We can’t stop jamming to Erykah Badu’s remix of ‘Hotline Bling’
Canadian rapper/”6″ representative Drake has had a very busy year. Between dropping two well-received mixtapes and emphatically winning a rap feud with Meek Mill (trust, rap fans cared), the man from Toronto also dropped the lowkey song of the summer, “Hotline Bling.” While Drake’s lyrics bear his worst tendencies (let her go, man), the beat is simple, clever, and way too easy to dance and sing along to. However, there’s a new version of “Hotline Bling” out there, and it’s from none other than soul goddess Erykah Badu.
Badu’s flip, which is really a remix, a cover, and an extension of Drake’s original, veers away from Drake’s patronizing tone and into one of light ridicule. As before, the beef is with a former lover, but Badu sounds less desperate and more exasperated. “You used to call me on your cell-u-lar de-vice,” she croons, every syllable drawn out like a comedy beat.
One of the best alterations comes where Drake’s interlude would’ve fallen, as Badu cheekily relays her “voicemail message,” tailored to every possible phone query. It’s a fun rework of the already fun original, and provides a break from all the dancing you’ll be doing throughout the rest of the song.
In a just world, this song would take over the charts and the club. As it stands, it’s currently available on Soundcloud — but, that’s also where the original “Hotline Bling” first dropped. Listen below:
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