‘Alfredo’: The Gibbs x Alchemist Grand Feast (5 Year Anniversary)

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It’s been five years since prolific producer extraordinaire The Alchemist cheffed up a storm with Freddie Gibbs – and what a delicacy it was. ‘Alfredo‘ is one of the unquestionable rap jewels coming out of the 2020s and serves gritty, grimy bars over rich, creamy production, resulting in a feast for the ears of old-school and new-school hip hop. Resultantly, this remains a stand-out project for this dangerous duo in both their catalogues.

‘Alfredo‘ has aged beautifully due to its cinematic quality. Playing out like a Scorsese epic, Gibbs’ mafioso persona is central throughout. Fulfilling a ‘boyhood dream’ of working with Al, the Indiana spitter delivers some exceptional gangsta rap. From chilling stories of his Scarface-like escapades, he paints himself as the villain who doesn’t care if you root for him or not.

When you’re not mystified by the opulent sounds Alchemist is managing to weave together, Gibbs’ storytelling grips you. He tells stories that have never left me since I heard them. From knowing how he was responsible for his uncle’s overdose, to how his friend is in prison because his girlfriend told the police about his drug-dealing hustle. “Big Rabbit” Gibbs drew massive inspiration from blaxploitation and mafia films, emboldening his storytelling prowess. This is a thematic continuation from his highly celebrated ‘Piñata‘ album.

Prepping the Kitchen

Firstly, this producer-rapper link-up made perfect sense. This pair uncovered career highs by building rapport, trust, and focused single-producer projects. Furthermore, his love for collaboration has made Al famous for his ‘rap camp’ where rappers inhabit his home studio with him for days. Many have curated classic projects this way, and this album is no different. Meanwhile, Gibbs had built a bulletproof blueprint with super-producer Madlib. Their collaborative efforts, ‘Piñata‘ and ‘Bandana‘, were so successful that Al admitted he was nervous to live up to their pairing.

In rap, the producer-rapper dynamic has always been of the utmost importance. Consider Dre and Snoop, Guru and DJ Premier, or 21 Savage and Metro Boomin – when you get the duo right, you have hit the jackpot. However, the chemistry has to be there from the outset, and this formula has been perfected by ‘the chemist’ himself. Alchemist has said that being a great producer is as much about psychology as skill. Building a relationship rooted in trust with an artist brings the best out of them. On ‘Alfredo‘, he brings out multiple moods in Freddie within the confines of nine tracks.

The Secret Sauce

One criticism I hear about this album is that the best tracks live in the first half. I initially disregarded this, but then I did some thinking. I indeed return to early tracks ‘God Is Perfect‘ and ‘Scottie Beam‘ more often. ‘God Is Perfect‘ is a head-knocking, supremely addictive showcase of crime stories. I need only to hear this song once in my day to have Freddie’s hook play on repeat in my head. This balance of religion and violence, of sin and forgiveness, is neatly portrayed here. It reminds me of the themes running through movies like ‘Mean Streets‘ or ‘The Godfather‘ and strengthens that Mafia, Italian theme he and Al have got going here.

Furthermore, this track is elevated with a sample of the great poet and singer Gil Scott-Heron explaining that ‘the revolution’, this awakening of consciousness, will not be televised. This then leads nicely into ‘Scottie Beam‘, where “Gangsta Gibbs” profoundly states ‘the revolution is the genocide‘. ‘Alfredo‘ came out at the height of the George Floyd murder and the global Black Lives Matter movement. This timely political statement deeply resonated with listeners during the uprising, as Freddie outlined the struggles of being a Black male within a white supremacist system. A ‘crabs in a bucket’ analogy is something he often refers back to throughout the project, and shows he has higher aspirations for himself than a life of running from the law. Even romantically, he wants a ‘Scottie Beam‘ type lady, as he places the media mogul as the archetype of a woman with substance.

Special Ingredients

There must be something in the water in Alchemist’s studio, as all the features peppered across this project bring their A game. Is it to ensure Freddie doesn’t out-rap them? Perhaps they feel Al’s lavish yet rugged sounds deserve a dosage of their best bars. Whichever way, we are treated to an all-star cast on the ‘Alfredo‘ menu. Rick Ross likens himself to a slick superhero where wealth is his superpower and kryptonite on ‘Scottie Beam‘. Later, the Griselda gang of Conway the Machine and Benny The Butcher appear on separate tracks. In particular, Benny’s verse on ‘Frank Lucas‘ is a standout appearance. He paints a picture of the drug lord lifestyle in such detail, it verges on comedy. “Two whips, one a coupe that’s too small to drive / Two car-garage, two broad massage.”, he raps.

The Pièce De Résistance

My favourite track from the project is ‘Something to Rap About’. When you consider what is often rapped about, you think about crime stories and flexing about newfound riches. This song gives you both in the most illustrious fashion. Story after story, Gibbs lets you know he’s lived a life of two halves. He details his days of grit and glamour. However, I’ll never forget how thrilled and surprised I was to hear the unmistakable voice of Tyler, The Creator come through the speakers on first listen. Tyler drops one of my favourite features he’s ever done here. A nod to the luscious production accompanying the track, the LA rapper comments, “This sounds like the boat I haven’t bought yet.”.

By surrounding himself with artists like Tyler, who redefines the concept of ‘cool’ in rap and pop culture, broadens what Freddie can achieve. As displayed throughout ‘Alfredo‘, we find an incredibly gifted, gritty rapper driven by his war stories. However, he balances this with quick flashes of introspection, humour, and hunger. He isn’t Hollywood, he isn’t faking it. Frankly, he’s just grateful to have made it to this position. 

Hungry For More

I’ve already likened this album to a movie, and great movies need a sequel. Furthermore, if Alchemist’s X posts are anything to go by, it seems it may already be in the works. If this isn’t a troll, it would be an opportune moment for their regrouping. The pair could profit off the back of Freddie’s career high. His critically acclaimed album, released late last year, ‘You Only Die 1nce‘, was one of the best rap projects of 2024. 

Concluding the Feast

In conclusion, as far as collaborative projects go, this album is a benchmark for rap-producer projects. Is it the greatest collaborative project Freddie or Al has ever been a part of? Probably not. I prefer the projects of Madlib and Gibbs, whilst Achemist has built an inventory of uncontested classics with the likes of Boldy James, Curren$y, or Earl Sweatshirt. Furthermore, their collaborative album ‘Fetti‘ with Curren$y is often debated as being the more consistent project. I’m personally on the fence deciding between these undeniably solid works. That being said, there is no track on ‘Alfredo‘ that I love as much as ‘New Thangs‘, and I stand by it!

We hope to see much more collaboration from the pair moving forward. The Indiana rapper is always teasing fans on social media with hints he’s back in the ‘lab’ with the chemist, or making magic with Boi-1da. In the meantime, rap fans: pick up your forks, tuck in your napkins, and just press play. 

Album Rating: 8/10

Freddie Gibbs is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Read more album anniversary pieces here and stream ‘Alfredo‘ below.

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