Erykah Badu has an established reputation for being outspoken, but following shocking new remarks, many are wondering aloud whether she’s taken things too for.
For, in a recent interview, she’s quoted as stated that she “saw something good in Hitler” – the murderous Nazi dictator.
Full story below…
The comments came in a feature with Vulture magazine.
Badu was quizzed about being labeled as anti-Semitic after traveling to Israel in 2008 where she said she followed Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. She offered the following response:
“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.
Hitler was a wonderful painter”
The interview pulled the singer up on the problematic nature of her statement, squarely asking: “what would his skill as a painter have to do with any ‘good’ in him?”
Badu replied with:
“Okay, he was a terrible painter. Poor thing. He had a terrible childhood. That means that when I’m looking at my daughter, Mars… I could imagine her being in someone else’s home and being treated so poorly, and what that could spawn,” she continued. “I see things like that. I guess it’s just the Pisces in me.”
But the mess didn’t stop there. No, no.
Badu was then probed on how she rationalises empathy when it comes to those who’ve done wrong such as Hitler and Bill Cosby, to which she responded:
“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?
Stressing that she feels bad for those who’ve been hurt, she continued to articulate her point with:
“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.”
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As at writing, Badu is trending on Twitter, with most of the responses dragging her all over the e-streets.
Characteristically unbothered, Badu actually shared the story herself on the platform:
Funny… I’ve been watching Adolf Hitler related films, documentaries and some of his speeches for the past 2 weeks…
And that m********** was obsessed with hating communists, just like many in the US. No wonder so many Americans were Nazi sympathizers prior to the war and some, like THE Henry Ford and Joe Kennedy (JFK’s father), were active Nazi supporters. Nowadays people try to equate Nazi fascist scum with communists but these two ideologies couldn’t be any further from each other.
When white people do their mass shooting the media always report it as mental issue. When people of color does it its terrorism.
So who say cobsy could not have mental issues?
“…dragging her all over the e-streets.” -TGJ
lmao ?
She’s not a humanist. She’s an apologist.
The world needs more compassion. Being angry and mad about everything isn’t helping us grow as people and as a nation.
Hell, even Jesus loved his enemies.
The irony of you saying that behind THAT username lol SHAME
Ya’ll need to post that Laila Ali Breakfast Club interview! Homegirl is snatched to the GAWDS and is talking about the REAL…Miss Badu can just light some incense and fall back with this nonsense lol…love her tho!
and this is why hosting the soul train awards will be the pinnacle of her career.. love her music tho
There’s always something good in everyone, but that doesn’t mean we should forgive or admire them, more so, if the bad they do, it’s more than the good they do. Hitler was a very charismatic person, very intelligent too, he was a fascinating character whether people admit it or not, but he was also the definition of an evil person, Michael Jackson was an excellent entertainer, and a very charitable person but he was also ped0, Trump is a great businessman but is also a xenophobic and racist. I think this is what Erykah was trying to say but didn’t know how to put it, people shouldn’t crucify her for this, she’s not a Nazi sympathizer.
Michael is not a proven p********, Paul. So you can’t say that… without allegedly. Donald Trump was accused of raping a 13 year old child but that wasn’t proven…
“Trump is a great businessman”
hardly. he’s rich because his parents are rich.
exactly he’s actually a horrible business man with most of his businesses becoming bankrupt….almost all of his fortune is inherited.
Exactly. He never had to truly work a day in his life. His dad gave him a “small loan” of like $15 million to get started.
What proof do u have that says MJ is a p********??? Go back 2 sleep
Nah she isn’t but I’m willing to bet you are.
I think folks should keep their judgments about what Bill Cosby has (allegedly) done to themselves until they deal with the hundreds of FACTUAL s** abuse allegations against that idiot in the white house.
well tell that to the countless jews Hitler slaughtered, you got to watch what you say, I wonder if she would have felt that way if her family was a part of Hitler’s victims.
knowing how crazy she is… probably.
Hitler without doubt did some horrible sh!t, however even I can admit that he was a powerful man; think about it, he manipulated an entire country and brought about a 2nd world war. That’s hauntingly-beautiful. It just makes you wonder what he could have done had he used his power for good.
He didn’t really do it single-handedly though he deserves most of the blame. He wasn’t the founder of the Nazi party, he came to lead it to victory and became its most prominent member. In other words there were plenty of people willing to flock to his message of scapegoating Communists and Jews and blaming them for the outcome of WWI. He wasn’t a particularly brilliant person, just good at exploiting people’s hatred and racism.
Your headline is sensational as her comments were benign and just saying there is good in everyone, even someone as vile as Hitler. In mentioning Hitler in this category she is assigning him a label of evil unequaled by anyone else.
I cant agree with her thoughts on the AntiChrist. He didnt have a heart therefore he wasnt good.
I want some of what she’s smoking! She done lost her mind!! lol. Pisces have no hair on their tongues. Very outspoken.
I believe her he’ll look who this countries “Celebrity in Chief” is….
what she’s saying is that people characterized as “bad people” are a product of their world and experiences… which is partially true… but your experiences actively work with your innate characteristics to form who you are… so she’s looking at the glass half full and ignoring the half empty inside…i don’t think she’s out of pocket, especially since they make lite of black tragedies and celebrate individuals who did evil things to minorities, darker skinned people, and women all the time. hell, if y’all can’t be outraged at history books painting slavery as an agreeable happening, then this shouldn’t outrage anyone.
This is an excellent point. If only Badu herself would’ve just clapped back with this instead of what she said it would’ve made more sense.
Yikes. At first I thought she just didn’t really think about what she’s saying, but then her explanation just made things worse. I can see why people would follow Louis Farrakhan, as often he does call America out for its hypocrisy, cruelty to the world and mistreatment of people in its own borders. But she didn’t even attempt to make this point.