Album Review: Alfredo 2 is Hot

Last week, on July 25, 2025, rapper/vocalist Freddie Gibbs and legendary hip-hop producer The Alchemist released their follow-up album to the Grammy-nominated Alfredo. A sequel that hardly came out of nowhere, the pair’s symbiotic chemistry had left listeners begging for more after the original’s success.

The first album was released in 2020 during the pandemic and quickly went viral at a time when most people were connected only through the internet. The compilation of tracks boasts a sense of high-class braggadocio that immerses the listener in opulence. I’ve kept the vinyl on display in the kitchens of my last three apartments—partly because of the swagger and sauce in the cover art, which clearly takes inspiration from The Godfather films. Alfredo continues this tradition, but with chopsticks over a ramen bowl instead of a marionette handle over a bowl of Italian pasta.

Alfredo 2 carries that same hype, combining gangster rap lyrical flows from Gibbs with the warm, soulful samples of The Alchemist. Both artists have been at the top of their game for years, and this record is no exception. Tracks like “Ensalada” (feat. Anderson .Paak) and “Skinny Suge II” immediately showcase the duo’s talent, delivering well-deserved satisfaction while maintaining the quality established in the first record.

While this album doesn’t have quite as much energy as its predecessor, Alfredo 2 leans more into R&B melodies on tracks like “I Still Love H.E.R.” and “Gas Station Sushi,” which bring a more luxurious and intimate vibe. This sonic direction reflects a spirit Gibbs has been experimenting with increasingly since his 2022 release. As time progresses, the artist moves closer to discovering his own distinct sound—when that happens, the pen gets heavier, and the bars get harder.

As dense and refined as this record is, it’s still perfectly valid to prefer the original to its sequel. I’ll always support artists expanding beyond their defined genres to create better projects and evolve creatively. Alfredo 2 is a consistent and impressive album, though it might be missing a bit of the original Alfredo’s special flavor.

Overall, I think this is a strong addition to 2025’s Hip-Hop/R&B catalog. I highly recommend it for fans of Rick Ross, Boldy James, and Madlib.