Erykah Badu and The Alchemist release new album featuring Hungarian samples

Five-time Grammy winner Erykah Badu has released a new collaborative album with producer The Alchemist titled ‘Before the World Blows: The Abi and Alan Experiment’. The project, which was recorded over 18 months in Dallas and Los Angeles, explores themes of love, art, identity, and memory.

Two tracks on the album, ‘What The People Say’ and ‘Hot BiBi’, feature samples from the 1977 song ‘Te úgy mentél el’ by the Hungarian group Apostol. The samples incorporate the song's melancholic piano and soft woodwinds, used with permission from the rights holders.

In a discussion on Apple Music, Badu noted that working with The Alchemist helped her rediscover her creative passion and move away from the pressures of competition or recognition. She described the collaboration as a way to reconnect with the fundamental love for her craft.