Erykah Badu and The Alchemist Announce Collaborative Album
Erykah Badu and producer The Alchemist announced their collaborative studio album will arrive digitally Aug. 28 via Control FREAQ Records and Young Recordings. The project, which follows an 11-year hiatus for Badu, marks a significant return to studio recording after the duo spent months road-testing new material live.
The Evolution of a Collaborative Project
The partnership between Erykah Badu and The Alchemist began over three years ago, originating from a conversation between Badu and her creative partner, Cold Cris. According to reporting from Spin, Badu expressed a specific interest in rapping over the instrumental for Mobb Deep’s “The Realest,” a track produced by The Alchemist. This mutual creative interest led to a series of sessions in Los Angeles, where the two began to deconstruct and reassemble Alchemist’s production style.
The creative process was notably deliberate. Badu reportedly took Alchemist’s instrumental tracks and layered them with organic textures, including kalimba, layered chords, and drums. Unlike typical studio-bound projects, the duo performed the material throughout 2024 and 2025 in intimate, phone-free settings, supported by Badu’s digital collective, The Cannabinoids. This live-testing phase allowed the artists to refine the arrangements before finalizing the recordings.
Managing Release Expectations and Scheduling
The Aug. 28 release date follows a period of uncertainty for fans. According to okayplayer.com, the project was slated to drop August 29, but Badu clarified via social media that it would not release on that date, humorously attributing the situation to The Alchemist. This project serves as Badu’s first major release since the 2015 mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone and her first official studio album since 2010’s New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh).
The Alchemist’s Prolific Output
While Badu has spent the last decade focused on touring, teaching, and her work as a doula, The Alchemist has maintained a prolific pace. In 2025 alone, he released Alfredo 2 with Freddie Gibbs, as well as collaborative projects with Hit-Boy and the trio of Armand Hammer, Billy Woods and E L U C I D. His current focus remains split between the Badu collaboration and a tour with DJ Premier. Regarding the tour, The Alchemist stated, “DJ Premier is the greatest of all time and the reason I became what I am today.”
Live Performance and Regional Impact
The duo is scheduled to resume live performances following the digital release. They will appear at Ravinia near Chicago on Sept. 10, and conclude their current tour at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Sept. 29.
A Shift in Long-Form Creative Output
The collaborative nature of this album—recorded over 18 months across Dallas and Los Angeles—highlights a shift in how legacy artists are approaching the studio environment. By integrating live, phone-free environments into the development of the music, Badu and The Alchemist have prioritized a level of audience intimacy that is increasingly rare in the digital streaming era.