Erykah Badu Lashes Out

At Lips' Wayne Coyne;

Calls Leak "Tasteless,

Meaningless,

Shock Motivated Video.”

News by Vanessa Martinez | June 6, 2012

Just a few hours ago, Tambay posted an official statement from Wayne Coyne/Flaming Lips about the controversial leaked video 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face' featuring Erykah Badu, which has been played over 20,000 times on this site alone; that post has received over 9,000 Facebook *likes*, not to mention its 277 comments so far.

Well, just a couple of hours ago on her official Facebook, Badu had more than a few words to say to Wayne Coyne in response to the video leak.

3:33pm dallas

 
@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

Needless to say, she's not happy. At least her reply provides some insight to many of you who were none to pleased and/or concerned by the video's explicitness. But, as the saying goes, "there's three sides to the story."

I have a feeling we'll hear back from one of the camps soon enough.

__________________________

Flaming Lips, Erykah Badu

Respond To Fan Outrage

Over Controversial Video

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM - WAYNE COYNE / FLAMING LIPS "The video link that was erroneously posted on Pitchfork by the Flaming Lips of the Music Video 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face', which features Erykah Badu, is unedited and unapproved.. Sorry!! We, the Flaming Lips, accept full responsibility for prematurely having Pitchfork post it. It has outraged and upset a segment of fans and we apologize if we offended any viewers!!! This is a Flaming Lips video which features Erykah Badu and her sister Nayrok and is not meant to be considered an Erykah Badu or Nayrok statement, creation, or approved version.”

I just received that statement on my Video page where the controversial music video is hosted, as well as in the comment section within the S&A post that contains the video.

I wasn't sure if it was legit, so of course I looked around and saw that it IS legit, as it's posted on Erykah Badu's own website, as well as several others.

So there ya have it folks; the video has been played over 20,000 times on this site alone; the post containing the video has received over 9,000 Facebook *likes* and counting, and received what might be a record (or close to it)256 comments, and counting.

Damn, right? And to think that I almost decided against posting it. 

So does the above statement change how you feel about the video?

I check Erykah Badu's Twitter timeline, and saw that she'd asked her followers what they thought of the video, and of course, she received a wide range of replies. But what I found most curious was her second question, after she'd received a few replies. She asked how her followers would feel if the video ultimately didn't mean anything ("What if the video has no meaning at all? Now how do u feel?") - suggesting what some of you thought was just a completely surface exercise that didn't require any deeper analysis.

I'm over it at this point; but maybe you aren't, and these new reveals alter your interpretation of the video, or not.