Erykah Badu Charged with Disorderly Conduct for Window Seat Music Video

Erykah Badu is causing a bit of sensation in the music world with her latest music video Window Seat. Currently, Badu is being charged with disorderly conduct by the Dallas, TX police department. In the music video, Erykah Badu, walks the streets of downtown Dealey Plaza, a place where tourists and locals hang out. The reason she is being charged with disorderly conduct is because she proceeds to get naked as she walks through the plaza. The end scene of the video is of Erykah Badu removing her underwear, standing and suddenly being shot. She falls to the ground, the words "group think" ooze from her head in blue paint as everyone in the video seems to freeze.

At this point in the video Badu's soul stirring voice is heard speaking clearly, "They play it safe, are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs, ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another. They feel most comfortable in groups, less guilt to swallow. They are us. This is what we have become, afraid to respect the individual. A single person within her circumstance can move onto change, to love herself, to evolve."

Controversy surrounds this video for Badu's nakedness, the ties it has to John F. Kennedy's assassination and a claims that the video is a "guerilla film" because the production company did not get the proper permits for Badu's stunt. According to MTV News, an interview the Creative Control (the production company for the video), says the video is meant to inspire and show expression. Dallas officials do not consider Badu's actions in the video as inspiring but rather as disorderly and have subsequently charged her with the misdemeanor of disorderly conduct which is punishable by a fine of up to $500. Badu can either pay the fine or fight the charges, according to a Yahoo! News report.

As for Window Seat's ties to the JFK assassination, they are accurate. In the video, Badu, walks the path that JFK took through the Dealey Plaza and is subsequently shot on the same grassy knoll that JFK was. The point of this in the video was to tie in JFK's assassination because he was someone who was assassinated for doing things that went against the norm. (Source:MTV News)

CBS News released a story about Badu's video Window Seat claiming that the video was a "guerilla film" and shot illegally in the Dallas streets. According to the report, Dallas officials say that the proper permits were not obtained by the city for the shooting of the scenes. "Guerrilla filming" comes with a price. If you are caught, you can be fined or arrested.

"Window Seat" is featured on the album New Amerykah 2: Return of the Ankh which was released on 3/30/2010. You can view the video here.