The real ones know that Bandana is nearly upon us, set to arrive on June 28. The long-awaited Pinata followup from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib has been a work-in-progress for a minute, but it would appear that it's finally ready for the world. With appearances from Pusha T, Killer Mike, Black Thought, Anderson .Paak and more, Bandana is already stirring up hype in many circles, despite both Gibbs and Madlib being relatively reclusive in nature. Now, however, the pair sat down with Billboard to smoke a few blunts, discuss their upcoming body of work, and Madlib's unreleased music with Mac Miller.
Off the bat, it's clear that the weed is taking hold, as both men giggle in an endearingly giddy fashion. When asked whether the chemistry had shifted on this recent go-around, Gibbs explains that nothing has changed. "We still doing the same thing we was doing on the first album," he explains. "Having fun, trying new shit, taking risks." Madlib chimes in, calling the project "another chapter."
Gibbs also reveals that he initially didn't want any features on the album, not exactly thrilled at the prospect of going through the "reach-out" process. "But I got to a point where I was hanging around people, and I couldn't say no," Gibbs says. As he tells it, some of his collaborators simply couldn't resist the allure of Madlib beats.
When asked about the rumored album with Mac Miller, Madlib takes a moment to clear the air. "It's a bunch of songs, we didn't turn it into an album," says the legendary producer. "It's a bunch of first takes over raw beats. One minute songs and stuff. If I get the permission I'll put it out, but that's up to his family." Gibbs clarifies that he's not into posthumous features - "especially when it's with people I worked with for real. I'd rather it be a more natural type of thing."
Check out the full video above, and keep an eye out for Bandana at the tail end of the month. You excited for this one?