When Erykah Badu accepts an Icon Award, she doesn’t just show up; she shows out. At last night’s Billboard Women in Music ceremony, the neo-soul legend strutted onto the stage in a head-turning, curve-celebrating ensemble that had the internet doing double takes.
While most celebrities use the Billboard Women in Music stage for heartfelt speeches or dazzling performances, Erykah Badu took a different route, one that had the audience gasping, cheering, and side-eyeing all at once.
Badu was honored with the prestigious Icon Award at the ceremony, presented by none other than Summer Walker. But it wasn’t just her music or influence that had people talking. It was her outfit—oh, that outfit!
The singer strutted onto the stage in an oversized brown ensemble with exaggerated proportions. And when we say exaggerated, we mean a huge, attention-grabbing booty that you could spot from every angle!
If anyone thought it was just a fashion statement, they were quickly proven wrong when Badu took it a step further. With the crowd watching, she turned around, swayed side to side, and gave the audience a full-on twerk. The moment instantly set social media ablaze, with fans and critics alike trying to decode her message.
Many fans seemed to think the exaggerated proportions, the dramatic pose, and the cheeky (literally) dance was a playful jab at the BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift) culture that has taken over social media and pop culture. Some Twitter users even called it a “BBL parody” while others applauded her for calling out the obsession with exaggerated body standards.
But not everyone thought it was just about BBLs. Some believed Badu’s outfit was a nod to the Goddess of Fertility and even referenced the tragic story of Sarah Baartman, the South African woman who was paraded around Europe in the 19th century due to her curvaceous figure. If that’s the case, Badu might have been making a deeper cultural statement about how Black women’s bodies have been objectified and commodified for centuries.
Erykah Badu also hinted at an upcoming album. The R&B icon, who last released a complete album in 2010, expresses that she chose to put out a full-length project now feels “natural.”
