Bandana

“Bandana” is the second collaborative studio album by rapper Freddie Gibbs and producer Madlib, released on 28 June 2019. Produced entirely by Madlib, the album serves as the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2014 project “Piñata” and marks their sixth collaboration as MadGibbs.

The album features guest appearances from artists such as Pusha T, Killer Mike, Anderson .Paak, Yasiin Bey, and Black Thought. Prior to its release, Madlib announced the album during a talk with Red Bull Music Academy in 2016. Gibbs later revealed that “Bandana” is part of a planned trilogy, with the third project titled “Montana.”

Gibbs described the album as a “manifesto,” noting that he wrote most of his lyrics while expecting to serve a ten-year prison sentence. His lyrical content on the album has been characterised as oscillating between cynicism and empathy.

“Flat Tummy Tea” was released as the lead single on 20 February 2019, followed by the titular non-album single “Bandana” featuring Assassin on 5 March 2019. The album cover, featuring Madlib’s animated alter-ego Quasimoto, was unveiled on 28 May 2019. The second single, “Crime Pays,” was released on 30 May, along with the confirmation of the album’s release date.

The third single, “Giannis” featuring Anderson .Paak, was released on 23 June 2019. Additionally, Gibbs and Madlib performed a short set for the NPR Tiny Desk series in December 2019, backed by New York soul band El Michels Affair. They also recorded “The Diamond Mine Sessions,” featuring three new versions of tracks for Amazon Music, alongside El Michels Affair in 2020.