Nothing about They Cloned Tyrone is what it seems. The film — written, produced, and directed by Juel Taylor, with Tony Rettenmaier as co-writer — chronicles the capers of local hustler Fontaine (John Boyega), quick-talking entrepreneur Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), and chatty and curious pro Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris) as they unravel the mysterious events and nefarious activities that begin to unfold across their Atlanta suburb.
When the credits roll, viewers are treated to one final surprise, a special rendition of Erykah Badu’s iconic hit, “Tyrone.” Badu, an unparalleled creative whose work spans music, fashion, acting, visual art, and even lifestyle goods, graciously heeded the call when Taylor asked her to revisit the beloved song. This new “Tyrone” sounds eerily similar to the original, but those paying attention will be rewarded by the subtle, amusing changes of this 2023 remake. “You really have to listen to hear the words that are changed,” says Badu.
Since its debut in 1997, “Tyrone” has taken on a life of its own in the cultural pantheon. The song has served as a witty reference in the comedy Next Friday, was name-dropped by Beyoncé in the 2006 song “Kitty Kat,” and covered by the indie rock band My Morning Jacket. When asked why the song, which began as a freestyle, has had such staying power for the past 26 years, Badu naturally pointed to other equally enduring cultural relics: “Why are the pyramids still here, Deidre?”
Here, Badu details the creative and collaborative process.
Dial 1 for Tyrone,
Dial 2 for Badu
Let’s see, Juel called me in 2018 or so and told me he was working on a script. It was still a dream of his at that point. He goes, “I have a movie called They Cloned Tyrone, and I want you to be part of it. Part of the vision is for you to do the end credit song.” I read what he had at the time — a synopsis. He told me about the actors he had on board. I was like, “Oh, that’s really good.”
It’s a feeling you have as a writer or an artist or even a painter — a feeling of satisfaction that happens right in the middle of your chest.
Erykah Badu
So many major themes of this film really piqued my interest. I liked the conspiracy theories. The propaganda is really hilarious. The relationship between the pro, Teyonah Parris, and the entrepreneur, Jamie Foxx’s character, is really fascinating to me. They Cloned Tyrone is so well done — the script is well-written and the cinematography was very well executed. I love to be a part of really creative projects. My work has always pointed towards Afrofuturism, the mystical, and the metaphysical realms. Many things within They Cloned Tyrone also felt like that. It felt nostalgic. It felt futuristic. When I watched it, I was satisfied. It’s a feeling you have as a writer or an artist or even a painter — a feeling of satisfaction that happens right in the middle of your chest.
From Calling to Cloning
I distinctly remember that live recording [of “Tyrone”] in D.C. in 1997. I was wearing an orange dashiki dress that my friend Charlene made for me. It was the beginning of my career, and I was overwhelmed because I’d just [gotten] a record deal. I was nine months pregnant with my son, Seven. It was a very short period of time when things were happening really quickly. My son was born November 18, and that’s the same day the album, Live, came out too.
The whole song was made up on the spot.
Erykah Badu
In rehearsal, we play around a lot. The keyboard player, Norman [“Keys” Hurt], would just play something. “Tyrone” wasn’t a part of what we did in rehearsal, but it’s a part of that flow, of how we behave when we’re kind of delirious and having fun, in the zone.
I was performing on stage and I looked at my keyboard player, Norman, and said, “Play that thing.” I felt like freestyling and being in the moment. The whole song was made up on the spot.
This 2023 version is very clever because I only changed a few things around, but I had to sing the whole song exactly how I sang it when I was 27. I had to recreate the same voice that I had one million blunts ago. I sang it that way so that people wouldn’t detect it immediately. Once it gets to the hook, it’s a little bit more obvious. [“Them motherfuckers cloned Tyrone (cloned him).”] I hadn’t really considered remaking or revisiting this song before the movie came along. Juel needed it, so I did it, you know what I’m saying? When the film was finally ready, we got together, and I did my job, and here we are.
