Home / Arts and Entertainment / Erykah Badu's Mom Takes Credit for Outkast's "Ms. Jackson"
Erykah Badu's Mom Takes Credit for Outkast's "Ms. Jackson"
24 Oct
Summary
- Erykah Badu doesn't believe "Ms. Jackson" was about her
- Badu's mother, Kolleen Gipson, thinks the song was about her
- "Ms. Jackson" was released a year after Badu and André 3000's breakup
In a recent interview, neo-soul icon Erykah Badu addressed the longstanding speculation that Outkast's 2000 hit "Ms. Jackson" was about her and her family. While Badu herself doesn't believe the song was actually about her, she revealed that her mother, Kolleen Gipson, certainly thinks it was.
"I don't think 'Ms. Jackson' was actually about me. I don't think so, but people say it," Badu said. "[My mom] thinks it was about her. She got the bumper sticker and the airbrush t-shirt. I think it says, 'Sorry, Ms. Jackson.'"
The song, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award, has long been rumored to be an apology letter from André 3000 to Badu's family following their split in 1999. Badu and the Outkast rapper dated from 1995 to 1999 and welcomed a son, Seven Sirius Benjamin, in 1997.
"Ms. Jackson" arrived about a year after the Three Stacks-Badu breakup, further fueling the speculation. The track was the second single on Outkast's acclaimed Stankonia album, which was released a week later on Halloween in 2000.
Despite the persistent fan theories, Badu maintains that she doesn't believe the song was about her. However, her mother seems to have embraced the idea, even going so far as to get commemorative merchandise. The iconic track has stood the test of time, cementing its place in the DNA of pop music.
