Five years ago, esteemed gangsta rapper Freddie Gibbs made the simple transition to just esteemed rapper with the release of Piñata, his collaboration album alongside the reclusive production maestro Madlib.
Although the Gary, Indiana native had been a card-carrying member of virtually every rapper advantageous mileage program imaginable (major label signee, visible soldier in a superstars’ entourage, former XXL freshman), it wasn’t until said project where his abrasive reality parables received the type of critical acclaim reserved for artists with established careers.
Their reunion, the seamless Bandana, finds Freddie the most poised and matured he’s ever been on the mic. He laments on self-afflicted past transgressions while still emerging as the antihero via the ruminative “Practice” (“Wifey put me out the crib and tell me to come back home tomorrow/When I got caught the fuck up, she hit me with the ultimatum/You need to come home with your daughter”) and the sense of urgency felt on album anchor “Soul Right” reveals the weathered effects on street life and how second opportunities must be seized at all costs.
Lest not fret about Freddie Kane going the route of a cotton picker, however. The impeccable Bandana packs plenty of the patented thuggery everyone has come to demand from Gangsta Gibbs. The smooth-as-glass “Palmolive” collaboration unfolds like a drug dealers anonymous group therapy session as Freddie, Pusha T and Killer Mike all pour out crystallized imagery of their capers for rap fiends to sniff. On “Flat Tummy Tea,” there’s an elevated sense of lyrical recklessness as Freddie tackles a myriad of debatable topics similar to the same Instagram timelines the laxative thrives with its advertisements.
But the underlying star of the show is undoubtedly Madlib, whose symbiotic relationship shines through in spite of Freddie’s relentless lyrical chopper. “Massage Seats” splices a bit of Boogie Down Bronx and a bit of Jamrock to make for the perfect MC lunchbox. The adrenaline-fueling “Giannis” is living proof trap melodies aren’t the only sound beds that can mutate a subwoofer as the haunting piano loop and ample James Brown sample morsels allow Freddie and Anderson .Paak to go nutty with their protests.
And living up to his lauded reputation, the cerebral producer gives a few of the tracks the “value pack” treatment, stuffing two beats into a short stay, making for a fluid and exciting listening experience (the lean 46-minute run time also contributes to the easy digestion).
In all actuality, Bandana is brimming with records heads can easily classify as not sounding like a perceived Madlib beat. Whether it’s the heavenly emotion puffed into “Gat Damn” or a polar opposite such as the somewhat whimsical jam heard on “Crime Pays,” Young Quasimoto manages to find airtight harmonies amid soul music; a feat that should be acknowledged with a muthafuckin’ bow or curtsy.
Listening practices and preferences within Hip Hop music bend and break with the times; it’s inevitable. As the culture is currently enamored with more rhythmic patterns than the meat on the bone, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib have undoubtedly proved they can compete without compromising their composition standards.
Respects are in order. Salute.
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Well deserved
this shit is phenomenal
This was well worth the wait. 5 stars all day
The Grand Wizard & Gansta Gibbs never disappoint. 5 all the way.
Album of the year
Amazing album. I believe that this album will age well.
I just wish that the writer would have mentioned about how expertly Madlib chopped the Hindi music samples, specially towards the end of Giannis.
Perfect album
First time i can agree with top rating on this site
In the times of boring trap beats and autotuned dumb lyrics we need that kind of albums like never before
This is one of those rare albums you can listen front to back without skipping a track.
This was well worth the wait. Finally got an album that truly lives up to the hype. Beats, rhymes, concepts and transitions make bandana the front runner for AOTY. 5/5.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR!
This morning, I awoke to find out that my teenie white penis had grown into a massive Negro schlonger donger hanging between my pasty white legs!!! I had been praying to Allah for months day and night that my itty bitty white pee pee would grow to the length and girth of that of the typical American Negro. Today, at long last, my prayers were answered! Where once there was a tiny pink wee wee, now there is a giant black mamba, a 10 inch boa constrictor hanging out of my boxers, splayed across the floor! I thought my prayers had indeed been answered, my life was finally worth living, all the bitches would want me, and I praised and thanked the Profit Muhammed until tears streamed from my eyes and snot dripped from my nose, but I am now suddenly shocked to find that, although my penis is now Sambo-Sized, all the money that was in my bank account has suddenly vanished, my fridge is full of nothing but two week old fried chicken and malt liquor, I have dozens of illegitimate kids with names like Leroi and Shaquanna, I have four fat, lazy, angry baby mamas on food stamps, I have nothing in my wallet but a maxed out EBT card, I have three outstanding warrants for vagrancy, robbery, and public chicken consumption, I’m unemployed and I live in a filthy trap house! HELP! HEEEELLLLPPPP!!! PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEE!!!
For the culture!
Very well deserved.
Only tracks I didn’t really enjoy were Giannis & Gat Damn. The rest was pure fire.
Gat Damn is easily one of my favorite tracks after multiple listens.
Gat Damn is fire!!! U gotta harmonize wit it mannn give it anotha listen
c’mon, shit’s fuckin overrated… get real, neither gibbs nor madlib are masters of their craft
You are a dumbass
Best of his work. Im buying a few copies. The language and the switch beats is like Picasso and el greco on extacy.
Album of the year. Freddie Kane and Otis Jackson have created a masterpiece that contains the best mcs in the game (Black Thought, Mos Def, Killer Mike and Pusha T) and skits that are funny as hell. Freddie Kane has always been one of my favorite mcs but he finally found the perfect match in Madlib. Definitely worth the wait
This is what takes place when you cook an album compared to micro waving.
Finally got a review right!!!!
Masterpiece
Pinata is one of my favorite underground albums ever, but I haven’t had the opportunity to check this out yet. I figured they would really struggle to match the last one, but I now have high expectations based on all these reviews.
Album of the year. Honestly
An incredible masterpiece from start to finish.
It was was pretty good. Even the cover art is nice.
Gat damn!
Freddie gibbs i fucking love you
Fire!!!
Masterpiece
*slow hand clap*
????
???
Dude i totally agree. No snitch9 no Soulja boy no migos or Cardi or at least lil xan. No dj Khaled. Ur not on there jaden????? This album sucks not even me on with my lines about my feelings my album is album of the year. (I hope ur smart enough to know this is a joke, madgibbs are goats one of the best albums since 2001 the chronic)
I don’t think it’s better than Pinata, but it’s a great album in its own right
The whole album is dope.
This album ?… Insperational
What an album!!!
Gibbs is a beast and Madlib is the producer for classics. Hopefully Madlib won‘t wait that long to follow with another Madlib Invazion.
Fire album! Been waiting for this.
This is a reach…
What?
Fire!!!
4/5 straight, 5/5 high!
I’ve been a Madlib fan since the Lootpack days. This is garbage. Period. Goddamn I miss the nineties.
A disgruntled back packer…”Ooooh, my butt hurts bc I listened to him since day 1, and now that he’s gained more followers, he’s not cool anymore…I just want to be a hipster all my life…”
Well deserving of this rating.
Doubt any album is gonna be able to top this in 2019
5/5
damn..y’all actually got it right this time. Bandana is AOTY so far, Pusha T easily has verse of the year on that Palmolive joint. The Madlib Invasion is in full effect
Pusha’s verse was ridiculous.
not sure how you give this a 5 out of 5 when it’s not able to top pinata and it’s a 4.5 out of 5 at best. Another 5 out of 5 because of the hype surrounding this duo is just plain stupid
Some of ya’ll complain no matter what review is giving. STFU for once and respect that a review here is not your personal review. Maybe they think it’s better than Pinata. Sheesh you commenters are irritating as hell.
Yuuuup
They gave PinAta a 4.5/5 too weirdo
Solid album. Easy 5/5
5/5 fire af
This album is dope as expected, I don’t know about a perfect score though.
I gave it a one just to counteract all of the dick riding. Madlib’s beats are always on point. He went minimal on this one though. Gibbs’ is always rapping about the exact same thing, over and over again. He’s an alright MC. This shit is far from a classic. The instrumental version of it comes close. Gibbs did beat his sexual assault case in the EU. He is still facing a Raaype charge. Not exactly a good look, considering it happened on the same tour in two different countries. I would have given it a 3.5 or 4.
rate the album dude. i rate your opinion on perspective a 0 out of 100.
album 5. is classic
Yep
It’s a top 20 all-time album…
Man…. you need to relax
Truth of the matter. If you’re rocking the mic on a Madlib produced album, he will take care of you. He tends to harmonize with artists really well (Doom, Strong Arm Steady, Talib, with Gibbs more recently of course) and his contributions to artists on their albums is nothing short of excellence. I’ve played this album twice now and have to say, these two are like the Hart Foundation of hip hop right now (we’ll say his collaborations with Doom are…ahem, Legion of Doom status). This is some fly ish…
Album is fkn gas, don’t overthink it ?
Madlib is trash and so is Gibbs.
You’re STILL hear using my name? What a weird, pathetic human being you are. I suggest you go and get some friends, you silly little troll.
For the record, Bandana is a fantastic album – Madlib and Freddie go together almost as good as Madlib and DOOM.
Pay no attention to the weird little fool who thinks using someone else’s sign in is funny. The kid is a straight up friendless creep.
*here
This isn’t me. These friendless creeps keep using my handle. Don’t me fooled.
Shut up, you immature, pathetic little goon. You’re not big or clever, and you’re not annoying me using my name.
You’re just showing yourself up as a bit of a gormless, clueless little fool to be perfectly honest. Get a life, clown. ?
Man, now everyone is doing it! I’m tired of these dunderhead, idiotic keyboard gangsters imitating me. I lift weights and have practised karate my whole life. I bet you wouldn’t try this on irl.
Yeah, you sound like ur not getting annoyed. LMAO
Took me a few listens, but I’d give it a 9/10. And it is at the top of the list, for the best rap albums I’ve heard that came out this year. Still think Piñata is better though (which is a 9.5/10 imo).
Only a 9/10? WTF are you smoking? It’s an easy 10/10.Stick to pop music.
Whatever I’m smoking, you need to grab some. Stop tripping and cheerleading.com, and just enjoy the music chico.
5 out of 5 best hiphop album since Damn…
How good is the album? Let’s just say I’ll be playing PINATA & BANDANA shuffled together.
Crazy!
Crazy? WTF do you mean? It’s a great album! A classic. 5/5
It’s far from a classic but definitely pretty good.
Far from a classic? Your opinion is meaningless and you have no idea. Leave hip hop and stick to pop music.
Shut up pal. You’re here using my username being an idiot again – shows just what a pathetic individual you are.
Freak.
Almost unlistenable – too many outtakes. No clever or interesting.
“No clever or interesting”.
Oh, the irony….
Incidentally, you have awful taste if you think this is “almost unlistenable”. Go back to listening to pop artists.
This moron thinks she is the connoisseur of music.
Compared to you, yes. You can’t appreciate a great album, and it sounds like you have the attention span of an infant. Go listen to whatever pop acts you find exciting.
I don’t like this album so that means I have the attention span of an infant and like ‘pop acts’… The way you think you can put 2 and 2 together is amazing. You are a complete pussy living up your own ass.
No – you’re an idiot incapable of appreciating good music. Go listen to your pop chart hip hop, this level of greatness is wasted on morons like you.
‘Incapable of appreciating good music’ because I don’t like this one album… Can you hear yourself, you pompous music snob? So you’re a conformist who likes every single piece of music that most people rate highly? You have no independent taste or thought? I’d hate to be you, you supercilious conceited fuckwit.
Hahaha. May I refer you to your previous ‘not clever or interesting’ and ‘almost unlistenable’ comments. These alone prove you have the attention span of a child.
Shame on you for not being able to preserve with this album because it’s not pop enough for you.
Calling something not clever or unlistenable now means, no, PROVES, that someone has the attention span of a child…Not that they might just not like the project. You keep saying the same thing over and over again. Keep digging that hole, you fkn moron. You remind of this guy I fkd up once.
This is the hip hop album of the year hands down. Doesnt even matter what drops after. Cant top these Madlib beats and Gibbs verses here.
Top notch bars and production throughout the whole album
Better than that Eminem Garbage I just heard.
Gibbs and Lib killed this whole shit and all the featured performers where in top form. I’m hoping the villain catches wind of this shit and feels inspired to return but probably not.
This shit goes!! We need a 3rd installment
That installment will be called “Montana”.
In my mind this album cements Madlib’s place among the top 10 hip hop producers of all time, the breadth and quality of his catalog is among the best ever.
This morning, I awoke to find out that my teenie white penis had grown into a massive Negro schlonger donger hanging between my pasty white legs!!! I had been praying to Allah for months day and night that my itty bitty white pee pee would grow to the length and girth of that of the typical American Negro. Today, at long last, my prayers were answered! Where once there was a tiny pink wee wee, now there is a giant black mamba, a 10 inch boa constrictor hanging out of my boxers, splayed across the floor! I thought my prayers had indeed been answered, my life was finally worth living, all the bitches would want me, and I praised and thanked the Profit Muhammed until tears streamed from my eyes and snot dripped from my nose, but I am now suddenly shocked to find that, although my penis is now Sambo-Sized, all the money that was in my bank account has suddenly vanished, my fridge is full of nothing but two week old fried chicken and malt liquor, I have dozens of illegitimate kids with names like Leroi and Shaquanna, I have four fat, lazy, angry baby mamas on food stamps, I have nothing in my wallet but a maxed out EBT card, I have three outstanding warrants for vagrancy, robbery, and public chicken consumption, I’m unemployed and I live in a filthy trap house! HELP! HEEEELLLLPPPP!!! PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEE!!!
Grow up, you immature idiot.
AndyC84 licks Freddie Gibbs poopie!!! His stinky brown doodie!!!!
Banger for sure….i wish the’d just join teams and become a fucking group…Madlib brings out the best in rappers like Gibbs, that don’t get good production all the time.
changed my mind, this album blows. -2.5/5
Overrated album. 3/5
You dudes really overhype the most average shit. This is a 3.5 album but I’m here to balance the score
“I’m here to balance the score”.
Get away with that absolutely hilarious bs. You think giving albums low to average scores to ‘balance them’ means anything in the grand scheme of this world?
Get a life buddy, you’re pathetic?
STAY MAD BUT THIS ALBUM IS FORGETTABLE. FREDDIE GIBBS IS NOT A LYRICIST.
posting all over here and you’re telling people they’re pathetic. You need to get a life. You can’t even make up your mind on this album.
Eh.
Hands down best hip hop album this year thus far!
NOT EVEN CLOSE. THIS ALBUM WILL BE FORGOTTEN NEXT MONTH. YOU NEW HIPHOP FANS ARE WEIRDOS
THIS ALBUM IS BORING
I fuck with the album it’s solid, sounds like a more aggressive Pinata. It’s not better than Pinata tho. But super solid Fake Names and Situations are dope ass fuck hope they drop the instrumental version soon.
HOW MUCH DID FREDDIE “DA RAPPIST” GIBBS PAY FOR THIS REVIEW?????????
Big 5
Absolutely fire coke rap over insane beats
THIS ALBUM IS NOT GOOD
how dare you
The same guy keeps using different names to give the album 1 star. What a fucking loser lol
9/10. Amazing production thanks to Madlib. Half Manne Half Cocaine is incredible.
THIS ALBUM IS NOT THAT GOOD. FREDDIE GIBBS IS NOT AT ALL A LYRICIST AND THERES NOT MUCH CONCEPTUAL INSPIRATION HERE AT ALL.
You’re dumb
Definitely a great album.
Dope album. Perfect match of production & emceeing. This album will definitely age well.
Dope Album Mad Flows and great production
Madlib’s production shines, Freddie Gibbs is alright
Don’t get the super high ratings not great material at all. sorry
best beats since Pinata
TOP 10 of the decade. Incredible
Unfadeable Fred
Unfadeable Fred.