Honey Mag Chats w/ Erykah Badu

Honey Magazine chatted w/ Erykah Badu, where she discusses writer’s block, reactions to “Window Seat”, body image, and more. Read a few excerpts here.

What do you think about making music in this world now?
Right on time, I think my train is on schedule as long as I leave with it.

Tell me about making the album?
I feel great. I love it.

What kind of space were you in when you were writing and recording?
I was in a very good space, a very balanced space. For me the space doesn’t matter because it’s always the right thing. Whether I’m in a low place, good place, or a high place. The point of the music is to tell the truth and it’s usually therapy for me. That’s my responsibility. Whatever kind of space I’m in is irrelevant. The music has to come out honesty. It’s apart of who I am.

Do you ever face writer’s block?
I don’t believe in that. Writer’s block, there’s no such thing. If I can’t think of any creative thing or artistic thing that I’m feeling then that means that it’s not time to write, it’s time to learn, downloading time. There’s no stress involved in knowing exactly where you are.

Do you think it would have been different if you had shot the video in the MLK center? Do you think black people would have been up and arms about it? Do you think the conversation would have been different?
The conversation would have been the same. Because it’s all a part of what Shannon Irving who is a philosopher in sociology would call “group think.” When I collapsed on the ground in front of the monument where Kennedy was shot the words “group think” came out of my head. “Group think” is what assassinates people. When a group of people feels a certain way, they don’t have individual thought. Most of them would have been offended, black or white. I don’t think society knows where to base a woman’s unity when it’s not packaged for the consumption of male entertainment. The art has so many layers to it. The video has so many layers. You can pull back one or you can pull back many. But that’s what art is for. It’s open for interpretation, and as expected it has raised such an enormous dialogue that it can only be positive. Talking about it, trying to figure it out — that’s exactly what it was for.

You’re not being sued by some angry mom who’s kid was there?
No. The funniest thing is the mom only came forward after I put on Twitter that I was concerned about children that were there. After I said that, then this came up. It’s Twitter revelations. Everything that I write happens.

We think they think you look dope.
That’s the irony. I just had a baby. I am very insecure about my body just like everyone else. We all try to fit into criteria that we will never fit into. That walk I took was petrifying. I was scared to death. I was nude. I was exposed. I was out in the public. It wasn’t something I did because I thought I was sexy. I thought it was necessary for other people who also felt like I did — in some way to dip down to the barest. It was for all the people who don’t feel like they are beautiful. It was wonderful. But when I saw it I was sadly mistaken because it was beautiful. I hope everyone else sees that too. I didn’t think it was when I did it. I thought I was making a point. I thought I was showing something that was taboo, what beauty is supposed to be.

Thanks Honey! Full interview here. Photo Source.

(((Erykah Badu is getting more press than Beyonce! Are we sick of reading about Erykah Badu yet? I love her and I’m en route to reading/seeing/hearing enough, meanwhile I keep blogging about her ;-)))