Erykah Badu has sparked intrigue and debate after claiming she vandalized her own Tesla in a cryptic nod to the recent surge of attacks targeting Elon Musk’s electric vehicle empire.
The singer-songwriter, whose career thrives on blending artistry with activism, took to X (formerly Twitter) on March 23 to announce: “Just vandalized my own Tesla. Trying to stay on trend.”
Badu’s post arrives amid a reported uptick in vandalism against Tesla vehicles, charging stations, and showrooms over the past two months. The spike coincides with heightened scrutiny of Musk’s polarizing political engagements, including his visits to the White House and vocal stances on global issues, aggressive cost-cutting efforts at DOGE, and his courting of far-right political parties in Europe, which have sparked protests against his EV maker, instances of vandalism, and boycott calls.
Recent assaults on Tesla cars and showrooms have featured graffiti slogans like “RESIST” and “No Musk,” frequently paired with symbols that resemble swastikas.
A woman in Colorado faced charges for damaging property maliciously. She reportedly threw Molotov cocktails at Tesla cars and tagged a nearby building with the phrase “Nazi cars.”
While no injuries have been linked to these incidents, the acts of defiance, from slashed tires to graffiti, reflect growing tensions between Musk critics and his brand’s eco-friendly image.
According to the latest industry statistics, Tesla experienced a significant drop in sales across Europe during the first two months of the year. The company recorded nearly 27,000 vehicle sales in January and February, which marks a striking 42.6% decrease from over 46,000 units sold in the same timeframe last year. This decline raises questions about the competitive landscape in the electric vehicle market and suggests that Tesla may need to reassess its strategies to maintain its lead.
Trump criticized the demonstrations, calling them acts of domestic terrorism.
Erykah Badu has previously spoken out against Trump and his MAGA movement. In a 2018 interview, she described Trump as an agent of “resistance” to Baduizm.
“The thing about Trump is that he’s a bad guy to the point where it looks manufactured. Are we playing games here? He can’t really be that bad. I’m not a conspiracy theorist at all. I don’t give a s### about that stuff, but it looks like Trump’s just trying to spark division. It looks like a game. Why are we being toyed with?”
In the realm of music, Erykah Badu is working on a new album that will be produced entirely by The Alchemist.
