https://soundcloud.com/erykah-she-ill-badu/hot-line-bling-but-u-caint-use-my-phone-mix It's quite obvious that "Hotline Bling," has become Drake's late summer sleeper hit, already inspiring musical renditions from Sam Smith with Disclosure and Kehlani with Charlie Puth.
However true validation for the melodic serenade came a few days ago when the queen of neo-soul, Eykah Badu released her distinct remix of the tune entitled,“HOTLINE BLING BUT YOU CAINT USE MY PHONE,”. Badu's expectedly soulful remix, co-written by Seven Benjamin, her and André 3000's son, is about as fire as you would expect it to be. Dare we say...better than Drake's original.
Badu takes to the mic with her unmistakable voice to switch up the chorus to read "he used to call me on my cellular device at night," and adds a new sultry sounding verse, including an entire minute-long interlude that imitates an automated hotline attendant:
"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 of the social media outlets 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 the shit but this is that pre-call before the actual begging, press 5. If you've already made the pre-call and this is the actual call to 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."
Ms. Badu hasn't released an album in five years, but put out the reworked track as a teaser for her forth coming mixtape " BUT U CAINT USE MY PHONE ."