Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 110 Best Albums of the 2010s, representing a varied cross-section of artists, genres, and styles. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & album index here.
FREDDIE GIBBS & MADLIB | Piñata
Madlib Invazion (2014)
Selected by Jesse Ducker
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Of the many “So crazy it just might work!” hip-hop collaborations of the ’10s, Piñata is among the best. Freddie Gibbs functions as a throwback to gangsta rap’s heyday, in both subject matter and approach. He regales the audience with tales of slanging illegal substances and taking bloody revenge upon his enemies, but can still be introspective enough to contemplate heartbreak and loss. Madlib is at his surreal best, crafting a vivid and shifting backdrop for Gibbs’ striking rhymes.
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