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Erykah Badu GOES OFF On Flaming Lips Frontman For Releasing Her Controversial "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Video

Erykah Badu apparently didn't appreciate Flaming Lips frontman, Wayne Coyne, releasing her brand new video with the band, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." The controversial vid showcases nudity and slightly shocking imagery.

 

Check out her Twitter rant going off on the director and telling him to kiss both her and her sister Nayrok's asses inside...

Flaming Lips Guitarist Wayne Coyne responded to the negative backlash he's been getting about the new Flaming Lips/Erykah Badu video that hit the net last week.  He tweeted to fans:

To all the haters who think Erykah Badu has lost her mind!!! She has NOT!!! The Flaming Lips take full responsibility ..

For the making of and the content of the controversial video !!! We are very sorry if it has offended some of Erykah Badu's more

Conservative audience! The video was intended for mature audiences and is NOT an Erykah Badu statement.. It is a Flaming Lips video!!!

Erykah Rt'd his sentiments, but put him in his place about breaching their contract about him releasing the vid without her approval.  And about manipulating her artistry for his own self serving reasons.  She wrote:

@waynecoyne then... perhaps, next time u get an occasion to work with an artist who respects your mind/art, you should send at least a ROUGh version of the video u PLAN to release b4 u manipulate or compromise the artist's brand by desperately releasing a poor excuse for shock and nudity that sends a convoluted message that passes as art( to some).
Even with Window Seat there was a method and thought process involved. I have not one need for publicity . I just love artistic dialogue . And just because an image is shocking does not make it art.
You obviously have a misconception of who I am artistically. I don't mind that but...
By the way you are an ass.
Yu did everything wrong from the on set .
First:
You showed me a concept of beautiful tasteful imagery( by way of vid text messages) .
I trusted that. I was mistaken.
Then u release an unedited, unapproved version within the next few days.
That all spells 1 thing ,
Self Serving .
When asked what the concept
meant after u explained it , u replied ,"it doesn't mean anything , I just want to make a great video that everyone is going to watch. "
I understood , because as an artist we all desire that. But we don't all do it at another artist's expense .
I attempted to resolve this respectfully by having conversations with u after the release but that too proved to be a poor excuse for art.
From jump,
You begged me to sit in a tub of that other shit and I said naw. I refused to sit in any liquid that was not water. But Out of RESPECT for you and the artist you 'appear' to be, I Didn't wanna kill your concept , wanted u to at least get it out of your head . After all, u spent your dough on studio , trip to Dallas etc.. Sooo, I invited Nayrok , my lil sis and artist, who is much more liberal ,to be subject of those other disturbing (to me ) scenes . I told u from jump that I believed your concept to be disturbing. But would give your edit a chance.
You then said u would take my shots ( in clear water/ fully covered parts -seemed harmless enough) and Nayrok's part ( which I was not present for but saw the photos and a sample scene of cornstarch dripping ) and edit them together along with cosmic, green screen images ( which no one saw) then would show me the edit. .
Instead, U disrespected me by releasing pics and rough vid on the internet without my approval. (Contract breech )
That is equivalent to putting out a security camera's images of me changing in the fitting room.
I never would have approved that tasteless, meaningless, shock motivated video .
Our art is a reflection of who we are . I have no connection to those images shot in their raw version. I was interested in seeing an amazing edit that would perhaps change or alter my thoughts . Never happened .
You also did the same thing with the song itself which displays crappy "rough "vocals by me . I let it go , perhaps iiiii was missing something, I thought.
I Should have followed my first mind back in studio when recording the vocals "your way".
( Red flag.) It was uncomfortable.
For that I am at fault .
Consequently, brother, As a human I am disgusted with your what appears to be desperation and poor execution. And disregard for others . As a director I am unimpressed . As a sociologist I understand your type. As your fellow artist I am uninspired. As a woman I feel violated and underestimated.
Hope it works out for ya ,Wayne.
Really i could give a shit less.
Still love your live show tho.
And , you're welcomed.
Lesson learned .
By the way I have guested in very few videos. But I have always been given the opportunity to see the edit and contribute to it when my roll is substantial. Not this time .
I guess u feel it better to apologize than ask for permission and be refused . Hey, Love u man, but your ways are not very nice .
O, And on behalf of all the artists u have manipulated or plan to manipulate, find another way .
These things have been said out of necessity.
And if you don't like it
you can KiSS MY Glittery ASS .
O and Nayrok told me to tell u to kiss her ass too .
Almost forgot.
Peace

Ms. Badu

*snaps*  Erykah already told y'all...she's an artist.  And she's sensitive about her sh*t.

Comments

WANT YOUR OWN AVATAR? GET IT HERE.

This is why I never got into

This is why I never got into the whole neo soul scene. It was a pretentious full of crap movement that played like a bunch of fools overcompensating for being black. If your proud of something (i.e. your heritage) you don't have to KEEP over emphasizing how proud of it you are. They just seemed insecure to me (Maxwell, Jill Scott, Musiq, etc). This video proves my point. Soon as the notable rich white guy asks you to do something degrading you do it at the drop of a dime. Soon as an anything-but-black woman (that includes bi-racial) comes into play, they forget their "I love your black skin my queen" lyrics and go for the white/mulatto chick. That doesn't coincide with your proud blackness does it. Their all full of crap. Erykah sold her soul. Hope it was worth it.
Anonymous's picture

Wow what a racist. They have

Wow what a racist. They have all the attention and you have none, hence you take these horrible situations to declare your outrage about something no accredited to the situation. You're weak, that's all. In terms of an artist complaining about manipulation, well, let's swap Badu with Madonna, or Katy Perry, or Britney Spears, J-LO, or any other woman who has been scammed into showing parts of their body on big promises of confidentiality, and then found out that they have been lied to and used. You're disgusting, trying to bring racism into visual rape. Good luck with that life and reason. You'll never be happy if you continue to be a small jealous, petty, and hateful individual.
Anonymous's picture

Preach it Baby lol u tell him

Preach it Baby lol u tell him girl, dont let kno one violate!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous's picture

SUNSHINESCLOSET.COM

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Anonymous's picture

SUNSHINESCLOSET.COM

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Anonymous's picture

I love me some Erykah, but

I love me some Erykah, but when your spirit tells you something isn't right, but you make a conscious decision not to listen, it's nobody's fault but your own. There isn't enough artistry or creative editing that would ever get me to participate in an imagery that I'm not comfortable with or think is wrong.
513hotgirl's picture

This isn't the first time

This isn't the first time Erykah made a dumb decision regarding a video...remember the the video walking naked in Dallas??...Erykah take 3 seats!!
Anonymous's picture

Erykah, thanks for clearing

Erykah, thanks for clearing that up. I was trying to figure out WTH that vid was about and now that I know its BS by YOUR standards as well as mine, all is well. For you other idiots, cipher keep rolling like a rolling stone!
DallasLuvsDu's picture

UHMMMMMMM I am shocked and

UHMMMMMMM I am shocked and dismayed by the responses in this comments section. If you READ her whole RESPONSE, there is no way half the shit I'm reading would have been posted. YBF readers are very, truly, fucking stupid.
Sincerely, WTF's picture

Sincerely, that's because ybf

Sincerely, that's because ybf commenters ALWAYS wanna see the negative in EVERYTHING. They are most bitter, sad, sad, single, UGLY, unhappy idiots that would ALWAYS see the negative even when ALL evidence points to the contrary to appease their miserable existences. I do not think I have met a group of people I DESPISE as much as the typical ybf posters. Raggedy rachet crabs in a rusty bucket murrrfackas.
Anonymous's picture

Right back atcha Erykah! :)

Right back atcha Erykah! :)
Anonymous's picture

What is wrong with nudity,

What is wrong with nudity, People??? America is one of the few countries (the other being the Middle East) that thinks that nudity is bad and nasty and thus objectifies it's women. Hell, some female soldiers recently got in trouble for breast feeding. How dumb is that??? I guess that's why the song is called Western Esotericism. It's too bad that this video went over y'alls heads......and Erykahs.
Get-A-Clue-People's picture

What is wrong with nudity?

What is wrong with nudity? America's twisted grasp of religion and suppression.
Cadence's picture

This thang isn't deep enough

This thang isn't deep enough to be over ANYONE's head but it sure has disrupted just about EVERYONE'S gag reflexes.
Anonymous's picture

I read somewhere where she

I read somewhere where she said it came out good and she liked her sister in it! now she acting brand spanking new, she said i like it and I understand what she was saying in the video...lies!
Yomomma's picture

she was referring to a still

she was referring to a still picture
Anonymous's picture

lies!! she dint have to be

lies!! she dint have to be totally nude!! i saw her vagina! there is something called NUDE PANTIES! which stars wear to protect their vagina from being shown if they are going to show their breasts! why dint she wear flesh colored panties and just be topless? plz bich u r stupid!
skank Hunter! 's picture

Hey dumbass;

Hey dumbass; newsflash..................that's wasn't her vagina bytch!!
Anonymous's picture

Erykah is the artist and she

Erykah is the artist and she has always controlled her works which is why her work has always been great because she's not down with the foolishness. Somebody else was too anxious and was tryna capitalize and it backfired and good she's calling him OUT!! Koodos to Erykah for holding it down and not allowing this Coyne guy to get away with releasing unfinished material as your expense!!!!
Anonymous's picture

idk i think she should have

idk i think she should have used better judgement i didnt watch the vid but if your gonna be getting naked and doing a bunch of other crazy stuff u should make sure u working with a more established person that has credentials..i think some of yall are too hard on EB tho i think she let her guard down i mean im sure many famous women get naked in front of certain ppl for certain shoots and stuff and they have to trust that the raw footage isnt released..i just think the person she was dealing with probably didnt have alot of professional experience or maybe at least experience working with the rich/famous so she should have used better judgement
Anonymous's picture

I am not in the business but

I am not in the business but I can guess many videos are shot with lots of nudity that is edit out but during the shoot it may been easier to do nude in order to give the real illusion after editing...I think she never thought it would make it off the show room floor..I still have a lot of love for her music...this video and the way the song is done sucks....
freddie's picture

That bitch knew what she was

That bitch knew what she was getting into. She had the nerve to say "I have not one need for publicity" bitch please, who the hell was thinking about u until u released that video where you stripped on the street, then we all forgot about u again until this video. Now u wanna say u dont need to do that shit for attention, GURL BYE!!!
Anonymous's picture

Here you go idiot _/ _/ _/

Here you go idiot _/ _/ _/
SMFH's picture

Erykah...you and your sister

Erykah...you and your sister Crayola (whatever her name is) were not held at gunpoint to get naked in a bathtub with glitter, semen-like and blood like liquid. You consented and agreed to it. The ass-tapping, licking and display of womany bits again wasn't forced upon you. You as the artist have considerable power when it comes to what you will and will not do. Without an artists, the video director does not have the video so please.....take 20 seats and own up to your work.
mel's picture

ROTFL @ "Crayola"!

ROTFL @ "Crayola"!
Anonymous's picture

I'm so tired of these artists

I'm so tired of these artists and the "I didn't know/approve" excuses for bad work. This whole thing is nothing more than a publicity stunt not unlike the rash of staged "wardrobe malfunctions.". Anything for press. Ms. Badu, I refuse to believe you cannot do better!
Anonymous's picture

Didnt she ask people to

Didnt she ask people to express the emotions they felt about her video on her twitter timeline? And she was gushing with pride and excitement about the video before she began to receive a negative backlash. Smells like foolishness to me
Onyx's picture

No she was not. She was

No she was not. She was gushing with pride when he sent the her pics/vids of what was supposed to go in the video. What he showed her never went in the video. I hope you and everyone understand now. Maybe Erykahs explanation was too long for you to read and then you just decided to comment.
SMFH's picture

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Anonymous's picture

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Anonymous's picture

First glance at the video wuz

First glance at the video wuz kind of disturbing. I watched it again. I thought it was unique. I love the nude parts but hay Im only human. I did not like the partz where it look like body fluidz (white and red) it kind of turned my stomach... to much for my simple mind but overall soft porn. Azz sitting on swole #SHOUTOUT lol lol idk... hey protect yourself next time. M.B. :) Follow me @MizzBeatzz
Mizz Beatzz's picture

I'm raising my eyebrow at her

I'm raising my eyebrow at her statement. Love Mrs. Badu as an artist, but clearly this is poor judgment and she has no one but herself to blame. The song was sang horribly first of all and did no justice to the original that is Mrs. Roberta Flack. Also if she was uncomfortable with the nudity and how she wanted to be represented, then she shouldve been present from every inch of editing to ensure that her portrayal was as she wished. Secondly, she clearly made it known that she was not present when her baby sister and artist did her shots. If you were uncomfortable with your shots and didnt like the creative direction then, I think as a big sister and mentor to my artist, I would've been present. Moreso, I wouldve asked to see all the shots that they took of her. When I understand that nudity is an art form, I really think this was exploitation at best. However, Mrs. Badu and her sister can only blame themselves for the role they played in not ensuring this video was done as tastefully as they presumed it would be.
Just Me's picture

I do think she has some

I do think she has some responsibility but like many actors and musician you go with the director or the label when acting or singing a particular song...sometime when you don't go with flow people call you diffulcut and make hard for you to find work
freddie's picture

if homie apologized clearly

if homie apologized clearly she is telling the truth . That video was gross, it was not artistically done at all further proving that Badu's stamp was not on it . I respect her music and art and everything she does has a point, that video was just disgusting and weirdly erotic, clearly just for shock value. And all of you commenting like she likes to be naked, A that wasn't her in the video . B, window seat actually had a message . Americans are up tight about nudity anyway .
ebonybrownbronze's picture

Somethings you need to leave

Somethings you need to leave to the imagination.....
Just me's picture

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aaswedw's picture

LMAO!!! Girl she is trying to

LMAO!!! Girl she is trying to BLAME all of it on the Flaming Lips Band, saying that she didn't see the final edit and that he made her sing the song like like that. Ummm Eryka, please stop with the lies Ma.. You are a grown ass broad, chick hell you over 40, stop it. You wanted to jump your naked ass in the glitter, and make your "Art", you swore folks was gone be on your ish, just like when you got Naked for Window Seat. But even that was not Art, that was plagiarism. Not sure how many people have seen the HBO show HUNG. But she ripped off the opening of that show. this is the into to HUNG http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSEWYOFu6EQ
OMG's picture

that wasn't her in the video

that wasn't her in the video it was her sister , and the video concept was not hers it was Flaming Lips . please read better .
ebonybrownbronze's picture

ok, all of these commentors

ok, all of these commentors cannot be wrong. I understand that some of you are Badu fans, I am too. Loved her when she first came out, But if you are an artist you MUST expect that some of your artistry will be met with criticism ( and not the constructive kind either). As I said before-what type of discussion did EB and the director have about how this video would come to fruition that would explain the imagery used? She is saying that the video, as it was released, is not how she envisioned it. OK, how should the video been presented? What was her vison? She could have done a nice video of her in the tub/bubble bath-covering her naughty bits, with candles and incense setting the mood, shot in a sepia tone with the song playin the background ( acoustic style with only a piano , bass cello and a string quartet to fill in the harmony) The glitter could have represented the haters that seem to be numerous, like glitter, spreading their lies and innuendo covering her entire body thats she "shakes off" or washes off in her soothing comforting bath-the water representing herloving familyand loyal fans. Wow! Im not in the biz and I came up with a better excuse for this video than EB did
Feline's picture

ok, watched it again-why

ok, watched it again-why arent the guys nude in this video? Why are they tossing a silver metallic cloth around? Is that a representation of something? Ejaculi? Why IS she in a bathtube? Why does her sister have glaze on her? Is she supposed to represent a glazed donut? Is the red syrup on her body supposed to represent her berry filling? Is the glitter representing the sprinkles that come on some donuts? Is this video about donuts? Why did she smack her behind? Is to make your lips smack for a glazed filled donut? What is the purpose of the guy playing a minature casio keyboard? Is it symbolic of the size of his "organ" when he plays it? Sigh.....this is whats passing as art?
Feline's picture

I can't ! LOL. You bettah

I can't ! LOL. You bettah tell it!
Anonymous's picture

But what convo could they

But what convo could they have had after she saw the stills that could justify the concept of this video? What did this director say to her that would make her thing there was imagery, beauty and art in having your sister rub something that looks like blood and semen on her? Why does there need to be gratuitous nudity at alll? What is artistic about sitting in a tub of cornstarchy water? I'm starting to think that some artists just want to do things for shock value to get people talking and then when they're called on it, they label it art. Remember when making good music was all the art you needed?
Feline's picture

i'm with you erykah.... my

i'm with you erykah.... my how people judge others and judge her sooo harshly. why is she a ho? because she has 3 babies fathers? how many times have you fell in love and just not got pregnant? you told his white ass very eloquently. he can kiss my ass too...
Anonymous's picture

Erykah, Erykah, Erykah....CUT

Erykah, Erykah, Erykah....CUT THE Bull$h*!
Anonymous's picture

first of all, who aint

first of all, who aint already seen EB naked? second, she may not have authorized this particular video but she IS cray cray! she had Common wearing crotched outfits and Andre wearing purple wigs!! Third, how offended can you be about pix that you took? even tho, I hate when ppl tag me on facebook when I dont like a picture. but again....we've all seen EB looking naked and crazy so....
shuga's picture

She is crazy because men fall

She is crazy because men fall in love with her? STFU and take notes.
REAL SHIT's picture

u mad?

u mad?
shuga's picture

I'll tell you what that video

I'll tell you what that video was inspired from. Ghetto Gaggers - interacial hardcore porn. Where white guys dominate ghetto black hoodrats.
Keep it Real's picture

The video still appears on

The video still appears on www.perezhilton.com
Anonymous's picture

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Anonymous's picture

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