Erykah Badu Says, ‘I Saw Something Good In Hitler’ + Explains Why She Loves Bill Cosby

Erykah Badu Says, ‘I Saw Something Good In Hitler’ + Explains Why She Loves Bill Cosby

Erykah Badu is making headlines for her recent comments about Hitler and Bill Cosby. In a new interview, the 46-year-old singer was discussing her thoughts about how she’s been linked to Louis Farrakhan and his alleged anti-Semitism. In the past, she had been criticized for defending Farrakhan rather than denouncing anti-Semitism. To this she responded,

I’m [also] okay with anything I had to say about Louis Farrakhan. But I’m not an anti-Semitic person. I don’t even know what anti-Semitic was before I was called it. I’m a humanist. I see good in everybody. I saw something good in Hitler.

She added,

Yeah, I did. Hitler was a wonderful painter.

The interviewer responded,

No, he wasn’t! And even if he was, what would his skill as a painter have to do with any “good” in him?

To this, Badu replied,

Okay, he was a terrible painter. Poor thing. He had a terrible childhood. That means that when I’m looking at my daughter, Mars (Badu’s daughter with enigmatic rapper Jay Electronica)  I could imagine her being in someone else’s home and being treated so poorly, and what that could spawn. I see things like that. I guess it’s just the Pisces in me.

She adds,

I don’t care if the whole group says something, I’m going to be honest. I know I don’t have the most popular opinion sometimes.

When asked, why would you want to risk putting fuel on that fire, Badu states:

You asked me a question. I could’ve chosen not to answer. I don’t walk around thinking about Hitler or Louis Farrakhan. But I understand what you’re saying: “Why would you want to risk fueling hateful thinking?” I have a platform, and I would never want to hurt people. I would never do that. I would never even imagine doing that. I would never even want a group of white men who believe that the Confederate flag is worth saving to feel bad. That’s not how I operate.

Bill Cosby

Badu also chimes in on Bill Cosby. She’s asked about whether art can be separated from the artist and she responds by using a story from the bible.

It takes me back to a story my grandmother told me about Jesus and Barabbas. Jesus is standing on one side, Barabbas is standing on the other side, and the people have to choose which one of them could go free. Some people started yelling, “Barabbas! Barabbas! Barabbas!” Then so many people were doing that that the others found safety in numbers, and they also started yelling, “Barabbas! Barabbas! Barabbas!” People walked up who didn’t even know what was going on and they also started yelling for Barabbas to go free. I always think about that. It’s so important to me.

Further explaining her point, she explains,

I weigh everything. Even what you just asked me, I would have to really think about it and know the facts in each of those situations before I made a judgment. Because I love Bill Cosby, and I love what he’s done for the world. But if he’s sick, why would I be angry with him? The people who got hurt, I feel so bad for them. I want them to feel better, too. But sick people do evil things; hurt people hurt people. I know I could be crucified for saying that, because I’m supposed to be on the purple team or the green team. I’m not trying to rebel against what everybody’s saying, but maybe I want to measure it. Somebody will call me and ask me to come to a march because such and such got shot. In that situation I want to know what really happened. I’m not going to jump up and go march just because I’m green and the person who got shot is green. The rush to get mad doesn’t make sense to me.

See a few reactions to her comments below.

What are your thoughts about Badu’s comments about Cosby and Hitler? 

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