Best Of Full Interview: Erykah Badu Speaks On Her Iconic Fashion Sense, Social Media's Affect On Art, New Music + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club - Erykah Badu Interview

Introduction and Welcome In the January 2, 2025 episode of The Breakfast Club hosted by iHeartPodcasts, renowned artist Erykah Badu joins DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God for an engaging and multifaceted conversation. Lauren LaRosa fills in for Jess, who is on maternity leave, setting the stage for a deep dive into Erykah's artistic journey, fashion influence, and perspectives on the evolving landscape of art and social media.

CFDA Fashion Icon Award The episode kicks off with congratulations to Erykah Badu for receiving the CFDA Fashion Icon Award. Erykah expresses profound gratitude and the significance of this honor, stating, “[02:12] Erykah Badu: Since, you know, I didn't even know that you could get an award for that, but just wanted to be recognized for the canvas that I create when I go out...” Her recognition underscores her impactful presence in the fashion industry, celebrating her unique and influential style.

Erykah’s Fashion Philosophy and Collaborations Erykah delves into her effortless yet deliberate approach to fashion. While she sometimes dresses spontaneously, she often curates her look with intention, blending creativity and practicality. “[02:55] Erykah Badu: I was in my first Fashion Week, so that's when I really started to catch the bug...” She discusses her collaborations with iconic designers like Tom Ford and Roberto Ticci, highlighting her role as a visionary who insists on controlling every aspect of her artistic expression. Erykah elaborates on her collaboration with Francesco Riso and the creation of her capsule collection, emphasizing the synergy between her artistic vision and the designers she partners with.

Social Media’s Impact on Art A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Erykah's concerns regarding social media's adverse effects on artistic expression. “[15:01] Erykah Badu: It is a scary time for art...” She articulates how the deluge of negative feedback and the propensity for "group think" stifles creativity and discourages artists from sharing their work freely. Erykah emphasizes the need for kindness and constructive feedback to foster a healthier artistic environment, suggesting that the current social media climate demands a protective "armor" that hinders genuine self-expression.

Upcoming Projects and Collaboration Album Erykah reveals hints about her impending projects, including a collaborative album slated for release later in the year. While withholding specific details, she teases the involvement of other artists, fueling excitement among her fans. “[19:09] Erykah Badu: I got a project coming out soon, a full album...” The discussion hints at a potential collaboration with Andre 3000, sparking speculation about its impact on both artists' careers.

Personal Reflections and Art as Service Erykah shares her philosophy of art as a form of service rather than a pursuit for accolades. “[28:50] Erykah Badu: I don't know what it is, but there's something...” She emphasizes that her creativity is inherently linked to spiritual energy, making it impossible for her to create without divine inspiration. Erykah reflects on her personal growth and the importance of maintaining authenticity in her work, asserting that true art cannot be separated from its spiritual essence.

Acting in "The Piano Lesson" Transitioning to her acting endeavors, Erykah discusses her role as Lucille in the Netflix adaptation of The Piano Lesson. She highlights the collaborative process with director Malcolm Washington and composer Daniel Jones, where she not only acted but also contributed to the film's musical score. “[38:05] Erykah Badu: Absolutely. I was a theater major...” This experience allowed her to blend her musical talents with her passion for theater, enriching her artistic repertoire.

Final Thoughts and Fun Anecdotes The interview concludes with light-hearted moments, including discussions about Erykah's Funko Pop figurines and her humorous interactions on social media. Erykah expresses appreciation for her fans and the broader cultural impact of her work, reinforcing her commitment to authentic and meaningful artistic expression. “[53:28] Erykah Badu: Right. Yeah. So I feel the same way...” Her closing remarks encapsulate her enduring influence and the deep connection she maintains with her audience.

Notable Quotes:

• “[02:12] Erykah Badu: Since, you know, I didn't even know that you could get an award for that, but just wanted to be recognized for the canvas that I create when I go out...”
• “[15:01] Erykah Badu: It is a scary time for art...”
• “[19:09] Erykah Badu: I got a project coming out soon, a full album...”
• “[28:50] Erykah Badu: I don't know what it is, but there's something...”
• “[38:05] Erykah Badu: Absolutely. I was a theater major...”

Conclusion Erykah Badu's interview on The Breakfast Club offers a comprehensive look into her artistic vision, fashion influence, and the challenges posed by modern social media landscapes. Her reflections on art as service, her strategic collaborations, and her unwavering commitment to authenticity provide valuable insights for listeners seeking to understand the depth and breadth of her creative endeavors. This episode serves as both an inspiration and a testament to Erykah Badu's enduring legacy in the realms of music, fashion, and beyond.

Transcript

[DJ Envy]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Erykah Badu]

The Breakfast Club.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess. Hilarious. Charlamagne. Tha guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Jess is on maternity leave, so Lauren LaRosa is filling in. And we got a special guest in.

[DJ Envy]

The building, the icon Living. Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Ms. Erica Badu. Welcome back.

[Erykah Badu]

Peace, peace, peace.

[DJ Envy]

How you feeling? How you feeling?

[Erykah Badu]

Exquisite.

[DJ Envy]

There you go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right. Well, we. I don't know if you noticed, last time you weren't here, the art wasn't up, but do you see the art now?

[DJ Envy]

Look how you scented, though. You got queen mother blessing the whole room.

[Erykah Badu]

I gotta pull out the.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Then what you got bottle on there?

[DJ Envy]

My purse.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You got the incense?

[Erykah Badu]

I got it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I've been burning. I've been burning them incense since you dropped them. She says she need the. I saw y'all two together at the awards.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yesterday.

[DJ Envy]

Congratulations on that, too. Congratulations on receiving the CFDA Fashion Icon Award.

[Erykah Badu]

Oh, thank you very, very much.

[DJ Envy]

I have no idea what that means, but I feel like you deserve all the awards, so congrats.

[Erykah Badu]

Thank. They say I found out it's the Oscar Fashion.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Really?

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. So that that award means a lot to people in the fashion industry. And thank you, Sid. And to us as artists as well, you know, creators who are.

[DJ Envy]

I love how this.

[Erykah Badu]

Trying to, you know, evolve our. Our culture.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

You know, so that means a lot to me, be recognized.

[DJ Envy]

It's always felt like you had an effortless style. Do you really put a lot of thought into how you. How you dress?

[Erykah Badu]

Sometimes.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

You know, sometimes I do, and sometimes it's just grace blow that. It just happens. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

There you go.

[Erykah Badu]

You're not supposed to blow out incense. The old Googles don't like that.

[DJ Envy]

Why you tell me to blow out?

[Erykah Badu]

But I'm not kidding.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay?

[Erykah Badu]

I'm just trying to say the fire.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Alarm'S about to go off.

[Erykah Badu]

It ain't on me.

[DJ Envy]

We got so much of this at the house.

[Erykah Badu]

Y'all do? Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

When you first put it up a couple years ago. Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now, you said during your speech that this was an award that you wanted for a long time. Was that true? For that long? You said as a child.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Absolutely.

[Erykah Badu]

Since, you know, I didn't even know that you could get an award for that, but just wanted to be recognized for the canvas that I create when I go out. I mean, it's really important to me. It's my therapy, you know, I can't leave without having my. Like I said in the speech together, you know, just something that came with my Head, you know, it's a nagging thing, you know, make sure your shit is together. And sometimes when I don't try really hard, it sometimes gracefully comes together. I guess maybe because of my intention, the fashion gods gave me the keys out here in these streets.

[DJ Envy]

Will you get it from your mom? Grandma, Definitely my mom. Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, definitely. Colleen Wright. They used to call her Twiggy in high school after the model, because she was just so original and she had bleached her hair white. She was a really skinny kid with big eyes. It's really creative.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And how difficult is it for you to have so much of a fashion sense? Right. Because you travel a lot. How much luggage do you have to carry? How much do you go shopping? I know. That's. That's what I'm saying. You carry a lot of freaking luggage. Like your.

[Erykah Badu]

Let me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Her luggage has her own bus.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Wow.

[Erykah Badu]

Well, I'll explain that. I'm here for when you're your own stylist and your own makeup person and your own hair person. And then I do the band's wardrobe, and, you know, they're just instruments and all kinds of things, so I carry a production. So I like to see the vision all the way through and have my hands in it. There's a word for that. An artist who has their hands in every aspect of the work of the vision. It's called Autour, I think a U T O I R Artur. And that's. They describe it as an artist or a visionary who has a. An idea and has to see it all the way through in each department because they have the ability to do that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Mm.

[DJ Envy]

So you write a song, and you know what the video gonna look like, you know what you gonna wear. Okay.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You talked last night about your best friend who accompanied you to the awards, and Alfredo and him introducing you to a lot of the fashion houses and stuff like that. Were fashion houses always, like, open and, like, rushing to support you and all of your creative ideas, or did you have to. Was there a fight? Cause a lot of artists talk about it being a fight trying to get into the couture houses.

[Erykah Badu]

You know, it was. I. I was out since 1997, and social media was really the opening to a lot of these relationships because they could now directly get to the artists where they probably didn't know how to get to the ones that they wanted to feature before. But the first person that reached out to me was Tom Ford. Tom Ford wanted me to do a. A perfume at White Pachuli, which was his Natural incense flavors.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What year was this?

[Erykah Badu]

This was 2000. 2002. Yeah. So that's Tom Ford, and Tom Ford's from Texas as well. So we kind of formed a. A bond, and I guess as I evolved my style. Other houses or artist. Because it's really the creative director.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes.

[Erykah Badu]

The person. He is the. He is the house at the time because his vision is trusted most. And they started, you know, kind of paying attention to, you know, the gaudiness or the freeness or the hobo chicness. It's been called all kinds of things. But, yeah, they. They caught notice. And next was Roberto Ticci, and he was the creative director of Givenchy at the time. And that was my first full campaign. And he let me co style with him and put things together. And I think it just. After that, I was kind of, you know, I was on the radar for certain things. Definitely the page to go to, if you want to know what's next.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Right. And how do you pick? Like, last night, you were in Tom Brown, or the other day at CFDA Awards, you were in Tom Brown. How do you pick which designers and which houses now you want to work with? Because I'm sure they're all banging. You can do anything you want now.

[Erykah Badu]

Right. And I picked Tom specifically for this event because he's the chairman of the event.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes.

[Erykah Badu]

And he's. He's also a very, very good friend of mine. And his art is just so amazing. So I thought since I was being honored, I would also honor him by wearing one of his pieces. And I chose one from Runway and a really beautiful architectural shape. Real pretty. And I said, but I need something futuristic, ancient to go on top, you know? And I saw this AI. I think you saw this post this morning. I'm not sure, but I saw this AI rendering of this. This headpiece. And I reached out to the person and I told them, this is really beautiful. I would love to challenge a designer to bring this to Life in the 5D world, 4D world. And he said, okay. So I called a friend, Chris Habana, who does a lot of crafting and amazing jeweler, and he said, yes. And he had three days, and he pulled a team together, and they did some. What do you call it?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Some renderings.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, they did some. Put it in the machine. It's plastic. You can make a gun with it. You can make a house. Right? Yeah, he. They did some 3D printing to try to. Really. It is. It's amazing. It's amazing.

[DJ Envy]

Do you remember where you were at when you got the call for that. You was getting the CFDA one.

[Erykah Badu]

I was at home, and my agency forward forwarded me the email. I was like, wow, okay. It's good. That's good stuff. That's good.

[DJ Envy]

Did you immediately know what you was going with? Did you see that vision?

[Erykah Badu]

Absolutely not.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

Absolutely not. This thing was three weeks away. Yeah. I didn't know I was gonna wear it tomorrow.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You've done capsules before with people and collaborated. Have you ever thought about just straight.

[DJ Envy]

I like how you trying to talk low and soft just. Cause everybody. You don't even talk like that. You know what I'm saying?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I gotta calm down.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every time she comes, I gotta do that, though.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I don't know why I wanna be in the vibe.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She put you in the vibe?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But I was gonna ask, you know.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I will never blow out an incident again either.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When it comes. You ever thought about doing your whole line, like a full clothing line for America, Badu, from Ruda to Tudor and everything in between?

[Erykah Badu]

And I have thought about that. I. I had a chance to practice that with Marnie and Francesco Riso. We did a collab, Marnie and Badu, last year. A lot of things happened for me in fashion last year.

[DJ Envy]

Right.

[Erykah Badu]

You know, there was the last two years. It was my first Fashion Week, so that's when I really started to catch the bug. And I met Francesco, because we went to the Met Ball together and we drew up some things and talked about some things and had a capsule line that came out, and these sleeves are part of it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

The collab was everywhere.

[Erykah Badu]

It was.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes. Everybody was in. Y'all collabing. Marnie, that was your first Fashion Week?

[Erykah Badu]

Yes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, like you attending or like. What do you mean by that?

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, it was my first fashion week in 2023. Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Wow. And that was. So during that time, that. That collab is.

[Erykah Badu]

No, 22 is.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, that collab. The collab when you got to work with your daughter Puma, too, with Marnie, or was it different?

[Erykah Badu]

Yes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

Yes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And how did that feel? Because, like, okay, we see LeBron and Bronnie on. On the court, and they're like, you know, but, like, this is your lane, and now your daughter is coming into it, and y'all are working with a fashion house. How did you feel just doing that with her?

[Erykah Badu]

It was surreal. It was a dream, you know, because Puma's such an individual person that I didn't know what direction she wanted to go in, and I still don't. You know, she's she's 20, so she's kind of finding her way. And sometimes when your kid is an artist, they don't want to follow your shadow.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

They want to find their own thing, you know? But she was cool with supporting me and standing beside me, and she was like, mom, I don't care. This is for you. You know, so dress like you.

[DJ Envy]

If they tried.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, well, yeah, like, what happened with the line? Because you.

[Erykah Badu]

What they got to do with what we talking about.

[DJ Envy]

Because even I feel like. I feel like. I feel like everything you do is spirit art, even down to your fashion.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, man.

[DJ Envy]

So I don't know. If you don't embody that spirit, I don't even know how that would even.

[Erykah Badu]

Charlemagne. You are such a wise person. You really are. Ever since I've met you, you tap into things so well. Yeah, I approach everything the same way. It's a feeling, I feel. Yeah. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So would you do your own line? Do you want to do your line or that's not something that's in your cause for right now?

[Erykah Badu]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Would you have the time for it?

[Erykah Badu]

Oh, yeah, I would make time. I'd make time.

[Lauren LaRosa]

This is my last fashion question.

[DJ Envy]

She got awarded with a fashion award this week.

[Lauren LaRosa]

All right.

[Erykah Badu]

I didn't know.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I didn't know if you wanted to get to other people.

[Erykah Badu]

I've been trying to get this award since I was six.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay. Cause look, I'm locked and loaded over here.

[Erykah Badu]

Ask me everything. I've been playing with paper dolls, trying to make sure that people, you know, really appreciate my. My work. It's kind of like putting. Putting your picture on the refrigerator so your mom sees it. And you never expect your mom to say nothing bad, so it's such a shock every time. It's always new when people are disrespectful and mean and all that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

People disrespectful and mean to you?

[Erykah Badu]

Oh, hell yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I'll him up.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Who?

[DJ Envy]

I told somebody that the other day, not tell somebody the other day.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Like, you gotta feel like you going against to do that to you.

[Erykah Badu]

I mean, they try it. You know what I'm saying? But I'm anointed and protected and I don't have a heart. So they. They can't, you know, they can't penetrate me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What you mean you don't have a heart?

[Erykah Badu]

I'm joking. Oh, this is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Really. I don't care.

[Erykah Badu]

Put that pen and paper up. You don't have to take notes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I saw online you were doing some interviews just after the awards and you were in some Jordans.

[Erykah Badu]

Yes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Were those. There were. That was a Jordan. Virgil collab.

[Erykah Badu]

No, it wasn't. No.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay, that's not true, then. Cause they were saying it was, like, an unreleased collab.

[Erykah Badu]

It was an unreleased one, but it wasn't Virgil. It was Shoe Surgeon.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Got you. Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

People just give you, like, how do you do? People online were going crazy over the collaboration, and they were trying to figure out where, like, how you even got the. The shoes.

[Erykah Badu]

Right. Showed up at my door one day. Yo, yo. I was like, yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I was like, yo, all my fashion blog pages.

[Erykah Badu]

These.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Trying to figure out. Yes.

[Erykah Badu]

Shoot. Y'all zoomed in on and everything.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I zoomed in, so. Cause I'm like, I don't even see any of Virgil's like. You know, he has the things that he does when you know it's him. I'm like, I don't see none of that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She started to get busy.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes. Go ahead.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, maybe. I'm not gonna say nothing about that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What?

[Erykah Badu]

Nothing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What?

[DJ Envy]

What?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What?

[DJ Envy]

Damn.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

How'd you feel about that?

[Erykah Badu]

It was my first time, so. Oh, I'm trying to throw. I'm trying to throw out the audience so they'll know what I told you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

No. Cause I was sitting here, like, wanting to hear your answer. I don't know what you said. Oh, no.

[Erykah Badu]

We'll tell y'all another time when the news come out.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He said, how'd you feel about that?

[DJ Envy]

Now, you've always been an artist that's sensitive about your shit. You told us that a long time ago. But you said in your speech at CFDA that it's scary being an artist in the social media era. So how is social media made that critique worse? I guess.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, it is scary. I mean, I've heard my own kids be afraid to express and share their art. Erica Baduki is scared to share their art and express themselves because the. The audience is so vicious at this point, and they have such a huge appetite for blood.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

And they want people to be disciplined and humbled and punished for their success almost. It's what it seems like. So that's why, you know, a lot of kids are afraid to, you know, share their work or share their art or feel like they have to come in, come at it with some kind of armor on. And that armor doesn't allow for the art to truly express itself, in my opinion. So it's. It's a scary time for. For art. We didn't have to do that. We didn't have to deal with that. You know, you heard the few little comments and things, but those weren't strong enough to penetrate a strong person. But these things are now. Because when people come at you in numbers, you know, we've talked about group things so many times. It's what it was a prediction that I made with window seat in 2010. Group think would overshadow art. And it is right now. Yes. Because people can. People can. I think it's very smart to get at the. The channels and even the whole. Instead of getting at the. The bloggers and the people, we see artists penalizing the. The channels themselves. And I think that's the smart thing, because that's what has to change. If that doesn't. If there's no place to do that, then it won't be done.

[DJ Envy]

I agree.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Will it get back to that, do you think?

[Erykah Badu]

Huh?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you think it'll ever get back to where people feel comfortable releasing music or not hesitant because of the amount of people that go at them? I mean, we see it in everything comedy, we see it in movies, we see it in just regular conversation. People are afraid to be, quote, unquote, canceled.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. It's kind of like if it's eating, if it's feeding season, you know, you're a little bit more cautious to go outside. You know, squirrels are not going to try to run free and not be cautious when it's lion season, you know, so it's. It might get back to it if. If we really want kindness, but kindness seems kind of boring to people. You know what I'm saying? It's kind of boring. There's no, There's. People don't feel that there could be some kind of dopamine release from. From being kind or being right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Does that make you hesitant to release music?

[Erykah Badu]

No, not me. But you haven't dropped in 14 years. 14 years.

[DJ Envy]

2015.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I can make you put your phone down.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, 2015.

[DJ Envy]

Well, that's 10 years. Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

10 years.

[DJ Envy]

With an album. You ain't put an album since.

[Erykah Badu]

Well, well, one reason I don't have to is because I am a performance artist, and I've been doing that constantly for the last 30 years. Eight years out, eight months out of the year, all year round. I do it, so that's what I love to do. I only put out albums when I have something to say. Like I have something. Yeah. Something pressing to. To say or push out. But I'm. I am. I have more than enough space to get my. My art out on stage, so it's not totally necessary to put out albums for me. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I would just love to see the. The. Like, the. The visions God has shown you. Because, like, if you look at your catalog, right, Your catalog literally has predicted where we are now. So I can only imagine the stuff you creating right now. How far into the future you. You seeing things.

[Erykah Badu]

Me too. I mean, I'm writing right now. I got a project coming out soon, a full album. Wow. But I can't tell y'all about it. How soon be biting.

[DJ Envy]

I just got goosebumps. So how soon?

[Erykah Badu]

It's gonna be soon? Soon.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like by end of the year soon or next year soon?

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. It's an important one. It's a collab album.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, you want another artist?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You're not gonna say who are you?

[Lauren LaRosa]

You get Andre 3000 a rap again.

[Erykah Badu]

He's a guy. He's a guy. Do I think he'll rap again?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I say, is this gonna be the collab album that gets him to rap again? And also, you can answer, do you think he'll rap again?

[Erykah Badu]

And why would you say, is this gonna be the collab album? Because you're assuming that it's him.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, I am. I'm asking.

[Erykah Badu]

You can assume whatever you want, but I don't know. I mean, I don't know. I don't think he has to. He's speaking with. With that instrument. It's the same thing. It admits the same kind of thing. Yeah. The way he make us feel when with Bombs Over Baghdad is the way he makes people who are ready for that field. It's the same thing. It's his energy. It's his air, his wind. I feel it. That's the rap, you know, to me. He rapping to me.

[DJ Envy]

That's true. I went to go see. I went to go see the New Blue. New Blue sun tour when he performed in Brooklyn.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

And I felt very fulfilled.

[Erykah Badu]

Me, too.

[DJ Envy]

Very fulfilled.

[Erykah Badu]

After it was over, I felt fulfilled because he was. He was fulfilled. He was happy. He was doing what he wanted to do at his own pace. There was no urgency, you know, to be right. He was happy with making mistakes. It was cool. I really enjoyed it. And I love improv, so I was happy he had a chance to get up there and express himself, because I don't know if you understand it. We have to do this, or we may be sick or something. Artists who use their art as therapy or use their art as a coping mechanism, you know, helps me with all of the things that are off balance. I have to do that. So seeing him being able to do that, because I'm assuming that he may feel the same way I do, it's just such a blessing to have that platform to do it.

[DJ Envy]

You know, I can see where y'all are twin flames, too, because he was on stage, and it was one part of the show. He just started going, making all kind of noises, and the crowd was answering him back. And then he goes, I wasn't saying.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I was just with y'all last night. He or I keep saying last night. I don't know what date is coming up. But he presented you with your CFDA fashion icon award. Yeah. On the way that, like, I know you. You reached out to him to have him present to you, and you guys had a conversation. He was saying, I did.

[Erykah Badu]

Well, it was a kind of tricky thing. I actually reached out to Tiana Taylor. Cause I think she's next. Wow.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

I think she's. I think she has a really good grasp on art in fashion, functional art. I'm really impressed. Inspired by her. But I asked her, and I'd asked Andre before, but he didn't respond. And then they came back and told me after I asked Tiana that Andres said yes. And I had to figure out how to, you know, maneuver that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

You know, because that meant a lot to her.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, yes.

[Erykah Badu]

So I want to tell her, I love you so very much, and I'm so, so happy that we're friends. And I hope that that did not bring a wedge between us in any way. But that's Andre 3000 girl and your best friend.

[DJ Envy]

You got to talk to people. You got to talk through people to get to him.

[Erykah Badu]

No.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, you just said they came back.

[Erykah Badu]

My sister.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

Told me that he responded.

[DJ Envy]

Got you. Got you.

[Erykah Badu]

No, no. Well, sometime, you know, depends, you know how busy he is.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

I'll follow proper protocol if I have to. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

How do you handle the challenge of balancing, like, your personal expression with the expectations that your fans in the music industry might. Might place on Erykah Badu?

[Erykah Badu]

How do I do what?

[DJ Envy]

How do you. How do you handle the challenge of balancing, like, the personal expression with the expectation the fans may have? Like, they might expect you to show up a certain way all of the time.

[Erykah Badu]

That's fun. You know, it's. It's part of. It's part of the art. Because this. This career is an art. It's what it is. There's an art of longevity. There's an art of conceptualizing. There's an art of building a Persona. There's an art of knowing when to divvy the art out, knowing when to pull back. It's all an art. So what the people feel and think are very, very important. It's a major part of it because they decide who and what you are. I like to surprise them. I like to give them what they did not know they. They may have wanted from me. Because I hope that I'm doing whatever I'm doing presently as well as I was doing what I was doing in the past as an artist.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When did you realize that? You didn't say that you didn't give a fuck and you said, you're going to do what you want to do. You're going to put out what you want to put out. You don't necessarily have to fit in the box of every artist. You don't have to follow the platform and said, this is it, take or leave it. When did you get to that point.

[Erykah Badu]

In the contract negotiation? In 1997? 95 was never a fail. No. I mean, I didn't have to do it, you know, and they didn't have to do it, you know, I figured it was a partnership and I was doing the record label a favor. I knew who I was, I knew what I was getting ready to do. I had a mission and nothing was going to infiltrate it, not even my own fear and doubts. And I'm still on mission. Best work is still in me and I have not accomplished whatever that is yet because there's still this feeling of abuse and greenness and growth. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

When did you realize you was on divine assignment in your life?

[Erykah Badu]

A little. Yeah. I always thought I was very, very special, Very anointed or narcissistic one, because I just believed it. I always have. Nobody can tell me that it's not true, that I have a mission and I am. I am anointed and. And I am special and I am blessed. And that's why I choose service over anything. Because I know things. Some things come easier to me than they would to someone else. So I already know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When you look at other artists without saying names, do you see it in them? Like they're selling themselves out? I know they're different. Do you see that in a lot of artists? Like they're selling themselves out for a check or selling themselves out for a label where you see they can go something different? Do you see that a lot?

[Erykah Badu]

Envy? I don't know. I don't ever look at that. Yeah. Selling themselves out for it. People do what they have to do, you know, and it's not a race. We don't all have to be at the same understanding at the same time. You know, everybody. All artists don't have to be responsible for your kids, you know? Yeah. So I don't know. I mean, people doing what they have to do. I remember needing money too, and doing things, strange things, with a piece of change, you know, like performing in venues I didn't want to perform in or. Yeah. So I don't know. I can judge that. But what do you think about that?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think sometimes they gotta realize their assignment. I think we all go through that sometimes, realize why we're there, you know? And what made me think about it is, you know, when J. Cole jumped into that beef, he came back and said, this is not for me. And, you know, people ished on him and said this, that, and the other. But that was his assignment. And you can't be mad at his assignment. Even me as a fan, was kind of mad.

[Erykah Badu]

He was on mission, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He was on a mission.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He realized it.

[Erykah Badu]

I understand that. Sometimes I believe that, you know, being on mission or your assignment is not always to do something heavenly and great and good. Sometimes it's to create some chaos so that you may shake things up. Fertilizer is put into a pot to disturb the roots. It's poisoning them, so they have to move. So, yeah, can't really judge it. You don't know what somebody's mission is because it all counts. It's all matter.

[DJ Envy]

And you don't know what journey God got them on. That's right. You don't get Malcolm X without Malcolm Little.

[Erykah Badu]

That's right. You don't get Erykah Badu without. I'm trying to think of street name. You don't get Erykah Badu without Butchie Knife Betty.

[DJ Envy]

There you go.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Butchie Knife Betty.

[Erykah Badu]

That's my new moniker, everybody.

[DJ Envy]

When you said that you knew you was of service, did you know what that was gonna look like? Did you know it was gonna be music?

[Erykah Badu]

Actually, I did not. But I don't consider that the service. I consider music my privilege because I'm using the audience as therapists. A thousand million therapists to get my idea out of my thing. Out services are the things that I don't charge money for that I do because I feel like it's the right thing. Not because of a promise of heaven or accolades or a trophy just. But because of integrity and the connection between two people. You know, when people hear this, they don't believe that. Then nobody believes that it's so strange to me that people don't believe that that kind of human can exist. You know, they don't believe it.

[DJ Envy]

I wonder why.

[Erykah Badu]

Maybe it's strange. Is it strange that I don't need anything back or I don't ask for anything when I pray? Is it strange?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I don't think so, no.

[DJ Envy]

Because I think to me, prayer is for gratitude. I find myself when I'm praying, I'm just saying thank you. And I guess coming from where I come from, a dirt road in Moss Corner, South Carolina, I've always felt good. I feel like whatever God has given me in that moment is what I'm supposed to have. And I'm grateful for that.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. It seems like it's becoming more of a general consensus that we don't need anything. We're realizing that we don't need anything. And the biggest, biggest gift we probably need is peace of mind, you know? And I'm rewarded with peace of mind when I do service for others for free, for nothing, just because it's the right thing to do. Peace of mind. That's what we. This is what the green juice for. It's what the yoga force, what the music is for, what the singing is for. The money is for. The bitches is for 1.2 kids and husband and house and cars for. We are looking for peace of mind. And that's how I get mine the most service.

[DJ Envy]

Do people take advantage of that, though, sometimes?

[Erykah Badu]

Absolutely. Absolutely. But that's none of my business. Absolutely.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Were there points like Bag Lady, I was saying earlier in the room that I remember when Bag lady for me started hitting differently and I was listening to it and was like, ooh, I get it now. When I was younger, I was just listening to it. Cause it was played in my house and I loved the song. But I literally remember that feeling for you. Were there points in your life where you had to be like, ooh, I get it. Like, I feel it. Bag lady? Or like, was this song of service for someone else?

[Erykah Badu]

You mean feeling my own song?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Just, even before Bag lady was created, maybe there was a time in your life that you know, created or inspired the song.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Lauren LaRosa]

When did you get out of the bag lady phase and what did that feel like for you?

[DJ Envy]

No one's trying to say she has a lot of baggage. So she's trying to see if did you have a lot too or was it just a song?

[Lauren LaRosa]

What I'm saying is, what I realized is number one with my mom, I always, I never understood why she couldn't be happy about certain things. And then I got older and I'm like, man, you carrying so much stuff. I tell her all the time, like, just let that go. Like, we can handle that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Recently, a couple of men have told Lauren that she needs to heal.

[Lauren LaRosa]

We are not doing this with Queen, by the way.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Couple of men did that to Lauren. They said, but you need to heal. You need to work on yourself.

[Erykah Badu]

Who said this to you?

[Lauren LaRosa]

First of all, the two people that said it to me, they ain't even. They probably can't even spell heal. So that's.

[Erykah Badu]

So what y'all think about the two guys that said it to her?

[DJ Envy]

They right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think they right.

[DJ Envy]

She on a journey.

[Erykah Badu]

I told her she's on a journey. And the two men that you respect.

[Lauren LaRosa]

One of them I respect told you.

[Erykah Badu]

That you need to work on yourself.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes.

[Erykah Badu]

As an insult or as encouragement and love.

[Lauren LaRosa]

The second one, I think it was an insult and deflecting the first one.

[Erykah Badu]

It's all about the intention.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah. The first one, I think it was like, he really cares. Like, that's why when he said it, I was like, okay, I hear. You know, I'm at a point in my life now where I can do the accountability.

[Erykah Badu]

So does he need to work on himself as well?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes, he does.

[Erykah Badu]

Does he know?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes, he does.

[Erykah Badu]

Okay, cool.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Second one, really know. Like, it's.

[Erykah Badu]

He really know. He gotta work on himself.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, I don't even want nothing to do with that, man, like, it's. It's bad. But I asked that because, like, I just feel like as I got older and realized how much you do care, especially emotionally sometimes.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

It weighs into other things and it closes doors or it cuts off relationships, or you just miss out on good things. And I'm. Every time I listen to that song, I'm like, man, how did she know that people was going to need this?

[Erykah Badu]

I don't know. You know, I was writing what I felt, you know, in my heart, and, you know, I did hear it later, and I was talking to myself, my future self.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What was. Where were you at at that time in your life when you were talking to your future self? Like, what was. The transitions you were trying to make?

[Erykah Badu]

I think I was transitioning out of a relationship where I was not happy about it. Yeah. And realizing that I had to leave some things behind, some parts of me behind. So it felt like a funeral of sorts, you know, like, because you have. A part of you has to die. Every time you evolve, you got to leave it back there. You know you want it because it's familiar. And a lot of times we like to resort to the familiar, even if it's toxic, you know, so you have to leave that. That corpse, that beautiful old you has to be left, and you have to walk forward and not look back. That's the hardest part, not leaving the people, but it's leaving your old ways and you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, it's a lot of discipline.

[Erykah Badu]

It is. It is.

[DJ Envy]

When did you get to the point where you knew you. You had. When did you get to the point where you loved every version of yourself, though?

[Erykah Badu]

I don't know when that happened, but I definitely do. Yeah, I look forward to waking up and getting to do things, getting to experience, getting to test out my kindness. You know, I pray for kindness. I was like, I want to practice kindness. You know, my last big, whatever meltdown we were going through 2020 or somewhere. I just want to practice kindness. Two or three days later, I went to the airport. My ticket was wrong. My bags got put somewhere else. They were left on the tarmac of all bags, mine. The lady was talking to me crazy, asked me, this is first class. You can't put your. You know, that whole routine, it was everything that was hard. So I was assuming that the Creator was saying, well, here, practice on this. If you want to practice kindness, here, I'll give you some things to practice on because you just don't get to beat that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How did that work out?

[Erykah Badu]

Worked out great.

[DJ Envy]

Some Parts when The last time mama wanted to pull out her gun, though, at the airport.

[Erykah Badu]

But I just settled for having my fist balled up like Arthur. And, yeah, I got through it because I kind of. It took me a little bit to realize what was happening. Like, wait a minute. I see what this is. I see what this is, you know? And, yeah, I really don't see you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Getting outside of your vibe, your zone.

[Erykah Badu]

What vibe do you think I got? I'm your Erykah Badu. Tell me about it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't. But every time I see you, you just seem mellow, chill, and at peace. I don't.

[Erykah Badu]

This is the place to be. Mellow, chilling, at peace. There's no reason in here to be any other kind of way. If anybody else comes on y'all show without this, call me. Just shine a light on that.

[DJ Envy]

You're also playing Lucille in the Netflix movie the Piano Lesson. Were you a fan of the play?

[Erykah Badu]

Absolutely. I went to hbcu, Grambling State University. I was a theater major. I was a thespian, so we did a lot of August Wilson material, Lorraine's Hand, Lorraine Hansberry, a myriad of black artists and playwrights. But we did do that play as well. And Lucille's part is very tiny, you know? But the most important role I played was composing music for the movie. Malcolm Washington, who is Denzel's son, is directing, and he called me and asked if I would put together some music for it. And I called my very good friend Daniel Jones, God rest his soul. Safe journey, Daniel Jones. He came and put some beautiful pieces together. 1930s. And I wrote lyrics over them.

[DJ Envy]

Wow.

[Erykah Badu]

And they. They'll. You. They're used in the movie the Piano Lesson gonna be on Netflix.

[DJ Envy]

So before we get this collaboration album, I think November 8th, right, November 8th. So before we get this collaboration album, we're getting original music on this soundtrack.

[Erykah Badu]

Yes. Yeah. 1920s, 30s. So there's a acquired taste.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Period piece type.

[Erykah Badu]

Period piece, time.

[DJ Envy]

Does acting feel, like, restricted to music? Does it feel like it's restricting you in any way?

[Erykah Badu]

No, it just feels like work.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, yeah. Touring and music doesn't feel like work, but acting does feel like work.

[DJ Envy]

I can't even see you on the set. I feel like you. You don't seem like the hurry up and wait type like you want to be doing something like.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, I do. I hope I got something. I'mma bring an easel and some paint. I'm. You know, I really miss my kids being little. That really took up a lot of my play. Time. I just want to play all the time. Make something, play, bank, do something. And I have to carry everything with me to make that happen. Like, if I'm working on a movie set because there are long hours and I should be reading over my lines, but I always wait and do it the last minute. Yeah. But no, I don't really dig that too much, being an actor in a film. I like theater, though. I think that's a wonderful place. I like the immediate connection between you and the audience.

[DJ Envy]

And you only get, like, one take to do it when you on that stage.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, that's it. That's what's beautiful about it. Yeah. One stop.

[DJ Envy]

Denzel. He's producing the piano lesson, right?

[Erykah Badu]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

Was he involved? Like, was he.

[Erykah Badu]

He was around, but he. He stepped back and let his. His children work. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

What do you learn from your children now? Not that they're grown.

[Erykah Badu]

Ah, so many things. Like I told you guys, they are definitely improvements on my design. And Puma is at a place now at 20 that I was 30, before I was at her level of understanding and emotional intelligence and compassion for people and to integrity, discipline. Yeah, I was still a child kind of at 20. I learned a lot from them. And. And they aren't very judgmental, you know, so they just kind of go along with whatever I do. We never had rules. It was just do what I say. And they did that and watched me, you know, I never hid anything from them. So, yeah, they're having their turn at showing me and teaching me patience and severity. Mama, you got to say what you feel, feel what you say. Tell that that's Mars. They telling you that that's Jay Electronica Little girl Mars. Yeah, they will. They'll tell me, you can only be so kind now, you know, and our favorite saying is a kabbalistic saying that severity without mercy is cruelty. Mercy without severity is weakness. So we try to walk that line. You know, kindness isn't only being, you know, appearing nice. Kindness is all also telling somebody to. To beat it.

[DJ Envy]

That's right. Could you still. Could you write an old to hip hop now in 2024, like, based off this era of music, would hip hop be the love of your life right now?

[Erykah Badu]

It still is. Always okay. You only have one love. You're lucky just to have just one love. Who am I quoting?

[DJ Envy]

One love. One love.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Houdini.

[DJ Envy]

Houdini, yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. And who did. Who did it over?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nas.

[DJ Envy]

Nas.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. Okay. I'm just trying to see if there's some B boys.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm from New York. So that's my.

[Erykah Badu]

I'm saying. I'm saying, you know, y'all were looking to be like, why you asking that? That's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, I didn't ask that.

[Erykah Badu]

That's simple arithmetic.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I knew what it was.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

How's the relationship evolved, though, or change?

[Erykah Badu]

Because relationship between me and hip hop.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

It has not. Because hip hop is still here. It's recorded. It can never go away. Nobody can take it away. It has been recorded in time. Hip hop will be televised. It is down. I can access it at any point in time. So it is there. Yeah. So I feel the same way.

[Lauren LaRosa]

How do you feel about people having a conversation now about it being like the third most popular genre behind Latin music? I think in country and country music. Like, how do you feel about that? Because, like, I think. Yes. Hip hop at one point. Go ahead.

[Erykah Badu]

No, it's not third. It's first. I'm talking about all over the planet. Everywhere I go, gossip. Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Africa, Mexico. Everywhere I go, we are praying to different gods, different names of God, but everybody is nodding their heads in agreeance to the one kicking a snare. It's hip hop is like. It's the religion. It's how. It's what brings us all together. The whole world. Yeah. Nah. Hip hop is the biggest. They know that. Oh, they talking about sales.

[DJ Envy]

Sales, sales, sales, sales. Not culture, sales.

[Erykah Badu]

Okay, okay.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But like, culture wise, they wouldn't even be able to understand, to rank it.

[Erykah Badu]

But nah.

[DJ Envy]

What made J Dilla so brilliant? We gonna get you out of here.

[Erykah Badu]

What made him so brilliant?

[DJ Envy]

Made him so brilliant?

[Erykah Badu]

His approach to music was authenticity. He was authentic. That's what made him different. He had a metronome and he was true to it. He didn't never use the quantization button. He never quantized. It was always his inner metronome. So the snares were live. Usually when. When we produce, we are using a kick in the snare button and we push a button called quantize and it puts it on the grid on the 2 and the 4.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So it's the same all the time.

[Erykah Badu]

Yes. Which gives us a certain swing depending on what. What feel you want. But I never knew that Dillard's feel was his feel because it was always live. So he would do maybe a couple of quantized things. You know, he had a little tricks here and there with the snares, but for the most part, he was very simple and un. Unquantized.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So for four minutes he would actually play the beep. So the snares wouldn't necessarily be on the. Yeah, which is amazing because it's feeling not.

[Erykah Badu]

Not necessarily based off of feeling all the time. Sometimes he would just play the. Play the kick in the snare live. Or play the. Yeah. Kick and snare live. And do the high hats live.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Gotcha.

[Erykah Badu]

Or the shakers, because those. Those are laying back. So his beats laid back. I don't know how to explain it, but he had a laid back. He was on his own beat rhythm. And he brought. He brought all of us to that place.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I never knew that.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, it was a certain hump that he has. Can't be explained, but that's what made him so special. And his choices and samples and his collection of music. He was a historian. He was also very. You have to be mathematical. But I told stories before how when I opened his refrigerator, all the Coke cans would be lined up, like, so symmetrically. I wouldn't want to get one, you know, But I don't drink Coke. No way. But, you know, I had to make that clear as you sipping your green juice. People crazy.

[DJ Envy]

That's another endorsement.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now I've seen the beehive. The beehive chased you a little bit for a little bit.

[Erykah Badu]

Where's the beehive now?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Twitter.

[Erykah Badu]

I ain't seen the beehive in a long time. And I love bees. They don't know I like it. Love bees. Them I totem. Yeah. We ain't seen them lately, though, have y'all? They gonna tear me up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yep. You're gonna see them tomorrow.

[Erykah Badu]

See em tomorrow.

[DJ Envy]

I like the tweet when you said, jay, you gonna let this woman in these bees? Say something. Jay, you gonna let this woman in these bees do this to me?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Say something.

[Erykah Badu]

I don't know why people think take things so serious. It's just my sense of humor.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Erykah Badu]

I love Jay.

[Lauren LaRosa]

When you saw the COVID though, knowing that there is the inspiration, like does do those inspiration moments, are you feeling like, oh, my God, they saw what I was trying to do. They love it. They still doing it?

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Or do you feel like, oh, that was mine, like, don't bite.

[Erykah Badu]

I have to be very careful with this because my children are watching me, and that generation is watching. And as much as we love our art, it doesn't belong to us once it goes out in the world, however, you can't. You can't manage what people are going to do with the art. You can't manage whether they're going to duplicate it or do another interpretation of it or just enjoy it or use it as an inspiration. You can't manage that. But you don't have to remain silent about it. Yeah, you can. If. If it makes you feel away, you should say something about it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But outside of that, there are a lot of artists that get there. You can tell their style, their approach, everything from you. And you do see that. Does that bother you? Or do you look at it like, I put my art out there and it is what it is? Or do you mind only if they don't show you respect and love and say, well, it came from here?

[Erykah Badu]

As I mature more, I have less of a need to own. Own something. And the more I let go of it, the more I am acknowledged. Isn't that something? The more I let go of the need of that. Then you get a call and say, hey, we want to give you an award. That's how the universe works in my world. So I saw that, and I was very proud of that award and proud of that moment because I had let go of some things that were no longer evolving. Me thinking. And then there comes. They give. Give it to you because I became it. Because they don't give you what you want to give you what you are.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, that's a ball. You heard that one. Wow. My last question. I feel like everything you do is spirit art. Like I said earlier. Is it even possible for you to do any type of art without divine energy being involved?

[Erykah Badu]

I don't think so. Even if I'm not aware of it, it's always involved. Yeah. Something. There's something. I know what it is, but there's something. We float. No, that's giving us life choices of some sort. Yeah. You know, we're born, we're told. You know, once we're born, you know, our religion was here already. What we're supposed to believe in, the tribe, the ways, the hunting ways, the what we worship, how we worship, how we learn, how we cook, how we dress. There's a tribe and you learn that. Hopefully you go outside of that once you are of age to explore other things, because you want to see if that is true, you know, then you explore even further. You want to go outside of that and see how you feel being entangled with another person, another human. And then after that, you go, like, entangled.

[DJ Envy]

Entangled. Entanglement.

[Erykah Badu]

Entanglement is when two cells meet and become something. Yeah. So you become entangled with another human in the next phase of your life. Then hopefully you learn that and learn some boundaries. And then now you're an individual human who's creative in spirit. And then you have to learn how to. To walk in that humanness, in that spiritualness. I don't know what I was saying or how we got to this, but.

[DJ Envy]

Because I was asking you, is it possible for you to make art without that divine?

[Erykah Badu]

No, not, not for me, because I believe that. I believe that. Yeah. Do you think it's possible to do anything without divine?

[DJ Envy]

Not anything meaningful.

[Erykah Badu]

Not anything meaningful, yeah. So you. So you think or you feel that there's an opposite of divine?

[DJ Envy]

Yes, yes, yes. I feel like there's just. I think that, you know, you have your divine and then you just have your human. Right. So we're all spiritual beings living in a human existence. So you can do all types of things in the human existence.

[Erykah Badu]

Right.

[DJ Envy]

And you may think they feel good in the moment and they may just. But it's not lasting, it's not fulfilling. You can, you know when you're doing something divine, you know when God is.

[Erykah Badu]

Your body has his hand on it.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, absolutely.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And you don't have to do much.

[Erykah Badu]

It just your body feel it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You just show up and do what you do and everything around you just move.

[Erykah Badu]

That's how music and performing is to me. It's the only thing in my life that is like that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Wow.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. When I get up there, I'm not wrong. I'm not too skinny, I'm not too ugly. I'm not too anything. Everything is right.

[DJ Envy]

You got some shows coming up?

[Erykah Badu]

I do, yep.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Maryland this weekend.

[Erykah Badu]

Yes. D.C. first and second.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Brazil on the sixth.

[Erykah Badu]

That's right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

In San Francisco on the 16th.

[Erykah Badu]

Yep.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And also you can check out badoo worldmarket.com if you want to get all types of things like the fun.

[DJ Envy]

We ordered the Funko though.

[Lauren LaRosa]

They sold out on there.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah, I know.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I've been waiting. Even we.

[Erykah Badu]

We don't realize how big the. The fan base is, is the reach is. But it's amazing.

[Lauren LaRosa]

There's no point in the email list cuz it's always so out.

[Erykah Badu]

I bought you guys some Funko.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, I have a gift for you too.

[Erykah Badu]

You do? Y'all got to cut it open if you want to see it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What is it?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Thank you so much.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, this is the. The figure that you created, right?

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah. This is the Funko Pop.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Funko Pop.

[Erykah Badu]

This is the Funko. Funko Pop is this collective.

[DJ Envy]

Look at this. Look at this email. Look at this. This was. I forward this to my wife. I like this. She sent me back this morning. It's so cute. Now we got one. There you go.

[Erykah Badu]

So they're a pop culture vinyl toy collective. And. And they. They specialize in artists or icons.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, they specialize in not doing it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We need to put a shelf up there.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Camera. He'll get it before my. Gonna let me.

[Erykah Badu]

Okay, okay. And she's cute.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So.

[Erykah Badu]

So this first one they did is the Call Tyrone video. So that we. I actually reached out to Funko to do this because I thought it was important for my kids to have these. They love Funkos.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's dope.

[Erykah Badu]

And I surprised him one day and said, I have a Funko that's so dope. Like your own Funko. You. Yeah, you. Yeah. Will you.

[DJ Envy]

This is beautiful.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's dope. Well, thank you again for joining us. We always appreciate you.

[Erykah Badu]

Absolutely. I appreciate you too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, we do. Definitely do.

[DJ Envy]

No, we love you, value you, appreciate you. I literally just told somebody last week, I said, I don't play by Erykah Badu.

[Erykah Badu]

Either. Or Envy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

There you go.

[Erykah Badu]

At all. And I don't care about you either, sis.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Thank you.

[Erykah Badu]

And if something happened, you call me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I got you. I'm gonna call you.

[Erykah Badu]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Because Charlotte may be acting up in here. Honestly, that's not true.

[Erykah Badu]

I don't believe that. Oh, I might believe nothing like that. Don't do that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

It'd be hard.

[Erykah Badu]

Don't do that, sis.

[Lauren LaRosa]

It'd be tough.

[Erykah Badu]

He'd be tough.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What he is.

[DJ Envy]

That's not true.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All you gotta do is just lay some incense. He'll calm down.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Now we got the Badu pussy in here. Maybe he'll relax.

[Erykah Badu]

Everybody. Everybody gonna relax.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

There you go.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Thank you, though.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Erykah Badu]

Within a 30 mile radius, everybody gonna be relaxed. I appreciate y'all always supporting me, sister.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Thank you.

[Erykah Badu]

Good morning.

[DJ Envy]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Erykah Badu]

The Breakfast Club.