Erykah Badu Apologizes for Being a “Terrible Guest” at Barack Obama’s 60th Birthday Party

Unauthorized photos posted by Erykah Badu fueled social media backlash against the Obamas for throwing a party that didn’t require guests to wear masks.

With the uproar surrounding Barack Obama‘s 60th birthday party finally dying down, Erykah Badu has issued an apology for her part in sparking it.

Over the weekend, the “On & On…” singer dubbed herself a “terrible guest” at the president’s celebration in Martha’s Vineyard. “Mr. And Mrs. Obama, Please forgive me 4 being the ‘terrible guest’ at such a sacred event for your family,” Badu wrote on Twitter, referring to photos she posted from the party that showed the Obamas dancing and enjoying the party without a face covering. “I was so inconsiderate, Thank you for all your love. What an example of ‘how NOT ‘ to be,” the singer added.

Badu went on to strike down rumors of being forced by The Obamas to publicly apologize and pull the unauthorized photos from the event, which were quickly cited as evidence of the presidential family being hypocritical about their stance on mask use. “Naw sis. It’s just right thing,” Badu replied to a follower on Twitter.

Though the party was almost immediately criticized for being incompatible with state and federal COVID guidelines, the Obamas did scale back the original guest list considerably. The event was initially slated to host 475 attendees, of which only 200 made the final cut. The guests cut from the list reportedly included David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Larry David, who was predictably stoked about not having to make a public appearance. “When he told me I was eighty-sixed from the party, I was so relieved, I screamed, ‘Thank you! Thank you!,’ David told The New York Times. 

You can read Erykah Badu’s apology below.