Erykah Badu Says She Is ‘Not An Anti-Semitic Person,’ Praises Hitler

Erykah Badu, painting enthusiast Image by Getty Images

By Jenny Singer January 24, 2018

Is it right to separate the art from the artist? Can it ever be appropriate to enjoy the art of a person who may have committed evil acts?

Musician Erykah Badu is taking the question a step further, asking specifically, if the artist is Hitler and the art is paintings made by Hitler, can we enjoy the paintings and, thus the person?

via GIPHY

ERYKAH, NO!

Badu gave an interview to Vulture today, in which she noted, “I see good in everybody. I saw something good in Hitler.” When pressed by the interviewer, she added, “Hitler was a wonderful painter.” (Though when pressed further, she admitted he was a “terrible painter.”)

Badu deserves some understanding though. She explains several times that she is trying to approach the world from a humanist perspective, that she “would never want to hurt people,” not even “a group of white men who believe that the Confederate flag is worth saving.” Her position, that trying to see Hitler as a human being instead of a monster is a useful way to try to process a violent world, isn’t insane or inherently offensive. More troubling, though, is Badu’s refusal to consider that her views might fuel the fire of anti-Semitic rhetoric, causing people to get hurt.

Oh, Erykah. Image by Screenshot from Vulture

Google the phrase “anti-Semitism” and grace us with a thoughtful song about it, Erykah! We’ll even accept a painting.

Jenny Singer is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

Jenny Singer is a freelance writer with pieces in Vox, the Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, Teen Vogue, and more. She was previously a staff writer at Glamour and the Forward, and she’s currently getting an MFA in nonfiction writing at the University of Iowa.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO