Erykah Badu - Witch Doctor

The Return of Sound: A Blank Year (2015-2026) for Erykah Badu

This release marks Erykah Badu's first project in eleven years, following the mixtape "But You Caint Use My Phone" (2015). The artist, who was crowned First Lady of Neo-Soul in 1997 by blending soul, jazz, hip-hop, and spirituality on her debut album Baduizm, has consistently sought to reinvent herself. This track fits into a context where she had just received her fifth Grammy Award for her contribution to Rapsody's song "3:AM" in 2024. It is part of an album that fuses Badu's melodic and atmospheric compositions with The Alchemist's sampling techniques, thus validating her return after a decade without a full studio album since New Amerykah, Part Two (Return of the Ankh) (2010).

Sinuous Boom-bap: The Erykah & The Alchemist Sound Alchemy

The track is the lead single from the album Before the World Blows, released on August 28, 2026, by the labels Control Freaq and Young. The track was initially announced as the lead single following a postponement of the original release date from August 29 to a new date. Created by the duo Erykah Badu & The Alchemist, this 6 minute 26 second track combines a mellow boom-bap beat with a sinuous percussion pattern. The production is described as being shared between Erykah Badu and The Alchemist, creating an alchemy where the mellowing of the classic rhythm meets the richness of the percussion instruments.

Psychedelic Journey: An Experience That Unfolds

The song was released in 2026, and the musical genre is Neo-Soul. The song is described as a strange, soulful, and psychedelic journey that continues to improve. It offers a sonic experience where sounds blend together to create a constant progression in listening. The song's promotion included a North American tour with De La Soul and Smino in September 2026, organized by the Control Freaq Records label under an exclusive license to Young.

Before the World Blows: a single that marks a new era

The song is part of a collaborative album called Before the World Blows. The release of the single preceded the release of the album, marking an early launch phase. The song "Witch Doctor" is produced by the duo Erykah Badu & The Alchemist. The song is released in a context where the artist had just received her fifth Grammy Award for her participation in the song "3:AM" by Rapsody in 2024. The song was presented as the main single after the initial release date of August 29 was postponed to a new date. The song's promotion included a North American tour with De La Soul and Smino in September 2026. This song marks a new era for Erykah Badu, connecting her spiritual past with a future musical exploration with The Alchemist.

Technical specifications

- Release Date: August 13, 2026 - Label: Control Freaq Records, under exclusive license to Young - Duration: 6 minutes 26 seconds - Previous Album: But You Caint Use My Phone (Mixtape) (2015)