“Why not give Dallas the best voice, a soulful voice?” he told the crowd at a press conference on Tuesday outside Badu’s former high school, the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
The occasion was as big as the singer’s legend. DART will be honoring the city’s most illustrious (best of luck trying to fight us on this) musician with three buses and two trains wrapped with Badu’s photo. These “Badu Buses” will run until the end of the year.
Thanks to Erykah Badu's collaboration with DART, taking the bus has never been more stylish.
Carly May Gravley
Weiss commended Badu’s dedication to her city by helping with tornado relief efforts, among other things. Weiss also recalled the time Badu surprised her by singing at her retirement party.
Erykah Badu and her former teacher, Lily Cabatu Weiss. celebrate Badu's milestone.
Carly May Gravley
Badu took to the stand in an oversized coat, her hair adorned with a fringe of metal braid beads. Dozens of high school students stood on the side watching the school's famous alumna as she spoke of her “fond memories” on the bus, though she longed then to never have to ride the bus and instead have her face on its side.
She started her speech by thanking Rogen and continued to unleash her signature humor, even when acknowledging the honor and answering serious questions such as that from a 97.9 The Beat reporter, who asked about the significance of having a Black woman honored by DART during Black History Month, considering Black Americans' cruel history with U.S. buses.
“Humor is my defense mechanism, so I don’t have anything funny to say about that,” Badu said before speaking on how the world is changing and how she’s now she’s literally at the front of the bus.
She also shouted out Booker T, addressing the students directly: “I see myself in you,” she told them.
As her daughter Mars sat in the driver’s seat with a friend, Badu took a seat inside the Badu Bus for individual press interviews.
We asked Badu if she recalled any memorable encounters with DART passengers.
”I remember there was one bus driver on my route — it wasn’t called DART at the time; it’s rebranded now, it was yellow and black and white. I remember my route, the No. 2 Ervay route to this school, Booker T. The bus driver was so sweet. He would let people on who didn’t have transfers or the money or stuff. He didn’t talk at all, he would just do a little [nods] go to the back kinda thing.’ It reminded me that there are still angels and love in the city.”
She had no specific requests about the buses. So no, the plates won’t read “SHE BAD” because buses can’t have custom license plates.
“You know, when you’re being honored you kind of … whoever’s idea it is you want their creative [mind] to get all their ideas out. And after they did they asked me to select a photo and I did that.”
The Badu DART vehicles will service 13 cities.
The Grammy winner was also asked by a reporter during the Q&A where she’s going next.
“I’ll be at the Factory for my birthday,” Badu said.
Her celebrity-filled yearly birthday bash takes place Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Factory in Deep Ellum. Beyond the environmental benefits of riding public transportation, and the mental health benefits of avoiding finding parking in Deep Ellum, now there’s an extra incentive to ride the DART there.
