2020 remains a year to forget for so many reasons, but Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist made the most of that maligned year. As we pass its halfway point, their first collaborative project together, Alfredo, had surpassed the usual “album of the year” discussions, and sticks around on the podiums of early “of the decade” lists. On top of their own individual talents, that plays no small part in why the announcement of Alfredo 2 from Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist excited so many, but do they answer the call on that classic’s sequel?
More Five-Star Chef Work From Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist On Alfredo 2
No one will walk away from Alfredo 2 doubting the talents of Freddie Gibbs behind the mic or The Alchemist behind the boards, as if either of their reputations were ever at stake. “Ensalada.” Already structurally the centerpiece of the record as the bearer of the record’s catchiest hook, another show-stopping performance by Anderson .Paak, the title itself is enough to put a smirk on your face, making homophonic use of the rapper’s own “it’s a lot of” motif through his contributions. The Alchemist’s soulful production underneath crests just as Gibbs’ second verse builds to a head-bopping climax: “So instead of runnin’, tryna chase dreams / I was makin’ sure the safe clean / It’s a lotta, n****s on the state team / Givin’ white sheet, yellow tape dreams.”
When leaning on simpler compositions like “Lemon Pepper Steppers,” haunting with its repeated guitars yet stripped back in percussion, Gibbs steps up to the plate and carries with pretty hard-hitting cadences that see him step on the gas and ease up without losing a beat: “Break it to the left, put the gang on my chest, that’s cradle to the grave / Took it to the west, had my own cash on deck, put a bad b**** on the plane.”
There’s certainly plenty of street-level imagery to go around, but the glitzy imagery that the duo marketed this record with does still result in the typical spate of “Lavish Habits.” Amid those table-setting sections, Gibbs’ trademark wit and pop cultural fluency still shine through, particularly effective in his sports references. Seek through the project and you’ll find Gibbs “teaching [his] son how to shoot like Tee Morant” or “”busy smoking motherf*g opps like Patrick Mahomes’ pops.”
Where The Sequel May Fall Short Of Its Predecessor
All of that said, the texture and variety that the original did so well with is lost a bit in this return effort, partially when it comes to features. Rick Ross, Tyler, the Creator, Benny the Butcher, and Conway, all excelled in their contributions to the 2020 project, each tasked with tackling something a bit different, be it silky smooth opulence in the formers’ cases or something more hardened and grizzled in the latters’. Here, a longer tracklist and shortened guestlist means a bit less of that spice from the original, particularly when one of only three of the guest stars doesn’t strike paydirt.
As much as Larry June excelled alongside the Alchemist in his own collab album with 2Chainz earlier this year, “Feeling” finds him a bit blunted, still consistent in what he brings to the table but mismatched with a languid instrumental underneath that grinds the album to the halt with the California MC’s own unhurried cadence. Sadly, this is also where the record as a whole begins to fall off a bit, partially for the same reason; “Shangri La” and “Gas Station Sushi” are both perfectly acceptable on their own merits, but back-to-back drum-light and slow tempo pieces read as the two primaries simply clocking in, rather than honing their elite chemistry.
All told, Alfredo 2 is genuinely a cut above Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist’s competition in the genre, but with building legendary status comes legendary expectations. Where the beginning of their shared history may have caught listeners by surprise in living up to its all-star billing, its sequel falls a bit short of that path that it carved yet should still keep their collective fanbase fed until if and when another chapter comes to pass.
Catch Alfredo 2 now wherever you stream your music.
