I’ve been listening to Erykah Badu and The Alchemist’s new album, Before the World Blows, constantly. It’s her first album in 16 years and a new daily in my rotation. The Alchemist brought his textured, dirty boom bap beats while Erykah brought her infectious hooks and funny skits. Erykah told N.O.R.E. on Drink Champs that the album started with her wanting to sing over “The Realest,” an Alchemist-produced Mobb Deep track, and their first session produced “Next 2 U.” Before the album dropped, they led with “Next 2 U” as the single. A collaboration we didn’t even know we needed.
At the Berkeley Greek Theatre, we were seated high up on the grass patches. People had their blankets laid out and hoodies on. People of all ages, older and younger, were in attendance. Smino opened the show, warming up the crowd. He played his classics like “Amphetamine.” People started smoking joints as soon as Smino walked on the stage.
Two neon signs lit up the stage: “alan” for The Alchemist and “abi” for Erykah. When Erykah and Alan came out, they were waking up from beds on stage, and Alan called Erykah to tell her about a dream where they played the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, and at the end of their set the world exploded. (There was a soft “oh no” from the crowd when he said this.)
She then brought out an MPC beat-making machine and started the concert with “Echoes,” the first song on Before the World Blows.
We saw both of them perform songs from the album, and The Alchemist played his classic “Hold You Down.” The album has features like Earl Sweatshirt and Westside Gunn, straight from The Alchemist’s universe, and I never thought I’d hear those gunshot ad-libs with Erykah singing in the back, live in the Bay.
“Breezy” is easily one of my favorites, top 3. Feels really original but familiar, like a nursery rhyme.
When Steve Lacy comes in on “To The Moon (Plan C),” his performance is so angelic, and it’s such a hard pill to swallow when he says, “Life comes at you fast and it’s always going to be like that.”
“Love Me Not” has a waxing skit that’s also used lightly as an instrument, because the waxing starts on beat. The song questions love and the appreciation of what one does for another. Towards the end, you start to hear waxing strips being pulled and someone wincing from the pain. A funny play on the “love me, love me not” game.
The album feels like a good day in the park, and it’s become one of my favorite Erykah albums. Whether you’re on a commute, on a walk, or looking for something new, listen to Before the World Blows before it actually might.
