| Honey | |
| Cover: | ErykahBadu-Honey.jpg |
| Border: | yes |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Erykah Badu |
| Album: | New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) |
| B-Side: | Bag Lady |
| Released: | November 20, 2007 |
| Recorded: | 2007 |
| Genre: | R&B[1] |
| Length: |
|
| Label: | Universal Motown |
| Producer: | 9th Wonder |
| Prev Title: | The Heart Gently Weeps |
| Prev Year: | 2007 |
| Next Title: | Soldier |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
"Honey" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for her fourth studio album New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008).[2] It was produced by 9th Wonder, and contains a sample from Nancy Wilson's 1978 song "I'm in Love".[3] The song was released as the lead single from New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) on November 20, 2007, by Universal Motown Records.
Directed by Badu and Chris Robinson, the song's music video was released on January 28, 2008,[4] and was conceived by Badu as an homage to classic records. Set in a small business record store, it follows a customer looking through vintage R&B, hip hop, and rock LP albums, with the albums' cover artwork depicted as moving images with Badu cast in them.[5] According to Robinson, "We wanted a video that spoke to Badu's eclecticism. Those album covers represent all the influences that she embodies."[6] Albums covers that were recreated in the video are those of:[5]
As a video within a video, the record store's video screen plays an excerpt of the song "Annie" performed by Badu's side project Edith Funker,[5] which features Questlove, James Poyser, Nikka Costa, Mike Elizondo, and Wendy Melvoin. The video also features a cameo appearance by Sa-Ra member Shafiq Husayn.[7] The video also features a recreated version of Rolling Stone magazine's front cover for its January 1981 issue, which originally featured John Lennon and Yoko Ono.[5]
In the video, Badu also spoofs ex-boyfriend André 3000 in OutKast's 2003 music video "Hey Ya!", changing the green setting for a pink one. The album cover is influenced in layout and proportions by the artwork from the 1976 self-titled debut album of the band Boston. The artwork for the album Boston can be seen on the record store wall just below and to the left of the artwork for Honey in the last seconds of the video.
The video for "Honey" won Best Direction at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, and was nominated for Best Special Effects, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography.[8]
The video was also nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 51st Grammy Awards.[9]
It appeared at number seventy-nine on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008.
In 2011, Complex magazine named it the 29th best music video of the 2000s.[10]
| Peak position | |
| Japan (Japan Hot 100)[11] | 35 |
|---|---|
| Position | ||
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] | 67 |
|---|
| Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | November 20, 2007 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | Universal Motown | |
| December 18, 2007 | 12-inch vinyl |