Erykah Badu Show Banned In Malaysia Over Singer's Allah Body Art

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Muslim-majority Malaysia on Tuesday banned a planned concert by Erykah Badu after a photograph appeared showing the Grammy-winning singer with the Arabic word for Allah written on her body.

The American R&B singer was scheduled to perform Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, but some Muslim groups said Badu was an unsuitable role model for young Malaysians after seeing a publicity photo of her with what appeared to be temporary tattoos of the word Allah on her bare shoulders.

A government committee that includes police and Islamic policy officials decided to forbid Badu's show because the body art was "an insult to Islam and a very serious offense," Information Minister Rais Yatim said in a statement.

The photo of Badu had "triggered public criticism that could jeopardize national security and cause a negative impact to the government's image," the statement added.

The 41-year-old, Dallas-born singer had already arrived in Malaysia. She can stay as a tourist but will not be allowed to perform, an Information Ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements.

Razman Razali, managing director of the show's Malaysian organizer, Pineapple Concerts, said his company hopes the ban will be reversed.

Badu is "worried and dismayed," Razman told The Associated Press. She was slated to perform in an auditorium that can hold about 3,000 spectators.

It was the first concert by a Western performer to be banned in Malaysia in recent years. Several other stars, including Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne, were told to dress modestly while performing.

The photograph of Badu, which also appears on her official fan website, attracted attention after Malaysia's most widely read English-language daily, The Star, published it Monday.

On Tuesday, the newspaper apologized to Muslims for what it called an "oversight," saying it deeply regretted any offense sparked by the photo, which was "inadvertently published." The Home Ministry summoned The Star's editors to explain the photograph, which caused some Muslim activists to demand the newspaper's suspension.

Take a look at the photo below. PHOTO:

Comments

[Wan Huzaify]

12:23 PM on 03/01/2012

Respect Islam first, then we (Muslims) will respect you to the fullest. Is that so hard to respect others religion? Provocation to others' religion isn't the best way to spread your so called LOVE.

[zaki 77]

03:26 AM on 03/01/2012

Society would descend into chaos if there was no mutual respect for each others' race and religion. Badu's actions may have been done in ignorance, but it is not excusable for a host country to overlook traditional sensitivities that are tied in with national stability and security. I applaud Malaysia for taking the necessary steps in safeguarding any possibility of public unrest or disorder. I would assume Indonesia would follow suit, while acknowledging that the geo-social and cultural norms may not be completely identical with its neighbours.

[nuffnuff]

03:42 AM on 03/01/2012

no, not her fault. She didn't in anyway anytime disrespect the customs and sensitivities of muslim majority Malaysia. This was a mistake on the newspaper's part, mistakenly publishing the wrong untreated photo of her with the tattoos just 2 days before the concert. All 8 weeks prior when she was doing her promotion with the intended photo, it was fine, nothing, no issue, nada...As for Malaysian government taking a stand, well I won't be singing praises for them just yet cos they actually approve of her performing here, and later, backtracked and imposed a last minute ban citing reasons of insulting Islam, when in the first place, they are the ones who approved her.

[zaki 77]

04:23 AM on 03/01/2012

It was an autonomous body 'Puspal' that approved her, and its clear they did a pretty bad job in reviewing her application. Nevertheless, no one is saying it is her fault, but since the publication of the picture became a national news story, the government had to act in accordance with the sentiments on the ground. Personally, I'd take the issue up with Puspal. As for the newspaper, then they've already sacked two of its editors who were responsible for authorising the photo.

[heidi harris]

10:14 PM on 02/29/2012

it is about limits! whatever religion you are you have to respect other peoples culture, and belief. it is like coming into your house and people trashed things into your home. or better yet, they step on your family photos and left you with disgrace. that is one of the metaphor. if you are one of those human beings who dont give a damn about other peoples belief, culture, and religion i think you should stay where you are.. selfish, and inconsiderate human being are flooded in this world. we need lesser humans with low mentality.

[nuffnuff]

03:30 AM on 03/01/2012

she was respectful. and the organizers knew the sensitivity of the whole thing. They used another photo all this while to promote her concert ( http://uppercaise.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/120228-pineapple-contest.jpeg?w=290 )
This whole thing turned ugly when one of the editor of The Star, Malaysia's biggest english daily, mistakenly published the one without the word Allah blanked out. I will say again and again this issue has nothing to do with her, it's not her fault, not even the organizers, but a silly, unfortunate mistake on the newspaper's part, which, is now facing possibility of suspension

[adictgamer]

03:59 PM on 02/29/2012

What a silly group of people. Is their faith so tenuous or do they believe their god so weak that he needs them to be offended and take action when someone makes a mistake out of ignorance. I thank the universe and random chance that I was not born into a culture dominated by these types of people. Even if the current crop of presidential candidates would make us one.

[Assumed Name]

10:55 PM on 02/29/2012

I agree. Censorship reeks.

[Penny Josephides]

11:21 AM on 02/29/2012

She has a weird look in her face, like she's stoned... Why does she do something like this? She seems dumb... That look is not a look of an intelligent person...

[nuffnuff]

11:48 AM on 02/29/2012

oh come on. can you get any more prejudicial. guess a triple platinum, grammy award winning black soul singer is dumb to you huh

[Frankly Speaking]

09:36 AM on 02/29/2012

Ms Badu would be doing herself a favor..and us too..if she just took the time to read-up on the history of Malaysia and its people. They WERE predominately Buddhist and Hindu..BEFORE the islamic advent in the 15th century. I wish she'd keep her music here..where it's appreciated.

[nuffnuff]

09:49 AM on 02/29/2012

It wasn't her fault, after all the government of Malaysia did approve for her concert to be held. just that certain quarters who didn't even know who she is, saw the photo and read that she's performing here, find it offensive and immediately cried foul. it was all well and good all 8 weeks prior when she started promoting with the intended photo, one with the word Allah blanked out

[FiredUpRTG]

08:57 AM on 02/29/2012

Tattoos are pretentious. Haven't seen a good one yet.

Too bad she can't perform, she's good.

[kultkonn98]

08:36 AM on 02/29/2012

Personally, I think it's much ado about nothing; regardless of how she feels or the statement she was trying to make, if other people find it offensive then she should respect that. The part I'm confused about is how this jeopardizes national security??

[nuffnuff]

09:27 AM on 02/29/2012

There were some twits about people planning to throw rocks at her should they ever see her perform hence the government took a preemptive, but then again it's the same government that gave the approval 8 weeks prior for her to perform and she was still slated to perform just 2 days before until the newspaper carried the "wrong" photo of her, one where the words Allah weren't blanked out leading to this whole spectacle. I'm a Malaysian and I hope our government gets a slap in the face when she performs this weekend in Indonesia, an even bigger muslim majority country, and that it turned out great as it should.

[Kanteh8502]

07:51 AM on 02/29/2012

Am definitely disappointed with Badu, Because i have been listening to her music for more than 10 years now. No wonder she's some sort of spiritual healer and stuff... How can see provoke Islam in an Islamic majority country by tattooing the name of Allah and the pyramid on her shoulder and to top it all boldly tattooed and expect no one to address these diabolic act just because she's slated to perform. I completely agree with the Malaysian authority- it is an insult to the religion of Islam and it should not be tolerated.

[nuffnuff]

09:34 AM on 02/29/2012

It was initially a non issue until the newspaper published the "wrong" press kit photo. 8 weeks before they were promoting her with the same photo but the with words Allah blanked out, and that didn't cause any issue. I feel sorry for her to be involved in this whole unnecessary and unfortunate debacle which could have been avoided had the editor of the newspaper hadn't make that mistake.

[Kanteh8502]

10:21 AM on 02/29/2012

Yea it was indeed maybe its not the newspaper editor's fault completely for publishing,or maybe the newspaper editor was protecting their interest who knows... The media are always looking for news and news makers so therefore the organizer of the show must have a genuine reason to push that photo of Badu's to the print media. The organizers should have taken care of the issue before it goes inferno on the whole Muslim ummah not to mention the Indonesia's national security. Because a photo like that would instantly raise the red flag. The management of erykah badu should have a press conference to do some thorough explanations as to why she have Allah's name tattooed on her half naked body. Is this a war on our religion because we have seen what the americans did in Afghanistan burning the holy Quran and now this! this is sickness or what

[Kanteh8502]

11:28 AM on 02/29/2012

Well i guess it didn't occur to the newspaper editor that the photo was raising a red flag maybe due them being over excited about her coming to perform in Malaysia. My brother don’t feel sorry for her, she knows exactly what she's doing with that tattoo. The organisers too need to do some explanations for protecting their investments instead of handling the bull by the horn like they supposed to.

[Jacob Betancourt]

06:28 AM on 02/29/2012

How the hell is this news?

[kmcc895370]

06:16 AM on 02/29/2012

She should just make a public statement that will reach her fans and say "thanks to the intolerance shown by the Islamic element in your country over something trivial, I have been forbidden to perform, so please if you are angry address it to them." Then she should immediately leave the country and play elseware. This would throw the ball back into the Islamists lap when their young people start rebelling.

[Umar Usman Babba]

07:06 AM on 02/29/2012

You're wrong guys, it'll not happen in Malaysia, insha Allahu.

[Kanteh8502]

07:58 AM on 02/29/2012

Am not from Indonesia but as far as the religion of Islam is concerned, I thoroughly concur to that. Besides Erikah Badu is no Muslim so why should she do such a thing to the detriment of Indonesia’s national security and the Muslim um mah at large.

[ghighnoon]

03:49 PM on 02/29/2012

There Young people can't rebel becuse of Islam intolerance
they would simply just be killed....

[Wan Huzaify]

12:16 PM on 03/01/2012

Stay silent if you are too stupid to talk. You're now showing to the whole world how stupid you are about Islam :)

[venmar zodaco]

06:07 AM on 02/29/2012

who the heck is this freak and what cesspool did she get out of? i've never heard of this freak, nor do think she is grammy material. she looks simply YUCKY!

[WestOfTheMoon]

07:38 AM on 02/29/2012

A very talented music artist with fans (including me) that would gladly clarify the definition of "freak" for you one-on-one.

[FiredUpRTG]

08:53 AM on 02/29/2012

She's a very talented singer who has performed since the 90's, empowering new music with tributes to old R&B, no gangsta stuff. As for her looks, welcome to freedom of self-expression in the new century/millennium. Musicians have always dressed creatively, from Little Richard to Elton John to Velvet Underground to SxPistols to Flock of Seagulls to Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga. It's only going to get wilder. Get used to it.

[fred116]

05:59 AM on 02/29/2012

Never heard of her and who cares what muslims think?

[FiredUpRTG]

08:56 AM on 02/29/2012

She's been around since the 90's, a modern thinker's type of R&B.
When one is in a country with a significant Muslim population, knowing that they are so sensitive that they think their religion can be destroyed by a word or picture, a visitor should care.

[dexrmerritt]

05:56 AM on 02/29/2012

me oh my everyone is trying to be statement relative as opposed to being talented....just sing and stop being the radical against anything and everything...its draining and is..like flies walking up a wall.

[BKLINDZ]

07:47 AM on 02/29/2012

Thank you! Hopping up and down on the stage shouting "Free Tibet"..and half of them couldn't find it on a map.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

05:53 AM on 02/29/2012

Erykah's always been a little "out there" but she's very talented, I have one of her old CD's. I don't know what her views are now, but earlier she was pretty independent, though afro-centric. I remember she appeared at one of those black marches in the US, and walked up to the podium after all these males had dominated the discourse for two hours, and told the audience: "follow your own dam self!" lol. I thought that was pretty smart and gutzy.

As far as Islam, I suppose she learned something here, how intolerent fundamentalism is. In any religion, actually, but seems to be worse right now with Islam, because they are so extreme, imo. Also, her attempt to put "God" on her body may in fact be a nod to the idea that there's one God and I answer to him, not your religious laws. She didn't have "Mohammad" on her body, after all.