Erykah Badu is no stranger to thinking outside the box. So although there is a shock factor when watching Ms. Badu strip down to nothing in the video for her latest single “Window Seat,” it’s not that shocking. However, on her quest to make a statement on the dangers of conformity, Erykah has managed to ruffle a few feathers.
The city of Dallas, less than pleased with Badu’s artistic expression, charged the singer with disorderly conduct and issued a $500 fine for shooting without a permit and appearing nude in public, according to billboard.com. Some regular citizens are also bothered by Badu’s bold statement: Her faux-assassination in Texas’ Dealey Plaza is deemed insensitive to the very real assassination of John F. Kennedy in the same location in 1963. Children are also part of the crowd that is unsuspectingly graced with Badu’s nude body.
Others, however, applaud Badu for her bravery, noting that the backlash she has received from the video only confirms her theories about conformity. Most importantly, however, Badu has managed to spark discussion. It seems like everyone is chiming in with their take on the value of social expectations.
Aside from the debate, the video has brought a lot of publicity for Erykah’s new album, “New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh,” which was released on March 31st. Let’s see if the controversy affects album sales!
Written by Shaira Brereton
