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I remember Erykah Badu from the very first time she hit the national stage. I was working at BET and she could barely fill a small club under the bridge in Georgetown. But in that small setting, as she perfected her craft, we all knew she had the “it” factor. She was poised, she was singing conscious music, she had her own style and the biggest rumor about her at that time was what the hell was under her head wrap. As I moved on in my career and Erykah moved on in hers, I saw her change. I watched as the music industry, relationships, life, the media… all of it got in the way of her art… of her passion. Hey, growing up, maturing, being an adult, it ain’t easy and doing it in the public eye makes it so much more difficult.
Fast forward to the present day when Erykah, once dubbed the "Queen of Neo-Soul", decides to release the single “Window Seat”. She says it's a song about "liberating yourself from layers and layers of skin or demons". We all have them my friends; we ALL have layers of skin or demons. How would you symbolically shed yours? Erykah Badu decided to shed hers by taking off her clothes and here is where the controversy begins.
In an interview with Hunter Hauk for The Dallas Morning News, Erykah said she chose the famous "grassy knoll" at Dealey Plaza to film her guerilla, one-take video because "it was the most monumental place in Dallas I could think of”. Erykah shared that the video was a bid to awaken interest in a 1950s term called “groupthink” in which a person is afraid to express themselves for fear of being ostracized by the wider public. Interesting how art imitates fiction isn’t it? Here she is making a video about being ostracized for expressing yourself, when she herself is now being ostracized for expressing herself… can you say… irony? She did not do this without fear. Expressing her trepidation she said:
The whole thing was frightening. The whole idea was frightening. Not being in love with my body, not being secure about being vulnerable, the police coming to take me to jail. I’m breastfeeding right now. Anything I could think of, I did. But those little things diminished as I thought about the big picture. And, as I started to walk, I confronted a lot of fears, and I hoped that it would encourage others to do the same thing in their own way.
Well Sis, you may have encouraged some to do away with their fears but mostly you drummed up a lot of controversy from people who don’t even know you. Yet, these people have no problems judging you and questioning your sanity. They are passing their fear and convictions on to you... wait... that's "groupthink" isn't it?
It's called "ART" when photographer Spencer Tunick shoots HUNDREDS of live nude figures in PUBLIC on numerous occasions. When a Sista shoots ONE nude video in public she is labeled as a crazy/tramp/slut/floozy (actual words used on Facebook) who is simply a promotion whore. There couldn't be any other reason, right? Even after reading her interview (which many probably didn't even bother to do) people focused more on her nudity than on her creatively. Funny, that's EXACTLY what she was attempting to draw attention to regarding the concept of “groupthink”.
Do I get why she chose to get nude? Yes, I do. She chose one of the most frightening things of all things to do... walking nude in public. Not only is it against the law but it takes a certain kinda of person to be at peace with themselves enough to not only bear their soul creatively but also bare their body publicly. Do I agree with her choice of art? No, I do not totally agree but I love her guts and as a video producer I love the gansta' approach she took to producing this video and I tip my hat to her. Will I defend her right to express herself? Yes, absolutely I will. Did she break the law? Yes, she did break the law but if they lock her up I'll be protesting that they better lock of Spencer Tunick and all of his nude subjects also!!!
Meanwhile, I LOVE the single, "Window Seat"! I downloaded it last night from iTunes and it's in heavy rotation on my iPod. So, if it is just a publicity stunt then it worked and I support her on that as well. I will never knock someone another person's hustle as long as it doesn't cause anyone bodily harm or affect someones ability to put food on their table I say "carry on". Meanwhile, if you don't think Lady Gaga and Rihanna are taking us for a promotional stunt ride you are sadly mistaken. No, they haven't gotten naked in public (although they might has well have). Side note, I haven't download either of those artist's songs lately.
My Facebook friend asked the questions: “Mozart had also been called mad many times and many others called him a genius - some felt years ahead of himself. One of my questions is how far does that perceived "genius" by the public allow people to give those artists "space" to do their thing. If the artist goes beyond the edge and it tips towards foolishness do they still get a pass by their fans?”
To which I answered, "True artist do not do their craft for the public. If they are true to their art then they don't really care who likes it or not. Now, they have to eat and ego does play its part but if they are doing what they love, what they are passionate about, who cares what the public thinks? Anyway, who is to say ... where "the edge" starts and stops? Who are we to say when someone has crossed the line? Who is the keeper of "the line" anyway? Is it a Black person, a White person, a male, a female, a person under 20 or a person over 50? If it doesn't impact our personal livelihood or personal well being, how do we even get a vote? Passing judgment is a very ugly human quality that I, for one, am fighting hard to overcome... I hope you (the reader) will join me?
Well, my Neo-Soul Queen, I think you’re gonna need to fall one more again and this time with some clothes on because not many people are hearing your message… or are they?"When I fall to the ground in the video, the word groupthink spills out of my head because I was assassinated by groupthink."
Signed,
The daughter of an artist who was often misunderstood... but who was and IS...loved dearly... even in his death... by his baby girl,
Danielle
