Singer Erykah Badu Says She Sees Some Good in Hitler

Erykah Badu did an interview with Vulture where she discussed music, philosophy, religion, and Adolf Hitler.

Badu’s conversation with reporter David Marchese was published on Wednesday, and it was full of quotes — some salacious, some wise, some controversial. The one people can’t seem to help, but gravitate toward is her comment on Hitler.

It began with Badu asserting that she didn’t like to speak out of turn. She told Marchese she likes to know every side of every story before weighing in, or going out for a march or a protest.

“I don’t want to get scared into not thinking for myself,” she said, “I weigh everything.”

She applied this thinking to Bill Cosby, who is awaiting retrial for allegations of sexual assault.

“I would have to really think about it and know the facts in each of those situations before I made a judgment. Because I love Bill Cosby, and I love what he’s done for the world. But if he’s sick, why would I be angry with him? The people who got hurt, I feel so bad for them. I want them to feel better, too. But sick people do evil things; hurt people hurt people. I know I could be crucified for saying that, because I’m supposed to be on the purple team or the green team.”

The conversation continued through hyperbolic examples of lines drawn in the sand. Badu rattled off more ways in which she chose to reserve judgement and think for herself.

“I read the description of an empath and I think I fit the description pretty well,” she said. “It’s about absorbing people’s feelings.”

Marchese brought up an old accusation against Badu — that she had defended Louis Farrakhan and his anti-Semitism. That’s when the conversation turned to Hitler.

“I’m not an anti-Semitic person,” Badu said. “I don’t even know what anti-Semitic was before I was called it. I’m a humanist. I see good in everybody. I saw something good in Hitler.”

“Come again?” Marchese asked.

“Yeah, I did. Hitler was a wonderful painter.”

Marchese then pointed out that, in point of fact, Hitler was a kicked out of art school.

“Okay, he was a terrible painter,” Badu went on. “Poor thing. He had a terrible childhood. That means that when I’m looking at my daughter, Mars, I could imagine her being in someone else’s home and being treated so poorly, and what that could spawn. I see things like that. I guess it’s just the Pisces in me.”

The back and forth went on. Marchese and Badu had a productive discussion about iconography and hate speech before the singer conceded that it might not be the best use of her platform to express her compassion for outwardly hateful people.

“You asked me a question. I could’ve chosen not to answer,” she said. “I don’t walk around thinking about Hitler or Louis Farrakhan. But I understand what you’re saying: ‘Why would you want to risk fueling hateful thinking?’ I have a platform, and I would never want to hurt people. I would never do that. I would never even imagine doing that. I would never even want a group of white men who believe that the Confederate flag is worth saving to feel bad. That’s not how I operate.”

The train of thought wrapped up nicely, though Badu has spent the day battling accusations of anti-Semitism online, as Marchese predicted she might.

The interview covered a wide range of topics, including Badu’s aspirations to create more music, host a variety show, and maybe even join The Peace Corps.