Erykah Badu Surprises High School Students with Performance
Erykah Badu goes to school. The R&B songstress surprised students at Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, New Jersey with an impromptu lunchroom performance of her 1997 single “On & On.”
The clip was actually shot in 2014, according to Pitchfork, but it was released Tuesday (Apr. 12). It was done in partnership with The Future Project, which believes that “young people everywhere should have opportunity to discover their potential and build the skills they need to change their lives and world.”
The But You Caint Use My Phone singer does it all in the clip, from playfully eating a bite out of a young fan’s lunch to singing on a table.
Watch her surprise the students below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEPuy2cc1Fw
Speaking of Badu and schools, the singer is generating some criticism and support in a heated online debate about student uniforms, according to Us Weekly. The conversation began when Erykah tweeted these thoughts on Monday (Apr. 11).
“There was an article ruling that high school girls lower their skirts so male teachers are not distracted. I agreed because I am aware we live in a sex I-driven society. It is everyone’s, male and female’s, responsibility to protect young ladies.”
…one way to protect youth is to remind them we are all sexual in nature and as they grow and develop it is natural to attract men…
— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) April 12, 2016
…it is not them who is doing anything wrong by being beautiful and attractive but with such imbalance in our society it is smart to be…
— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) April 12, 2016
… aware and awake. Men and women both go thru cycles of arousal. Men automatically are attracted to women of child bearing age….
— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) April 12, 2016
“I want my daughters to understand this. I want them to be themselves and wear what they like, yet be aware. Not ignore our differences,” she continued. “Males should be taught to be responsible for their actions from childhood. It’s not ok to ‘prey’ on young women…But do I think it is unnatural for a heterosexual male 2b attracted to a young woman in a revealing skirt? No. I think it is his nature…Consequently, we must all be aware and responsible. We must protect our young women. We must teach our young men.”
…if I had a school I would make sure that the uniform skirt length was a nice knee length… It is fair to everyone…
— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) April 12, 2016
…young women you are beautiful. Young men you are beautiful. Protect one another.
— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) April 12, 2016