Rap-Up.com || Erykah Badu Charged Over Nude Video

It was not such a Good Friday for Erykah Badu. The neo-soul songstress was charged with disorderly conduct for her nude “Window Seat” music video.

The controversial clip was filmed guerilla style on March 13 in downtown Dallas’ Dealey Plaza, where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. It features Badu removing articles of clothing while walking down the street, eventually ending up naked. The song is the first single from her new album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh.

Among those who witnessed the shoot was nine-year-old Kayleigh Espinosa. Her mother Ida Espinosa filed a complaint with police, resulting in the decision to cite Badu for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. “She was exposed to a level of indecency that most children shouldn’t be exposed to,” Espinosa told Dallas’ Fox 4 News.

Sergeant Warren Mitchell explained the decision to charge the singer. “Having a fact witness that was there is what let us file the charges,” he stated. “After much discussion, we feel that these charges best fit her conduct. She disrobed in a public place without regard to individuals and small children who were close by.”

Badu took to Twitter to respond to the charge. “Charged on good friday …..return of the ankh,” she tweeted. “1 DOLLAR FOR EVERY NEW AMERYKAH PRODUCT SOLD AT GOOD RECORDS TOMORROW WILL GO TOWARD MY BAIL MONEY.THANK YOU . (kidding)but im just sayin.”

A citation will be mailed to Badu. She can either fight the charge or pay the fine.

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61 Comments

Lwhm
April 2nd, 2010 at 5:56 pm
this is just ridiculous..
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Kyle
April 2nd, 2010 at 5:58 pm
I find it unfair but I guess the average person wouldn’t understand Erykah’s artistry or the concept in the video. Especially the woman who filed the complaint and her 9 year old daughter who said she was “mortified” after seeing…a naked woman? PATHETIC. They just want attention.
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RMB
April 2nd, 2010 at 5:59 pm
lol oh bull! erykah can pay that lil 500 anyway, erykah fluck the haters lol
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JD
April 2nd, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Artistry my foot! She was naked in from of children and she got in trouble. Case closed.
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100% Nikehead
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Whats the fine like $500 bucks lol. Thats like a dollar to Erykah Badu.
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iceflow
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:12 pm
she got a fine ass………….thats all i care about….lol
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New Amerykah pt 2 in stores now
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Yeah the fine will be between $500 and $1750. I bet Erykah is laughing at these lames like “yeah multiply that by 100 and thats how much i make in a week lol. It aint nuttin lmao.
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InsertANameHere
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:23 pm
I’m ok with her being charged for indecent exposure, but I cannot stand that stupid fake ass Ida Espinosa complaining to get her 15 minutes of fame!
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Creat1ve
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
I still can’t believe this Ida chick is still trying to make money off of her. She said her child was mortified from seeing a naked woman. Hello, I bet the child has probably seen her mom naked once or twice. Like come on, it’s 2010, nudity is not a big deal anymore. But as far as the fine goes, it probably ain’t that big of a deal to Erykah anyway. I mean $500 isn’t that much to Erykah. I still don’t think she should pay a dime, but that’s just my opinion.
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Laugh Out Loud
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Lmaoooooo Erykah Badu is ill hahahaaa. Good Records is a small ass record store in New York that sells vinyls and a selected few cds lol.
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MaZ
April 2nd, 2010 at 8:21 pm
She couldn’t get better promotion for her new video and album. Wish her a lot of success. She’s a great artist.
From Paris with Love miss Badu.
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davyd69
April 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 pm
that’s very ridiculous its a big waits of time
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Pinoy
April 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 am
ppl have got to build a bridge and GET OVER IT!!!!!!
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boring
April 3rd, 2010 at 6:01 am
Cheap, tacky publicity.
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North Country Boy
April 3rd, 2010 at 6:46 am
I think everyone should be able to express themselves but everyone needs to repect each other too. I would prefer that my daughter didn’t see this in the street at a young age but when she was older she could watch this. It’s about freedom of choice.
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Naledi
April 3rd, 2010 at 7:59 am
This is Great!!! Was never gonna found out about this GREAT SONG/ARTIST fantastic publicity. The whole thing will bring more more for EROCA when is due for release this song in the UK?? We love you Erica…come to thE London, England we love Nnaked bootiful women. xxx
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Eric Blue
April 3rd, 2010 at 10:23 am
I this day and age I would have thought she could have stripped down to her underwear. Then use some clever video editing stuff could make her look naked.
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Just Me
April 3rd, 2010 at 10:30 am
bet all you guys out that think dis is aok wuddn’t be saying that if a man did the same thing. Not ok for anyone…don’t care who they r!
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MB92
April 3rd, 2010 at 11:24 am
I love the message at the end, its so so so true
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NikNak
April 3rd, 2010 at 11:33 am
So sad that these moneygrabbers exist!! I often get the urge to strip off and run naked down the street – she is visually espressing the feeling of freedom – leave her alone – small minded people make me sick!!!
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Glenn
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 pm
What a complete waste of tax payer’s money just for a cheap shot publicity stunt. shame on the mother. She should have parental control of what her daughter watches. So there for I blame the mother Ida. As for Erykah Badu. Well what can I say She was good in this. I mean she is’nt the first artist or singer to get naked. How many other people have I have seen a few band groupes that are also the same and some of the video have sensored nuadity. And yet there has never been any law suit’s againest them, it is just a simple case of poiltical correctness gone mad.
Parent’s It is down to use to teach the moral’s of right and wrong and what out children can and can’t watch and be there making sure they ain’t seeing thing’s they should’nt. It is a free world and it was’nt aimed at one person it was aimed for every one that we are all diffrent and we have our own view that respect is the biggest thing of all times and yet there is none of it. we all become judge, jury and excuctioner all in one. Like a Judge Dredd. There are times to do that. but this was out of line and order and complety a waste of time. a mother with free time on her hands with nothing better to do that to get her 15 mintues in the lime light.
As for me I ain’t a controling person but I will make sure that children ain’t watching things they should’nt.
And what of the chilren that was in the video and needless to say they were a lot younger then 9. i am sure they were some 5-7 years old in the video and paid they may have been. but did you see any of thire parent’s compline? or be offensive towards the artist. No. So there for Ade. Get a life get swift with your cover ideas for confused.com publicity.
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Chenko
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
haha quality! She strips and has to pay up $500 for giving us the privellage :D love youuu America
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Tirion
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:32 pm
what a load of crap! Her voice is so shit she had to get naked to get attention. LMAO! Cheap cheap cheap.
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Supa sword
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
this has got to be the worst video ever not just because she strips naked but also cause its a shit video all she does is walk n take off her clothes plus she can not sing … but the fine of $500 is nothin she could fart and make more than that the legal system is fucked up these days cant wait for the next generation to get into power and get all these old stupid bastards in there graves
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kEY
April 3rd, 2010 at 1:24 pm
DAMN SHE IS HOT
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wrenny
April 3rd, 2010 at 2:01 pm
nice arse
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david
April 3rd, 2010 at 2:01 pm
a woman on the street coming towards you starts taking her clothes off you make a complaint and youre looking for attention well let someone do that in frontof a child of yours and lets see what happens !!!!
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Kash
April 3rd, 2010 at 2:46 pm
I don’t get how people can argue Badu’s case, she was naked in a public place, kids were about…surely people appreciate who is in the wrong here. I’m a grown ass man and I would feel a tad shocked and a little mortified if I saw fully grown woman get naked like this. I’m surprised no one else complained…
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Megan
April 3rd, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Okay right so I’m all for the female body as an art form, but this video 1. serves no purpose, i dont think it has any meaning at all and 2. she cant sing to save her life.
If a full grown naked man was walking down the road and your little girl saw him, wouldnt you complain?
I’d want him putting away for that really. Not that I’m saying she should be put away.
It’s okay a mother being naked around her children but it’s another thing practically forcing the public, adults and children, to see you naked
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LeeC
April 3rd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
@Just Me: The difference is, if this was a man, he would have been branded a paedophile and locked up for a few years.
Typical womens equality gets her a pitiful fine.
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susan galea
April 3rd, 2010 at 7:12 pm
The one looking for her fifteen minutes of fame shtick is the one who is getting naked in the most uncreatively directed and produced video I’ve ever seen. Hilarious. Glad someone got some money for pointing out the obvious and that it wasn’t this bare- assed lassie who can’t sing nor even walk well. Think the use of the Kennedy tragedy is as tasteless as everything else this woman does.
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George Bush
April 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Americans eh!
Bomb and kill 23 innocent Afghans gathered together for a wedding, that’s an ooops!!!!
A woman walks down the street naked as the day she was born and she is charged with disorderly conduct!
Oh please………..
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gideon
April 3rd, 2010 at 11:15 pm
No problem there, we all have a body, its normal to be naked, clothes were only developed to keep warm. No shame in nakedness unless you have a perverted mind.
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zap
April 3rd, 2010 at 11:56 pm
it’s money thats on trial here… without which… no one would have stripped and no one would have complained
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sync
April 4th, 2010 at 12:17 am
Shes crap and has she ought to be fined for exposing that horrible fat ass.
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peter
April 4th, 2010 at 1:04 am
whats new…the Dixie Chicks have already
“been there done that” check out the video from
“without you” so whats the big deal
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peter
April 4th, 2010 at 1:12 am
better looking as well………
more talent……more class
say no more……..
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Thom
April 4th, 2010 at 2:14 am
More proof that the human body is the most offensive thing known to man.
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Just sayin'
April 4th, 2010 at 3:16 am
@Glenn – the girl was in the street when the video was being made, it’s not something she saw on T.V. I wouldn’t be happy if my children were exposed to this on the street either. What a strange age we live in if this is deemed acceptable.
@LeeC – you’re absolutely right. I’m sure the consequences would be much worse if a man were to strip naked in the street. She deserves what she got. Cheap publicity stunt.
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irony
April 4th, 2010 at 4:36 am
Shame she’s not smiling throughtout the video, much prettier when she’s smiling…
Lovin’ the irony here regarding the end of the song spoken words. “They assassinate what they don’t understand… the individual.” Somone complaining and the “police-state america (no better in uk either” actually charging her for being naked, the same way she came into the world, is only proving her point. Ridiculous to fine someone for being naked in public. How can man-made, manufactured clothes be enforced, if someone wants to be naked that should be completely fine in this world and any other. I mean it is natural. Just another right that has been stolen from us. Just another piece of evidence that we live in a police-state.
And for anyone saying its wrong for a child to see a natural naked lady is bloody stupid. To see her having sex maybe wrong, but just naked?!?! Its natural, the child puts no sexual imagery onto what she sees so is completely innocent. The mother sounds like a plank. She was only naked for a few seconds too. Surely hannah montwata or any of the other corporate slapper-dressed sexually-dancing souless mindless money grabbers that are acting as a role model for loads and loads of kids accross the world is far, far worse for kids and THEY should be the ones getting charged if anyone, yet thats fine and not badu for 5 seconds of artistic naturalness. THIS WOLRD IS CRAZY AND HAS NO SENSE OF LOGIC SOMETIMES>
Peace and love everyone, may we all try and find ways to get along and live together happily rather that find ways to find things we dont like.
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raven
April 4th, 2010 at 4:58 am
i like how you dumb ass ppl think its okay. im all for freedom of expression but come on. im sure if your mom walked around naked all the time it wouldnt be considered artistic itd just plain gross. i know the human body is a beautiful thing but i really doubt id like to see half of you “artistic” ppl naked. and as for ida she was just doing what she felt was right to protect her child and his rights.
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Peter G Mackie
April 4th, 2010 at 5:49 am
If everyone accepted nudity as being normal and natural, there wouldn’t be this problem.
What worries me more is paedeophiles and those who are watching child abuse on the Internet getting off lightly.
These people should be punished severely for their crimes, whether they are Catholic priests or anyone else.
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Just Me
April 4th, 2010 at 6:49 am
@ LeeC, that’s my point, I don’t care if you are a man or woman it’s NOT acceptable to walk down the street naked and not just for the sake of kids either. @ Glenn, what a load of tosh you talk, Everything about a womans body is turned into something sexual for your (Mens) gratifacation, can’t even turn on the music channel to have a dance with your little kids unless you are ok about them seeing a near naked woman prancing around on screen singing about sex now adays. Your comment about ” a mother with free time on her hands with nothing better to do that to get her 15 mintues in the lime light” well shows just wat utter crap you talk in that one sentence. This was filmed in a PUBLIC place, children are part of the public, or do you not realise that?? I wonder wat the reaction would be to a child walking down the street getting naked? A man doing the same? I just hope you don’t have kids, with your morals they stand little chance. Go get a life.
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irony
April 4th, 2010 at 6:49 am
raven; sounds like you are indeed the dumbass here. This video isn’t an advertisement for nudity. But sure i wouldn’t wanna see my mum walk around naked, but as a child i wouldn’t give a “$%”. And if she wanted to, that would be fine, it is her right, her freedom, more natural than clothes. I’d just ask her to put on something when i came over, which i’m sure she would as she’s respectful. Which, as well as warmth, is why most of us wear clothes in the first place. Hence most of us go out clothed, but if someone chose to be naked, especially only for a few seconds or minutes, or longer thats completely fine, unlike america starting wars every couple of years to feed the hungry mouths of the few. Lets put things in perspective shall we.
As for the “childs” rights, well lets just say, in cats eyes everything belongs to cats”.
As for ida, if she didn’t want her child to see badu “oh gosh” naked for 10 seconds she could of just made the child look away or covered her eyes. I bet after she made the complaint she took her child to mcdonalds and bought the kid a greasy burger, a drink full of harmful sweetners, then off shopping to buy a mini skirt, some heels, lipstick and makeup, earrings and a paris hilton book….rather than just explaining to the child that 1. its an artist making a video and 2. we’re all naked under our clothes, its nothing to be scared of but natural. so GET REAL!
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Kevster
April 4th, 2010 at 6:56 am
This is a great Video, yeah she gets naked so what. If you are shocked then she has done her job. Walking down the street may not seem like a good idea for a video, but it worked for The Verve in Bittersweet Symphony and he kept his clothes on. Erykah has a fantastic voice, and i would have bought this anyway. You ignore the haters. I’m sure she expected to get a fine, and yes it probably would cause more outrage if it was a guy, but claiming your child has been mortified! The US is a weird place
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Coco
April 4th, 2010 at 8:54 am
she deserves to be given a sentence for that, exposing herself in public to children and adults, Erykah remember think before you do next time!!!!
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lyn
April 4th, 2010 at 9:11 am
should have been arrested can no one sing with clothes on anymore. sick of this crap cant take your kids to a concert anymore , very few seem to preform with out being undressed or vwithout sexual content.
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al
April 4th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Ridiculous… I find Bey and Gaga latest vid very offensive. Noone complains about it.
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drtash
April 4th, 2010 at 9:42 am
CAN YOU SAY “CRACKHEAD”….But….(looks at video one more time) on second thought…CAN YOU SAY “BADONC!”???.
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drtash
April 4th, 2010 at 9:43 am
roflmao!
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LadySheamus
April 4th, 2010 at 9:49 am
@sync, Strange thing to say about an AA artist. Well Americans like fat behinds in the U.S. just fine! What’s your problem?
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irony
April 4th, 2010 at 10:23 am
At first I thought that the artistic view of badu was to “be as when she came” by being naked before being “assassinated” aka jfk. But after seeing it was inspired by matt and kim and checking that video out, it seems it more just being naked to shock. A bit pointless, art for arts sake, but still she’s only naked, its not really that shocking. The only art I could see was that she went from tramp to princess. If you don’t like it you can just look away. Seeing a fight and some bloke stamp on another guys head, that’s shocking, that’ll mortify you. This is so un-shocking in this day and age I’m shocked at how shocked everyone is at this.
Images of war are on the news everyday for kids to see, is that not worse than a naked women? Don’t see mum’s complaining about that…
And for all the mums out there you can’t really put this video in the same category as all the slapper trash in the pop charts aimed at kids. I’d be alot more weary of letting my daughter of seeing britney or miley cyrus who parade around as a sexual objects 24/7, rather than badu getting naked in public for five minutes for her video. Come on mums, “grow up”.
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Emma
April 4th, 2010 at 10:25 am
I don’t see why there is such a fuss over this? Being naked in a public place is illegal no matter your reason for doing it. If it wasn’t the fact that it was a famous artist doing it everybody would be screaming saying it’s disgusting etc. I don’t see why she should be treated any differently just because she’s famous
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Danni
April 4th, 2010 at 10:57 am
everyone is going oh how unfair of the police to do this to her…wtf people!! she took her clothes off down a street not a closed set and that mother was perfectly within her rights to complain.. I read on one comment shame on the mother she should control what her child watches… she was there when the video was being made not just an accidental youtube click she was walking down the street with her child when this artist decided to bare all.. so the mother did do what she could to control that situation she called the police and pressed charges, what this artist did regardless of talent was illegal and she needs to pay the fine.
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lee
April 4th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
what a stunning and thought provoking vid.She certainly is a confident lady! My guess is that the “outrage” is more to do with where the film was shot (no pun intended) than the nudity.
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TT
April 4th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
I love the video. Love the track also. $500 fine, that’s nothing. It’s a shame the mother was offended. I couldn’t give two shits about that though.
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emmo in ireland
April 4th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Erika, great video, but the song is dead boring.
I think that Ida woman is dead wrong. Children witness 15000 TV murders before they can even vote. Expressing Violence, abuse and anger in front of children is dead wrong. This was just nudity, there’s no way it would harm anyone.
Believe me, that Mom sounds like an angry one. If she is, then she’ll do a million times more damage to that child than Erika nude could ever do.
Nevertheless, Erika was re-enacting a murder, and pretending to be dead. If anyone had something to complain about, it should be that.
Personally, I’d complain about the pixels covering Erika’s video. I mean, whats the point of pixelling it out, having gone to the trouble of being nude in the first place? Oh. To show the people who can’t view nudity?
This is art. Often soothing, but not always logical.
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D
April 5th, 2010 at 2:05 am
Art, it is not, cynical self seeking publicity it is.
If no one had complained who would have given a rats arse about this?
I wouldn’t be suprised if the woman was paid to complain.
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simon
April 5th, 2010 at 2:19 am
Probably a silly question; why film a naked video, then censor it? Bit pointless, or is this how the U.S.A. now functions – one step forwards, two steps back? I thought this was the land of the Free & the home of the Brave.
Anyway, it’s good to see someone busting the usual “supermodels only” video style. That big saggy ass is a refreshing change!
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COMMON SENSE
April 6th, 2010 at 11:45 am
WOW! so many of u people sound so ignorant. since when was it ok for anyone,let alone a fully grown woman, to be walking around in a public place and stripping down naked!!! For crying out loud, to all those people that find this is ok for a grown ass woman to be showing herself naked to innocent children and to the public in general,u should be ashamed of yourselves!Kudos to her for releasing her “artistic spirit” but she should not be doing that in public where there are kids around, simple as! It wasnt on tv,where they could change the channel and avoid seeing that but it was in broad daylight on the streets so many kids would have unfortunately seen that withut wanting to.
Many of u on here are being biased just because it is Erykah Badu but if it were any other man or woman I’m sure u would agree that they deserve to be charged to.
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Pixie
April 30th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
I can’t believe how so many people are criticizing this mom for doing what is right. I’m a mom of two boys , I teach them to be open mined and to be tolerant of others, but in the same breath I teach them to be respectful of others and their beliefs…..I believe erika badu could have done this video without offending anyone, but then she would not have gotten the publicity she was looking for. The Mom who complained did what any sane mom should have done and erica badu should have gotten much worse.
People who support her are the type of people who beat their wives and or children and live in drug and crime infested neighborhoods because you don’t call the police to complain. Her video was not art it was a plot to make money. Don’t support scum, it only makes it worse.
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