Erykah Badu was one of 500 attendees who helped Barack Obama celebrate his 60th birthday at a private, Hawaiian-themed party on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts earlier this week.
But the neo-soul goddess found herself delivering a Twitter apology following the event. The extravagant soiree — which was planned months in advance in accordance with all public health guidelines and with COVID-19 safeguards in place — had a strict no photography or video policy, which Ms. Badu evidently decided to break.
On Thursday (August 12), the 50-year-old chanteuse shared a video clip to her Instagram Stories showing the former President of the United States gettin’ jiggy with it on the dance floor with a mic in his hand. Badu is in the foreground of the video, smiling and sticking her tongue out.
But for whatever reason, Badu promptly apologized for violating the rules — although it’s tough to determine her tone. At face value, it almost sounds like she’s being sarcastic.
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“Mr. And Mrs. Obama , Please forgive me 4 being the ‘terrible guest’ at such a sacred event for your family,” she wrote. “I was so inconsiderate, Thank you for all your love. What an example of ‘how NOT ‘ to be.”
She signed off with the government spelling of her name, “Erica.”
Reactions to Erykah Badu’s apology were mixed. One person wrote, “‘sacred event’- ridiculous, it was a luxurious birthday party with hundreds of people done at a time many people in the US are losing their livelihoods,” while another praised her for having the strength to admit she’d done something wrong.
“To apologize when you have done something your host asked you not to do is the right and mature thing to do,” they wrote. “Good for you Erykah you have integrity. You are woman enough to apologize. The people saying don’t apologize don’t understand integrity.”
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Still, another brought up how video of the event could’ve had disastrous consequences, writing, “An event at their PRIVATE residence and for which they specifically asked guests to not release video. Not only was it disrespectful to disregard the request of your HOSTS, it was a massive SECURITY concern. Do y’all not understand the level of HATE for this family that exists?”
But like many other artists, Badu is busy booking spot dates across the country. On September 3, she will perform at the 2021 Riverfront Jazz Festival in her hometown of Dallas on September 3. She also has another date at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on September 30.
On October 18, the neo-soul goddess will land in Denver, Colorado for a rare date at The Mission Ballroom. Other stops include Austin, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Louisville and Atlantic City.
