Synopsis
Erykah Badu moves through a surreal, blueprint-like industrial world, traveling along an illustrated assembly line surrounded by mechanical parts, diagrams, and shifting geometric forms. Her calm, otherworldly presence contrasts with the busy machinery around her, while a long, ornate veil gives the performance an almost ceremonial quality. As the video progresses, live-action footage blends with animation and digital effects. The smooth visual journey ends with a sudden burst of energy, turning the factory setting into a launch point for a more cosmic finale.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released online through Vimeo on February 9, 2011, nearly a year after "New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh" arrived in March 2010.
- Erykah Badu said the visual came together unexpectedly. She visited a studio while attending a shoot connected with Bilal, changed clothes, and filmed herself against a green screen. The surrounding world was created afterward.
- Digital artist Beeple handled post-production and worked on the video's modeling alongside Vince Ream. The credits also list Theo Jemison for cinematography.
- The song incorporates a sample from Paul McCartney and Wings' "Arrow Through Me." Badu discussed the difficulty of clearing the sample in a Red Bull Music Academy interview.
- The clip stood out as a particularly experimental entry in Badu's visual catalog, pairing a soulful song with computer-generated imagery rather than using a conventional performance or narrative format.