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Bandana Image
Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 194 Ratings

  • Artist(s): Madlib
  • Summary: The second full-length studio collaboration between Freddie Gibbs and Madlib features guest appearances from Anderson .Paak, Yasiin Bey, Black Thought, Killer Mike, and Pusha T.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 23
  2. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Nov 20, 2019
    100
    As the culture is currently enamored with more rhythmic patterns than the meat on the bone, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib have undoubtedly proved they can compete without compromising their composition standards.
  2. 100
    Despite having elite lyricists such as Pusha-T, Killer Mike, Yesin Bey and Black Thought among the guests, Gibbs never sounds second-best. Bandana should mark the moment the Indiana emcee starts to truly be considered as an elite rapper.
  3. Jul 26, 2019
    90
    The result is an LP more rounded and more stirring than the excellent first one.
  4. Jun 28, 2019
    80
    An album that somehow exceeds the lofty expectations he and Madlib set with Piñata.
  5. Jul 26, 2019
    80
    Bandana continues a conversation not only between eras and between styles, but also between Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, both of whom continue to carve a path wholly their own — with little regard for what lays outside of it.
  6. Jul 8, 2019
    80
    Whilst Bandana doesn’t have Piñata’s same effortless sense of an instant classic, it has considerably more urgency and contemporary punch, also reflected in the once-again immaculate choice of collaborators, Killer Mike and Pusha T in particular contributing a devastating sucker-punch to ‘Palmolive’.
  7. 40
    On this sequel, Gibbs mostly sounds bored, aggressively bored or boringly aggressive. The ever creative Madlib chucks in everything he can find to dazzle the listener. When this coheres--in the vicious swamp-beat of Massage Seats, for example--it’s sensational. Often his work sounds too dense to compete with mass-market trap, and struggles to support Gibbs’s gruff rhymes.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 35
  2. Negative: 1 out of 35
  1. Jun 28, 2019
    10
    Album of the Year. Awesome songs, no flaws. Beat Konducta and Gangsta Gibbs did it again after Pinata.
  2. Jun 29, 2019
    10
    Amazing album, Freddie never seems to waver throughout the entire album. Each line was delivered with a new found flow, which coincided withAmazing album, Freddie never seems to waver throughout the entire album. Each line was delivered with a new found flow, which coincided with Madlib’s production seamlessly. This album was perfect, managing to captivate through every listen Expand
  3. Jul 3, 2019
    10
    Great follow up to Piñata and a more cohesive project. Gibbs and Madlib found their sound. Stellar rapping from Fred and amazing productionGreat follow up to Piñata and a more cohesive project. Gibbs and Madlib found their sound. Stellar rapping from Fred and amazing production from Madlib. Expand
  4. Jun 28, 2019
    10
    Instant classic!!!
    Monumental and amazing work!!!
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    Instant classic!!!
    Monumental and amazing work!!!

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  5. Jan 16, 2020
    9
    A rare album with no skippable tracks. Freddie's flow remains amongst the smoothest of the generation, his lyrics are clever and Madlib'sA rare album with no skippable tracks. Freddie's flow remains amongst the smoothest of the generation, his lyrics are clever and Madlib's production is jaw dropping. The guest features here hit it out the park. It's hard to find a flaw in this project and is a good bet to age like fine wine like its predecessor Piñata. Expand
  6. Jun 29, 2019
    9
    Over 5 years after the release of their last collaborative album 'Piñata', MadGibbs are back at it again, creating what seems to be aOver 5 years after the release of their last collaborative album 'Piñata', MadGibbs are back at it again, creating what seems to be a masterpiece.

    The opening lines of the first real track 'Freestyle S**t' go: Warning: the surgeon general has determined that the sounds you are about to hear, will always be devastating to your ear, sleep well. This warning could not have been more true. The album is a cinematic story about life on the streets, told with incredible lyricism, infused with experimental soul production, along with a few skits in-between tracks. On 'Piñata', it seemed that Gibbs and Madlib were still coming to terms with each others styles, with a few things on the album sounding a little rough around the edges, even though it was still a great body of work. Those few inconsistencies have been well and truly figured out on this record.

    To me it sounds like two greats of hip-hop at the height of their powers, coming together to tell some incredible stories, sounding like Madlib's best work since Madvillainy, and Freddie Gibbs' best work ever. This is probably Gibbs' best lyrical work too, with every single bar being spat with incredible technical skill and lyricism. Other great lyricists such as Pusha T, Killer Mike Yesin Bey and Black Thought appear on this album, but Gibbs manages to hold his own, never sounding second best, even among some of hip-hops lyrical goliaths. Because of the sheer quality of Gibbs' performance, I felt immersed in the street stories he was telling, which added to the cinematic greatness of the record. Madlib complements this almost perfectly, as he mixes 1970's soul into the production to help add to the gritty kind of realism that Gibbs manages to bring.

    Gibbs manages to bring authenticity and realism to the album, sounding like a man who has seen far too much. This is shown in moments such as when he raps: Every-time I sleep, dead faces, they occupy my brain which shows that Gibbs still sees his dead friends or enemies whenever he sleeps, constantly haunting his conscious. The realism is shown in other moments too, such as when he raps about using a bandana to wipe fingerprints off of a murder weapon. In terms of technical rapping skill, it is one of my favourite albums in recent memory, due to the performances of Gibbs and the supporting cast, with Madlib directing these stars like the genius producer he is.

    Madlib's beats create a backdrop to the story that Gibbs is telling, never being too much or to little, infusing samples like someone who is a master at their craft. This album is perfect for people who want to hear traditional hip-hop, telling some of the best stories I can think of. I loved this album from start to finish, with it being consistently great throughout, giving Tyler, The Creators 'IGOR' a lot of competition for my current album of the year, and it is my favourite rap album so far too.

    Favourite Songs: Flat Tummy Tea, Cataracts, Palmolive

    Score: 9.1/10
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  7. Jul 1, 2019
    0
    Quite dispointed. I was expecting something better by looking at the critics. I actually don't understand the rates so far.

See all 35 User Reviews

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