Sequels are a rare thing in music. Unlike movies or books, albums are rarely expanded upon via a second instalment, placing artists under even greater pressure to get things right on the first try. The practice isn’t completely unheard of though, especially in the constantly evolving landscape of hip-hop— if we were to receive a sequel to any project, thank goodness that it’s ‘Alfredo.’ The Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist collab album became an instant classic when it released in 2020, and it’s not hard to see why: perhaps the greatest praise we can heap onto ‘Alfredo 2’ is that, despite some redundancies in the track list, the project stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its predecessor.

Arguably the most obvious point of comparison between the projects comes from their opening tracks— despite some similarities, the evolution from ‘1985’ to ‘1995’ perfectly captures the stark changes Gibbs and The Alchemist have made this time around. Where ‘Alfredo’ began with roaring electric guitars and an aggressive delivery on the mic, its sequel feels content to settle into a distinctly mellow groove. As you might be expecting, ‘Alfredo 2’ is the far smoother record of the two, exchanging its older brother’s grimy aesthetic and bold attitude for easy-going self-assuredness. There’s no real counterpart to the hard-hitting ‘God Is Perfect’ here, with even the record’s most intense number— the hilariously titled ‘Lemon Pepper Steppers’— comprising of sultry guitar lines and atmospheric chimes. Any fans begging for the return of the fiery passion Gibbs displayed on a project like 2014’s ‘Piñata’ will be sorely disappointed, as the clear focus ‘Alfredo 2’ has on subtlety and understated confidence can rob the project of those show-stopping moments. It does, however, also become its greatest strength.

‘Alfredo 2’ has no notable weak spots; no skips; no Achilles’ heel that drags the project down— it’s an album that knows what it is, and delivers on every promise made. The Alchemist is, quite obviously, in his element across all fourteen tracks the duo have delivered: even if the record does little to disprove JPEGMAFIA’s argument that “[The Alchemist] has been making the same song for the last twenty years,” it’s clearly a craft that Maman has perfected in that time. Most producers would do unspeakable things to craft a beat as immersive as ‘Skinny Suge II,’ as silky as ‘I Still Love H.E.R.,’ as ethereal as ‘A Thousand Mountains’— The Alchemist, by contrast, seems to drop them like they’re yesterday’s lunch. Admittedly, ‘Alfredo 2’ never quite escapes that aforementioned criticism of monotony, with tracks like ‘Empanadas’ and ‘Lavish Habits’ blending far too easily into the pack. On the other side of that same coin, though, is a shockingly cohesive track list, and one that revels in coaxing the listener into the untold depths of hip-hop majesty.

Moving over to the leading man, is it really any surprise that Freddie Gibbs is as confident and charming here as he ever was? The rapper has hardly put a foot wrong across his impressive discography, and ‘Alfredo 2’ is merely another step on his quest to become hip-hop’s kingpin. Waves of praise have already been laid at the feet of standout cut ‘Ensalada,’ and not just for its fantastic Anderson .Paak feature: Gibbs injects an energy, a drive, a momentum into the cut, transforming it via delivery alone. Much the same could be said for the other feature-adorned songs ‘Feeling’ and ‘Gold Feet,’ in which Gibbs goes toe-to-toe with the ever-reliable J.I.D. and runs circles around Larry June— regardless of whatever criticisms come his way, there’s no denying that the guy can rap. Even the more low-key moments that ‘Alfredo 2’ often likes to return to, few artists would have been a better choice for the job than Gibbs: his performance on tracks like ‘Mar-a-Lago’ and ‘Gas Station Sushi’ is nigh-on untouchable.

It’s a similar story on a lyrical front, with ‘Alfredo 2’ recounting much the same tale of extravagance as its predecessor— all at once, it’s disappointing to see the sequel playing things so safe, yet also comforting to be delivered exactly what was promised. Anyone looking to Freddie Gibbs for inspirational anecdotes, life-changing advice or conceptual plots is barking not just up the wrong tree, but in the wrong forest: the rapper’s latest project is packed full of arrogance and indulgence, firing shots at everyone around him.

“Goddammit, I be god, damn it

First-class Virgin Atlantic, stewardess' t*tties plastic

I'm still gon' squeeze Akademiks t*tties, that fat b*stard

Gunna dissed me and took a plea, he a rat b*stard”

The extreme displays of his lifestyle that Gibbs flaunts do, admittedly, grow somewhat stale across these fourteen tracks— the album does very little to justify a longer runtime than ‘Alfredo,’ especially when its lyrical choices are as plain as day. Even despite that redundancy though, it’s not an issue that distracts from the moment-to-moment pleasure the record evokes: Gibbs’ words are mere salad dressing for his excellent flows, and they just so happen to fit the project well to boot.

“But this life ain't sh*t but drama for me

I'm just doing this sh*t to keep my heat, lights, and water running

Don't know if it’s Donald or Kamala for me

But I really don't give a f*ck, it's about a dollar for me”

Ultimately, ‘Alfredo 2’ is a gift to anyone who enjoyed this duo’s previous collaboration, and a passive shrug to those who weren’t enamoured by it. Even given the shift towards a softer lo-fi sound, this new body of work from Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist continues to deliver exactly what you’re probably looking for from the duo: silky smooth production, masterful rapping, and not an ounce of fat on the bones. ‘Alfredo 2’ does feel quite safe, no doubt: perhaps that’s just because the duo are so damn good at what they do.