Summer Walker's "CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE" EP Earns Erykah Badu Comparisons

BYHayley Hynes1.5K Views
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J. Cole and Childish Gambino are both featured on the 9-track project.

Summer Walker and Erykah Badu have a bond that runs deep. Not only are they both beautifully talented R&B stars in their own right, but their chosen career paths have also allowed them to connect in a far deeper way. The birth of the Atlanta native's twins a few months ago was actually overseen by "The Healer" herself, who shared plenty of thoughtful words about her experience acting as Walker's doula alongside her own daughter, Puma Curry. While they have yet to actually collaborate together musically, it seems Badu's energy is rubbing off on her young friend, as her influence is all over the latter's new CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP.

The project is a long-awaited sequel to 2019's CLEAR, on which she shared four featureless tracks with fans. The mother of three spiced things up this time around, recruiting J. Cole to kick things off with "To Summer, From Cole - Audio Hug," as well as Childish Gambino, who offered up his help on "New Type." The other seven titles are handled by Walker alone, though she did have Solange Knowles and Steve Lacy's help with production on the final title, "Agayu's Revelation."

Summer Walker's CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE is Here

In the hours since CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE hit DSPs, fans have been consistently drawing comparisons to Badu on social media. Many of them are positive, writing messages like, "Summer Walker really Erykah Badu Goddaughter. Love this sound sm," and "[This] is what I didn't know I needed." Others, however, are unimpressed by the Still Over It songstresses' copycat vibes. "Summer Walker on Erykah Badu beats with these dumb ass lyrics is pissing me off," one Twitter user ranted on Friday (May 19) morning.

"I got mixed feelings about this Summer EP. I do appreciate the Erykah Badu inspo and shit… But we need Summer Walker, not Summer Badu," another person expressed, noting that they hope the project eventually grows on them with time.

Twitter Brings Up Erykah Badu Comparisons

Keep scrolling to read more mixed Twitter reactions to the new 9-track EP. Have you streamed Summer Walker's CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP yet? If not, check it out here, and let us know in the comments which of the R&B darling's new songs is your favourite.

[Via]

About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.
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