ICYMI: Erykah Badu’s ‘Hotline Bling’ Cover Might Be The Best One Yet

By Sameer Rao Oct 05, 2015

Despite having no full-length album release on the horizon, the inimitable Erykah Badu keeps busy with shows, mixtapes, featured appearances on other artists’ tracks, and occasional social media wars. And on Thursday, she followed Sam Smith/Disclosure on the Drake cover bandwagon with her own stunning and comical take on the Canadian rapper/singer’s "Hotline Bling." 

The rendition expands on Drake’s original beats and lyrics and turns the song into a seven-and-a-half minute epic event, punctuated in the center with a hilarious fake answering machine message:

You’ve reached the Erykah Badu hotline.
If you’re calling for Erykah, press 1.
If you’re calling to wish her a happy birthday, Kwanzaa, MLK, Black History Month, Juneteenth, or Hanukkah, press 2.
If you’re calling because you just saw her on BET, MTV, or any other social media outlet, and you’re checking to make sure you’re still in good standing, press 3.
If you’re calling to beg for some shit in general, press 4.
If you’re calling to beg for some shit, but this is that pre-call before the actual begging, press 5.
If you’ve already made that pre-call and this is the actual call that you beg, press 6.
If you’re calling to ask for some free tickets in a city near you, and know she don’t really fuck with you like that, press 7.
If you’re calling to book Erykah to flip the first burger at your company BBQ or to DJ at your little cousin’s slip-and-slide party, press 8.
If you’re calling to say peace and don’t really fit into any of those descriptions, text me, because I don’t really answer voicemail.

She’s calling out the haters, the over-serious and maybe even some friends through the track, making the remix her own. 

Listen to the song below. 

 

(H/t Mic