Review Summary: Freddie Gibbs and Madlib have created something special here,Madlib further cements his place in the pantheon of legendary hip hop producers,and Freddie has laid a foundation of what could grow into a legendary career.
The long awaited collaboration of legendary hip hop producer Madlib and relatively unproven MC Gary Indiana's very on Freddie Gibbs,at first I thought it was an odd pairing,Madlib having an intricate,very layered and off kilter style of production and Gibbs having a more straightforward style of emceeing.I didn't know how this album was gonna turn out but when I heard the singles that rolled out before the release I went from pessimist to front row on the hype train,and like a preacher at a church I'm here to give the good news,it lived up to the hype.
Mr. Otis Jackson Jr (Madlib) has outdone himself on Pinata, every beat on the LP is a meticulously crafted gem,filled with jazzy nuances and well integrated samples and skits, add it all together and you get this thematic experience giving you that old school feel that hark ens back to the early years of gangsta rap,this amazing backdrop just compliments Gibbs perfectly.The potential I heard in Freddie's previous work has now been fully realized,throughout the album he displays a great knack for storytelling ,all delivered in his aggressive and gruff voice which gives him authority on the mic and giving a feeling of authenticity which is an integral part of a gangsta rap album.
Let's talk about the standout tracks
Listening to Deeper should school anyone who doesn't know why Madlib is known as a legend in the game,using a gorgeous sample from 'A Fool For You' by The Ledgends, a whimsical violin expertly mixed in with a groovy as hell bass line going into a chorus made up of a vocal snippet that works wonderfully.Freddie flows over this stellar piece of production flawlessly,spitting about a girl breaking his heart in a 'Gibbsified' way,mixing his heart break with anger towards her and the "square ass motherf***er" she's with now.He spits with passion on this track making it a very memorable for me.
What can I say about Harold's,it's just a catchy as tune,the beat has these funky guitar samples that just stick in your head so good I don't think a surgeon could get it out ,plus a shimmering synth that echoes in the background.He mixes his gangster anecdotes with food metaphors on this track,and I ain't gonna front like I know what he's on about ,if there's a deeper meaning to this song that's just another positive,cause as is this track has got me hitting that replay button constantly.
The next two standouts have sequenced one after the other,quite fitting cause they're the two most aggressive tracks on the LP,first off is Thuggin'. This track is just a raw display of aggression,Freddie spits with total ferocity and authority over the beat,a beat that is no slouch and compliments the tracks subject matter effectively with a beautiful guitar sample and a deep and dark bass line."Sit outside a busta's crib,let that motherf***er leave,walk his ass back in and put him on his motherf***en knees.Thuggin",not the most complicated bar ever spit but damn,the way it mixes in with the beat and the power behind it in his voice makes it hit hard as nails.Next is Real a powerful diss track,Freddie just goes for Jeezy's neck in this song,totally breaking down his character,proclaiming that he's fake and backs it up with real life examples,no subliminals just pure savagery,the beat is slow a dark allowing Gibbs to take the forefront.
The features do a good job of adding to the album,Danny Brown has a highly energetic verse on the smooth smokers anthem 'high',at first listen sounding out of place but I grew to love his input.Raekwon is up to his usual tricks again adding his signature mixture of flossing on you whilst also spitting crime laden raps making 'Bomb' another great track on this LP.All the verses from the features are solid,on the eight and a half minute behemoth of a title track the verse manage to keep your attention serving as a bookend of this album.
This album is definitely my favorite hip hop album of 2014,I think it's safe to say that nothings gonna top it this year but I'm welcome for someone to try.
Highlights:
Deeper
High
Harold's
Bomb
Thuggin
Real
