I love that we will get two different versions of crazy on this album.

Erykah Badu and The Alchemist have officially set a release date for their long-teased collaborative album, and this time, the project is apparently called Before The World Blows. The 16-track album is expected to arrive this Friday, August 28.

The guest list alone makes this project incredibly interesting. Steve Lacy, Earl Sweatshirt, Westside Gunn, Thundercat, DRAM, DJ Creole Princess, and Kamasi Washington are all expected to appear, with Westside Gunn contributing twice. That’s an eclectic lineup for an equally eclectic pairing.

Then there’s the artwork. Badu and The Alchemist are pictured staring at one another while Badu gives the camera some duck lips. It’s a funny image, but it also feels perfectly suited to a collaboration that has already taken several unexpected turns.

We’ve also heard “Witch Doctor,” which is easily one of the quirkiest singles I’ve heard recently. If that track is representative of the album, we could be getting something pretty strange and creative.

The project was originally announced for August 29, 2025, under the name ABI & ALAN. Obviously, that date came and went, and the album never arrived. Now, almost a year later, we have a new name and another release date.

If everything goes according to plan, Before The World Blows will also be Badu’s first full-length album since But You Caint Use My Phone in 2015.

I’m not going to lie: I’ll be extremely shocked if this album actually comes out Friday. Hopefully, I’m very wrong.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.