Alfredo

Midwestern by birth and temperament, Freddie Gibbs has always seemed a little wary of talking himself up—he’s more show than tell. But between 2019’s Madlib collaboration (*Bandana*) and the Alchemist-led *Alfredo*, what wasn’t clear 10 years ago is crystal now: Gibbs is in his own class. The wild, shape-shifting flow of “God Is Perfect,” the chilling lament of “Skinny Suge” (“Man, my uncle died off a overdose/And the fucked-up part of that is I know I supplied the n\*\*\*a that sold it”), a mind that flickers with street violence and half-remembered Arabic, and beats that don’t bang so much as twinkle, glide, and go up like smoke. *Alfredo* is seamless, seductive, but effortless, the work of two guys who don’t run to catch planes. On “Something to Rap About,” Gibbs claims, “God made me sell crack so I had something to rap about.” But the way he flows now, you get the sense he would’ve found his way to the mic one way or the other.

The gruff-voiced rapper and dusty-groove producer are a perfect match as they connect for a seamless ride to the heart of the gangster.

Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist's next collaborative effort changes the game entirely

For Freddie Gibbs, Alfredo follows the Madlib collaboration Bandana, whereas it adds to a prolific 2020 for Alchemist, landing after The Price of Tea in China (another meeting with Boldy James, featuring Gibbs) and LULU (an EP with Conway the Machine, featured herein).

Freddie Gibbs proves yet again why he is the one of the best rappers right now. Hot off his reunion with Madlib – last year's Bandana – he h...

Freddie Gibbs has always been surrounded by this aura of potential. Sure, his work to date has included some deeply impressive stuff, but there’s

Two giants of US hip-hop, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, reunite on Alfredo, a timely masterclass in contemporary rap and production