On March 17, 2010, singer Erykah Badu filmed the evocative music video for the song “Window Seat” in Dealey Plaza.
At the time, the Dallas artist was already an icon, the ’90s “Queen of Neo-Soul” who had blazed a trail in innovative hip-hop and R&B, anchored by sultry breakout hits like “On and On” and “You Got Me” with the Roots.
Her 1997 debut album Baduizm went triple platinum, and “Window Seat” would be the lead single on her fifth.
As such, her label had big ideas for the video shoot. But, as in much of her career, Badu had her own, studying videos from experimental rockers Björk, Radiohead, and Matt and Kim.
Badu’s concept was this: She would walk through Dallas’s notorious Dealey Plaza, site of the JFK assassination, in street clothes which she would remove, item by item, until she was naked, at which time, the audio of a gunshot would ring out and Badu crumple to the ground. The crew would not seek permits. They would film among the unexpecting tourists and crowds and capture the performance, guerrilla-style, in a single running shot.
