Coming in hot with an unexpected collab that we didn’t know we needed, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s Bandana is the duo at their absolute best. 

A perfect symbiosis of Madlib’s timeless hip-hop production and Gibbs’ hard-hitting modern flow, the album feels like a marriage between old and new with the highly talented duo riffing on each other’s signature sounds. 

For the most part, Madlib sticks to his guns, using old soul and jazz samples, while keeping the overall sound current enough to carry the weight of Gibbs’ heavy content. 

The album hits its stride mid way with “Palmolive,” a standout track that sets the tone for Gibbs to riff on his troubled gang life past and the impact it had on his mental health. 

Anderson .Paak makes a larger than life appearance on “Giannis,” while Madlib reaches his full potential with a shimmering instrumental that ends with a top-notch Bollywood sample. 

A fresh collaboration that proves Madlib’s still got it and Gibbs is still massively underrated; Bandana is one of this year’s best rap albums. 

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