walking down the middle of street and taking every inch of her clothes off is anyone’s guess.
WTF…Erykah Is not what you consider a powerhouse singer….I’m not really to much of a fan of her but some of her music from her album ”BADUIZM” like ”other side of the game” ”Next lifetime” ”didn’t ya’ know” was the s**t now Erykah imma’ need you to go back to the BADUIZM stage OF YOUR MUSIC give me back that neo-soul GURL
@U Know What: The new album that drops on Tuesday is supposed to be vintage Erykah.
I like the video. I get the message. The nudity didn’t bother me. I saw her as saying when you give yourself, people shoot you down because they fear what they don’t know. I don’t think she’s being phony or hypocritical. She’s one of the very few artists that can do something like this. Plus, she had my sale way before this video even came out. Music needs this woman’s artistry.
I thought it was deep and truely artistic!
I’m definitely Getting the cd, finally somebody who thinks out the box, everyone trying to be the next beyonce, it’s good to see originality!
HMMM…- I TOTALLY agree with you.
Weren’t alot of people from THIS SITE saying they didn’t know which two specific female artist would be the first to do a nude video? Well ya’ll were wrong because Erykah beat them to the punch lol. Now let’s see how “this” plays out.
Erykah is not popping her booty or anything in the video. It’s a tasteful nude, I think. And some of the comments in here are exactly what she’s referring to at the end of the video. There’s a message in the video, several messages. Many are subliminal. There are even historical references. If all you see is her nudity, watch it again and study it.
To the people who are trippin over the nudity and comparing it to other females who dress provocatively or barely at all, BUY A CLUE!!!! This is not about sex. It’s about making a statement. It’s provocative, but not in a sexual connotation.
Some people wouldn’t know a bus if it hit them head on…smh
I call BULL sh@T at this whole post. Tasteful nudity? What the heck is that? When did full out nudity become more tasteful and respectable than booty poppin? Don’t try to hide your hypocrisy by claiming Erykah is trying to convey a message. Maybe those booty poppin artists are trying to convey a message as well. What makes Erykah’s message so much more important than the booty popper’s message?
I could care less about Erykah dropping her drawls but I knew because it was Erykah everyone would make excuses for her.
I loved the video! :bowdown: It captured my attention from the beginning to the end.
With regard to the nudity presented in the video, I think that context needs to be explored. There is a difference between gratuitous nudity and artistic nudity. The human body is beautiful and, when represented as such, can be very artistic and used to convey deeper emotions. If Erykah had been gyrating, performing stripper routines and simulating sex, then the video would have been distasteful. However, none of the above occurred. Furthermore, given the messages within Erykah’s songs, it is likely that the nudity represented something deeper. She is not singing about a surface topic, one with no depth(e.g., telephones). It appears that she is trying to convey a message while attempting to capture our attention.
Also, to the individual who said she is not a powerhouse…Have you ever seen her in concert?? I have, and trust me, she IS a phenomenal vocalist. She tends to sing mellow songs that don’t require a lot of belting, however, she does possess the capability.
Though, I will admit that I may be biased. I am a huge Erykah Badu fan!
Sista, I also noticed she had a donk!! :lol2:
HMMM…:
Being nude is not the issue, per se. As far as vulgarity is concerned, It is the intent as well as the context. Had Erykah been nude while singing a song referring to sex and simulating sex by way of stripper routines, that would have been vulgar and distasteful. However, the content of the song as well as her behavior while in the video does not make it vulgar. In this instance, her nudity represents a deeper message, not a surface message of sex. It is up to the viewer to interpret that message. Conversely, when a video is highly sexual, the intent and message are quite clear.
I don’t think people are necessarily being biased towards Erykah. I think we are just considering the content of the song as well as her behavior in the video, not just the fact that she was nude. Other artists, whose behavior in sexually explicit, do not have the depth in their lyrics nor their videos. In other words, it is simply gratuitous with little purpose.
Hope this clarifies your inquiries.
HMMM…:
“Maybe those booty poppin artists are trying to convey a message as well. What makes Erykah’s message so much more important than the booty popper’s message?”
You are right. The “booty poppin artists” are conveying a message — sex. What makes Erykah’s message different is that it goes beyond sex and vulgarity whereas the “booty poppin artists” message begins and ends with sex.
Not trying to pick on you. I thought you comment was valid and wanted to respond.
Yes that *** is big. Great shape for a woman that popped out 3 kids. and she knows it!! loved it!
Activist usualy get nude to make a political or social statement,its a normal thing around the world…yes,people have to take notice thats the whole point,you can do your research if you are politicaly challenged….this has nothing to do with sexuality,don’t embarrass yourself by confusing two different subjects.
a lot of singers… would dare call them artistes… a completely covered (well as completely as u can be in a onesie)and still more vulgar than Miss Badu in this video… yet people would have a problem with this… Nipplegate is still talked about with Janet… just a bunch of hypocrites.
I’m going to see her in April definitely….
once u build a reputation for being creative.. it’s hard to shake even if u are buck naked…
if u build a reputation for booty shaking… it’s going to follow you even if you try something creative…
reputations are funny that way… so maybe the younger ‘artiste’ should have thought about that instead of just trying to sell records.
Last comment… gotta love america… woman walking by in her underwear and it’s nobody business… in my country… traffic would have stopped… people forget where they going, what the doing… cameras/cellphones pop out for facebook updates… chaos…
Erykah Badu is a true artist and that is why people who truly understand and appreciate real music and artistry can appreciate this video. Damn Erykah got mo’ *** than a video vixen! She needs to get the bootylicious title for real! Forget Bey’s padded up ***! Wow!
Wasn’t feeling it
I mean, i guess… but as soon as she started to strip, i was just like what the hell about the whole thing… gotta love her though.
@U Know What you have obviously never seen her in concert. Don’t let the wierdness fool you she is a powerhouse singer. And she kept going on that path instead of getting just two wierd everyone would be speakining about her voice instead of her image or outfit or whatever else foolishness she does. But her voice is a powerhouse.
I don’t think she’s actually walking down a street…I really don’t believe that NO ONE is looking at a woman taking off every article of clothing. Especially the children…children will gawk lol their the most honest souls lol! She has to be on a green screen. The meaning behind the video was loud and clear.
There is a GREAT distinction between ‘tasteful nudity’ and ‘booty poppin’. *side-eyes* HMMM. C’mon, LOL. I’m glad certain ones have clarified.
This video engages. I’m glad she didn’t sing along with the lyric (which is what I was expecting) because that would’ve been a distraction from the main attraction which was for you to see HER peeling back layers of herself until she’s naked as the day she was born (lol) then BLAM! someone takes her out.
She’s talking about the video on her Twitter page. It’s about groupthink and how ‘the group assassinates the individual’, so on and so forth.
And I dig what most of you are saying about the nudity. Someone on twitter posted that here she’s displaying herself as an ‘instrument’ and not an ‘ornament’. That’s just ‘one’ of many gems of wisdom and critique that I read. Amazing stuff, really. So glad she’s bold enough to put herself out like that. She wants folks to discuss this and they are and she’s right with everyone discussing this dialogue of groupthink. I think it’s great. And the comparison with JFK is appropriate in a way because it was an ideal, a ‘groupthink’ as it were behind his assassination.
She really was there and naked. She said so in her twitter-line LOL Brave woman coz there ain’t no way…SMH but then again, I’m not a performance artist LOL
:bowdown:
So…I wonder if Rihanna would’ve done this video first and did it the EXACT same “tasteful” way and had the EXACT same lyrics would all these comments still be the same? :noway:
Wow!!!
This is interesting on many levels…her motivation and intention…is she agitating…sending a message…or just going in for some shock theater to sell some cds?
The opening is very timely, with Sarah Palin and The Tea Party…the outrageous behavior of Congress members and their disrespect of President Obama…all the deaath threats and recent sabotage toward various politicians…Tavis Smiley’s “Black Agenda”…where Minister Farakhan issued a warning to anyone who would even think about harming our President…the sloppy CIA and the gate crashers incident…deflaming Lady Gaga and other artists who use sex to sell music…making people look at artists who offer social messages and commentary (neo-soul/soul) as normal and sexy as anyone else…addressing our reluctance to accept people regardless of being diffferent?…to stop fearing and hating what we don’t understand…to stop killing what we can’t control…I’ve seen Badu is concert several times and she doesn’t have to take off her clothes to entertain…her music is her platform as she states…she can really blow and really under-sings by design…has a loyal following…highly respected…I don’t think she chased pop superstar status…keeps a low profile and her private life, private…had her kids early on in her career, so there’s more to her than the business…named her son seven because it’s a number that can’t be divided…she’s given me so much through her music and live performances…when she won an award for her first album…she said something that I have come to know firsthand…as she accepted the award, she stated…”I was precise and correct”…
Go Badu…we just have to see where she’s coming from…
People keep saying if Beyonce woulda done this…if gaga hada done this…if Rihanna woulda done this…well, they didn’t. Can’t argue about something that hasn’t happened now can we?? LOL
I am in love with anybody who is not afraid to evolve and be themselves despite what others think. Kudos to Erykah.
Miss Badu is on Twitter begging folks to buy 10 copies of her album EACH. Her motives are quite clear. She didn’t do that with her last album and I have been following her since she tweeted about her last child’s birth.
No matter what she has done in the past it is clear that she is now willing to go that extra mile to regain the success she once had.
I don’t begrudge her the right to do it but like the other posters I despise the hypocrisy of those who make excuses as to why it is OK for Erykah and only Erykah to get naked in order to make a message.
Go erykah. Do your thang Girl!
The video is sooooooooooo Erykah. And yes her age is huge and pretty. Go Miss Badu!
I meant her ***…
I am sorry, this is just as Vulgar as some of you said that Telephone video was/is. Even Erykah said on her Twitter that women were screaming at her for taking her clothes off.
I didn’t even get the meaning until the end when the ink was coming out of her head. And I have no problem with nudity, but this double standard needs to stop. If some people want to criticize Gaga for owning up to her sexuality, then you need to do the same with Erykah.
And another thing, Erykah HAS been showing off her booty and body since the Diana Ross tribute at the BET AWARDS. I remember because the blogs were all over the place talking about her booty and the size of it. And I am saying the same thing that I said then too.
These “Neo-Soul” are no better than the “commerical” artists that some of you demonize. Stripping nude with children around is not tasteful nudity if you want to get technical. So stop it people. Gaga’s video had a message too just like Erykah’s did and if you’re going to criticize Gaga, then go there on Erykah too.
I don’t see how anyone can condone what she did. There is a double standard… that some artist can walk naked on a public street and it is ok and it is artisty, but someone else cannot wear a catsuit to perform without getting critisim..WTH! I saw a still shot on another website of a mother and child looking at her as she is walking by naked…that is not right for that parent to have to have their child seeing that while walking on a public street. Wrong is just wrong :noway:
To answer the above poster on Erykah getting a pass, the head wrap crowd gives her a pass for everything. If a mainstream female artist had three babies by three dudes, she’d be all kinds of names to them. But to them it’s fine because it’s her. The reason I can’t stand her is because she is hypocrisy personified. A total phony. No respect here.
This is the truth @Me….
On another site I was discussing the India comments about the Telephone video, one of the things that I said is that many of the Neo-Soul artists preach one thing and then do something else and they get worshipped by many of their fans as some of the fans of non-mainstreamers.
I mean, this is basically STREAKING. She didn’t have a permit for this. She could have GOTTEN ARRESTED. I almost say that it is worst than Telephone now thinking about it for that reason.
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!
Wow. This is sad. The industry has changed so much that a talented artist like Ms. Badu has to resort to such desperate measures to get attention in order to sell her records. Really sad.
Why would the sight of a naked woman traumatize a child? I first heard this when Janet’s boob made an appearance at the Super Bowl.YT always have to bring up the children and then we follow. Erykah’s body hasn’t traumatized any darn body.
And why do nigras love Lady Gaga so damn much?
CURTIS, ME- :iagree: Your SO right if it’s one thing I can’t stand it’s a hypocrite. Why can’t people just BE REAL and say they don’t like Beyonce, Rihanna, GaGa etc. because they are the most recognized artist of today. :stop: being biased people!
17150918, precisely. And it is bigger than Erykah did. I want to see the same venom on “social responsibility”. Not that she has to be social responsible, but peeps can’t use the “Neo-Soul” cred to excuse this. And if they do, I don’t want to hear them criticize any other artist again. Period.
Kudos to Erykah, trying to get the masses to understand a message.
@Cynthinia – I totally agree.
This is pure artistic expression and if you listen to the words of the song, you can clearly comprehend that she’s speaking to the fans. She’s asking you to come back to the music and appreciate what doesn’t always fit neatly into a box. We are not monolithic and have to learn that some music will require us to delve deeper into our mindset. She’s probably feeling like a fish out of water – she understands so much and is not a conformist, yet, she’s in an industry where the fans almost require you to conform to an image of what they believe you’re suppose to be.
As for any poster on here that equates nudity to obscenity and being vulgar, then you surely cannot appreciate any expression of art. This is not a singer butt naked, gyrating in the street like she’s having erotic sex, this is simple nudity! When did we become so ashamed of the human body in it’s original form – that’s not vulgar!!
Some of yall are full of BS. That guy Stanley Tunick goes all over the world taking naked photos of people all the timee and no one hoots and hollers about that nudity. But when Badu does it, it’s a travesty and people that like the video are giving her a pass because she’s “”Neo-Soul??” Whatever. Who uses that term anymore anyways?? Yall need to get the sticks from up yalls bums for real. Calling people phony when yall the real transparent ones. Yall watched the video and she got yall commenting on it. Tell me who”s the smart one now???
I always love what Ms. Badu has in store when she drops a new album and like usual she has a winner. Hey the sista got it and can work it, if folks don’t want to see it, then don’t watch it. Hmmm, maybe I need to go vegan too. Go’on girl.
I saw nothing wrong with the video or song. It’s a great song with a unigue video. It’s Badu’s artistry at its finest. The video made me like the song more & more. The video reminds me a bit of Alanis Morrissette. Now everybody knows Erykah is deep. Hardly does she not make a video or song without a message of some sort. I say it’s her way of showing the world how to use what God blessed her with in a unigue way. She’s eccentric that’s for sure. And I can appreciate eccentric.
And I can say YES, Ms. Badu can sang her fanny off. She actually to me sings better live. She has great range and she’ll keep you waiting but after the show, you’ll forgive her. She’s a great singer folks.
:noway: i mad that **** took it there.. smh i love the song but im not so sure about how i feel about the video
Well, Erykah certainly got folks talking about her and her video. She is certainly not the first to take her clothes off. Madonna did it back in the early nineties for her SEX book and Alanis Morisette did it in her Thank You video as well. Nudity that aims to titilate is very different than making a statement, be it artistic, political or otherwise. I really appreciate that people are talking about this video, debating what it means to them and trying to understand what Erykah’s message is.
I have no problem with nudity, but there were CHILDREN watching her take off her cloths…ALTHOUGH she did add a deep message at the end so it’s alright…SMH
*clothes
“We are not monolithic and have to learn that some music will require us to delve deeper into our mindset. She’s probably feeling like a fish out of water – she understands so much and is not a conformist, yet, she’s in an industry where the fans almost require you to conform to an image of what they believe you’re suppose to be.”
@Sepiastar, well said!
This video has caused a reaction, a much needed one…I love the comments people are making whether they like it or not…people are thinking and talking about something other than an artist stats or who failed…Erykah could have done a series of things to get attention…a reality show for one…her life in Dallas…I’ve never seen a picture of her kids other than her son, Seven…some people are thinking about themselves…it’s not that much fun when you’re the smartest one in the room, the biggest fish in the pond, the richest man in the world and people are starving and dying, mainly for the lack of knowledge and the ability to know oneself!
I don’t know .
I would take someone Naked all day if there is a right a positive message behind their Gimmick, But if you’re damn near naked telling me to “Get it up” or “take me on their video phone” or “notice that they don’t have a d-ck” I’m Not with it, Nudity itself, Is a problem to me when it’s glamorized
So i still don’t know…
I think she is loosing , lost her mind!!
So what the kids saw her naked. They see SO MUCH MORE. A naked body is nothing. It’s natural. I work in a school. The kids sing “Poke Her Face” and “F*CK Amy.” And they’re having sex. This video will not encourage kids to have sex. It’s causing people to think, talk, reflect. That’s what a video should do.
ANN- The kids you are talking about are middle/high school TEENAGERS (yes they do have sex)but those in the video were elementary school CHILDREN that was disresptful to the parents.
@Get Real: Like elementary kids don’t know what a naked body is. Please explain how the video was disrespectful. I think people just have a problem with (black) nudity in general. Where was all this discussion when Blink 182 and Alanis Morrisette were naked in their videos? Nudity is NOTHING in other parts of the world. They are probably laughing at us because of this right now. A woman’s naked body is NOT taboo. It’s natural. I saw the nudity as brave, honest, beautiful. People are so worried about the children but wasn’t it Rihanna singing Rude Boy at the Kid choice awards (the nickelodeon awards show). Rude Boy??!! Rude Boy at a children’s show??!! Now THAT’S what would make me mad as a parent.
I’m in the concept of manipuation here. Clothes off or clothes on, the idea of trying to get others to change their minds to a different way of thinking is not always seen as a good thing. Erykah wants others to see things her way and she has a following a (Group) So to say, and They are trying to influence another group to think the way they think and yet she wants to say that her group thinking is better. I read many comments by whites that asked the question, if a white person had done this at the site of the MLK assination would blacks cheer them for being forward thinking or just damn rude. We blacks are so willing to come to the aide of other blacks just because of their status. What about, if what they do is offensive. Parading naked in front of unsuspecting people and making light of a place of national tradegy dosen’t read as good decision making. Erykah can wear all the african clothing in the world, and put tatoos anywhere she wants, that still dosen’t give her the right to force her ideas on others or to make it seem as though she is some kind of moral judge. She seems to be saying she knows what’s best for everybody else. She did it to upset whites and that’s just what she did. She’s not talking to blacks about killing each other in the streets like animals, or to the other evils that plague the black community. All the african clothing in the world dosen’t make you african nor does it make you a mystic. Seems like another black star using her body to get headlines.
@Tired: You have a weak argument there. No white artists have done this at MLK’s assassination site. What does wearing African clothing have to do with a video on groupthink? How do you know she did this to upset white people?? She’s had plenty a song about social injustices/activism/crime. How would you have done the video differently??? How would you have not offended anyone? How would you convey vulnerability other than nudity?? I respect your opinion, I just want to know how you would’ve done things if you were the video director.
Johnny-come-way-late on this one. Just learned about this one from my youngest sis who lives in Dallas. yes, I was shocked at the size of her ***. LOL. That last baby kicked that butt into a high salute. Sorry but I can’t get into Badu anymore. I am glad she is shaking things up but I’m just not into the “ankh” thing. I’ll keep jamming the first 3 CDs.