ERYKAH COVERS ESSENCE
Thursday, March 6, 2008

Erykah Badu covers the April 2008 issue of Essence magazine. Aside from looking gorgeous in the spread and talking about her amazing new album New Amerykah, she mentions her rumored “baduism” on men with this story about Raphael Saadiq and Joi visiting her one day:
“I made tea” she recalls, “the incense is burning, it smells like vegan cupcakes. I got strawberry oils going.” Raphael tasted his tea and would not give Lady Badu so much as a glance. Erykah took Joi aside and said, ‘Raphael don’t like me, I wanted to do a song with him.’ Joi said ‘Girl, Raphael heard he ain’t suppose to look Erykah Badu directly in the eye”
“We were always reflections” Erykah says of her past loves, claiming they were halfway hippie already.
Well Erykah’s new already hippie man is Jay Electronica if you didn’t know and I love them both. Be sure to pick up her new album, which made #2 on Billboard charts.









64 Comments
1.
MR MR
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
nice cover
2.
Crimson Twilight
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah lookin fly.I really love her individuality and her creative style.
3.
Jakia Carter 'Chrianna Will Never Be Jayonce'
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Its pretty,Iike that brown color on her.
4.
leuqar87
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah Is SOOOO FLY!!
5.
Stacy H
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Beautiful cover! it reminds me of a Pam Grier photo. she is stunning
6.
cbreezie007
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
i soo LUV ERYKAH BADU!!!!
u betta call TRYONE gurl!!!..lol
7.
2Cent
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Gotta love her!
8.
vexxed
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I’m a E. Badu stan… but she lost me with this record. She is making music for herself (which i respect). I just don’t feel it.
9.
Taji
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah has a beautiful face.
10.
meme
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
WOW. somebody different on the cover, i love it
11.
.C0URT
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Nice.
12.
datdcdopeboi
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
She’s just so damn weird to me lol but i luv it…its on an earthy level…ya dig lol Gotta luv her tho
13.
jones
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Lucky Bastard!
14.
I's married nah!!!
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
i have to admit I’ve been a Eryka fan since day one, but this last album lost me!!!!
But the cover is nice.
15.
kcool
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
ERIKAH IS THE TRUTH
http://www.myspace.com/emale_kv
16.
lette
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
That cover really brings out Erykah’s beauty. It looks so natural and elegant…Go Ms.Badu!!!!!
17.
MISSISSIPPI G_DDAMN
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
A Raphael Saadiq & Erykah collabojoint would be nice, though.
18.
BigRay
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Cannot wait to get this album and hear for myself. As for the so called Baduism, I dont know about that. But have you seen the womans booty?! Woa! Nelly should try to get her to do ads for Apple bottom. That’s real
19.
peekaboo
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
very pretty
20.
Steal da show
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I love Erykah’s CD because it is not spoon fed. You really have to listen to her message and decipher it for yourself. People are quick to write off what they don’t understand because it doesn’t come to them easily. She trying to wake people up and expand your mental thought process.
21.
southern_queen
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
She’s got her own thing happening! I admire that about her and the Essence cover is very pretty. What is about this don’t look her in the eye(s). I have heard people say that about Prince,Devante(from Jodeci) and now her. I mean “what the french toast” oh yeah, don’t forget *Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawerence. I think it’s all a fabrication-LOL!
22.
kaykay
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
HOT HOT HOT Cover! Essence gets better and better w/every cover and spread. Nice
23.
BEAUTY Q.T.
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah always looks soo ethic and I love that about her! She is a beautiful person….o yea, nice cover!
24.
DIAMONDS&PEARLS
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah is one cool lady, her look is so unique…you gotta love her!
25.
jones
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
@18 CO-SIGN,check out her video on you youtube when she sings I want you,that azz is a work of art.
26.
Monica
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Awww simply beautiful!! Thats how us D town chicks get it!! lol. Very classic and 70’s…. Love it!
27.
Kina
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I love Erykah..I will be getting this issue of Essence
28.
Elegance1981
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
This cover is really nice. It shows her natural beauty and the pure elegance of the afro. I am so gald that Essence is learning to put different people on their covers. Lately, Essence has really stepped it’s game up. I believe that Don Cheadle was on the last cover. There are other successful blacks other than the usual crew that is on heavy rotation. Ex: Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Queen Latifah and a few others. It’s not that I don’t respect these other entertainers but it’s good to see some one else.
29.
hood_shit
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Where she at? I’LL LOOK HER IN HER EYE! lol
30.
POWERFUL
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Miss Badu is GORGEOUS!!!
LMAO @ “Girl, Raphael heard he ain’t suppose to look Erykah Badu directly in the eye” HAHAHAHA
31.
GG
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Man, she can get her some fine a** men! Please Erykah tell me how you do it??????
32.
☆★Megan★☆
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Hot! She make me wanna wear my fro out!
Dallas!!
33.
The King of Meats
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
———#9 said: “Erykah has a beautiful face.”
=====================================================
———-I saw ERYKAH on the “Storytellers” this weekend and I was suprised to see
———-how fit she looks! She’s shaped like the fashion model with a nice ass!
———-She’s the total package, except for her “always high look” & sad expressions!
34.
Giggles
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
@20 I agree with everything you said
Erykah is actually very pretty but its like she tries to hide it, perhaps its because she doesnt want her looks to detract from her music. Or she doesnt want to be put in the same category as all the other R&B/soul musicians out there who look the same.
Erykah’s music is intellectual, you have to take the time to interpret and understand it.
Are her eyes real? If so I never noticed they were green/hazel
35.
AIJUSWANNASAY
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
LOL & SMH AT THE SELF PROCLAIMED “ERYKAH STANS” WHO’S NOT FEELIN THIS NEW JOINT OR FEELIN LOST….
I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE BUT “TELEPHONE” IS A CLASSIC JOINT, RIP TO J DILLA, RIGHT NOW I’M BUMPIN “MASTER TEACHER” AND ALSO FEELIN “THE CELL!”
THANKS CLOOP FOR THIS POST, NOW I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO DR. DRE’S DETOX AND MAXWELL’S BLACK SUMMER’S NIGHT FOR ‘08
36.
Questioneverything
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Wasn’t that Lauryn Hill rumor out there too where you couldn’t look her in the eye and folks had to call her “Ms Hill”? CRAZY! I luvs me some Erykah. She doesn’t mind being “different” and it works for her effortlessly unlike some others who try too hard!
37.
a.k.a. new yorker
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
@36 yeah there was that rumor about lauryn but the rumor stated that she was cocky or something, or felt like ppl were beneath her so they weren’t supposed to look her in the eye. for erykah, the rumor is that she has a hold on men and looking her in the eye will make you fall for her
i wouldn’t be surprised if “baduism” was true b/c that woman is freaking stunning. i don’t think she tries to hide her beauty at alll like someone mentioned. she just doesn’t try to force beauty on herself, she lets it flow. unlike 99% of hollywood women, she doesn’t feel the need to show her body or wear tons of makeup b/c she’s just that beautiful and b/c ppl are so trained to think that beauty comes in the form of a pretty chick with too much makeup and a miniskirt, it’s hard for THEM to see it. she’s not hiding anything. until we can move away from the contrived, far from effortless beauty that we see in hollywood everyday, ppl will continue to think women like erykah aren’t beautiful. erykah doesn’t care though b/c she KNOWS she looks good. love you girl!!
38.
The Blast
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah is so beautiful it is amazing… I am mad at Raphael though
The Blast @ http://blog.digiwaxx.com
39.
Jai
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
@ Southern Queen and Questioneverything…..when she speaks about not looking her in the eye, it’s deeper than the surface. Haven’t you ever heard of the saying that ‘Eyes are the window to the Soul’?? Erykah was rumored to turn fellas out aka Andre3000 becoming weird after her and Common wearing crochet pants, etc. But in the article she explained that what people didn’t understand was that the essence of their souls were already that way before they met her.
In other words Raphael didn’t look her in the eye out of fear of getting turned out like 3000 and Common. As the quote says her friend told her he heard not to look her in the eye. Erykah never told anyone not to look her in the eye.
When reading what Erykah says and when listening to her music you have to be on a more deep and conscious level, nothing is surface about that woman and I love that about her!!!
40.
sheneice
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
SHE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL
41.
lilblackfan
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
she looks beautiful on that cover!!
will be reading this article when i get home:D
42.
Ladyssolady
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
#20, I agree. ‘What if there was no niggas, only master teachers?? I STAY ‘WOKE’ There it is!! Self explanatory! She looks gorgeous on this cover. And her new man looks good!
43.
Dame
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I love the cover she looks fly!
44.
ms.observant
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
She is a very beautiful woman. Her eyes and freckles stand out the most when she isn’t wearing makeup.
She is a little too off the wall for my taste. She is associated with the 5%/Zulu religion which I don’t get down with. Lots of her religious beliefs are w/in her music. I personally can’t get down with that, but hey it’s a free world for everyone else that digs it. She is very different from the mainstream of music. She is VERY original and I will give her that. I just don’t see me pumping this album, because it’s more like mediation music then something I feel I can relate to.
45.
yes
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
i dont like the cover but i wanna read it
46.
Emma V's Great-Grandaughter
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I will be buying this magazine pretty soon but Essence always put recycled celebirties on the cover of their magazine as well as Ebony,Jet and so forth.
47.
TATUM
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
That is a really pretty cover
48.
Elle
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah is a vegan who wears the heck out of leather…how lame. I dig Erykah but she’s definitely as self-made as Madonna with this whole Earth mother thing… She was rocking the mushroom and Cross Colors like everybody else in 90. It’s weird because I go back and forth on this but she seems fake at times… Like, why mention vegan cupcakes when you walk around in thousand dollar animal skin pumps? And you’re constantly burning oils because you smoke more than a chimney, you even pass the blunt in concert…so like any weedhead, you tire of the smell…you burn candles… It’s just one of those days with her for me…seriously, I’m not felling this little blurb…
49.
dctrinigyal
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
BEAUTIFUL
50.
PROVOST...
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
LMAO!!!!!!! Lord, Erykah’s ::ahem:: feminine wiles ARE legendary…
51.
Noelle Alexandrea Teague
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
>>> my boyfriend and husband love her!!
52.
wordygrrl
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
OMG!! I rarely buy Essence but trust I’ll be at the new-stand for this one. My favorite Badu moment was when she shaved her head because of all the head-wrap, dred-loc backlash.
STUNNING!
53.
Dyvinesun
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
Erykah is so fly I love her people so quick to write off her CD as being to out there. You really have to do the knowledge to the music and the artwork on the inside.
54.
lovdylk
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I love it.her , I saw this pic before on a celeb site called ‘SearchingMillionaire DOTcom’! Is that fake or real?
55.
dyshea
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
ok first of all LMAO@52 wow the boyfriend and husband huh…
i love erykah and did not kno her ass smoked weed but i should of known, shes beautiful on tha cover im buyin it.
56.
silly_rabbit
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
lovin’ the vintage feel of the cover.
erykah is badass
love her.
57.
Jennifer
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
I love this woman!!!
58.
moxpoe1
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
luv erykah, but c’mon.
vegan…..hippie…..? She just smokin’ stuff peep ain’t heard of yet.
59.
ninabrown
Thursday, March 6, 2008 /
love the cover. she’s on some futuristic shit though. i ain’t made at her. she’s definitely a trendsetter.
i’m liking track #8
60.
MI
Friday, March 7, 2008 /
gorgeous cover!
61.
Tamara C.
Friday, March 7, 2008 /
I don’t think she’s vegan because she finds the slaughter of animals as cruel.
She’s prolly vegan cuz she simply doesn’t like meat. I had to go the vegan route
my entire first pregnancy. The smell of meat, raw or cooked, made me sick til
the day I gave birth.
62.
PEEPLEPAYATENSHUN
Friday, March 7, 2008 /
…STILL THE SAME STAN NEW NAME, AND I KNOW BY TOMORROW AINT NOBODY GOIN TO BE ON THIS POST, BUT IDK…
I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS JOINT ALL DAY TODAY AND I GOTTA GIVE IT UP, EVERY SONG IS CRAZY PERSONAL FOR ANYONE WHO FEELS. HER CUTS ON HERE CLEARLY IS NOT FOR THE SUPERFICIAL-INSTANT-SOUND-GRATIFYING-EAR…
TWINKLE
they don’t know their language
they don’t know their god
they take what their given
even when it feels odd…
THE CELL
she was turned out on shiny new things
diamond gold chains diamond rings
center-fold spread, she trying to do things
see she be on that cough syrup in coke cans
40 inch rim man with no land,
her pussy gone numb the pain the same
why
same dna strain
we’re not well
we’re not well
we can tell…
MASTER TEACHER
what if there was no niggas only master teachers?
i stay woke
even if your baby don’t have no money to support you
i stay woke
even though you go through struggle and stride to keep ahead in your life
i stay woke…
TELEPHONE
fly away to heaven brother celebrate for me brother…
fly away to heaven brother put in a word for me…
IF KARA WALKER’S ART HAD A SOUND IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THIS ALBUM…
63.
toya1
Friday, March 7, 2008 /
I am not an Erykah fan, but this cover is BEAUTIFUL!!!
I will pick it up. If I can afford it after I pay my car insurance.
64.
Elle
Friday, March 7, 2008 /
#61
I can see where you’re coming from… Maybe she thinks meat is unhealthy, maybe that’s it… But people who usually play the vegan/vegetarian card do so because of some idealogical stand on animal rights… I think she knows that, so playing the card is still a bit phony… Whatever, though…