Credit: Carl Pocket

While Freddie Gibbs has been respected since his early days, he’s experienced somewhat of a career resurgence over the last decade or so. The rapper from Gary, Indiana, has flourished in an environment where he’s rapping over a whole album of beats from the same producer. This started in 2014 with Piñata, collaborating with the legendary Madlib over a full project, followed by the sequel, Bandana, in 2019. In the midst of those projects, Gibbs also partnered with The Alchemist.

The pair joined forces for the first time in 2018 on Fetti, a collaborative project alongside Curren$y. Then, in 2020, Gibbs and Alchemist released a joint album together. Alfredo featured Rick Ross, Tyler, The Creator, Benny The Butcher, and Conway The Machine, receiving a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Rap Album’ at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Now, they’re back with the sequel to their acclaimed project.

Alfredo 2 was released on July 25th via ESGN and ALC Records. The album comprises 14 tracks with guest appearances from Anderson Paak, JID and Larry June. Like their last project, the album kicks off with a song title that references a year: ‘1995’. There’s also a sequel to ‘Skinny Suge’ and a song called ‘Mar-a-Lago’, named after President Donald Trump’s resort.

Gibbs sounds at home with Alchemist, but he wasn’t always happy with his final product. He’s honest enough to admit that he’s improved with time, through life experience and practicing his craft. “I wasn’t as good of a rapper [in my early work with Alchemist],” he told Vulture. “Back then, I was still sharpening my sword. Now I know where I’m at lyrically, musically, emotionally, all of that, when I go in and make songs. I kind of zeroed in on all of that.

“Really, it’s just studying the game, seeing where the game is at. Trying to be in the mix of the game, but not blending in, if that makes any sense. I gotta be in it, but I can’t be the same as my peers or guys under me. I got to take things from what they do and pay attention to them, or I’m just ignoring the competition.”

Rapping over Alchemist’s instrumentals feels natural to Gibbs, allowing him to loosen up and be truly himself. “When I go in with Al, I just feel comfortable,” he told Complex after their first project. “I don’t feel like I got to stretch too much out of my zone. [Alfredo] just represents freedom to me. It’s me being free on 10 tracks and just letting loose. Letting loose some personal shit, showing off the skill level. I try not to rap like nobody else. If there’s a Rap Hall of Fame, I’m just trying to get in that motherfucker.”

Alfredo 2 is one of many collaborative albums from Alchemist in 2025. Following Life Is Beautiful with Larry June and 2 Chainz in February, he’s also set to release Abi & Alan with Erykah Badu and Forensics with Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def). Even with his increased demand, The Alchemist always has time for Gibbs, resulting in some of the best music of his storied career.