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Erykah Badu and The Alchemist release ‘Before the World Blow

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-01 08:09 UTC → 2026-09-11 12:43 UTC · added removed

Erykah Badu and producer The Alchemist have released their collaborative 16-track studio album, ‘Before the World Blows: The Abi and Alan Experiment’, via Young and Control Freaq Records. Recorded over 18 months in Dallas and Los Angeles, the project marks Badu’s first full-length studio album in 16 years. The album blends neo-soul, R&B, jazz, blues, funk, rock, and underground hip-hop, featuring a diverse array of guest artists including such as Westside Gunn, Steve Lacy, Thundercat, Earl Sweatshirt, Kamasi Washington, and DRAM. The project is structured Structured in four movements, exploring the work explores themes of love, art, identity, and identity memory by integrating The Alchemist’s samples with Badu’s melodic reconstructions. Notably, the tracks ‘What The People Say’ and ‘Hot BiBi’ feature samples from the 1977 song ‘Te úgy mentél el’ by the Hungarian group Apostol, utilizing the song’s melancholic piano and soft woodwinds with permission from rights holders. In a discussion on Apple Music, Badu stated that the collaboration helped her rediscover her creative passion and reconnect with the “fundamental love for her craft,” moving away from the pressures of competition. Following the initial digital release, physical editions—including CD, cassette, and double LP—are scheduled for official release on December 11. Special editions will feature include limited white-label versions via Bandcamp and specific vinyl colors, such as neon orange and transparent yellow, through select retailers. To support the release, the duo is embarking on a North American tour beginning September 10 at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois. The tour includes stops in Toronto, Washington, D.C., Denver, and San Diego, before Festival, concluding at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on September 29.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-11 12:43 UTC Erykah Badu and The Alchemist release ‘Before the World Blow
  2. 2026-09-01 08:09 UTC Erykah Badu and The Alchemist release ‘Before the World Blow
  3. 2026-08-29 08:13 UTC Erykah Badu and The Alchemist release ‘Before the World Blow
  4. 2026-08-28 09:22 UTC Erykah Badu and The Alchemist release ‘Before the World Blow
  5. 2026-08-26 18:34 UTC Erykah Badu and The Alchemist album release

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