The NSFW video for the Flaming Lips and Erykah Badu collaboration, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” that was released last week has sparked a Twitter war between Badu and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne. The video, directed by George Salisbury, featured Badu’s younger sister Nayrock, nude and covered in blood, glitter and a cornstarch-based white substance. Badu, who claims she was originally cast for this part but refused it, also appeared in the video, nude and covered in water and glitter. Badu insists that Coyne misled her on how the footage would be edited and is infuriated with him for releasing it without her approval.
The video was removed on June 2, the day after its official release on Pitchfork, with Coyne apologizing via Twitter, “Sorry!!Sorry!!! Sorry!!!! Video First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is temporarily taken down…should be back up Monday!!”
Yesterday, Coyne tweeted, “To all the haters who think Erykah Badu has lost her mind!!! She has NOT!!! The Flaming Lips take full responsibility ..” He also issued this formal apology:
The video link that was erroneously posted on Pitchfork by the Flaming Lips of the Music Video ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, which features Erykah Badu, is unedited and unapproved.. Sorry!! We, the Flaming Lips, accept full responsibility for prematurely having Pitchfork post it. It has outraged and upset a segment of fans and we apologize if we offended any viewers!!! This is a Flaming Lips video which features Erykah Badu and her sister Nayrok and is not meant to be considered an Erykah Badu or Nayrok statement, creation, or approved version.
Badu went on to publish a letter directed at Coyne via TwitLonger, showing little satisfaction with Coyne’s apologies. She writes that Coyne misled her during their work and that he had promised to show her the edited footage before releasing it:
“I told u from jump that I believed your concept to be disturbing. But would give your edit a chance. You then said u would take my shots ( in clear water/ fully covered parts -seemed harmless enough) and Nayrok’s part ( which I was not present for but saw the photos and a sample scene of cornstarch dripping ) and edit them together along with cosmic, green screen images ( which no one saw) then would show me the edit. Instead, U disrespected me by releasing pics and rough vid on the internet without my approval. (Contract breech )”
She goes on to call him “self-serving” and say that his “ways are not very nice.” The letter finishes, “These things have been said out of necessity. And if you don’t like it you can KiSS MY Glittery ASS . O and Nayrok told me to tell u to kiss her ass too . Almost forgot. Peace.”
Coyne’s response to this was to tweet, “Hey @fatbellybella I kissed it!!!! Thanks!!!!!!” and “Yessss!!! Nice ass!!!! @fatbellybella,” accompanied by photos of his lips covered in glitter.
These are just the highlights of the Badu-Coyne Twitter debate. Read Badu’s complete TwitLonger letter here, and read more at each artist’s respective Twitter account (@fatbellybella and @waynecoyne) to decide who you agree with.
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (a cover of the 1957 song by Ewan MacColl) is featured on The Flaming Lips’ most recent album The Flaming Lips & Heady Fwends. A select number of custom-designed vinyl copies were released on Record Store Day, but the album will be re-released digitally and on CD on June 26.
Update: Erykah Badu and Wayne Coyne have spent most of the night going back and forth on twitter. Erykah – obviously still upset – tweeted, “When shooting a vid there is always proper protocol. Was not followed by Wayne. He wanted pub bad. Mislead me. Very abusive with his power.”
What do you think about all the drama? Let us know in the comment section.
We're looking for writers and editors to join the team. Interested? Apply today!
Let’s Be Friends!