Erykah Badu Sang In Times Square For Money, Made Exactly $3.60 [Video]

Erykah Badu recently took to the streets of New York to sing in Times Square. However, instead of a large concert, Badu decides to try busking for her cash.

This video was recorded by Badu herself, which she shot on her cell phone along with a friend. At the start of the video it appeared that Badu would be unable to put on a performance without being recognized. Before she even finished her opening monologue, a fan approaches her to take a photo. Badu decides to remove her hat so that “no one will recognize her” and she makes her way to the street and places her hat on the ground to hold her tips.

For the remainder of the 7-minute long video nobody recognizes the hatless Badu. The presence of one of the great R&B singers of a generation goes completely unnoticed, even when she opened her mouth and sang.

Badu made exactly $3.60 for her street performance. Many commenters on the post thought that was too much. Some were saying that you can’t expect to get paid when there is so much competition and others pointed out she was dressed too nice to get tips. However, one commenter seemed to understand the point of Badu’s viral video.

“It seems like she did this to show that people won’t give you much if they don’t know who you are. Since only 90% of the people who passed by didn’t recognize her, she only made less than $4. It shows that people who are trying to make it usually don’t make much regardless of talent. Celebrity or not, people will not pay attention if they don’t know you. I think that is the message she tried to convey here.”

Another video of Badu recently went viral as well. Erykah Badu crashed a live news broadcast and attempted to kiss the on-air reporter.