“Call Tyrone, yes call him please” I would say loudly and with much attitude.

When I first heard the song in the late 90’s, I grooved to it, even playing it in prelude to my ex husband exiting our home.

Since he loves Tyrone so much, maybe Tyrone can help him carry his things out: but he can’t call Tyrone on Erykah’s phone, because he never helped her with the bill.

The boyfriend put his friends above her, disrespected her, and basically acted like a scrub. Tyrone isn’t actually the boyfriend here: Tyrone is the boyfriend’s homeboy, and Erykah suggests that he “call up Tyrone” to help him move his shit out of her house. Still, the fact that the footage of this particularly bonkers rendition of “Tyrone” - highlighted by James, on his knees, shredding, while Badu shimmies above him - is a bit shaky offers something extra to its off-the-cuff charms.Erykah told the Power 105 Breakfast Club that her most famous song was “a total freestyle” that she made up on the spot and just happened to record.Įrykah has had enough with her no-good, do-nothing man and is kicking him out of the house. One of each is present now for your viewing pleasure, although only “Wordless Chorus” has been provided in crystal-clear professionally taped video quality. When Vulture spoke with My Morning Jacket front man Jim James about last night’s Todd Haynes–directed YouTube concert, he was coy about whether or not the two sterling entities would link up for that “Tyrone” cover the band has been doing - at times with Badu herself - over the last few years, saying, “People are going to guess that, but we’re still nailing down the set list.” Turns out, that’s because MMJ and Erykah offered much more: Badu ended up joining the band for four songs, including two of her own (“Twinkle” and “Tyrone”) and two of the band’s (“The Day Is Coming” and “Wordless Chorus”).

Erykah badu tyrone who is it about