In a new interview with the UK’s Telegraph, Erykah Badu shed light on issues related to dating, happiness, infidelity, and men – including the men who brought her three beautiful babies.
Excerpts are as follows:
On the relationship she has with the fathers of her children:
Is it tough to raise the children alone? Does she wish the fathers were around?
“The fathers are present a lot,” she says. “No one chooses to raise children alone. When you’re in a relationship you want it to work. My parents did, I did. But we are not taught how to make it work. We don’t know how to perform in relationships. I did maths, science, English but we weren’t taught about human interaction, about relations with the opposite sex.” Is she suggesting schools give boyfriend lessons? “No, compassion lessons,” she says.
Whether infidelity is a deal breaker for her in relationships:
With all those rap-star lovers, is it infidelity that has caused her heartaches? “No. Infidelity is not a deal-breaker for me. We’re all born sexual beings. I myself am not someone with a very high libido. I don’t require sex for happiness – I need companionship. I need a partner I can depend on, that I can love and grow with. But I do understand the nature of these men I’ve been with, and men in general. They have a need to chase.”
On tolerating cheating:
“In my own kind of way. I’m having to recondition my brain, ’cos the first thing I got was a doll named Barbie and she had Ken and that’s how it was supposed to be. You’re conditioned to think that way, and when it doesn’t happen you feel you’re a failure. What we have in common, me and the brothers I’ve known, is that we are all trying to evolve.
On the solution to male cheating:
“We talk a lot about things that men want. Because I want them to be happy and the more I see how the male of the species behaves, the more I understand, and the less I blame him. It’s just who he is. Is there a solution?” She smiles for the first time in 45 minutes. “Honesty is it. It will get you everywhere. Mind you, I have friends who are in polygamous relationships – they’re no more happy or sad than we are. But at least the bitches know what’s comin’ next!”
