Madlib & Freddie Gibbs: Bandana LP

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib first connected on their 2014 universally-acclaimed collaborative album Piñata, which was celebrated on the street and by critics. The duo's seamless collaboration juxtaposes two giant talents: Madlib, the prolific producer with a record collection from all genres and eras, an adept sampler, peer to the late J Dilla and foil for Doom with whom he created the landmark Madvillainy. Freddie Gibbs, the gravel-voiced braggadocios rapper, a vocal athlete, a star-on-the-rise knocked off course who refused to give up and has since offered some of the most compelling rap music in the past 10 years. Bandana picks up right where their first album left off, as Madlib chops up vintage samples into a complex soundscape that only a lyricist of Freddie's caliber could match in flow and tenacity. As a pair, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib exude a natural chemistry and craft an alchemical music, appealing to everyone on the hip-hop spectrum. Boasting guest spots from Killer Mike, Pusha-T, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) and Black Thought, Bandana is preceded by the singles "Flat Tummy Tea" and "Crime Pays."