Janelle Monáe - Q.U.E.E.N. FT. Erykah Badu [Official Video]

Gym Class Heroes Headline Festival

The 2012 Afro-Punk Festival have announced it's headliners. The festival takes place August 25th and 26th in Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn, New York; and alt-rap group Gym Class Heroes and neo-soul superstar Erykah Badu will be the major draws for the show.

Janelle Monae, Das Racist, Cannibanoids, Skindred, Ninjasonik, Toro Y Moi, Spank Rock, Bad Rabbits, and several others will also be among those taking the stage.

There are expected to be more details and more performers revealed before the festival begins.

Erykah Badu Blasts Wayne Coyne Vid

The Flaming Lips and Erykah Badu video for their cover of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" shocked some fans with its explicit nude images and strange imagery. Badu initially seemed to embrace the clip, but has now released a scathing note aimed at Lips' frontman Wayne Coyne for releasing the video without letting her see the final edit.

"You showed me a concept of beautiful tasteful imagery (by way of vid text messages). I trusted that. I was mistaken," she wrote. "Then u release an unedited, unapproved version within the next few days. That all spells 1 thing, Self Serving. When asked what the concept meant after u explained it, u replied, 'It doesn't mean anything, I just want to make a great video that everyone is going to watch.' I understood, because as an artist we all desire that. But we don't all do it at another artist's expense...you begged me to sit in a tub of that other sh*t and I said naw. I refused to sit in any liquid that was not water. But out of RESPECT for you and the artist you 'appear' to be, I didn't wanna kill your concept...sooo, I invited Nayrok, my lil sis and artist, who is much more liberal [than I], to be subject of those other disturbing (to me) scenes. I told u from jump that I believed your concept to be disturbing. But [I] would give your edit a chance. You then said u would take my shots (in clear water/ fully covered parts -seemed harmless enough) and Nayrok's part (which I was not present for but saw the photos and a sample scene of cornstarch dripping ) and edit them together along with cosmic, green screen images ( which no one saw) then would show me the edit. Instead, u disrespected me by releasing pics and rough vid on the internet without my approval. (Contract breech) That is equivalent to putting out a security camera's images of me changing in the fitting room."

"As a human I am disgusted with your what appears to be desperation and poor execution. And disregard for others," she continued. "As a director I am unimpressed. As a sociologist I understand your type. As your fellow artist I am uninspired. As a woman I feel violated and underestimated...you can KISS MY Glittery A**. O and Nayrok told me to tell u to kiss her a** too."

The Flaming Lips Recruit Erykah Badu

Innovative alt-rock band The Flaming Lips have announced some details regarding their upcoming album, and there are some somewhat surprising cameos. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends is a limited edition double-disc designed to help promote Record Store Day on April 21st.

Among the guests on the project are neo-soul singer Erykah Badu and hip hop's 'Clown Prince' Biz Markie.

Pop star Ke$ha, folkie Bon Iver and avant garde legend Yoko Ono also make appearances on the album.

Erykah Badu & E-40?

Some people wouldn't necessarily assume that earthy neo soul star Erykah Badu and Bay Area hip hop legend E-40 would make perfect collaborators, but according to Oakland rapper Boots Riley, the two recorded together as college kids. The Coup founder revealed that Badu and E-40 worked together briefly many years ago.

"E-40 and Erykah Badu made songs together in college; they both went to Grambling [State University] together," Riley told Sonshiver. "It's not that the stories people [make songs about] aren't true, people are who they are, people are just more than who you think they are."

They should reunite on a track in 2012. See if the old chemistry is still there.

9th Wonder Isn't Begging Drake For Work

9th Wonder was recently asked about working with Young Money superstar Drake and the producer had an interesting response. He says he'd love to collaborate with the Toronto rapper, but that he isn't going to beg to work with anyone.

"It's up to Drake man. You know it's, it's - I've never been one, after all the albums I've been on whether it be Jay-Z's, Destiny Child, Mary J Blige, Erykah Badu, Ludacris, Memphis Bleek, Lloyd Banks -- all the records I've done on a major level, I've never slept outside somebody's door with a demo cd. It's always been, '9th, I want you to rock on my record'. So maybe I'm spoiled, maybe whatever, but I am not into sitting down with an A&R and playing an A&R beats. Jay-Z kinda ruined all of that because I dealt with him directly. If I dealt with him directly, I'm not about to play no beats for no A&R's, that's wack."

" I dealt with him directly; I sat with Beyonce for 3 hours and played her beats. Well played all 3 of them [Destiny's Child] beats. It was just me and them. It wasn't me, the A&R dude and them. I've dealt with everybody directly, so I'm past that."

Erykah Badu Phone-Dumped Common?

Common reveals in his recent appearance on "The Wendy Williams Show" that his ex-girlfriend, soul singer Erykah Badu, dumped him over the phone. The sensitive rapper says that Badu was his first love and the first time he had to experience getting hurt. "She handed it to me. I was in my hotel room on tour," he shared. "She called me and was like, ‘Hey, I don’t wanna be in this relationship no more. I’m liking somebody else.’ That was my first love and my first heartbreak." But he says he's healed and things are great between the ex-lovers now. "It taught me a lot of things, and when it happened I kinda really got into myself and really learned about myself and I was able to move on," he says. "And now me and E are real cool."

Common reveals in his recent appearance on "The Wendy Williams Show" that his ex-girlfriend, soul singer Erykah Badu, dumped him over the phone. The sensitive rapper says that Badu was his first love and the first time he had to experience getting hurt.

"She handed it to me. I was in my hotel room on tour," he shared. "She called me and was like, ‘Hey, I don’t wanna be in this relationship no more. I’m liking somebody else.’ That was my first love and my first heartbreak."

But he says he's healed and things are great between the ex-lovers now.

"It taught me a lot of things, and when it happened I kinda really got into myself and really learned about myself and I was able to move on," he says. "And now me and E are real cool."

Erykah Badu Denies D.O.C. Story

Singer/songwriter Erykah Badu has responded to comments made by rapper D.O.C. claiming that the two were in a serious romantic relationship. D.O.C. said that he was living with Badu and that they were planning to film a reality show about their life together. He also claimed that they were planning to marry someday.

Badu's representatives have denied those claims.

"Erykah Badu and The D.O.C. share parental responsibilities for their daughter and their relationship as it regards that aim is very good," said Paul Levatino, general manager and spokesman for her company, Badu World. "Erykah has no plans to marry or have any sort of courtship with the D.O.C."

"Ms. Badu has no plans to allow a reality show to be filmed in her private Dallas residence or to include any of her children in the filming," he continued. "Ms. Badu has no concrete plans further than a guest appearance in his reality show. The D.O.C.'s comments were either taken out of context, improperly interpreted, or reflective of his now, not-so-secret desires. Whatever the case, Erykah wishes D.O.C. well both spiritually and professionally."

2Pac Honored In Atlanta

On what would've been the 40th anniversary of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, several celebrities and artists gathered at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center in Stone Mountain, GA to pay tribute to the fallen rapper/actor, who was shot and later died in September 1996.

Meek Mill, Bun B, Warren G, Too Short, jazz singer/producer Roy Ayers, Rick Ross and Erykah Badu were among those in attendance. The event was hosted by Mike Epps.

"For a lot of lil' dudes in a single parent home [like me] with my mother, Tupac played father for a lot of dudes like me," Rick Ross said to the crowd. "Tupac was the first one that showed me how to be fully committed. I took [aspects of him like] his [loyalty], to his hard work, his ethic, his family with me. When we talk about his record sales, let's not forget the role he played to all the little Black boys around the world."

"My first reaction to Tupac was he's not a rapper, he's not an actor, he's a savior of sorts. But he came at a time when people weren't looking for a savior, they were looking for someone who looked like them," she said. "But saviors, sometimes are just doing the work, they are just doing their job."

Erykah Badu, Mike Epps Celebrate 2Pac

Several notable rappers will be participating in Afeni Shakur's celebration of 2Pac's 40th birthday this June. Bun B., 8 Ball and MJG, DJ Drama, Too $hort and Erykah Badu will all be taking part in the festivities in Atlanta on June 16th.

Actor/comedian Mike Epps has been named host of the celebration, and officials have officially declared June 16th "Tupac Shakur Day."

"I am greatly honored to have been invited by Afeni Shakur to celebrate her son's 40th birthday," Bady said via statement. "I do not take this honor for granted."

“I’m looking forward to another year of preserving Tupac’s legacy by celebrating his life with his fans and furthering his causes by supporting his organization,” Mike Epps said.