Standout Tracks From Badu & The Alchemist’s Before The World Blows

Erykah Badu and The Alchemist just delivered one of the most anticipated collaborations in recent memory, and it did not disappoint. Here are the tracks standing out the most on Before The World Blows.

Witch Doctor

Witch Doctor is the most Alchemist-coded beat on the album, and it’s the lead single for a reason. It sets the tone for everything that follows, backed by a 10-minute music video that plays more like a short film than a rollout clip. Badu rides the beat with total control, never rushing, never forcing a pocket that isn’t there.

I Know That Man (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)

This track is a legendary collab, Erykah Badu and Earl Sweatshirt’s first official song together. Earl brings the same weathered flow from Pompeii, and it sits right next to Badu’s angelic vocals without either one overpowering the other.

To The Moon / Plan C (feat. Steve Lacy)

Starts at an arcade date and teenage curfew, ends in quiet panic over a late period. Lacy’s response skips the melodrama entirely, which is exactly what makes the moment hit as hard as it does.

They Ain’t You (feat. Thundercat)

A reluctant-player anthem with smoky refrains that echo Badu classics like Orange Moon and Next Lifetime, with Thundercat’s coos and bass sitting right behind her. It’s Badu doing what she’s always done best, just with a different collaborator holding the low end.

Crossfade

Crossfade is the most beautiful sounding track on the album. The drums are simple but effective, carrying that classic Alchemist bounce, and the sample sits perfectly under Erykah’s voice. Thundercat’s bass work ties the whole thing together without ever pulling focus from her.

Breezy

Breezy stands out for its drums and Erykah’s hook, delivered in a way that’s catchy without trying too hard. Ye even reposted the song on his Instagram story, showing love. That alone tells you this record is already hitting different.

No I.D. (feat. Westside Gunn)

No I.D. blends Griselda’s grit with Badu’s world, and it’s a treat hearing Westside Gunn show up on this one. She runs through a producer roll call in the verses too, J Dilla, No I.D., The Alchemist, Dre, DJ Premier, Pete Rock and more, turning the song into a love letter to the people behind the boards. This one’s really for the producers.

Black Box (feat. Kamasi Washington)

Black Box leans into the jazz side of the album, more poetic than anything else here. It gives off the same energy as “Robbery,” the Doechii and A$AP Rocky standout from Don’t Be Dumb, but with even more jazz in the pocket. This is the kind of track you’d hear opening an old noir film, slam poetry over a saxophone.

Overall, this album is great, and there are plenty more standout tracks beyond the ones covered here. You can tell this took time to make, the production is intricate and the writing is just as sharp. Erykah Badu and The Alchemist are one of the best duos in the game right now. 8.9/10.