Erykah Badu’s Eye-Popping Billboard Women In Music Ensemble Sparked A BBL Debate

Erykah Badu has a long history of challenging fans with both her music and her wardrobe, and at this past weekend’s Billboard Women In Music Ceremony, she did so yet again. The “On & On” singer, who recently announced that she’s working on her first album in 15 years with producer The Alchemist, donned an eye-popping knit bodysuit that sparked a BBL-related debate.

No, it wasn’t because it was particularly revealing (Badu already jumped that benchmark ages ago). Instead, the suit was designed to resemble a full-figured woman’s body, drawing comparisons to both enslaved 19th-century Khoisan performer Sarah Baartman and the ongoing Brazilian butt-lift trend in hip-hop. Badu herself fueled speculation about the ensemble’s intent by studiously avoiding explanations online, instead captioning an Instagram post debuting the suit, “A lil Hippy. Rise of the dark divine feminine. – a short film by E. Badu.” She also noted that it was designed by Texan designer Myah Hasbany, who was described as using their creativity to “to convey necessary messages about body and gender dysmorphia and how to overcome them with confidence and acceptance.”

The reactions to the outfit as videos and photos hit social media ranged from comparisons to ancient sculptures like the Venus of Willendorf to arguments that she was mocking women who get cosmetic surgeries to appear more voluptuous. One thing is for sure, though: It’ll sure be interesting to see what Ms. Badu wears when she performs at the Dreamville Festival this weekend.