Erykah Badu just proved how tough it is to be a performer on the streets of NYC.
The "Window Seat" songstress decided to conduct a social experiment of sorts - a "street hustle experience" - going incog in Times Square Oct. 10 to see how many people would give her money if she sang.
"I kind of always wanted to see what it would be like to sing for money on the streets," Erykah said in a cell phone video. "I'm going to find a good place to stop and do it."
Then, she takes off her hat, puts some money in it, and starts to sing. "Please sir give me some money, sister I need some money, I haven't sold a record in about two years, haven't sold a record in a long time," she croons.
![Vulture Festival Opening Night Party]()
"Nobody's stopping to give me nothing," she sings with a laugh after she had been singing on the streets for a while and people kept passing her by.
When she wrapped up her street set, Erykah walked away and counted the money she raked in: a whopping three dollars and six dimes - $3.60.
"In no way is this video a reflection of my feelings about homeless or unfortunate families nor individuals who have no other means of survival in our world," she went on to say in the YouTube video. Instead, this short film was shot w/ my iPhone and edited in iMovie for entertainment purposes only and serves as a personal 'hustle' experiment for me."
Since it kind of sounded like Erykah was hollering for the majority of the video and not actually singing, we do wonder how much she could've racked up if she would've started singing actual songs - even if they weren't her own.
The "Window Seat" songstress decided to conduct a social experiment of sorts - a "street hustle experience" - going incog in Times Square Oct. 10 to see how many people would give her money if she sang.
"I kind of always wanted to see what it would be like to sing for money on the streets," Erykah said in a cell phone video. "I'm going to find a good place to stop and do it."
Then, she takes off her hat, puts some money in it, and starts to sing. "Please sir give me some money, sister I need some money, I haven't sold a record in about two years, haven't sold a record in a long time," she croons.
"Nobody's stopping to give me nothing," she sings with a laugh after she had been singing on the streets for a while and people kept passing her by.When she wrapped up her street set, Erykah walked away and counted the money she raked in: a whopping three dollars and six dimes - $3.60.
"In no way is this video a reflection of my feelings about homeless or unfortunate families nor individuals who have no other means of survival in our world," she went on to say in the YouTube video. Instead, this short film was shot w/ my iPhone and edited in iMovie for entertainment purposes only and serves as a personal 'hustle' experiment for me."
Since it kind of sounded like Erykah was hollering for the majority of the video and not actually singing, we do wonder how much she could've racked up if she would've started singing actual songs - even if they weren't her own.