Erykah Badu

Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu To Party At Black Girls Rock!

04 Nov 2011 20:09:20 EDT

Jill Scott, Estelle, Melanie Fiona and more also hit the stage to celebrate 'brilliance' of black women at show airing Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on BET.
By Rebecca Thomas

Mary J. Blige performs at BET's 2011 Black Girls Rock!
Photo: Scott Weiner/PictureGroup

NEW YORK — On a windy Saturday last month, the Paradise Theater in the Bronx was an undulating sea of sequins, stilettos and star power as the 2011 edition of Black Girls Rock! got under way. An annual celebration of the accomplishments of black women in a myriad of spheres, from science and technology to the arts and politics, the event is the brainchild of philanthropist Beverly Bond, a onetime model/DJ. Imagine balling up the sentiments of your favorite empowerment anthem into a fist and then sprinkling them like confetti over a gathering of girls, and you might begin to get an idea of what it felt like to sit in that majestic theater during the taping of the show that night. You'll get to see for yourself when it airs Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on BET. Actresses Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King opened their co-hosting gig — dressed in an ebony gown and an ivory sequined pantsuit, respectively — with some funny banter about their mutual connection to all-grown-up "Cosby" kid Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Ellis Ross plays Warner's wife on the brand-new BET sitcom "Reed Between the Lines," while King is his real-life leading lady). Over the course of the night, with assists from a series of celeb presenters like former MTV VJ LaLa Anthony and model Alek Wek, "BGR" '11 gave special nods to some much-deserving honorees. MTV News rode the D train to the Grand Concourse in the BX and previewed some of the highlights for you. The Anthems
Any R&B diva worth her salt has at least one love-yourself tune to her credit, but if you're Mary J. Blige, the undisputed queen of hip-hop/soul, then you've got a catalog full of certified classics guaranteed to cure Superwoman syndrome. Fans were treated to a rousing, show-closing set that included MJB's "My Life" and "Just Fine." Soul sisters like Jill Scott (the poetic "Womanifesto") and Erykah Badu (an intergalactic "On and On") are just a few of the stirring performers who pass the baton to upstarts like Elle Varner and Melanie Fiona. Who Run the World?
Yes, there was a 70-something gospel legend and a duo of trailblazing activists battling violence against women as part of the Rebecca Project, but some of the most impressive award recipients were girls barely out of their tweens. M.A.D. (Making a Difference) Girl honoree Leanna Archer, became CEO of her own natural hair-care products company at 13, and now just 15, heads up a foundation devoted to helping underprivileged kids in Haiti. Girl 'Power'
While some of us are confronting the so-called "quarterlife-crisis" or maybe occupying Wall Street at 25, Angela Davis had just hit the quarter-century mark when she began building a formidable career as an activist, aligning with movements like the Black Panther Party. The Brandeis-educated Davis went on to spend the next few decades crusading for marginalized groups like African-Americans, women and prisoners. The winner of this year's Icon Award admitted she used to feel "embarrassed" seeing her face staring back at her from T-shirts until she realized that the garments represented the "translation of the success of a movement." That's real girl power, and theatergoers thanked her (fists raised) with a standing ovation. Screen Stars
Co-hosts Ellis Ross and King weren't the only big- and small-screen stars to grace the stage. Taraji P. Henson was honored with the Star Power prize. The actress was already a young mom to a son when she got to Hollywood, but it was her fictional role as mom to A-lister Brad Pitt in the "Curious Case of Benjamin Button" that earned her an Oscar nod in 2008 for Best Supporting Actress. In an upbeat acceptance speech, the extroverted Henson reminisced about praying for "longevity" back in those early casting call days. Catch "Black Girls Rock!" Sunday on BET at 8 p.m. ET.

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Erykah Badu 'Loves Me,' Says D.O.C.

07 Sep 2011 13:45:30 EDT

'I'm as married to Erykah as I'm gonna get. I don't need no rings to love her,' D.O.C. tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman

D.O.C.
Photo: MTV News

Celebrity Favorites: D.O.C.
Love is complicated, but when it comes to D.O.C.'s relationship with his daughter's mother, Erykah Badu, for him things are quite simple. "It's no confusion. That's my baby. I love Erykah, Erykah loves me," the former Dr. Dre protégé told MTV News on the red carpet at the BMI Urban Awards last month.

In an August interview with the Dallas Observer, Mr. No One Can Do It Better talked about his relationship with Badu and his hopes to film a reality show with the "Tyrone" singer, where in the end, the two get married. A few weeks after the article was printed, Badu's camp issued a statement saying that while the pair enjoys a very good parental relationship, "no romantic dynamic exists between the two." The notion of a reality show was also shot down. "The D.O.C.'s comments were either taken out of context, improperly interpreted or reflective of his now not-so-secret desires." D.O.C. admitted to MTV News that maybe he went too far in the interview, but he also didn't believe that the response to his comments came from Badu herself. "I think she let one of her handlers get a hold of it," he said. "First of all, I was just playin' in the interview. I might've took it a little too far. She let her folks get back at me, but that's my baby's mother, and the bottom line is she is the perfect mother to my daughter Puma, who I am in love with, and that's all that really matters to me." In addition to 7-year-old Puma, Badu has a 13-year-old son with Andre 3000 and a 2-year-old daughter with Jay Electronica. As far as any nuptials, the Doc fell back on that too. "I'm as married to Erykah as I'm gonna get. I don't need no rings to love her," he said. "I love Erykah and I know she loves me and we are both in love with that baby girl, and that's what it's really all about." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Tupac 40th Birthday Bash Draws Rick Ross, Erykah Badu

17 Jun 2011 15:59:54 EDT

'Afeni Shakur she was loving the song,' Meek Mill tells MTV News after performing 'Tupac Back' with Ross.
By Rob Markman

Rick Ross
Photo: Dennis Byron

Tupac's spirit lived on Thursday night at the Atlanta Symphony Hall, as family, friends and fans celebrated him on what would have been the late rapper/actor's 40th birthday.

Rick Ross, Erykah Badu, Bun B, 8Ball & MJG and comedian Mike Epps all attended the event, raising money for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, which helps students develop their skills in the creative arts. The crowd stood and applauded when Epps, host of the event, presented 'Pac's mother, Afeni, with a $10,000 donation, The Associated Press reported. Ross then took the stage with his new Maybach Music signee Meek Mill to perform their homage-paying single "Tupac Back." Not only did the crowd approve but Meek told MTV News he noticed the reaction of one special partygoer in particular. "I was just representing for Tupac and we performed it out here in front of his mom. His mom was loving it; Afeni Shakur she was loving the song," he said backstage after the show. Mill admitted that he expected to draw some criticism for comparing himself to the revered Shakur on "Tupac Back," but said he first found inspiration to rap in Shakur's rebellious attitude. "I knew it was going to be a lot of talk behind it, people sayin', like, me thinkin' I'm Tupac or whatever, but we represent the same thing," the Philly rapper said. " 'Pac, he don't care what he say, he gonna give you rawness, and that's what I always felt. That's the biggest message he gave to me: always give out rawness and the things you want to say, say it." The party was held a day after AllHipHop.com obtained a letter from Dexter Isaac claiming to be involved in the 1994 robbery and shooting of Shakur at Quad Studios in Manhattan. 'Pac, who was shot five times in that incident, survived, but began serving a prison sentence for a sexual assault charge in February 1995. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot in Las Vegas and died in the hospital six days later.

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Erykah Badu Pays Fine For 'Window Seat' Video

17 Aug 2010 12:52:36 EDT

Singer hit with six months of probation for stripping in Dallas streets.
By Gil Kaufman

Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

The global publicity bump Erykah Badu got for stripping down to her essentials and walking the streets of Dallas for her "Window Seat" video shoot was probably well worth the $500 fine she finally paid last week. A Dallas city spokesperson said the singer paid the maximum fine and agreed to serve six months probation for the stunt, in which she was filmed slowly taking off her clothes as she walked through Dealey Plaza, the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. The incident took place on March 13, and a defiant Badu entered a not guilty plea in April to a charge of disorderly conduct. "I thought it was a move for women and men and children who feel they weren't good enough," Badu told MTV News on April 8 about the controversial clip, in which she is shot down at the end. " 'This is just me. I'm good enough.' I felt it was important enough to do. More pros than cons." According to a statement from City of Dallas public information officer Jose Torres, Badu's probation will end around February 11, 2011, and she faces the revocation of her probation if she commits any city, state or federal offenses during her six-month term. The Texas native must also notify the court about any address changes within 10 days of moving. If her probation is violated, Badu will have a criminal conviction on her record. Badu didn't file for an official permit to shoot the video. The directors of the video, Chike and Coodie, told MTV News that they were well aware of potential attention from law-enforcement officials. They also said Badu was fully prepared for the consequences. "We had bail money and everything," Coodie said. "I think she really wanted to get arrested and even make a bigger message." A spokesperson for Badu could not be reached for comment at press time.

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Rick Ross Talks T.I., Jadakiss, Erykah Badu Collabos

16 Aug 2010 06:50:56 EDT

'The time was right,' Ross says of Tip lacing 'Maybach Music III.'
By Shaheem Reid

Rick Ross
Photo: MTV News

Earlier this week, Erykah Badu released a video for the remix of "Window Seat" that features Rick Ross. That collaboration led to the singer appearing on Ross' song "Maybach Music III," which appears on his acclaimed new album Teflon Don.

"She never really collaborated with a lot of artists outside of Outkast," Ross explained. "Maybe another artist or two, [like] the Roots. It was always conscious music she was making. You know, a gritty street artist — that's always a plus when you get to work with somebody with the flowers around them and [they're] burning incense. And it's positive." Ross was a longtime admirer of Badu's work, which made the idea of working with her intriguing. "Her music always attracted me; it was always attractive to my kind of music," he said. "Once we collaborated with the 'Window Seat' remix ... the lanes of communication was open, I was like, 'Let's do something different.' " The track, which was produced by the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, also features T.I. and Jadakiss. "I felt the time was right for me and T.I. [to work together]," the Bawse explained. "We had never personally collaborated with each other on a record one on one. Early on in my career, I had said [negative] things when I didn't know him. Just us being bosses and us being leaders and us being examples, we bossed up. We both did. He came from home doing what he did. I did my thing." But as time passed, the animosity waned, and Ross asked Tip to collaborate. "Just on a mutual respect for each other, I reached out to him. When I got that verse back, I was like, 'He meant that.' We had been seeing each other over a period of time, saluting each other, bumping into each other, he knew I was a fan of his. We captured that moment in time which was one of the dopest records. And that meant the most to me. I used to play that T.I. verse in my studio, like, 'This set the tone, right here. It set the tone.' It just felt good for the homie to lace me. I salute Tip." Ross brought Jadakiss, a longtime friend, on "Maybach" as well. "Jada was always that New York underdog," he said. "That next lyricist. You could be the hottest at the time, but if you slippin', Jada is one record away. He's a cool dude, somebody I got a mutual respect and a friendship with." This week, Ross released a new track online, "Summer's Mine," where he takes aim at his competition. "Bitch I run the south/ I'm what you wanna be," he raps. "This how you wanna live/ This what you wanna drive/ Be honest with yourself/ I'm who you idolize." What do you think of Ross' "Maybach Music III"? How does it rank with the previous tracks? Tell us in the comments!

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Rick Ross' 'Maybach Music 3' Video To Be Directed By Erykah Badu

07 Jul 2010 18:10:16 EDT

Along with Badu's vocals, T.I. and Jadakiss are also featured on the track.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Rick Ross
Photo: Akshay Bhansali

Rick Ross has enlisted Erykah Badu to helm the upcoming video for his song, "Maybach Music 3," he announced on his Twitter page.

"@fatbellybella will be directing the video #maybachmusic lll ft.@tip, @Therealkiss....#classic," Ross revealed in the tweet, shouting out T.I. and Jadakiss, who make guest appearances on "Maybach Music 3." Badu also lends her vocals to the track. This is not the first time Badu and the Bawse have collaborated. After jumping on a remix of Badu's "Window Seat," Ross confirmed to MTV News that the Dallas diva and the Miami MC were working together on a video for the track. "I had to come get the queen," Ross said about the "Window Seat" remix clip, which picks up where Badu's controversial vid leaves off. "It was only right. I was swerving through Dallas in that Porsche Panorama turbo. I had to slide up on her, scoop her up. We got back to business. We went on another caper." While Badu is spending more time behind the lens with "Maybach Music 3," Ross has been logging time in front of the camera with a slew of videos in the works. The MC told MTV News about his video plans for "Blowin' Money Fast (B.M.F.)," "MC Hammer" and the Kanye West-produced "Live Fast, Die Young," which Ross wants acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee to direct. "When I was in Hawaii, me and Kanye did a different kind of record, and it may take a different kind of director," Ross said. "I had a private get-together in Miami. Spike came out, we discussed a few things. It's one of those things [that] I call 'speaking it into existence.' I feel once I put something in my mind, I can accomplish it." Are you looking forward to the Badu-directed "Maybach Music 3" video? Let us know in the comments!

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Rick Ross Talks 'Window Seat' Remix Video With Erykah Badu

04 Jun 2010 17:42:05 EDT

'We continuing where the first 'Window Seat' ended,' Ross tells MTV News.
By Shaheem Reid

Photo:

Erykah Badu bled the words "group think" in her critically acclaimed (but nonetheless controversial) "Window Seat" video, but that wasn't the end of her journey. Badu recently shot a video for the "Window Seat" remix with Rick Ross. "I had to come get the queen," Ross said about the video. "They had her boxed up." The clip starts with Ross coming to get the Grammy-winning songstress from jail. "It was only right. I was swerving through Dallas in that Porsche Panorama turbo. I had to slide up on her, scoop her up. We got back to business. We went on another caper. "It's basically, we continuing where the first 'Window Seat' ended," he added. "Where she was assassinated and ultimately scooped up and arrested. We continuing from there. She's got a dope cut on her album called 'Get Money.' Y'all need to download and check it out. It's the next single. And it's the bridge between the assassination, going into the 'Window Seat' remix, me doing my sh--. Then we ultimately going into 'Get Money,' which I feel is my favorite record off of [New Amerykah Part Two: Return of] the Ankh." Like she did in the original video, Badu came up with the concept and directed it with Creative Control as the cinematographers. "She most definitely is a super talented individual," Ross said. "Of course she's extremely beautiful. It's hard to look into her eyes for too long. She's so sweet. Just to see her creativity. She also directed the video along with her team. To see her vision, just to see her work ethic. She's like me. We filming to the wee hours. It's real big. She's the definition of a strong woman. I'm proud for her to be a strong black woman, just to see her so hands-on with her career. From the producing of her music to the writing of her music. The entire process of her writing her entire album all the way down to directing her videos and editing. For me to be sitting here while she's [filming the video], doing what she's doing, the singing. And she's also checking the angles. It was like, 'Wow.' I never knew that. I knew she was super talented and so hands-on and in charge of her entire project. She gets the ultimate boss look." What do you think of the "Window Seat" remix with Ross? Let us know in the comments!

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Erykah Badu Strips Again For Vibe Cover

04 Jun 2010 14:20:39 EDT

Singer says 'Window Seat' video was controversial because 'sexuality that's not for male consumption' makes people uncomfortable.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Erykah Badu on the July cover of Vibe Magazine
Photo: Vibe Magazine

Erykah Badu appears to be topless on the cover of the new issue of Vibe, and in her interview with the magazine, she continues to discuss nudity in her "Window Seat" video. In the clip, which Badu debuted on her own website back in March, the singer strips her clothes off as she nears Dallas' Dealey Plaza as a symbolic gesture of freedom. The move, however, drew criticism for a number of reasons, including the fact that the shoot occurred near the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. The singer also received backlash simply for disrobing in a video; online commentators suggested she was using sex to sell her music. Badu scoffed at that notion, though. "I look at some other videos. I'm not naming names, because I don't want that to be mentioned. There is the thing with sexuality," Badu told Vibe. "I'm naked for 13 seconds, and these people are naked the whole time and gyrating and saying come 'lick on my lollipop' and 'suck on my cinnamon roll' and, you know, suggesting sex. People are uncomfortable with sexuality that's not for male consumption. Could be 'cause I did it in public too. Do you think people would have been complaining if I had on high-heel shoes?" Badu was charged with disorderly conduct over the video and later pleaded not guilty. Badu splits the June/July cover of Vibe with Nicki Minaj, whose cover shot portrays her as a sexy anime-style girl in a maid's uniform. The pair follow Young Jeezy and Trey Songz, and Chris Brown and Drake as split-cover subjects in the magazine since it re-launched late last year. Which Vibe cover, Erykah Badu or Nicki Minaj, are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments!

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Erykah Badu Pleads Not Guilty To 'Window Seat' Charge

29 Apr 2010 20:38:00 EDT

Singer was cited for disorderly conduct after stripping down in public during the video shoot.
By Kelley L. Carter

Erykah Badu entered a not-guilty plea Wednesday for stripping down in public for her much-talked-about "Window Seat" video. In March, the 39-year-old soul singer went sans clothing in Dallas' busy Dealey Plaza during the video shoot; she later was charged with disorderly conduct in relation to the music video.

"I thought it was a move for women and men and children who feel they weren't good enough," Erykah Badu told MTV News on April 8 about the controversial clip. " 'This is just me. I'm good enough.' I felt it was important enough to do. More pros than cons." In Badu's video, she sheds her clothes while walking through downtown Dallas, and almost as soon as she is totally nude, she is shot in the head, falling near the same grassy knoll near where President Kennedy was shot in 1963. Instead of blood, animated words that spell out "groupthink" leak from her head on the sidewalk. The singer has said that she chose to go nude in Dealey Plaza because it's one of the most popular locales in the city. Badu didn't file for an official permit to shoot the video. The directors of the video, Chike and Coodie, told MTV News that they were well aware of potential attention from law-enforcement officials. They also said Badu was fully prepared for the consequences. "We had bail money and everything," Coodie said. "I think she really wanted to get arrested and even make a bigger message." Are you surprised that Badu pleaded not guilty? Let us know in the comments.

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'Sex And The City 2' Soundtrack Features Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson

21 Apr 2010 16:45:00 EDT

Leona Lewis, Erykah Badu, Liza Minnelli and even the 'SATC' ladies themselves appear on the album.
By Jocelyn Vena

Photo: Arnold Turner/WireImage

Two days before "Sex and the City 2" hits theaters on May 27, fans of the HBO franchise can pick up the movie's soundtrack to get pumped up for the NYC foursome's return. As if having a number of A-list artists on the soundtrack weren't enough to get fans dancing in their Manolos, it turns out that the stars of the flick — Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon — also appear on the soundtrack, performing the Helen Reddy female-empowerment tune "I Am Woman."

Other songs on the album include a duet between Jennifer Hudson and Leona Lewis called "Love Is Your Color"; Hudson appeared in the first flick as Carrie's assistant, but it's not known whether she'll return for the sequel. Additionally, Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" will be on the soundtrack. The original Jay-Z version of the song appears in the "Sex and the City 2" trailer. Keys will also have a third song on the soundtrack, a cover of the Blondie song "Rapture." Eyrkah Badu's "Window Seat" will be on the album, as well as a new song from Dido, who worked with T-Pain and Cee-Lo on the song "Everything to Lose." Liza Minnelli, who appears in the sequel, also has two songs on the soundtrack: a cover of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and a duet with Billy Stritch, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Recently, the ladies of "SATC" spoke to MTV News about what fans can expect from the film. "This time around, Carrie has been married for a couple of years. She is about to publish her fourth book," Parker said. "She is content. ... She and her husband, John, have found a nice and modest apartment, and they are living their lives, and she is seeing her friends as much as time allows." What do you think of "SATC" soundtrack lineup? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "Sex and the City 2." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.