Read on Twitter
Hey y’all, in this thread, I’ll be reviewing Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s 2014 magnum opus collaboration record, Piñata.
Freddie Gibbs is a rapper out of Indiana who has been active since 2004, consistently dropping mixtapes and albums throughout his career. Freddie’s instantly recognizable delivery and insane flow set him apart from others in the gangsta rap lane.
Madlib, on the other hand, is quite possibly the most prolific underground producer of all time, with his 2004 collaboration album with MF DOOM, Madvillainy, being one of the most celebrated and praised projects in abstract hip hop to ever be released.
Around late 2011, the two met, and in a way, this pairing might be slightly confusing to some. Madlib’s pretty jazzy, refined production might not mesh well with Freddie’s much more aggressive persona. However, this pairing would go on to create one of the best rap albums ever.
On March 18, 2014, their collaborative album Piñata was released. There are few albums I can name that are as well performed, well produced, and chock full of perfect features as this one.
Described as “a gangster Blaxploitation film on wax”, Piñata brings the best out in Madlib and Freddie, boasting Freddie’s best performances and some of Madlib’s best production.
For the next few sections of this thread, I’ll be highlighting individual aspects of the project that I think are fantastic.
First off, Freddie’s flow across this entire project is crazy, he’s easily a contender for the best flow of the 2010s in my opinion. A perfect example of this is Shitsville, my favorite song on the album, where Freddie’s aggressive and unrelenting flow truly shines through.
Next, Madlib’s production. My GOAT producer and one of the most creative beat makers ever, Madlib hit a second artistic peak on this project, with my favorite beat probably being on the album’s title track/closer.
The third aspect I’d like to highlight are the hooks. Every hook on this project is memorable and catchy, with the best hook being on Shame, with BJ The Chicago Kid laying down an almost Motown-esque performance on top of a beautiful soul sample.
The fourth and final aspect I’d like to highlight are the features. This may well have the best feature list of the 2010s, with every feature placed perfectly and meaningfully, with the best feature being, in my opinion, Scarface on Broken.
In the end, Piñata manages to not only be one of the best hip hop albums of all time, but a crowning achievement in both Freddie Gibbs’ and Madlib’s discographies, showcasing the abilities of both and exemplifying them, bringing them to their fullest potential.
Hey, glad to see you made it all the way through. I’m gonna be doing a series of threads akin to this in the coming weeks since I hit 1000, and I randomly chose this as my starting point. If you enjoyed, be on the lookout for more to come. Thanks for reading!
