Badu and Alchemist's Long-Awaited Collaborative Album Finally Arrives
Erykah Badu's first proper album in 16 years, 'Before the World Blows: The Abi & Alan Experiment,' is a collaboration with producer the Alchemist. The 16-track project plays to both artists' strengths and delivers the inventive, soulful sound fans have been anticipating. The album follows a 2025 tour where new songs were performed to audiences under strict no-phone policies.
The album marks a significant return for Badu, whose last proper studio release was 2010's *New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)*. In the intervening years, her only major project was the 2015 mixtape *But You Caint Use My Phone*, which explored themes of digital distraction. The new collaboration with the Alchemist was teased through studio photos in December 2024 and confirmed in a March 2025 Billboard interview, ahead of a summer tour where audiences surrendered their phones in Yondr pouches.
The 16-track project features contributions from Jay Electronica, DJ Quik, and Westside Gunn. Notably, the single "Next 2 U" incorporates A.I.-enhanced artwork, a playful counterpoint to the album's analog-minded ethos. Critics have compared the release favorably to Badu's 2008 album *New Amerykah Part One* and the Alchemist's 2022 collaboration with Roc Marciano.
This release could reassert Badu's cultural relevance after a 16-year studio absence, potentially drawing both longtime fans and younger listeners curious about her legacy. The no-phone tour policy and A.I. themes may spark broader conversations about presence, artistic authenticity, and technology's role in live music. The collaboration could also elevate the Alchemist's mainstream profile while reinforcing the enduring appeal of soulful, sample-based production in an era dominated by algorithmic streaming.