https://open.spotify.com/album/3w2VgrN4DUnNijMa24X06D?si=m9CAgQKQQ22zAok-SibxUg

Anyone excited for this one? I am ambivalent. On the one had, I love that we will hear from Erykah again. On the other, Al is not the one I want to hear behind the boards. This first joint - filler hopefully - is not it.

Don't hate Al but I was surprised she was working with him. I honestly really liked the beat on the first single but not sure about the vocals. I kept waiting for the real singing to drop. Kind of seemed like sampled or background vocals. I still enjoyed it but not quite what I'm hoping for. Whole thing gave me Dilla - Nothing Like This vibes.

i was like "she gon' sing or what?"

beat is fire though.

this is one of those songs where i try to reserve judgement until i hear it in the context of the whole project. i'm trying to do that MORE because sometimes artists/labels don't pick good singles but when you hear it in the body of work it's way better.

>this is one of those songs where i try to reserve judgement
>until i hear it in the context of the whole project.

"The Realest" is one of my favorite Uncle Al and Mobb joints ever so hearing it again here (even w/ the beat switch mid-way) was initially disappointing. But like you said, depending on where and how it lands in the context of the full album it might magically all of a sudden make sense.

__
I don't like the beat anymore because its just a loop. ALC didn't FLIP IT ENOUGH!

Flip it enough? Flip these. Flip off. Go flip some f*cking burgers.(c)Kno

Allied State of the National Electric Beat Treaty Organization (NEBTO)

But even if I didn't...

Badu's every move, post-Mama's Gun, has often had fans hesitating at first.

Folks forget how divisive New Amerykah I was when it dropped, or even Worldwide Underground to some extent.

And (imo) every time she has delivered, even if we've sometimes needed some time to catch up.

She has no missteps in her catalog. Her weakest joint is probably the mixtape, and that's not because that was bad but because it felt a little light. Like, it's still a great listen from top to bottom.

So I have no doubt this will be legit and am super hype for whenever it drops. Will be a holiday in our house, lol.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

But the 'You can't use my phone' joint was the first misstep IMO. I love the analog girl, and her catalogue is unimpeachable, but that one didn't have any replay value.

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

i liked the phone project and it holds up better than we might remember. It's definitely the weakest of her official releases, but it is conceived of and plays as an album.

when this post was first aired out I went back to it and was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

(but if you do so, be prepared to have "cell-u-lar de-vice" in your head for days, lol)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

It’s funny cuz on X, all the younger heads are straight up trippin off 1) the use of AI for the single’s visualizer, and 2) the reuse of The Realest beat.

They’re all kinds of mad because they feel they should have paid a real artist & think old heads are out of touch for cosigning that shit. I could care less. I know this project will be fope & unique unto itself. Alc is great at bringing out a different dimension or level with established artists & letting them shine, and as you mentioned, Badu has no missteps. Her art is an authentic expression of her & sometimes takes a moment for the world to catch up to.

Also, it’s as if folks never heard Mary J singing over classic Hip-Hop breaks. This is not that & kinda lackluster, but i think it was a teaser. I’m positive they’re holding back from dropping sll the heat they have stockpiled.

The Realest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHKqjSDE9WA

There's definitely differences but now I'm wondering if that's what the whole project will be. Maybe they picked some of his beats to rework. Could just be this one though. Not rare for Badu to make great tracks with existing beats.

Love both of these artists…but my thought exactly. Comes off as lazy using this recycled beat…looking forward to hearing the whole project though…

>https://open.spotify.com/album/3w2VgrN4DUnNijMa24X06D?si=m9CAgQKQQ22zAok-SibxUg
>
>Anyone excited for this one? I am ambivalent. On the one had,
>I love that we will hear from Erykah again. On the other, Al
>is not the one I want to hear behind the boards. This first
>joint - filler hopefully - is not it.

Xxxplosive/Bag Lady has already been discussed.

Remember Mariah Carey - The Roof, which was Trackmasters sampling Shook Ones? That knocked too, IMO.

I feel like there’s other examples of similar or somewhat connected situations of an R&B song over an already classic hip hop beat or a sample of an already classic hip hop beat.

Dre did something similar on that Marsha Ambrosius album - lots of classic hip hop beats either sampled or replayed or interpolated on there.

I like this for what it is, and am interested in how it fits into the bigger picture of the album. Alchemist still makes full albums that are well constructed and thought out.

>I feel like there’s other examples of similar or somewhat
>connected situations of an R&B song over an already classic
>hip hop beat or a sample of an already classic hip hop beat.
>

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised people are calling this lazy, or acting like they're trying to put one over?

If anything, it comes off kind of fly from Badu: "I'm going to do my thing over one of your BEST beats and make it fresh."

Are we still in hip hop or what?

(Now the AI cover of the single, that's lazy -- and cheap, lol.)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

>>I feel like there’s other examples of similar or somewhat
>>connected situations of an R&B song over an already classic
>>hip hop beat or a sample of an already classic hip hop beat.
>>
>
>Yeah, I'm kind of surprised people are calling this lazy, or
>acting like they're trying to put one over?
>
>If anything, it comes off kind of fly from Badu: "I'm going to
>do my thing over one of your BEST beats and make it fresh."
>
>Are we still in hip hop or what?
>
>(Now the AI cover of the single, that's lazy -- and cheap,
>lol.)
>

Now THAT is some bullshit. First of all, the cover is wack. Second of all, there’s so many artists who would LOVE to have that spot that you could look out for, that would come up with something far better and more memorable.

I know we talk about LB on here a ton - I thought it was cool that Joe Scudda, who apparently had gotten really into painting, did the artwork for Pooh’s - To Dream in Color album.

Fuck AI. Let an artist, a photographer, or shit….your guy that’s now into art or photography get a shot at it.

>I thought it was cool
>that Joe Scudda, who apparently had gotten really into
>painting, did the artwork for Pooh’s - To Dream in Color
>album.

I may have watched the music video for that one more than a few times, back in the day.

>I may have watched the music video for that one more than a few times, back in the day.

called echoes 19.

I love it!

she also did a concert for amazon recently. haven't watched, but based on the title, guessing she sings it during the show.

https://youtu.be/2yLT5YPPqb0?si=MwdbT8KWaa7vdIAt

Thanks for posting the link, watching it now and it is EVERYTHING

Badu doesn't get the respect she deserves for her live show. If you've seen her several times over her career, you know how much work she puts into reinventing shit.

Ugh, brilliant.

She has said several times that one reason she doesn't release more music is she feels like her live show is her art. This sort of document helps that make more sense.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

her shows are phenomenal!

it's frustrating that she doesn't to albums regularly, but I get it. the lives are a a whole experience where she can connect with her audience in real time.

The video was AI though which makes the whole thing feel kinda cheap though.

this is the biggest letdown of 2025 for me, musically

sudden announcement of an album

plus a single

plus another joint and a few shows together

then Badu said something like, "it's coming next week" (or next month?) on a podcast

and then crickets

there was a tracklist and everything!!!

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

they really had the zeitgeist man, which is a terribly difficult thing to do, and then .... nothing

i mean ill def be checking for it when (if?) it comes out, but yeah they took all the air out of the balloon for, seemingly, no reason.

i wonder if its just some sample clearance bullshit that fucked them?

Some kind of sample clearance issue... that is the only thing that really makes sense.

The product drops?

I wonder does the same go for live concerts when the artist decide to sing a classic.

Also neither of them are new in this field, and I’m wondering where did the ball really get dropped. Is there some in-house self-sabotaging?

i saw a fairly recent interview where black thought and redman were chopping it up, and BT was talking about a joint he's got, that was a collab with red, that has been held up for 5 YEARS on sample shit

i guess for Streams vol.4 - its right at the top but the whole vid is dope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0nmscXa7nA

That super repetitive, overused beat with a lazy song on top of it did nothing for me. The idea was intriguing, but that almost killed my interest in the project entirely.

but it didnt really make me less excited for the collab
but yeah, that was a mixtape track, not a lead single, IMO

made me completely uninterested, and i think the lukewarm reception means this shit ain't ever coming out.

But in context of the album, the track works IMO.

Folks might forgot or didn’t realize. The entire album was done. They did like a 12 city tour showcasing the entire album in the lead up to what was supposed to be the release date. I caught the show in Charlotte and the album was/is incredible.

Imagine hearing the entire album live with Badu telling folk to peep the album when it drops “next Friday” and then…. Nothing.

Worse than nothing, was she spends the next 3 months on her socials promoting a tour and album that came out 25 years ago (mamas gun). Shit is hella disrespectful. At least tell your fans what the fuck happened!?!

>Folks might forgot or didn’t realize. The entire album was
>done.

Yeah, that was the crazy thing.

>Worse than nothing, was she spends the next 3 months on her
>socials promoting a tour and album that came out 25 years ago
>(mamas gun). Shit is hella disrespectful. At least tell your
>fans what the fuck happened!?!

I wouldn't call it disrespectful -- she's not under any obligation to tell us shit, and of course she's going to celebrate 25 years for MG -- but the lost album is a bummer.

We shouldn't forget that other Badu projects have come and gone, mentioned in interviews as being in progress than never materializing. I wonder if she gets in her own head? Or if she saw the AI backlash as some sort of bad omen?

I'm not counting on it being dropped any time soon but we can hope.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

at least there was a PLAN to release the album, and maybe it still will be

cody chesnutt had an "album" called The Live Release that he only played live in like the late 00's (idk if he still does it) and will probably never put out :(

Totally forgot about the tour...

What was the album like? Any comparisons to her previous work? Did it include that teaser joint with 'the realest' beat?

this is an update from goapele.

HAPPY WOMENS HISTORY MONTH!! 🩷 Can’t think of a better way to start this Women’s Month off, than at the stroke of midnight being in the studio with my big Sis Goddess/ One of One @erykahbadu listening to her latest mix of her upcoming NEW ALBUM!!! Grateful to be in the room with @joistarr @kamasiwashington @youngguru763 @shelley & witness once again how you truly shift the atmosphere with the depth of your unique voice with Art that surpasses time 🔥🛸👑🩷💐BIG TUNES not rushed tempos #Badu x @alanthechemist made magic 💫💫💫

so does this mean Erykah is mixing it instead of ALC? and is Young Guru helping?

but yeah, this is great news. hopefully that means it is on the way.

it also has me wondering: what was going to be dropped last year, and what is the difference between that and what we're getting now?

(Ok, nerd question: I think I lost my Mama's Gun jewel case and liners a while back, but if I remember right, wasn't there a song with Bilal on the tracklist of the first run of Mama's Gun? Did we ever hear that song?)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

nah...don't think that was the song...but...that was a rather Bilal-ish and Erykah-ish Collab they did at one point...



Too Bilal-ish...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFS-ThoW8vM&list=RDTFS-ThoW8vM&start_radio=1

wtf project was this for?

who produced it?

thanks so much for this


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

That song was one of the things the old OKP mainpage was good about highlighting regularly when they surfaced.

Supa Nova Slom / Daoud Torain is also tagged

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

>Supa Nova Slom / Daoud Torain is also tagged

Maybe the sample clearances are holding it up? Anywho, I regret not going to the show when she came to town. I hope we get to hear it some day.

Erykah popped out for a surprise performance during Alchemist set at the Kingsday Patta party. It was so dope! but she only did a few sureshots and the Next to you single from last year, so i havent heard any new material yet

How do we have 2 really high profile artists pump fake a release, and then nobody says anything about it? Does nobody ever ask them? Do they not answer? I’m genuinely confused.

if they're performing together, and still running the single, i'll take it lol

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

So I would assume the album drops before then.

it's been such a bizarre process.

>So I would assume the album drops before then.

Witch Doctor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiRnCJjrDbI&list=RDjiRnCJjrDbI&start_radio=1



https://www.spinmagazine.com/2026/08/erykah-badu-alchemist-album/


News

Long-Awaited Joint Badu/Alchemist Album Due Aug. 28

Groove to new single 'Witch Doctor' and catch them on tour this fall
Written by SPIN Staff |

August 13, 2026 - 1:24 pm


After more than a decade between solo projects, Erykah Badu is finally ready to return with something entirely new — and she’s bringing the Alchemist along for the ride.

The pair today (Aug. 13) announced that their long-teased collaborative album will arrive digitally Aug. 28 via Control FREAQ Records/Young Recordings. The co-produced set, which apparently has no title, was recorded over 18 months in Dallas and Los Angeles.

The announcement arrives with new single “Witch Doctor,” following “Next to You” and the Amazon Music-exclusive “Echos 19 (mix 122),” which debuted during Badu’s Badu Presents: Echos 19 Juneteenth celebration in Dallas.

The project marks Badu’s first new release in 11 years and her first official studio album in 16. In that time, she’s filled her creative life with touring, teaching, motherhood, doula work and plenty of existential reflection. The Alchemist, meanwhile, has maintained a famously prolific pace, releasing multiple projects a year. In 2025 alone, he brought Alfredo 2 with Freddie Gibbs, the follow-up to their Grammy-nominated 2020 album Alfredo, as well as albums with Hit-Boy and the trio of Armand Hammer, Billy Woods and E L U C I D.


The collaboration began more than three years ago, when Badu told longtime creative partner Cold Cris that she wanted to rap over Mobb Deep’s “The Realest,” itself an Alchemist production. The producer had apparently been hoping to work with Badu for years, and the introduction eventually led to a Los Angeles studio session that produced “Next to You” and set the album in motion.

From there, Badu took a collection of Alchemist instrumentals and deconstructed them, reshaping his warm, punchy samples with everything from kalimba to layered chords and drums. The duo also took the unusual step of road-testing the material live throughout 2024 and 2025, performing in intimate, phone-free settings with Badu’s digital collective, the Cannabinoids, while The Alchemist worked the MPC. The process allowed them to continually fine-tune the songs before committing them to record.

Badu and Alchemist will be back onstage Sept. 10 at Ravinia outside Chicago and will wrap their roadwork Sept. 29 at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl.

Not feeling "Witch Doctor"...way too much talent to have released such a mid song, imo...bland.

and treating this as just a cool project that I'll be happy to hear.

if it's great, great.

if it's mid, that's ok too.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Al tends to have these sorts of records on all his projects. Plodding and tedious.

Completely overrated as a producer at this point.

***NSFW*** ***NSFW*** ***NSFW***


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbJulCKneRM&list=RDzbJulCKneRM&start_radio=1


Listen to “Witch Doctor": https://abiandalan.ffm.to/witchdoctor
Pre-save the album, out Aug 28: https://abiandalan.ffm.to/btwb

Director / Executive Producer / Creative Director / Styling - Erykah Badu @erykahbadu

Director of Photography - Ayinde Anderson @ayindeanderson_
1st AD / Producer / Editor - Caity Arthur @morbidtheclown
Assistant to Director - Erica Mills @erica_dmills
EP to Ayinde Anderson - Yamel Thompson Perez @yamelthompsonanderson
Creative Commissioner - Sian Rowe @sianrowe_

1st AC - Theo Sturz @theosturz
2nd AC - Ryan Ewart @ryan.ewart.17
VFX Editor - Michael Speed
Beauty VFX – Max Colt @maxcoltt @digitalbeautywork
Colorist - Nicolas Gautier @nico_gautier_colorist

Production Assistant - Jocelyn Tran @jocelyn_tran21
Production Assistant - Huy Tran @nothuko
Production Assistant - Cameron Wadsworth @cameron.wadsworth
Production Assistant - Diamond Boyd @dtxdime
Production - Cold Cris @coldcris
EB Assistant - Sean @seancaballer0
EB Assistant - Derick Hart

Wardrobe - Tami Gamble @girlyshopteacher
Wardrobe Assistant - Analise Potter @analise_potter_
Wardrobe Assistant - Lailah Ford @sugary.btes
Wardrobe Assistant - Rachel Napolitano @funkytownrach
MUA Artist - Puma @pumacurry
SPFX Artist - Enigma SFX @enigma.spfx
Art Department - Zac Castillo @stoke_imagination
Movement Director - Michelle N. Gibson @mgibson4life

Head of Projects (Young Recordings) - Asmarina Zerabruk @asmarinalo
Special Thanks - Sandaga 813 @sandaga813

Talent / Cast
Erykah Badu @erykahbadu
The Alchemist @alanthechemist
Puma @pumacurry
Diamond Boyd @dtxdime
Cold Cris @coldcris
Rob Free @robfree
Kristen Alexandria @itzz.kris10
Ja’Von Mitchell @jmitch_1103
Rai Barnard @rai.barnard
Nigel @_nigelgettridge_
Donavin Green @jiggygreen
Lauren Humes @_laurenhumes_
Zane @z.dunlap24
Ziari @jugglike.butta_
Lexi Drew @lexidrew
Emma @emmalee_a
Abby Kim @abbyyyjk
Deybi Aldana @deybi_aldana_
Alexander @aleks_wick10p
Zac Castillo @stoke_imagination
William Hackney (Big Will) @yupthatsbighurt
Keundray Hargrove (Kano) @_drayduke
Caity Arthur @morbidtheclown
Alan Nguyen @canvas.games
Steve Green @quattro.wrld
Amatulla Rice @patienceinmotion


Follow Erykah Badu:
Instagram: / erykahbadu
TikTok: / erykahbadu
X: https://x.com/fatbellybella
Facebook: / erykahbadu

Follow The Alchemist:
Instagram: / alanthechemist
X: https://x.com/Alchemist

© 2026 Control FREAQ Records / YOUNG

I'll give this some time tonight or this weekend.

I'm hoping it's decent given all the collaborations I seen online. Will be interesting to hear how Thundercat mixes with the Alchemist.

I'm also hoping this will be good enough for me to want to plunker down my dollars for the vinyl release.

I listened to the first cut but realized I had some shit to do before I could get to it.

Echoes is a weird opener? And then a Westside feature for track 2 is jarring. But we'll see how this goes.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

>And then a Westside feature for
>track 2 is jarring. But we'll see how this goes.

Seeing his name not once but twice when I saw the track listing bothered me a bit, but I want to listen with an open mind because I'm hoping the Badu/Alchemist connection results in something special.

was still up at midnight and ready for it, and none of the songs would play. Not sure if it was an Apple Music issue or an Erykah/ALC issue. But the moment passed. I don’t do first listens as background music while I’m doing other stuff - so it’ll have to wait until I’m ready for it.

>was still up at midnight and ready for it, and none of the
>songs would play. Not sure if it was an Apple Music issue or
>an Erykah/ALC issue. But the moment passed. I don’t do
>first listens as background music while I’m doing other
>stuff - so it’ll have to wait until I’m ready for it.

I'm out west so 9pm I'll see all the new releases. I'm on YouTube Music and I saw the other drops I was looking for (Czarface, for example), but no Badu/Al.

Went to each of their pages directly, no new album. I stepped away to do some stuff around the house and maybe around 9:15pm my time I could find it by searching for it but it still wasn't on the New Release landing page. It's there now this morning.




__
I don't like the beat anymore because its just a loop. ALC didn't FLIP IT ENOUGH!

Flip it enough? Flip these. Flip off. Go flip some f*cking burgers.(c)Kno

Allied State of the National Electric Beat Treaty Organization (NEBTO)

Once it hit about 12:15 AM, I gave up.

Early impressions: I am very happy with this album. I'd drop the Westside features. There might be a cut or two I'd scrap but there's nothing here that makes me wonder what they were thinking.

Right now I'm really liking the early/mid section: Crossfade/ Witch Doctor / Valentine / Next 2 U.

Hot Bibi makes me really happy for some reason. Same quirky weirdness as Breezy, which i also like a lot.

Will take a few listens to get a better sense of the whole but I'm happy it's out, happy they took their time and did what they wanted with it.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

The DRAM feature is the only one that bugs me. It’s just corny.

I liked both of them but was left wanting a bit more. The album delivered what I was looking for. I think the first track was okay but after that all great.

rather than the start

I really like the slow build of it, the hypnotic repetition of it, too

but it feels like a closer to me, not a starter

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

cool to see him in the credits.

The credits seem a little confusing at times. Like, Thundercat got a feature on one song, but is playing bass on another (Witch Doctor) but no feature listing. Not unheard of but kind of weird.

Plan to take a closer look tonight. I might even spring for the vinyl, I'm loving this record.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

The production is flat out boring. I love Erykah Badu but these ALC beats have ZERO chemistry with her vocals.

>I love Erykah Badu but
>these ALC beats have ZERO chemistry with her vocals.

I wouldn’t go as far as letdown, but I yea I would have liked more Alfredo style beats or something as well. But that stripped down shit is a big part of ALCs bag these days too - gotta halfway expect that on any of his shit

but that's my initial impression.

just doesn't feel well thought out and poignant, like i expect Badu's songs to sound.

maybe it will grow on me with more plays, or in a different setting.

breezy a fuckin JAM though

layers on layers

I want to re-sequence it a bit, but there's very little I want to change, and some of these tracks I just want to dive into.


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

I have a feeling Erykah Badu is behind all the adlibs and subtle layered sound effects that are more apparent while using headphones as compared to just listening to speakers as I don't remember Alchemist's prior colabs sounding like this album does.

That's where I hear her presence, too.

I don't mean this in a negative way but it feels like New Amerykah 3 to me -- not so much that it feels redundant, but taking some colors from the same palette. It is much more an Erykah album than an Alchemist album, in that sense. (i think that's a good thing)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

This makes perfect sense..


as do most of your music takes.




>That's where I hear her presence, too.
>
>I don't mean this in a negative way but it feels like New
>Amerykah 3 to me -- not so much that it feels redundant, but
>taking some colors from the same palette. It is much more an
>Erykah album than an Alchemist album, in that sense. (i think
>that's a good thing)
>
>-thebigfunk
>
>~ i could still snort you under the table ~

and alchemist was just in the room. I'm sure that wasn't the case, but it feels like it.

I think Alc made the initial beats but then Badu reworked them into the songs that we got. I do wonder how different they are then what we were about to get last year when it was supposed to drop.

When I listened to the album for the first time I thought it sounded very Badu like. Not her first two albums style wise but yeah where she's been starting with at least New Amerykah.

Would be interesting to hear what Alc made first and what we almost got in comparison to this. Has anyone seen people comparing the finished album to what they played live? Been curious about that too.

I usually try to play the album through the first time before I repeat anything, but I couldn’t help it here….i played To The Moon 3 times in a row. Early favorite, but I like the whole thing.

Is a really fun sequence

>Is a really fun sequence

but I would even carry it to “What the People Say”.

The longer songs aren't doing enough to justify how long they hang around and I don't think it's an attention span issue on my part. I get settling in, establishing a vibe, letting a song breath, but I don't really understand the appeal of the last 3 minutes of Witch Doctor going on as long as it does. Echoes is smooth and chill in a way I like.....until I realize it's over 7 minutes long with admittedly some subtle tweaks and layers as we go along, but it still feels a little boring after awhile.

Uncle Al overall along with Badu did a solid job overall production-wise, but I prefer pretty much anything else Al has done the past few years compared to this album.

On a different note, as a sometimes reluctant Westside Gunn fan, both of his contributions on this album were jarring and annoying. Joi didn't do much for me either. And Badu is cursing too much on this album haha.




__
I don't like the beat anymore because its just a loop. ALC didn't FLIP IT ENOUGH!

Flip it enough? Flip these. Flip off. Go flip some f*cking burgers.(c)Kno

Allied State of the National Electric Beat Treaty Organization (NEBTO)

with it.

I like most of the songs and production. could do without the dram song and the last song on the album, but overall, I like it.

with that said, my initial reaction was this feels like how her concerts feel. almost like they're work shopping the songs and the music isn't finished. not sure I'm describing it well.

there's no song that really showcases her vocals. her singing this feels muted or subdued in relation to the music. it also seems like she produced it.

it's gotten better with each listen.

side note, I want her to do an album with rapsody. rapsody seems to be a really dope space and I think a full album with the two of them would be fly.

in her home studio.

I think a lot of artist do these days.

I would love for Badu to be in a studio working with top musicians with the goal of her putting out an album on the scale of her first album or The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill or a Beyoncé album.

Not soundwise, but effortwise.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

"Effort-wise"...exactly.

there's effort all over this album

i can understand wanting a studio album with live musicians but that's clearly not what she wants to do these days. (and clearly what this wasn't going to be, as a collab w/Alc)

but that doesn't mean the effort isn't there. time and consideration are evident from start to finish.

(this was also effectively workshopped via live shows. that's a form of effort, too.)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

it's more of the type of project. her first 2-3 projects were more straight forward musically. the songs could fit into the flow on radio with standard verse-chorus type songs. easier to people to get into.

these last few projects are not that. they're more challenging and take time to digest. more freeform. less structured compared to baduism and momma's gun.

it can be frustrating because we know she can do a more regular album and kill it, but that's not who she is now. you have to sit this type of music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d37P-kn1A14


Erykah Badu and The Alchemist: Naming the New Album, Past Tour, and Collaboration | The Ebro Show

Erykah Badu and The Alchemist are visited by Ebro to discuss their newest album, Before The World Blows. Listen to the full album on Apple Music.

Listen to Erykah Badu on Apple Music: https://apple.co/ErykahBaduYT
Listen to The Alchemist on Apple Music: https://apple.co/TheAlchemistYT

Subscribe to Apple Music: https://apple.co/AppleMusicYT

for me, it's just a good, not great, project.

it's lacking a certain something, and for me i think that something is focus.

i figure the next time i'll come back to it is in a few months when i see someone go "man, this was great" or "y'all slept" and i'll go see if i really did miss something.

Earl's fine but that refrain, the arrangement, everything is just golden

Would have made a great closing track, too.

After more listening, I would...
* remove WG's features -- beyond jarring, I just don't know why they're there. seriously.

* drop the ass-clenching skit (funny one time but too long)

* probably drop black box

* I like the opening cuts (Echoes, I Just Play a Part) but feel like the sequencing at the front of the album is weird. Tweak it somehow. C

Honestly, from Crossfade to No ID, I LOVE THIS RECORD. Even Next to You, which I never had a problem with to begin with, really shines where it is.

(Crossfade is the unsung hero on the album. Top-tier Badu cut.)

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

>After more listening, I would...
>* remove WG's features -- beyond jarring, I just don't know
>why they're there. seriously.
>
>* drop the ass-clenching skit (funny one time but too long)
>
>* probably drop black box
>
>* I like the opening cuts (Echoes, I Just Play a Part) but
>feel like the sequencing at the front of the album is weird.
>Tweak it somehow. C
>
>Honestly, from Crossfade to No ID, I LOVE THIS RECORD. Even
>Next to You, which I never had a problem with to begin with,
>really shines where it is.
>
>(Crossfade is the unsung hero on the album. Top-tier Badu
>cut.)
>


Crossfade is dope as hell, I don’t even play Black Box anymore - definitely not for me. The skit and WSG features also feel pointless to me. But I pretty much just let this album run, other than I check out for the last track and usually just cut it off.

is way too lethargic to me. Feels as if I have to invest time and energy to get into the album the way it starts out, which is unfortunate because this isn't a poor album at all.

That's how I felt about the first track when I listened to it. So slow and long. Weird way to start off the album. From there the rest was bumping for me on first listen. Listened at home over speakers and it was a great time. Going back to it with headphones and I could see how people would checked out of it before it really gets going. Although for me I do think Crossfade is where it gets great I can see some people liking it more if they started at Valentine or Love Me Not.

Overall I really like the album. Need to give it some more listens but I'm not disappointed at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjEwDojGef8&list=RDGjEwDojGef8&start_radio=1


Erykah Badu and The Alchemist perform new collaborative material at an intimate live show in London for their NTS Session.

The new album “Before The World Blows” is out now.

“Echos”
“I Just Play A Part” (feat. DJ Creole Princess)
“Witch Doctor”

#erykahbadu #thealchemist #alchemist #abiandalan

DIRECTOR: Yasser Abubeker
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Diara Sow
SPATIAL & LIGHTING DESIGNER: Bianca Peruzzi

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Erykah Badu
EXEC. PRODUCER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Chantal Adams
EXEC. PRODUCER : Danny Herman
HEAD OF MUSIC: Samuel Strang
MUSIC OPERATIONS: Cass O'Grady

PRODUCER : Will Cousins
PRODUCER: Myriam Sheriff
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Sunnie Fraser
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT : Loretta Wonke
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Celeste Doig

CAMERA OPERATOR: Warren Rodricks
1ST AC: Toma Iaramboykov
2ND AC: Seb Vietoris-Johnson
2ND AC: Noé Silué
1ST AD: Gina Bell
SPARK: Caterina Castro
GAFFER: Cassy Chevrette

SET DESIGNER: Cosimo de Barry
SET DESIGNER: Victor Noorani
BOTANICAL DESIGNER: Samuel Thomas
SET DESIGN ASSISTANT: Flo Webb
SET DESIGN ASSISTANT: Ella Fleck

SOUND ENGINEER CO-ORDINATOR: Bosco Taylor
SYSTEM CO-ORDINATOR: Talv Bains
SOUND ENGINEER: Felix Stock
SOUND ENGINEER: Giulia Campanella
SOUND ENGINEER: Jessica Carrena
SOUND RECORDIST: Ben Loveland
SOUND INTERN: Neel Babar

EDITOR: Zeynep Agcabay
COLOURIST: Thierry Phung
SOUND MIX: Erykah Badu / Chris Godbey
SOUND DESIGN / MASTER: Jonny Breakwell

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALVARO BARRINGTON AND FRIENDLY PRESSURE