Oh Erykah...
Erykah Badu Suggests “Racist” Gay Men Are Behind Criticism Of Her Performance For King Of Swaziland
And then she called one of her critics “satan.”
posted on May 2, 2014 at 12:07pm EDT
J. Lester Feder
Singer Erykah Badu implied that “racist” gay males are behind criticism of her recent appearance at the birthday party of the king of the south African country of Swaziland in a series of tweets posted on Thursday and Friday.
The tweets came in response to a column posted at Slate by Pedro Pizano and Jeffrey Smith, who wrote that Badu’s “response to being called out for” performing for “Swaziland’s brutal dictator” was “worse than the performance itself.” Pizano used to do communications for the Human Rights Foundation now and has a small firm consulting on human rights issues. Smith is an advocacy officer with the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.
King Mswati III is alleged to be behind abuses including targeted killings of his political opponents, the torture and disappearances of pro-democracy advocates, and the banning of all political parties. Pizano and Smith also note that Badu performed not far from the jail where journalist Bheki Makhubu and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko are being held for “criticizing the lack of an independent judiciary.”
The exchange appears to have begun after Pizano responded to this tweet from Badu:
ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
Everytime I respond to cruel accusations from my African freedom fighting brothers, I know Im giving them a platform 2further their agenda.
11:12 AM - 1 May 14
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Pedro Pizano@pedropizano Follow
@fatbellybella why don't you speak out for them by name: Bkheki Makhubu and Thulani Maseko. I bet you can't even RT this. #swaziland
11:53 AM - 1 May 14
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Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Badu wrote:
ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano are you gay? Curious? No jokes?
11:57 AM - 1 May 14
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Pizano responded:
Pedro Pizano@pedropizano Follow
What?!! “@fatbellybella: @pedropizano are you gay? Curious? No jokes?”
11:58 AM - 1 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
Seriously. “@pedropizano: What?!! “@fatbellybella: @pedropizano are you gay? Curious? No jokes?””
11:59 AM - 1 May 14
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@
Pedro Pizano@pedropizano Follow
.@fatbellybella I refuse to answer this demeaning question. It's insulting and offensive to me and all my friends.
12:19 PM - 1 May 14
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(Pizano got some criticism because his remark appeared to suggest being gay was something shameful, but he told BuzzFeed “I meant exactly the opposite.” It is “insulting to all my gay friends” for her to raise questions of sexuality as part of a “character assassination” that “doesn’t have anything to do with what we’re discussing.”)
Badu persisted:
ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
I just wondered because .. I wonder if u know how it feels to be ostracized for only being YOURSELF. @smith_RFKennedy @pedropizano
12:03 PM - 1 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano well are you PEDRO. If you are ashamed its okay .but I want to show you something.
12:05 PM - 1 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@smith_RFKennedy so long THIRSTon Howell III.
1:25 PM - 1 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@smith_RFKennedy hahahhaha . Twerking for the king. I love it . So creative
1:49 PM - 1 May 14
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And then began tweets suggesting the authors were motivated by racism:
ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
--->>>>@smith_RFKennedy devils are easy to spot in any color.
4:27 PM - 1 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@smith_RFKennedy btw I'm not a pop icon. But I like the twerk thing . Very racist of u.
4:42 PM - 1 May 14
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And then she came back to the gay thing when a follower asked how she knew who was gay without asking:
@
ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
I don't know .. I use to be a dancer .. Go figure. Can just tell..
@speeeday @jonathantnowak @smith_RFKennedy
5:32 PM - 1 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@adamjkovac why do gays hate me?
5:40 PM - 1 May 14
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Then, when Pizano started tweeting the Slate story to other writers — proud of his first story for the publication — Badu started up again:
Pedro Pizano@pedropizano Follow
@alecjross Alec: my latest (but my first) for @slate: "Why Does Erykah Badu (@fatbellybella) Perform for #Dictators?
t.co/NiLuIeHYUu8:12 AM - 2 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano >a struggling writter who wants to be a STAR.. Masked as a political activist, He used my blood to publish his FIRST BIG PEice.
7:58 AM - 2 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano good job. & you're welcome. Thank you for the free pub. Even other gay people see thru you. Your giving love a bad name kid.
8:00 AM - 2 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano @joneforeman @slate BOY STICK TO BLOGGING. You are NO JOURNALIST. Trust .lol .. But don't let your dream end with me. Lol
8:03 AM - 2 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano here.. ill help u. HEY! Everybody read Pedro's sweeeeet little piece. VOTE FOR PEDRO... face . Lol
8:08 AM - 2 May 14
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And then she called Pizano “satan”:
Danya Steele@danyasteele Follow
I personally love @fatbellybella -- as does virtually everyone I know, including friends + family in South Africa. That is unquestioned.
9:06 AM - 2 May 14
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Pedro Pizano@pedropizano Follow
@danyasteele @fatbellybella we'd love her more if she didn't sing for dictators.
9:41 AM - 2 May 14
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ErykahBadoula@fatbellybella Follow
@pedropizano I don't need your conditional love Satan
9:53 AM - 2 May 14
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