Lupe Fiasco, dressed in a black tee with the word “occupy” printed on it, tried to make a statement as he performed his “Words I Never Said” single alongside singer Erykah Badu (who, filling in for Skylar Grey, didn’t reveal her identity until the end of the performance when she took a black veil off that was covering her face).

Watch below:

The 33rd Annual UNCF Evening of Stars gala was held Sunday evening (Aug 14) in Pasadena, CA and featured red carpet appearances from Keke Palmer, Pooch Hall & Coby Bell from “The Game,” Lance Gross, Tatyana Ali, Musiq Soulchild, David Banner,  and many others.

During the ceremony, R&B acts like Musiq Soulchild, Miguel, Ledisi, Erykah Badu, Estelle, Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius and more, including music legend Patti Labelle, hit the stage and performed.

Check out 30+ pics of celebs at the 2011 UNCF Evening of Stars gala below:

Erykah Badu came through and spread peace, love, and happiness on Day 2 of the famed Coachella Music Festival. The longtime music staple opened up with “20 Feet Tall” from her latest album New Amerykah Part Two, performing crowd favorites like “Appletree” and her signature “On and On.”

Newcomer Wiz Khalifa also rolled up to the California desert to rock fans on the final day of Coachella. Check out pics and video footage from both of their amazing performances below:

Erykah Badu misses that special someone in her newest video release “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Gone”. The track is off Badu’s latest album, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh.

Check it out below…

Thoughts?

R&B singer Erykah Badu was among the many performers during the 2010 Soul Train Awards, which aired last night (Sun. Nov 28) on BET and Centric, weeks after its initial recording in Atlanta, Georgia. Badu opted to perform an interesting rendition of her 2010 breakout single “Window Seat.”

Check out a few pics from the performance below, and continue reading for the video footage…

The 2010 Hennessy Artistry Concert Series went down this past Thursday night (Oct 14) in New York City, and featured performances from Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Eve, Ron Isley and others. (Bobby Brown even hit the stage!)

Other celebs at the event were Trina, Melanie Fiona, Selita Ebanks, Anthony Mackie and more. Check out 15+ pics of everyone below (and when you continue reading)!!

Well it appears that R&B singer Erykah Badu is going to pay somewhat of a cost for the nude stroll she took through downtown Dallas while recording a music video.

According to CNN, Badu must pay a fine of $500 and serve 6 months probation after being cited back in April for “disorderly conduct.” However, if Erykah completes the total 180 days of probation…the offense will be erased from her criminal record.

For those who don’t know…the singer walked completely nude at the same spot President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in for her “one-shot” music video for “Window Seat” back in March.

SMH…we knew it was just a matter of time!

Neo-soul queen Erykah Badu brought the funk as she rocked a golden mohawk and performed an hour-long set Sunday night (Aug 8) in Chicago’s Grant Park for Day 2 of the 2010 Lollapalooza Music Festival.

Check out a few pics of Erykah performing at the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, IL below…

Rapper Erykah Badu performed Saturday night (Jul 24) in London at Brixton Academy.

NBA player Chris Bosh and his girlfriend Adrienne Williams attended a dinner hosted by Chris in honor of After School All Stars Friday night (Jul 23) in East Hampton, New York.

Actor Terry Crews flexed his muscles at a screening for his new movie “The Expendables” at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, CA.

Fabolous, Adrienne Bailon and Jeremih hung out backstage at the Ace of Spades Loft Thursday (Jul 22) in New York City.

Producer/rapper Swizz Beatz spoke during the closing night of the 2010 New York Music Seminar at The Revolution Hall at Webster Hall Wednesday (Jul 21) in New York.

Rihanna was all smiles at the exclusive after party for her Los Angeles concert hosted by Asics at Drai’s Hollywood in Cali.

Actors Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron posed on the red carpet of the premiere of Universal Pictures’ new movie “Charlie St. Cloud” at the Regency Village Theater Tuesday (Jul 20) in Westwood, CA.

Ashton Kutcher spoke at the premiere of “Killers” at the Village Jam Factory in Melbourne, Australia.

And rapper Rick Ross paid a visit to Sirius XM STudios Monday (Jul 19) the day before his new album Teflon Don dropped. It’s expected to sell close to 200,000 copies this week.

[See post to listen to audio]
Rapper Rick Ross drops another hot track from his upcoming album release Teflon Don. This is the third installment of Ross’ “Maybach Music” series, and he’s brought along some all-stars. T.I. spits one of the best verses since his release from jail, and Jadakiss doesn’t disappoint either. Erykah Badu brings her hypnotic melodies to the hook, but the real star of the show is in the music progression brought to you by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Rozay ends it on a Kill Bill-esque vibe.

Teflon Don‘s new release date is July 20th. Let’s hope, with all this leaked music, Ross has enough steam to finally release the album. Another track leaked today called “Aston Martin Music.” Peep the download link for Maybach Music 3 below…

D/L: Rick Ross F/ T.I., Jadakiss & Erykah Badu – Maybach Music III

Russell Simmons launched his NOH8 milkshake in honor of the 40th LA Pride Anniversary at Milions of Milkshakes over the weekend (Sat. Jun 12) in West Hollywood, CA.

Kelly Rowland posed for pictures at the AXE Lounge in Southampton, New York Friday (Jun 11) to promote the release of her new single “Commander.”

Singers Maxwell and Erykah Badu performed in concert at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.

R&B singer Usher posed backstage with his award for “2010 Celebrity Fragrance of the Year” at the 2010 Fifi Awards at the New York State Armory in New York.

Kim Kardashian chilled with Randy Jackson at the 38th Annual Fifi Awards.

Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith spoke on stage last Wednesday (Jun 9) at the 2010 CMT Music Awards in Nashville, TN.

Singer Taylor Swift also attended the 2010 CMT Music Awards in Nashville. The young country music sensation presented an award with Faith Hill during the show.

And country singer Carrie Underwood was spotted posing with her awards at the 2010 CMT Music Awards Press Room. Underwood won the “Video of the Year” and the “CMT Performance of the Year” awards, two of the biggest honors of the evening.

Erykah Badu strips down to her birthday suit on the second cover of the June/July 2010 issue of VIBE Magazine. Yesterday we showed you Nicki Minaj‘s cover and today, Erykah is revealing secrets and getting very “skin-timate” with her cover story.

In Erykah Badu’s feature, the R&B singer talks about getting naked in her “Window Seat” music video and more. Check out what she had to say below:

“I look at some other videos. I’m not naming names, because I don’t want that to be mentioned. There is the thing with sexuality. I’m naked for 13 seconds, and these people are naked the whole time and gyrating and saying come “lick on my lollipop,” and “suck on my cinnamon roll,” and, you know, suggesting sex. People are uncomfortable with sexuality that’s not for male consumption. Could be ‘cause I did it in public too. Do you think people would have been complaining if I had on high-heel shoes?”

“I am a big fan and a supporter of [Jay Electronica's] evolution and growth as an artist. I write all his rhymes. I’m joking. [laughs] I’m always amazed and impressed with the things he comes up with. He definitely does what a partner is supposed to do, that is, evolve you.”

“I was 27 when I had Seven. I was already a vegetarian. I had been for 10 years. I had started making choices that would shape me for the rest of my life. I never thought to measure by each child. My children are six years apart. It wasn’t planned, just how the relationships rolled out. I’ve had three unorthodox marriages of sorts. I’ve had the benefit of having substantial amount of time with people, mind-building time.”

VIBE MAGAZINE

VIBE Magazine released another preview of one of two upcoming covers for their June/July issue, and this one is an outtake from Erykah Badu‘s shoot. And just like the Nicki Minaj sneak peak, this here isn’t the actual cover either. Keep checking back for both covers though!!

Erykah Badu is known for being thought provoking and out-spoken, and she’s doing just that in her cover story for the June 7th 2010 issue of JET Magazine. The 39-year-old musician sounds off about motherhood, her controversial “Window Seat” music video and much more in JET’s latest issue, due to hit newsstands nationwide next Monday (May 31). Peep what JET had to say about their interview with Erykah Badu below:

Erykah Badu doesn’t back down from anything and she definitely works hard to be true to herself. Gearing up for her Out My Mind, Just In Time multi-city tour, the mother of three tells Jet¹s Senior Writer Clarence Waldron that she¹s not moved by the recent controversy about her artistry or anyone’ opinion about her in general. In fact, she has much more to say in this week’s issue.

The net has been swirling with chatter pertaining to Erykah Badu’s new music video for her latest single “Window Seat” in which actually she went nude (for a few seconds near the end) to promote individuality. At the end of the clip, she is apparently shot in the head once all of her clothes are off and she falls to the ground near the same grassy knoll where President Kennedy was shot in downtown Dallas in 1963. Instead of blood, animated words that spell out “groupthink” leak from her head on the sidewalk.

Since the release of that particular video, the Dallas police have charged her with disorderly conduct and fined her $500. What did  Erykah Badu have to say about the video and the charge? Read on for what she said to MTV:

“I thought it was a move for women and men and children who feel they weren’t good enough. This is just me, I’m good enough. I felt it was important enough to do. More pros than cons. I know it was a shocking thing I did,” she said.

“I expected it to provoke dialogue, and it’s an important statement to make. It’s about freeing oneself of the layers and layers of things that we have learned as Americans in this country. At the point of becoming naked and individual and free, either you’re assassinated spiritually or mentally by the group or worse. The words coming out of my head after I was figuratively and literally assassinated was ‘groupthink.’ Groupthink is a term coined by Irving Janis, 1972. It pretty much states what happens when a character or person is ostracized for thinking out of what the consensus is. He or she is pretty much thinking [more] with a heart than with loyalty. It’s an important thing. It’s art. It’s performance art. Art is supposed to spark dialogue and ring an awakening of some sort,” she maintained, “especially if it is impactful and powerful. I didn’t expect to be demonized, but I did expect to spark that sort of dialogue.”

MTV

We feel you Ms. Badu! In case you haven’t seen the “Window Seat” video, click here to check it out!

Looks like Erykah Badu is going to be charged for her “public display of nudity” on the streets of Dallas, TX while she was filming her new music video “Window Seat,” reports TMZ. The announcement was made at a news conference held by the Dallas Police Department Friday (Apr 2).

Badu was formally charged with disorderly conduct and faces up to a $500 fine. She’ll reportedly mail her citation in.

All this over a few seconds of brief nudity, SMH…

What do you think about Erykah Being charged? Do you think she deserved it, or no?

The always fashionably eccentric nu-soul singer Erykah Badu paid a visit to BET’s 106 & Park yesterday (Tues. Mar 30) to discuss her new album (in stores now!) and to explain the concept behind her controversial “Window Seat” music video. She also premiered her “Jump Up in the Air” video with Lil Wayne.

Diggy Simmons (is that his stage name? correct us if we’re wrong) was also in the building and discussed his new record deal with Atlantic. The young rapper also spit an acapella freestyle live on the spot and wasn’t half bad! This kid is going places and could possibly be the “Justin Bieber of Hip-Hop.” Check out pics of Erykah on the show below and continue reading for Diggy’s freestyle…

Erykah Badu slowly strips down to her birthday suit in her new music video for “Window Seat,” the lead single from her newly released album New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh).

The entire “guerilla-style” video was filmed in one take and was shot in Dallas, TX on St. Patrick’s Day in broad daylight. And yes, Erykah really does get BUTT NAKED, and the people you see in the video are not “extras.” They’re actually innocent bystanders who knew nothing about the impromptu video shoot before-hand, as you can probably tell by their actions and facial expressions.

At the end of the video when Badu is completely naked, a gunshot is heard and she falls to the ground, around the same area where President Kennedy was assassinated back in 1963. Continue reading to check out the video…

[See post to listen to audio]
R&B/neo-soul singer Erykah Badu released the cover for her new album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh via her official website earlier this week. The singer plans to release the album in a couple weeks (Tues. Mar 30). She also leaked a song from the album called “Strawberry Incense,” which was produced by Madlib and features Kirsten Agresta on the harp.

Read on for more info on the album’s cover…

The cover art for NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO is a collaboration between ERYKAH BADU and famed artist and poster designer EMEK, who also designed the inspired packaging for 2008’s New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War. The new album cover depicts an underwater image of BADU wearing a suit of armor that symbolizes the tough exterior she developed to protect herself from the harsh realities of life. The armor is her old shell and now she’s liberating herself from it by climbing out of her own head so that she can be reborn.

Her tuning fork is summoning the vibrations of the universe and the purple-colored tree of life and purple sky represent the 7th Chakra—the Crown Chakra right above her third eye shield, which represents peace, wisdom, and spirituality. The numerical theme of three is symbolized by three moons, three hidden babies, three trees, and three ankhs. Closer inspection reveals that BADU’s shoulders are surrounded by many of the same objects that filled her abstract afro on the cover of New Amerykah Part One, including handcuffs, a foreclosed home, fast food, cigarettes, broken chains, and a military tank. Here, those items represent refuse and rubble from which new life grows into a vibrant garden of colorful flowers blossoming all around her.

“Working with ERYKAH always brings out the best in me,” says EMEK. “I have worked with hundreds of bands and I have to say that she is pretty unique. The amount of time and energy she spends on all aspects of her life. She is very creative and hands-on, but she also respects and encourages the creativity in others.”

In keeping with the concept of the cover art, NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO: RETURN OF THE ANKH taps into BADU’s emotional side by thematically focusing on romance and relationships. “With Part One, I was standing at an apex, looking at what was going on around me politically, socially, and economically,” BADU explains. “With PART TWO, I’m hovering over me, looking at what’s going on inside of me.”

D/L: ERYKAH BADU – STRAWBERRY INCENSE

The 2009 Soul Train Awards, hosted by Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, were held earlier this month (Tues. Nov 3) at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta and were aired last night (Sun. Nov 3) on BET. We posted the arrival photos shortly after the show was recorded at the beginning of the month and here are the pictures from inside the show!

Folks like Robin Thicke, Ludacris, Keri Hilson, Fantasia and more performed. Trey Songz and Toni Braxton opened up the show with Braxton’s new single “So Yesterday” and ended their performance with a big ol’ passionate smooch on the lips! Toni says it was all planned and her husband knew about it well in advance so any speculation about that causing the separation between she and her husband is reportedly false.

Anyway, continue reading for the rest of the photos!

Rapper Snoop Dogg took the stage, shower cap and all, Sunday (Jun 14) afternoon during Day 4 of the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Continue reading for tons of photos from the festival!

Neo-soul queen Erykah Badu also performed Sunday (Jun 14) at the Bonnaroo Festival.

Singer/songwriter Solange performed Thursday (Jun 11) night during Day 1 of the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

And urban/alternative singer, songwriter and performer Janelle Monae performed Thursday (Jun 11) night as well.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES // WIRE IMAGE

R&B singers Erykah Badu and Anthony Hamilton, along with rapper Common, performed at the 4th annual “Jazz in the Garden” concert Saturday night at the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, FL. Tichina Arnold made an appearance at the event too. Continue reading for all of the photos from the show.

PHOTOS: WENN / WIRE IMAGE

Erykah Badu announced on Twitter yesterday that she and longtime boyfriend Jay Electronica decided to name their newborn daughter Marks Merkaba.

According to Crystalinks.com, the word Merkaba refers to a “divine light vehicle allegedly used by ascended masers to connect with and reach those in tune with the higher realms.” The vehicle is described as a kind of three-dimensional Star of David that “transports spirit/body from one dimension to another.” In the Bible, the Merkabah is described as a chariot made of angels with four wings and four faces that represent the four directions and take the form of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle.

SOURCE

The internet has definitely brought celebrities a lot closer to the general public and if you follow @fatbellybella, you’ll know that Erykah Badu gave birth sometime between 10:00 AM and 6:49 PM this past Sunday (Feb. 1st 2009). How? Because she posted the following messages to Twitter, the hugely popular social networking site that’s the next best thing since Facebook and MySpace and YouTube.

But that’s okay. Boyfriend and father of the child, Jay Electronica, who goes by @JayElectronica, kept everyone abreast with what was going on and everything. Even when he saw the baby’s head:

“Labor has begun,” he wrote as JayElectronica. “Everybody stand back. No hospitals. No doctors. No medicine. We’re waiting for the midwife to show.”

That was just the beginning of the overshare. Electronica shared the experience of his baby mama’s water breaking and gave regular updates on her dilating and eventual delivery five hours later.

Soon after Badu started pushing, he wrote, “I see the head, full of hair.” Another 20 minutes later, he typed, “Feb. 1 2009 my first child, my daughter born at 130 PM [sic] exactly. It’s the happiest day of my life.”

{ SOURCE }

It was later reported that along with the help of a midwife, she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Details haven’t yet been announced as far as weight, size or even a name. Of course she did say this later on that night: “we named the baby twitty milk .” I hope not! And speaking of names, I wonder if she’s going to change her twitter name now that she no longer has a “fat belly.” Twitter makes it really simple to change your Twitter name and you don’t even lose followers, tweets, DMs or anything! And if I remember correctly … fatbellybella wasn’t even her original Twitter name.

But anyway, congratulations to Erykah and Jay!

LOS ANGELES // WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH 2008 » Singer Rihanna and rapper Jay-Z, the man responsible for her superstar career, shared a high five last night on the red carpet of the 2008 Spirit of Life Award Dinner. The City of Hope’s Music and Entertainment Industry honored Doug Morris, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, with the Spirit of Life Award at last night’s star-studded dinner. In addition to Rihanna and Jay-Z, stars like Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey, Keyshia Cole, Robin Thicke, and more all supported the cause. More pics when you continue reading…

PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE

Rumored couple Ne-Yo and Nicole Scherzinger failed miserably at trying to “sneak by” the paps as they left the Ivy after lunch yesterday (May 6th) in LA. They left so fast, Ne-Yo was still chewing on some food! Ne-Yo, what did ya eat? Was it good? Dang, swallow already! Lol

Britney Spears was spotted as she left the Los Angeles Superior County Courthouse after a child custody hearing yesterday (May 6th). According to various reports from the media, the judge decided to grant Spears more access to see her two sons.

Singer Janelle Monae performed at her very own showcase at the Key Club in Los Angeles last night (May 6th).

Funny man Ashton Kutcher was spotted as he hit up the Ed Sullivan Theatre for a taping “The Late Show with David Letterman” yesterday afternoon (May 6th) in New York.

Flo Rida performed in Boston, MA Sunday (May 4th) for the 2008 MtvU “Campus Invasion Music Tour.”

Erykah Badu performed in concert in Detroit, MI this past Sunday (May 4th) at the Fox Theater.

Singer Tank and video vixen Melyssa Ford were in Miami during the “Hazel Eyes Experience” at the Catalina Hotel Sunday (May 4th).

The paps caught Omarion driving around in his new Bentley in West Hollywood Monday (May 5th). New Bentley, huh? Didn’t he just get dropped from his label? If I lost my job, I wouldn’t be running out to the nearest car dealership to purchase a new whip …. especially a damn Bentley! Not to mention the simple fact that cars depreciate in value the second you leave the damn lot.

Chris Tucker was spotted chatting on his phone while taking a walk in Beverly Hills earlier today (May 7th).

Ex-rapper Heavy D was spotted as he left a medical center in Beverly Hills. What’s in the bag, mister?

R&B singer John Legend performed live during Sunfest in West Palm Beach, FL this past Sunday (May 4th).

{ PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE » GETTY » WENN }

Nu soul singer Erykah Badu and Q-Tip cover Trace‘s Spring 2008 Art Issue. Beautiful! Erykah Badu’s latest album New AmErykah (Motown) is in stores now!

Ooh, I like this! It’s very creative and I guess “honey” would be music of course! The video is obviously about local record stores dying and how you should support them! I love Blue Note, I wonder if that’s where she taped this? And is that Sa-Ra? I like how she parodies artist’s album covers in it! LOL! And omg – her Andre impression – I was rolling! I thought the monkey at the end was funnie, I forget where I seen that from, I think a commercial..

UPDATE: Ugh, can anyone guess the covers, the ones I personally picked up right away were Nas and The Beatles. I know, I’m too young -_-

Let me tell YOU! Erykah Badu has a way of killing it in the most subtle way possible, it truly is indescribable. Now I can not wait for “New Amerykah”! I think I understand the whole concept behind the album but, really, it is too soon to tell. But with this … this right here! I’m completely … speechless.

Erykah Badu – The Healer – page link // direct link

What-what! “New AmErykah” is almost here! I’m so excited becos I’ve heard Erykah Badu is set to work with Bilal for her upcoming LP, New Amerykah (Motown), in stores February 26th so you know I gotta hear this! As for the album cover? It’s creative, thought provoking … I like it!

Nu-soulstress Erykah Badu recently revealed the name of her 4th full length album, Nu AmErykah, which will feature production by Madlib, 9th Wonder, Mike “Chav” Chavarria, and a guest spot from Bilal the LP’s due date is expected for a Winter release (February 26th) of next year via Universal/Motown. In reference to the prior provisional title, Kabbah, Badu says that that name was never final and that she prefers to wait and title her albums once they’re finished:

“I named the album Nu AmErykah because I’m dealing with whatever is to come instead of what was,” said Badu. Apparently being her 3rd LP, Worldwide Underground, in 2003 due to lackadaisical sales which was due to timing the singer proclaims, “I didn’t feel like doing the whole promotional circuit for that record. I’d just had a baby.” – source

Nu AmErykah will include a total of 18 pre-recorded tracks on a two disc format and will include the psychedelic single “Honey” produced by 9th Wonder.