Poignant Political Nudity & Violence: Erykah Badu’s Video For “Window Seat”
Erykah Badu premiered the video for “Window Seat” on her website at 3.33 AM last night. Directed by Coodie & Chike, the video begins with audio from the day John F Kennedy was assassinated.
Click HERE to watch the video on erykahbadu.com
Badu exits a car and walks the JFK Assassination Tour route at Dealey Plaza in [Erykah’s hometown] Dallas, Texas, stripping off her clothes as she goes until she walks fully naked – surrounded by tourists – with the word EVOLVING written across her shoulder blades.
Inspired by this Matt & Kim video:
Suddenly, Erykah collapses on the ground – seemingly shot in the head – as the word “Groupthink” seeps onto the pavement.
As the camera spins over her body and around the surrounding scenes, Erykah’s voiceover begins:
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 a circumstance can move one to change, to love ourself, to EVOLVE.
Finally a smiling Badu walks towards the camera, wearing the same Rick James-esque hairpiece she wore on the Wendy Williams earlier this week.
[…] for the perverts among you hoping that Erykah has decided to take her “Window Seat” video a step further by actually baring at all, put your tongues back in your mouth, […]
Wasn’t India Arie complaining that, next, somebody would get naked while down-talking BeyGaga’s Telephone video not too long ago?
Anyway, to have given birth to 3 children, Badu’s body is beautiful and impressive and I’m always pumped to see other females who also keep their bodies tight and healthy. I enjoyed Badu’s first CD, though I didn’t care for much after that, and see this as little more than a “look at me” publicity stunt to hype her new joint.
I’ve absolutely no problem with nudity and enjoy looking at males and females with beautiful bodies. However, Badu broke the law and did not show respect for the feelings/sensibilities of parents who may not have wanted their children to see her naked.
I do wonder if some of those applauding this Window Seat video as some profound, deep and artistic piece are haters that would’ve criticized and verbally skewered Beyoncé as a ‘p*ssy popping ho’ had she done the same thing and took it all off for the cameras? There is nothing exactly new or avant guarde about Badu’s new piece since, in addition to Matt and Kim, Alanis Morissette employed nudity for Thank You as well as D’Angelo in How Does It Feel.
I TOTALLY and COMPLETELY agree with Badu’s commentary about group think, though, as it’s a stupid bully tactic, does no good and solves no problems. It happens on boards (including Clutch) as well as daily life when childish adherents to group think attempt to verbally attack or ridicule non-adherents and independent thinkers.
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erykah badu has a boootay! [link to post]
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Et encore plus que ca.. RT @bestsin Wouw Erykah Badu est ailleurs. Définitivement! [link to post]
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Poignant Political Nudity & Violence: Erykah Badu’s Video For “Window Seat” | Soul Culture [link to post] #fb
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Wouw Erykah Badu est ailleurs. Définitivement! [link to post]
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#nowatching Window Seat – Erykah Badu [link to post]
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RT @TokyoTouch: erykah badu has a boootay! [link to post] had to retweet! Lool
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RT @VibenSoul This video of Badu prouve that there are still artists willing to take risks for a message [link to post]
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It’s nice to think that we can all be individuals and have something unique to offer the world. The sad truth is that humanity is not like that. For society to function as it does the majority of people not only need to “groupthink” but actually “not think” at all.
Those “fortunate” enough, for whatever reason, to be gifted with enough individuality to influence others, such as Erykah, must use this power to add their own in to the “group think” to hopefully change society for the better. But it is always from this pool of common thought that people will be influenced. So it is always within these limits that your message must be made, hence Erykah’s use of JFK recordings, nudity and violence.
It is not the common citizen that can change society, but those who are already individual (or should I say powerful?) enough to not be part of the “groupthink” but those who actually influence it.
Very Very well put sir!
I think everyone can be an individual and bring something unique to the world. The difference between the ‘masses’ and those who are mavericks is that the latter is likely to go a bit further than the rest and have more influence..maybe not immediately but in the long term.
I think the ‘Groupthink’ that is spoken against is the idea that people do not form or even try to form opinions of their own. There needs to be more questions asked, not everything should be readily accepted.
Hence why I question the use of nudity in this video. A good point but perhaps clumsily made.
Shalom x
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RT @VibenSoul: @smokinvinyl This video of Badu prouve that there are still artists willing to take risks for a message [link to post]
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RT @fbrahimi: TOP Miss Erykah Badu a laché en avant première sur son site le vidéo clip de “Window Seat” [link to post] Mci @VibenSoul p
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I didn’t see the nudity as gratuitous or shocking at all. It all goes with the message. I don’t think she’s going for the “look at me i’m naked” shtick.
she did what gaga has been desperate to do lol but honestly I don’t really know what to make of the video, the message is there but i really haven’t made my mind up about it. If we all embrace indivduality isn’t that a group thought isn’t that why we have the case now where everyone is so desperate to be unique and different that it has made us all the same anyway, in my opinion no1 can be truley individual, its an aspiration that is out of reach because people want to be accepted and embraced by others for their individuality and I don’t think it’s a conscious thing u can just think of like that. My point being I don’t know that it really possible to be an individual because everyone starts off following the crowd thats how you learn about life and how society works and then some people make the conscious decision to be different or individual which means your just deviating from the majority’s way of thinking, i don’t think that’s an individual thought
I just think people have always used “group thoinking” and individuality as a way of control and maybe thats the point i think erykah tries to make
That’s a very cynical way at looking at it. The point about being an individual is that one should strive to be themselves, organic and who they were created to be…instead of a poor imitation of someone else.
The advertising industry amongst others has sold us the lie of comparison…that you are not something until you have what the other person has got that is (supposedly) better. It’s refreshing for people to be encouraged not to follow the masses. There will always be those who buy into the herd mentality and are unrepentent. The message is therefore not necessarily for them.
Shalom x
I love Erykah Badu and totally respect what she does. I think the song is beautiful and the point she is making is spot on. It’s true that we as people tend to be afraid of and ultimately misjudge or dislike what we don’t understand. But however ‘artistic’ you want to call it, I don’t think a woman walking through a packed street in broad daylight is the best way to represent the misunderstood.
But regardless of all that, it’s a good song and the point she is trying to make does connect (mainly through the intro and the speech at the end as opposed to the video content itself).
I’m still impressed. Overly critical? Maybe. But still impressed. Like DJSnuff said “she’s a queen”.
Vanessa xoxo
*A Naked woman walking through a packed street*
In my opinion she wants to bring about an end to “Groupthink”and I applaud that, the lack of individuality I see everyday is sickeningly numbing.
Whether we “get it” or not it has at least got us thinking… Right?
I totally agree. The point she’s making is completely valid and so needed in today’s society. The thing that makes it even more interesting is that “Group thinking” can have many definitions and meanings. On twitter everyone had a different take on what it means to them. So yes, it’s great that this video/song gets us thinking and makes us question ourselves and hopefully makes people embrace their individual qualities etc.
My only criticism is that by using violence and nudity to express this particular point, it just plays into the whole “group thinking” mentality, therefore it kind of contradicts the point in question.
I have to say Vanessa I’m with you all the way. I also question the validity of using nudity to make the point. My sister warned me against always assigning the naked body a sexual connotation or regarding it as taboo, which is true as well. However the problem with nudity in art, especially when an attractive woman like Erykah is involved is that any point being made might get lost in the shock of it and subsequent controversy. It always has an air of gratuity as far as I’m concerned. But rightly or wrongly people will remember and discuss the vid. Could be this decade’s answer to ‘Untitled (How does it feel?)’ by D’Angelo.
Shalom, Miss T x
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Can I have my credit for ripping the video please. Thank You.
Nice vibe to the track.. not really effected either way by the video, kinda weak, thought it would be better from the blog title.. if there’s a point it’s not being made.. bordering on pretentious.. I understand the sentiment of the prose given at the end, though it rings true many do not subscribe to neither fear nor hate.. and not all assassinations target the misunderstood, certainly not JFK, that was a power move.. all good tho, cant diss Badu, she’s a queen. One love
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