Weeks after the debut of Surviving R Kelly, Erykah Badu has spoken her peace on the scandal. While Badu’s remarks blatantly tend to be that of a balanced view, the famed songstress received a grand amount of backlash on the internet.
On Saturday (Jan. 19), Badu performed at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and expressed her thoughts to her audience about the R Kelly controversy, ultimately taking on stabilized viewpoint. “I dunno how everybody else feel about it but I’m putting up a prayer right now for R. I hope he sees the light of day if he done all those things that we’ve seen on TV and heard those ladies talk about, said Badu. “I hope he sees the light of day and comes forward.”
The audience of the “Rimshot” singer booed her to the core for her remarks and she immediately responded:
“What y’all say, fuck him? That’s not love. That’s not unconditional love. But what if one of the people that was assaulted by R Kelly grows up to be an offender, we gonna crucify them?”
She continued to add on a prediction of how the world will react to her statements promoting the role of love among all parties, ” They ’bout to R Kelly me to death on the internet, I’m like goddamn. I just want peace and light for everybody and healing for those who are hurt because everyone involved has been hurt, victimized in some kinda way. Love for everybody.”
What has been deemed as “Shea Butter Twitter,” took lead in making an attempt to cancel Badu, questioning her “wokeness” and overall artistry. One user tweeted, “Erykah Badu is proof that if u dress artsy & talk about “vibrations” people will think you’re deep, no matter what stupid crap comes out your mouth.” Another user, social media personality Jessie Woo revived Badu’s Hilter commentary, deeming the history as a reason she isn’t shocked about her R Kelly remarks. Several other users claim Badu has a habit of minimizing the value and care of black girls, the same Erykah Badu who is a mother to two young Black girls.
I love you. Unconditionally.
That doesn’t mean I support your poor choices.
I want healing for you and anyone you have hurt as a result of you being hurt. Is that strange to you ?
That’s all I’ve ever said. Anything else has been fabricated or taken out of context. – eb— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) January 21, 2019
On Sunday, Badu took to Twitter to clarify her remarks by specifically highlighting that her plea of unconditional love for R Kelly is not a green light to warrant his wrongdoings and specific that her remarks have been taken out of context by the public.
“I love you. Unconditionally. That doesn’t mean I support your poor choices,” she tweeted. “I want healing for you and anyone you have hurt as a result of you being hurt. Is that strange to you ? That’s all I’ve ever said. Anything else has been fabricated or taken out of context. – eb”
The Baduizm songstress declined to appear in the six-part Lifetime exposé curated by executive producer Dream Hampton, Surviving R Kelly. She was not the only one to return the testimonial invitation back to the sender. Hip-Hop notables, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Questlove, Mary J Blige, and Dave Chappelle and Lady Gaga also declined to participate in the documentary.
