Erykah Badu has revealed how her mum felt about hearing Outkast‘s ‘Ms. Jackson’ when it was released in 2000. Outkast’s Andre 3000 wrote the track – which appeared on the Atlanta hip hop duo’s Stankonia record – for Badu’s mum after the couple split up following the birth of their son Seven.
During an interview with the podcast Rap Radar (via NME), Badu also spoke about how she felt the first time she heard the song. “I still had a kind of sore spot. Like, I don’t want to hear that, especially when I heard Big Boi’s verse,” she said. “And then when I heard André’s verse, I felt very good because his verse was really, really inspiring. He just told how he felt… and I’ve always respected that and listened to what he felt and appreciated it.”
Outkast – ‘Ms. Jackson’
Badu may have been on the fence originally, but the real Ms. Jackson was over the moon to have a song written about her. “How did my mama feel? Baby, she bought herself a Ms. Jackson licence plate,” Badu said. “She had the mug, she had the ink pen, she had the headband, everything. That’s who loved it.”
For reference, here are some of the more poignant lines from 3000’s verse (via Genius):
Asking what happened to the feeling that her and me had
I pray so much about it, need some knee pads
It happened for a reason, one can’t be mad
So know this, know that everything’s cool
And yes, I will be present on the first day of school and graduation
Badu and 3000 have linked up musically since their split. 3000 featured on the track ‘Hello’ on Badu’s 2015 mixtape But You Cain’t Use My Phone.
Further Reading
Outkast Blow Internet’s Mind With Real Meaning Behind ‘Hey Ya!’
Love Letter To A Record: Tasman Keith On OutKast’s ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’
Watch 6LACK Bring The Soul With An Erykah Badu Cover For ‘Like A Version’
