Producer Madlib celebrated a big milestone this past weekend. On Saturday (May 11) at a 10th anniversary celebration of his album Piñata, which featured raps by Freddie Gibbs. The celebration took place at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City.
During the celebration, Madlib spun some tunes and dropped some beats. Freddie Gibbs was set to come to the stage. But before he performed, Madlib teased some new music with his frequent collaborator.
“Y’all ready for Freddie Gibbs?,” Madlib asked the crowd, who responded with cheers. Madlib continued, promising the crowd “[I’m] About to drop this live sh*t on y’all. Montana up next.”
Madlib teases his Freddie Gibbs collab album ‘Montana’ at a recent show
Though neither Madlib nor Gibbs indicated an official release date for Montana, fans are waiting with bated breath.
Montana will mark Madlib and Gibbs’ third full-length album together, their first being 2014’s Piñata and their second being 2019’s Bandana. The duo releases music under the stage name, MadGibbs.
In addition to these two — soon to be three — albums, Madlib and Gibbs have also released five EPs together — 2011’s Thuggin’, 2012’s Shame, 2013’s Deeper, 2014’s Knicks (Remix), and 2020’s The Diamond Mine Sessions, with El Michels Affair.
You can see a clip from the Piñata 10th anniversary show above.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s first collaborative studio album,Piñata. It was released on March 18, 2014 via Madlib Invazion. The album was preceded by three EP’s that included lead singles “Thuggin’,” “Shame,” and “Deeper.” Although Piñata saw Freddie Gibbs and Madlib as an unlikely pairing, they skillfully blended Freddie’s gangsta rap edge with Madlib’s vintage underground production. Thematically, the album plays like a “gangster blaxploitation film on wax,” as explained by Gibbs during its initial rollout.
Its stacked list of guest features, established hip-hop legends and then-newcomers, joined Freddie and Madlib, resulting in an all-star lineup. Standout appearances included Danny Brown, Raekwon, Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, Meechy Darko, and Mac Miller. A certified classic, Piñata is widely regarded as Freddie Gibbs’s magnum opus and one of Madlib’s greatest full-length collaborations. Today, we are revisiting Piñata for its 10th anniversary.
Piñata Propelled Freddie Gibbs To Hip Hop’s Forefront
Prior to Piñata, Freddie Gibbs was already a rising name in the hip-hop scene. He appeared on XXL’s Freshman cover in 2010. Gibbs also signed with Jeezy’s CTE label, releasing multiple well-received mixtapes. Freddie soon left CTE to start his own ESGN label following a disagreement with Jeezy that turned public. In 2013, he released his debut album, ESGN.
But even as he shaped his underground legend, vengeance remained on his mind after he and Jeezy fell out. Their beef continued well after Gibbs’ departure, resulting in “Real,” a cutthroat diss track that remains a standout on Piñata. ESGN and Freddie’s earlier mixtapes primarily consisted of trap production, so a full-length collaboration with Madlib seemed like a left-field crossover. In 2014, Gibbs told Rappcats, “It was a challenge rapping over beats with chops and changes as unpredictable as the man who created them.” Luckily, the two gelled their sounds together on Piñata so perfectly that it changed the trajectory of both of their careers.
From the cold-hearted “Thuggin” to the vivid “Deeper” and “Shame,” Piñata saw Freddie embracing his lyrical strengths over a sound that he had not yet explored. Both “Knicks” and “Lakers” recall his journey while “Harold’s” is easily the hardest rap song about chicken wings and fries. Gibbs shines amongst his contemporaries and OG’s throughout the album, especially on its closing posse cut. Ultimately, Piñata propelled Freddie Gibbs to hip-hop’s forefront, putting him in the conversation of best lyricists favored by rap purists and publications alike.
A New Phase in Madlib’s Career
In addition to positioning Freddie Gibbs within the stratosphere of hip hop’s greatest artists, Piñata also marked a new phase in Madlib’s career. By 2014, the legendary producer had already amassed a discography of some of hip hop’s greatest collaborations, including his work with Lootpack, J Dilla, Talib Kweli, Strong Arm Steady, and of course, Madvillainy with MF DOOM. He had also ventured into jazz and other genres with his instrumental tapes and released rap albums under the Quasimoto alias.
By working with Freddie Gibbs, Madlib unlocked a new vein of hip-hop that he had not yet tapped into. His vintage, soulful, and off-kilter production sounded fresher than ever with the help of Gibbs and his guests. Piñata set up Madlib to make sizable contributions to hip hop’s new wave of emerging underground talent. He went on to produce for the likes of Your Old Droog, Wiki, Mach-Hommy, and Westside Gunn. The album also expanded his reach beyond the underground, landing credits on albums from Kanye West, Tyler, The Creator and Anderson .Paak.
Piñata Set The Bar For Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s Future Works
Ten years later, Piñata has a legacy of its own. It set the bar incredibly high for Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s future works, especially their subsequent collaborations. Though Freddie’s efforts with The Alchemist naturally garnered comparisons to his projects with Madlib, Pinata is the epitome of his peak creativity. On the other hand, the album joined Madlib’s most legendary collabs like Madvillainy and Champion Sound as an indisputable classic. It also set the stage for his future works with Blu, MED, Oh No, and Black Star. Even more than their future works as individuals, Piñata became the standard for Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s future collaborations as a duo.
With an even larger following and major label support, they unleashed Bandana in 2019 via RCA. It was a worthy successor to their debut, displaying that Gibbs and Madlib are strongest together. Piñata remains a landmark release in hip hop’s modern era, with Freddie Gibbs and Madlib celebrating its 10th anniversary with “Teñata” shows in Boston, New York, and Chicago. Hopefully, they continue their collaborative winning streak with Montana, the supposed third and final album in a trilogy.
Freddie Gibbs has gone through many different phases in his career. Originally signed to Interscope and then Jeezy’s label, he went independent and went on a historic run of classic mixtapes, albums, and collaborations. On top of that, he’s also delivered several collaborative projects with Madlib, The Alchemist, Curren$y, and Statik Selektah.
This is a list of the best Freddie Gibbs songs. Because he has consistently released so many quality bodies of work, it is challenging to narrow his music down to just seven songs. Some tracks that did not make the list but were worth mentioning include the soulful “Cataracts” and “High.” Dark bangers like “Pronto” and “Fuckin Up The Count” stand out in Freddie’s catalog, as do the vulnerable “Forever and a Day” and the descriptive “White Range.” “20 Karat Jesus” deserves mentioning as it is arguably his best intro song with its heavenly beat switch. The difficulty in making a list of the best Freddie Gibbs songs speaks to the quality, consistency, and longevity of his discography. Take a look at the list below.
7. “Harold’s” (2014)
This song is undoubtedly the best hip-hop song about fast food fried chicken. The song is inspired by the Chicago-based restaurant Harold’s Fried Chicken. The hook is a breakdown of Freddie’s usual order (six wings, mild sauce, and all the fries with all the fries you can give me). While the song does pay homage to the midwestern chicken restaurant, Freddie Gibbs keeps his gangster-isms throughout the verses. The beat from Madlib also has a nice groove to it.
6. “Extradite” (2015)
Bob James’s “Nautilus” is one of hip hop’s most sampled songs, and “Extradite” is arguably one of the best flips of the sample. The beat constantly evolves throughout the course of the song. In addition to the filthy beat, Freddie trades verses with Black Thought, who delivers one of his best guest features. Not many rappers can keep up with Black Thought on a track and Freddie’s performance on the song speaks volumes to his lyrical skills.
5. “Shame” (2012)
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib’s classic debut collaboration, 2014’s Piñata, perfectly combines Freddie Gibbs’s gangsta rap style with Madlib’s experimental yet vintage production style. The album consists of many tough gangsta rap songs but there are also plenty of smooth highlights, such as the beautifully soulful “Shame.” Madlib samples “Wish That You Were Mine” by The Manhattans for the gorgeous production. However, it’s the show-stealing chorus from BJ The Chicago that adds to the soul of the song, making for a chill moment of joy on an album full of street raps.
4. “Alexys” (2017)
Jazz band BADBADNOTGOOD and dance producer Kaytranada have close connections to hip hop and have made their fair share of rap collabs. They linked together for “Alexys,” from Freddie Gibbs’s You Only Live 2wice, resulting in one of his best songs. The beat is unlike anything Freddie has ever rapped over, with Kaytranada’s radiant musical textures and the precise percussion from BADBADNOTGOOD. The beat is unique on its own but it is perfect for Freddie Gibbs’s rapping as he paints a vivid picture of his introduction to street life, drawing references from various movies and TV shows. “Alexys” is a highlight from one of Freddie’s most underrated albums and is one of his best songs.
3. “Giannis” (2019)
“Giannis” is a definitive highlight from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s second collaboration, 2019’s Bandana. The beat features a smooth loop of “Aasman Ke Neeche” from the 1967 Hindi film Jewel Thief. The drum break over the sample allows Freddie to weave between slow and double-time flows, fueled by clever punchlines. One lyrical moment in the song that makes it so impressive is that Freddie breaks down what a 360 deal is in the music industry and why an artist can fail if they rely too much on their label. Anderson .Paak’s guest appearance is a showstopper as he handles the song’s well-sung chorus, along with a mean verse.
2. “Thuggin” (2011)
Rubba’s “Way Star” has been sampled numerous times in hip hop, and Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s flip on the sample for “Thuggin” is easily the best flip. The hazy sample with its acoustic twang makes for a dream-like backdrop for Freddie to rap about the ruthless nature of the streets. With a cinematic touch, Freddie first-person portrayal as the anti-hero mirrors his reality. He depicts a life of crime, tying it together on the song’s catchy chorus, rapping, “I’m straight thuggin’, uh/ And it feels so good, uh, and it feels so right.”
1. “Bandana” (2019)
It is perplexing why the 2019 single from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, titled “Bandana,” did not make the final tracklist of their album Bandana. The song served as a promotional single but because the song is so good, it can stand by itself. The greatness of the song speaks for itself. The instrumental consists of a hauntingly spacey instrumental over a knocking drum pattern. Freddie Gibbs spits his classic style of crime-filled drug raps with his signature deep voice. He floats over the beat and he brilliantly incorporates the last line of each verse to make the song’s refrain.
Jamaican dancehall deejay Assassin, who has worked with many rappers, is the perfect feature. He asserts his presence with just a repeated uttering of the word “bandana” in the refrain before making the track his own on his verse. “Bandana” stands alone for good reason as there is no song that sounds like it. The song makes a strong argument for its high rank among the best Freddie Gibbs songs.
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