MUSE: Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971)

Erykah Badu photographed by Nabil Elderkin for Oyster magazine.

"I'm sure a lot of things I've done have been misunderstood, but I don't see it that way, because the whole purpose of art is to create dialogue. If you create the dialogue, whether it's pro-something or against it, it doesn't really make a difference as long as it gets people thinking and talking and wanting to create their own pieces of art, and wanting to protect or stand against it. Art cannot be censored in any way. So, I don't think of it in terms of being misunderstood, I think of it in terms of creating dialogue, and if does that, then we're doing our job as artists. I think art has many layers; you can pull back one or pull back many."

--Erykah Badu

COVER: Erykah Badu / CLAM / Number 24

Singer CLAMs up on the subject of "renewal"
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC BAPTISTE

Culture pimp Erykah Badu, also known as Badu L'Oblangana, Soul Rebello, Manuella Maria Mexico, Analog Girl in a Digital World, Slow Down Loretta Brown, Annie the 'EL, Fat Belly Bella, Automatic Slam, and Mary Magnum, tips her hat on the importance of "Renewal" for CLAM magazine. Here's an excerpt of her Q&A:

Does the idea of Renewal inspire you... [sic]

It is an absolute necessary thing: As we have to evolve... When we realize that  we don't have any control over things on a grand scale, then we can start living for the moment; The now, instead of the past or the future.

What's the most urgent thing to renew...

Our thinking is the most paramount thing to renew, it affects how we see and think. And if we think broader, we will have a broader view of life. 

How in your work, life or thoughts that you think Renewal can happen?

I try to touch people's life as much as I can with my gift but the ultimate is the renewal of self; I am in the world and if I can change myself then I am helping to change the world.

VISIONS OF VISIONARIES WITH ERYKAH BADU from MADE Blog on Vimeo.

ERYKAH BADU on JAYBO´s painting for "MOMENTS at MADE" from MADE Blog on Vimeo.

Pick up a copy of CLAM's RENEWAL issue to see more photos and read the complete interview.