Legendary neo soul architect Erykah Badu and renowned hip-hop producer The Alchemist hit Cleveland Tuesday night for their joint tour accompanying their latest project, “Before the World Blows: The Abi & Alan Experiment.” De La Soul, hip hop pioneers, supported them as the opening act.
A sold-out crowd flooded Jacobs Pavilion, many decked out in their Badu inspired best, wearing everything from head wraps, to afro futuristic jewelry and accessories, to high crown fedoras. The crowd buzzed with excitement to see the queen of neo soul. This is, after all, Erykah’s first full length project since 2008 and her first performance in Cleveland since 2004. Expectations were high and the energy was at a fever pitch.
After a 45 minute opening set by hip hop icons De La Soul, which ended with a performance of “Me Myself and I” that immediately brought the crowd to their feet, Erykah and the Alchemist took the stage.
The incomparable Erykah Badu performed a sprawling set, beginning with the opening track “Echos” from her and The Alchemist’s new project, “Before the World Blows.” This set the tone as she let the over 7-minute song breathe, performing it in its entirety. The Alchemist then ascended to a towering stage overlooking the mainstage where he DJ’ed the entire show, guiding the sequencing and playing off of Erykah’s energy.
“Before the World Blows” is a meditation on themes in today’s society such as global tension, phone addiction, media propaganda, and preserving human connection in these modern times. The two performed multiple songs from the new album including “Crossfade,” “Witch Doctor,” and “To The Moon (Plan C)” featuring Steve Lacy, among others.
And, of course, Erykah couldn’t end the night without reaching into her bag of classics much to the crowd’s delight. She performed a selection of fan favorites including “On & On” and “Didn’t Cha Know.” She signed off with a performance of “Tyrone” that turned into a full-fledged singalong, as the crowd came together as a chorus to sing each lyric to the 90’s classic, word for word. Here’s all the action we caught.
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