Debating Hip-Hop

Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist

A review by Craig MacDonald a.k.a Debating Hip-Hop

On May 29th, 2020 Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist joined teams once again for a new collab album titled Alfredo. In 2018, the two teamed up with rapper Curren$y and created a critically acclaimed masterpiece with Fetti. Two years later they are back and better than ever. The album features guest appearances from Rick Ross, Benny The Butcher, Tyler, The Creator and Conway The Machine. This is Freddies 8th album, which debuted at #15 on the Billboard 200 selling 30,000 copies in the first week. The album was announced on Twitter only two days before the release. The title of the album is a combination of Al for Alchemist and Fred for Freddie to make Alfredo.

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1985      9/10

1985 is the first song on Freddie and Alchemist’s collab album coming in with a strong electric guitar. Freddie says “Micheal Jordan, 1985, bitch, I travel with a cocaine circus.” referring to a legendary story from Jordan’s rookie season on the Bulls where they were in a hotel during preseason and it’s rumoured that the team was doing many illegal activities. This intro is just one long verse where Freddie flows over the electric guitar.

God Is Perfect     10/10

This song is my personal favorite song on the entire album, Freddies flow on this is absolutely insane. One of the best, if not the best bar for bar rapper in the game right now in his element, blacking out on a track. 

Scottie Beam (feat. Rick Ross) 9.5/10

Rick Ross, known for his luxurious raps did just that over this track with Freddie and even the instrumental sounds luxurious. A nice and slow smooth sounding jazz instrumental to capture the theme of the song. The song is titled after Deanii Scott professionally known as Scottie Beam, she posted the song on her Instagram when the album dropped.

Look At Me 8.5/10

This track pro-dominantly samples the song “Look At Me (I’m In Love)” by The Moments released in 1975. An old sounding song, with a lot of jazz influence as always from Alchemist’s production. 

Frank Lucas (feat. Benny The Butcher) 10/10

First off, this beat is easily the hardest beat of the year, stank face the whole entire time. Freddie and Benny absolutely murder this whole track. Just dark, grimey bars, you can’t go wrong. Frank Lucas was a notorious drug trafficker in the 60s and 70s whose life was made into a movie you might know starring Denzel Washington, American Gangster.

Something To Rap About (feat. Tyler, The Creator). 10/10

This song is a very slow, and emotional track because of the instrumental mixed with the two rappers content. Freddie begins the song speaking on the life involved in drugs and criminal activity. Tyler raps about his come up in the music industry and fame, his evolution and reflection on his life.

Baby $hit 8/10

Freddie is talking his shit all over this track, flexing his wealth, cars, jewelry and more. A classic Alchemist beat, complimenting Freddie so perfectly. 

Babies & Fools (feat. Conway The Machine) 9/10

Another very luxurious jazz beat from Alchemist, something you can just vibe to. Freddie floats on this track like it’s nothing, and then Conway hops on and does his thing as per usual. Such a great song on the latter half of the album.

Skinny Suge 8.5/10

The title of this song comes from Freddies Twitter username which he uses Skinny Suge, saying that he’s the skinny version of legendary Death Row founder Suge Knight. No surprise, another chill jazz influenced beat from Alchemist where Freddie just glides over.

All Glass 8.5/10

All Glass is the outro for Alfredo, the tenth song on the album. 

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Freddie and Alchemist were a match made in heaven, they both complement eachother so well. This is top tier music, the best of the best. Freddie is one of, if not the best rapper in the game right now coming off his collab album Bandana with Madlib. Alchemist is one of, if not the best producer this year coming off The Price Of Tea In China by Boldy James, LULU by Conway The Machine, The Food Villian by himself, plenty of individual songs and now Alfredo. The quality of music, compared to the numbers they do, it’s very easy to say that the underground is very underrated. I’d love to see them get more mainstream appreciation but I also understand the genre isn’t for everyone. We, who are tapped into the underground will continue to enjoy the art they create.

Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist is without a doubt a top 5 rap album of the year. I rate it a 9/10