Neo-soul icon Erykah Badu and acclaimed hip-hop producer The Alchemist have finally confirmed the release of their long-awaited collaborative album. The project, cheekily billed as “Sorry, We Don’t Have an Album Title Yet …,” is set to drop digitally on August 28, 2026, via Young and Control Freaq Records.

The announcement, which circulated widely on social media Thursday, marks Badu’s first full studio album in 16 years and ends years of teases, delays, and live previews that have built intense anticipation among fans.

The pair also released a new single, “Witch Doctor,” to accompany the news. It joins the earlier track “Next to You,” which arrived in June 2025 and flipped a classic Mobb Deep beat originally produced by The Alchemist.

Visuals shared with the announcement feature the artists in distinctive crocheted masks and headpieces against a soft green backdrop, with a heart-shaped logo reading “Abi & Alan / E Badu Alchemist.” The artwork nods to the project’s earlier working title, Abi & Alan, which had been used during 2025 tour promotions before the more playful, untitled framing took over.

This collaboration has been in the works for roughly two years. Badu and The Alchemist (born Alan Daniel Maman) recorded primarily in Dallas and Los Angeles, co-producing the material over an extended period. Badu has described the process as deeply collaborative, with both artists shaping the sound.

For Badu, whose last studio album was 2010’s New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh), the project represents a significant return. She has remained active through touring, selective features, the 2015 mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone, and anniversary celebrations of earlier work such as Mama’s Gun, but a proper full-length studio statement has been absent for more than a decade and a half.

The Alchemist brings his signature dusty, sample-driven production style honed through decades of work with artists ranging from Mobb Deep and Eminem to Freddie Gibbs, Boldy James, and Earl Sweatshirt into Badu’s expansive neo-soul, jazz, and experimental world. Early live performances of the material in 2025, during a short run of phone-free “Abi & Alan” shows, gave select audiences a preview.

Public Reaction

Fans and journalists who attended those dates described looping, atmospheric beats that gave Badu room for her signature playful, mystical, and socially observant lyrics. Tracks reportedly explored themes of identity, relationships, witchcraft imagery, and hip-hop lineage, with shout-outs to producers and cultural references woven throughout.

The path to release was not without hiccups. An earlier target around late August 2025 came and went amid conflicting signals. Badu at one point told fans via Instagram Live that The Alchemist had indicated the album would not drop as expected, while the producer publicly denied having locked in a firm date. The project continued to evolve through additional live performances and refinements. By mid-2026, with Badu also announcing fall North American tour dates that include The Alchemist and De La Soul on select shows, the August 28 digital release finally solidified.

Reports from earlier tracklists and live sets have floated titles such as “Witch Doctor,” “Next to You,” “Crossfade,” “I Just Play a Part,” “No I.D.,” and others, with possible features that at various points were linked to artists including Westside Gunn, Thundercat, and others. Exact track count and final guest list for the 2026 version remain unconfirmed in official statements, though one circulating note mentioned 16 tracks.

The playful refusal to settle on a formal title at announcement time feels characteristically Badu-mysterious, humorous, and resistant to conventional industry packaging.

For The Alchemist, the project expands his already eclectic résumé into fuller neo-soul and R&B territory while staying true to the atmospheric, loop-based approach that has defined much of his recent work. For Badu, it offers a vehicle to reconnect with recorded music on her own terms after years focused more heavily on performance and cultural presence.

The combination of her distinctive voice and phrasing with his production is expected to create a hybrid that feels both familiar to longtime listeners and fresh.

The timing arrives as Badu continues a busy performance schedule that has included international dates and major festival appearances.

The August 28 release gives fans a concrete date after prolonged speculation, while the simultaneous drop of “Witch Doctor” provides an immediate taste of the new material. Retailers such as Bleep have already listed the digital release, underscoring that the project is locked in after previous false starts.

Music observers have framed the album as a meeting of two artists who operate with considerable independence and cult followings in their respective lanes. Badu has long blended soul, jazz, hip-hop, and spiritual themes into a singular aesthetic.

The Alchemist has specialized in crafting immersive sonic environments that elevate rappers and, now, a singer of Badu’s stature. Their joint effort arrives at a moment when cross-genre collaborations continue to draw strong interest, yet few pairings carry quite this level of accumulated mystique and delayed gratification.

Erykah Badu , American singer-songwriter and record producer

As August 28 approaches, the focus shifts from speculation about whether the album would ever arrive to anticipation of its contents. Whether it ultimately carries the “Sorry, We Don’t Have an Album Title Yet …” designation or receives a more conventional name closer to release, the music itself is what fans have waited to hear.

After years of studio sessions, live previews, a delayed launch, and a playful final announcement, Erykah Badu and The Alchemist are ready to share the results of their collaboration with the wider world.