There's no question that this has been an exciting summer for fans of hip-hop, with big albums releasing almost every weekend. However, perhaps the dark horse among them is a collaboration between one of hip-hop's best producers, and one of its most consistent rappers.
On July 25, The Alchemist and Freddie Gibbs released Alfredo 2. The album is a follow-up to the duo's previous collaboration, Alfredo (2020), which was heavily acclaimed in the world of hip-hop. So, it's no surprise that the announcement of a sequel was met with excitement.
The duo went above and beyond for the rollout this time, however, delivering a 15-minute short film entitled Alfredo: The Movie, which goes hand in hand with the album.
If you’re looking for a raw, authentic display of rap at its best, there's almost no one better than Gibbs. His gritty voice is reminiscent of rap icons like 2Pac and DMX. When paired with Alchemist’s soulful production, the result is a match made in heaven. Therefore, going into this album, my expectations were very high.
A review of The Alchemist and Freddie Gibbs' Alfredo 2
Now, the question is, did Alfredo 2 live up to the standard previously set by the duo? Without a shadow of a doubt, the answer is a definite "yes." In fact, I would go as far to put it in the conversation for rap album of the year.
The album has a cinematic feel, which makes sense since it’s split into three acts and follows the same storyline as its companion film. Throughout it, we hear snippets from the short film, which tie one song to the next. This allows for some very seamless transitions, which only make the listening experience that much better.
Just like on the first Alfredo, this album has a very small features list, which feels super intentional, as each artist perfectly complements the specific tone of the song they're included in. Alfredo 2's features include Larry June, Anderson .Paak, and JID. This careful selection of features seems on brand with the entire decision-making process that went into this album.
Standout tracks
After re-listening to the album a few times, I have yet to find a single miss. In fact, the album only seems to get better with every listen. My standout tracks however, are "1995," "Feeling," and "Ensalada."
"1995" is the perfect opener for the album, setting the tone for the rest of the album. In-line with its connection to the short film, it acts almost like the first scene in a film, establishing Gibbs’ mindset going into this album. He reflects not only on his current state in the rap game, but his upbringing and the struggles it took for him to get here.
Upon hearing this track, you instantly get a taste of what the album will be like. It's an album full of soulful, smooth beats, which makes it the perfect nighttime vibe. That vibe gets taken up a notch on "Feeling," which features Larry June.
June is another artist who frequents production from The Alchemist. As a master of "lifestyle rap," he excels with "Uncle Al's" laid-back production, which fits the tone of his bars in which he raps about the extravagant life of a rapper.
My absolute favorite track is "Ensalada." Apart from having the best production on the album, the song features Anderson .Paak, whose contribution takes this song to a different level.
In the song, Gibbs once again reminisces on the violence he witnessed in his past and the struggle to make it out of that environment. Gibbs raps, "When your life a nightmare, you can't dream," which describes the struggle of chasing his dreams while being stuck in a dark place. .Paak then comes in with the chorus, singing, "Help me get away from this God forsaken place I'm in."
This chorus comes off as a cry for help from Gibbs, pleading God to guide his way out of this abyss.
Not only is this song a great showcase of Gibbs' clever wordplay, as he plays off the similarities between "it's a lotta" and the Spanish word ensalada, but also his storytelling. The song feels ripped straight out of the climax of a movie. I would undoubtedly have to put this track among the very top of my list of best songs of the year.
Unlike in many rap albums of the past decade, Alfredo 2 has absolutely no filler, as every song has a purpose and fits into the overall story. For years, we've become accustomed to artists dropping 20+ song albums and unnecessary deluxe editions for the purpose of boosting sales. It seemed like concept albums and carefully curated track lists were a thing of the past.
However, hip-hop seems to have undergone a renaissance in the past year, in which quality is once again preferred over quantity. Shorter albums such as Kendrick Lamar's GNX, Clipse's Let God Sort Em Out, and Tyler, The Creator's new DON'T TAP THE GLASS have all received a better reception compared to longer projects like Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR's $ome $exy $ongs 4 U or Travis Scott and Don Toliver's JACKBOYS 2.
Alfredo 2 is a perfect example of this new direction that the hip-hop genre has taken. The track list only consists of 14 songs, totaling a runtime of only 47 minutes. Not only does this mean there's no room for filler, but it also makes it much easier to replay.
Overall, I would consider the album a strong rap album of the year candidate. I put it at the very top of my list, only trailing behind Let God Sort Em Out.