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Erykah Badu and The Alchemist Release Before the World Blows

A 16-track project co-produced over 18 months that marks Badu’s first full-length studio album since 2010, launching a fall North American tour.

Erykah Badu and The Alchemist Announce ‘Before the World Blows’
Erykah Badu, aka DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown, plays a set at ShyBoy Hifi in Downtown Dallas on Aug. 26.
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Overview

  • The album was released Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, as a 16-track digital project on Control FREAQ Records and Young Recordings.
  • Badu and The Alchemist split production duties across roughly 18 months of sessions in Dallas and Los Angeles, with Badu restructuring Alchemist’s beats and adding live instruments.
  • The record features wide-ranging guests including Westside Gunn, Earl Sweatshirt, Thundercat, Steve Lacy, DRAM, Kamasi Washington, Joi, and DJ Creole Princess.
  • The rollout included phone-free listening events, the interactive “Badu Burner Phone” campaign that let fans unlock a number for possible direct calls with Badu, and a previously missed 2025 release that prolonged public anticipation.
  • A North American tour to support the album is set to begin in September 2026 with dates including the Ravinia Festival and a closing show at the Hollywood Bowl.