Erykah Badu's 'Window Seat' video is a purpose-driven striptease, featuring the singer walking through the city center of her hometown Dallas, tossing her clothes and walking slowly to the tune of the track. Immediately after Badu goes full nude, a gunshot rings out, her head whips back violently as her body goes limp, tumbling to the ground, leaving spectating citizens utterly confounded.
And it all goes down "within feet" of Dealey Plaza, the infamous spot of John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Badu told the newspaper the video was a "protest" and "about liberating yourself," adding that she chose the grassy knoll intentionally, for its historical significance."I tied it in a way that compared the assassination to the character assassination one would go through after showing his or her self completely," Badu told the Dallas Morning News. "That's exactly the action I wanted to display."
After Badu collapses, blue lines spill from her head, writing "groupthink" on the pavement. Badu has used the video to unleash a Twitterstorm of thoughts about the concept of groupthink. The clip concludes with the following spoken word passage:
They play it safe, are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs, ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another. They feel most comfortable in groups; less guilt to swallow. They are us; this is what we have become, afraid to respect the individual. A single person within our circumstance can move one to change, to love herself, to evolve.
A Dallas police officer told MTV if Badu had been spotted or reported, the combination of indecent exposure and the presence of children could have landed her a maximum fine of $4,000 and up to one year in jail ... or both.
"What was crazy was the fact that it's a high tourist area, so there was patrol cars all day, and I [was hearing] sirens, looking up and seeing some kind of sherriff's car or something," the video's co-director, Chike, told MTV. "So I was like, 'This is gonna be interesting.' Her contingency plan was get arrested -- she was big on doing it." Chike's partner Coodie said they had bail money ready, adding, "I think she really wanted to get arrested and even make a bigger message."
We gleaned the following facts about the video, which was shot "guerilla style, no crew, one take, no warning," from Badu's Twitter:
funny thing is, the physical nudity is nothing lol . i been naked all along in my words actions and deeds . thats the real vulnerable place
hours before i talked to mama. she said she wasnt fully in favor but she had my back .
we only had 1 shot to get it right. we didnt plan the shot. too busy lookin for cops and being petrified
i remember tweeting that day. "okay here goes nothing" i felt like i was going 2 do something life threatening.
the people caught in the shot were trying hard to ignore me
heard people yelling diff things @ me but i held my head up and kept moving. there were children there. i prayed they wouldnt b traumatized...
they were yelling , THIS IS A PUBLIC PLACE : YOU OUGHTA BE ASHAMED: PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON: DAMN GIRL! etc...
funny, i thought i was outta shape thus encouraging others toward self love .. but they think im showin off. lol. the irony .
The video arrived in tandem with the artist's new album, 'New Amerykah, Part Two: Return of the Ankh,' her fifth studio release since her 1997 debut.
If cops can write tickets from cameras at stop lights, then they can write tickets due to video. She deserves at the very least that much because she broke the law as is evidenced on video.
Is this supposed to eliminate group think or just contribute to the "new wave" of group think, in which people think that nudity is ok. And in front of children, seriously? Have some respect. Its a descent song don't get me wrong, but this is a little over board. And also if you think that there will never be "group think" then get over yourselves, that's how out society works and that is how every society has ever worked. It is just different based on which group you DECIDE to think like, but you always get your ideas about things from someone else.
I agree with you about the video Telephone. The thing is its just the human body. Some people act like the human body and form is so bad to look at but theres nothing wrong with it. It's a nude body so what. Some of the greatest artists painted nude paintings or taken nude photographs.
As a mother of three girls I applaud Erykah...her spirit of activism should inspire us to have enough faith in our own voices to call out when the emperor is not waring any clothes..God bless you, Erykah, for your talent, your heart, and sharing us your soul.
Too bad the message is cliche' as well as using nudity to try and sell yourself as an artist when you could do the same thing for P.E.T.A. A cheap publicity stunt to sell a recording and a video...really too bad that the talent as a songwriter/singer isn't enough to get you that ever so elusive thing called 'fame.'
Getting Naked in public = attention...lots of it.Talk about group think... It disgusts me to see how she turned it all around to be about her and getting the attenton she wants for whatever reasons.
IT'S WHITE PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT ARE SENDING THIS COUNTRY STRAIGHT TO HELL!!! YOU KNOW YOUR HATED ALL OVER THE WORLD,DON'T YOU? YOU KNOW ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF YOUR MILITARY IS AFRICAN AMERICAN OR LATIN,DON'T YOU? YOU IDIOT!!!
BRAVO! Real art! One shot video was great. Down with Beyonce-esqe stripteases Please!(oh,but that's okay for Americans, we throw up our hands when there's real provocation) BRAVO BADU!
How ironic she wrote the word 'evolve' on her body. Women have been showing their bodies for attention for years. I guess Playboy wouldn't take her. Well, it's working for her-- she's getting attention. Sad. Like another poster said,"Yaawwwwwn"
HUMANS WERE BORN NAKED!!!!!!!CLOTHES CAME ABOUT FOR TWO REASONS: TO KEEP THE HUMAN BODY WARM AND FOR CAPITALISM!!!! CLOTHES WERE NOT INVENTED TO COVER THE HUMAN BODY BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!!! THE HUMAN BODY IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
RAISE CAN ABOUT LADY GAGA PROMOTING SINFUL THINGS LIKE HOMOSEXUALITY AND BI-SEXUALITY!!!!
HOWEVER, SHE SHOULD HAVE FILMED THIS IN HER HOME OR STUDIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those of little talent attempt the extreme to call it art and get attention for their insecurity. Jail would have been a good start followed by the nut house
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Erykah Badu's 'Window Seat' video is a purpose-driven striptease, featuring the singer walking through the city center of her hometown Dallas, tossing her clothes and walking slowly to the tune of the track. Immediately after Badu goes full nude, a gunshot rings out, her head whips back violently as her body goes limp, tumbling to the ground, leaving spectating citizens utterly confounded.
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If cops can write tickets from cameras at stop lights, then they can write tickets due to video. She deserves at the very least that much because she broke the law as is evidenced on video.
Reply
Is this supposed to eliminate group think or just contribute to the "new wave" of group think, in which people think that nudity is ok. And in front of children, seriously? Have some respect. Its a descent song don't get me wrong, but this is a little over board. And also if you think that there will never be "group think" then get over yourselves, that's how out society works and that is how every society has ever worked. It is just different based on which group you DECIDE to think like, but you always get your ideas about things from someone else.
Reply
I absolutely this this video. If a statement has ever needed to be made, this one says it all. Love Erykah Badu
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Her body looked better covered up.
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I agree with you about the video Telephone. The thing is its just the human body. Some people act like the human body and form is so bad to look at but theres nothing wrong with it. It's a nude body so what. Some of the greatest artists painted nude paintings or taken nude photographs.
Reply
As a mother of three girls I applaud Erykah...her spirit of activism should inspire us to have enough faith in our own voices to call out when the emperor is not waring any clothes..God bless you, Erykah, for your talent, your heart, and sharing us your soul.
Reply
The video was great as she sung & began to disrobe the words came to life.
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Too bad the message is cliche' as well as using nudity to try and sell yourself as an artist when you could do the same thing for P.E.T.A. A cheap publicity stunt to sell a recording and a video...really too bad that the talent as a songwriter/singer isn't enough to get you that ever so elusive thing called 'fame.'
Reply
I would of been more then happy to pick her up with my tongue ! Yummy :)
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Getting Naked in public = attention...lots of it.Talk about group think... It disgusts me to see how she turned it all around to be about her and getting the attenton she wants for whatever reasons.
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Hive mentality? Put some rocks in your pocket! She is an idiot and so are you!
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Anyone could be famous, if someone, a unknown person, ran cross the President, naked. He or She will be very famous, world wide.
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IT'S WHITE PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT ARE SENDING THIS COUNTRY STRAIGHT TO HELL!!! YOU KNOW YOUR HATED ALL OVER THE WORLD,DON'T YOU? YOU KNOW ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF YOUR MILITARY IS AFRICAN AMERICAN OR LATIN,DON'T YOU? YOU IDIOT!!!
Reply
BRAVO! Real art! One shot video was great.
Down with Beyonce-esqe stripteases Please!(oh,but that's okay for Americans, we throw up our hands when there's real provocation)
BRAVO BADU!
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I loved that video.Lt was one of her best.
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shouldda let Tyrone use your phone
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How ironic she wrote the word 'evolve' on her body. Women have been showing their bodies for attention for years. I guess Playboy wouldn't take her. Well, it's working for her-- she's getting attention. Sad. Like another poster said,"Yaawwwwwn"
Reply
HUMANS WERE BORN NAKED!!!!!!!CLOTHES CAME ABOUT FOR TWO REASONS: TO KEEP THE HUMAN BODY WARM AND FOR CAPITALISM!!!! CLOTHES WERE NOT INVENTED TO COVER THE HUMAN BODY BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!!! THE HUMAN BODY IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
RAISE CAN ABOUT LADY GAGA PROMOTING SINFUL THINGS LIKE HOMOSEXUALITY AND BI-SEXUALITY!!!!
HOWEVER, SHE SHOULD HAVE FILMED THIS IN HER HOME OR STUDIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those of little talent attempt the extreme to call it art and get attention for their insecurity. Jail would have been a good start followed by the nut house
Reply
Just poor taste what do you expect...she just followed her Presidents tactics.
Reply