Madlib Teases An Instrumental Version Of His And Freddie Gibbs’ ‘Bandana’

Of the dozens of extremely good rap albums that released in 2019, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s Bandana was a consensus favorite for its displays of highly proficient rap technique and innovative, sampled beats. Now, those beats will get their own instrumental LP titled Bandana Beats and due January 31 on Madlib Invazion / ESGN / Keep Cool / RCA. Madlib used a rare tweet to announce the release date and provide the pre-order link.

Where the original version of the album featured a cover depicting Madlib’s smoking mascot astride a zebra overlooking a devastated Los Angeles landscape from behind a destroyed Hollywood sign, the Bandana Beats cover shows “the moment the bomb detonates” as illustrated by cover artist Jeff Jank. Madlib didn’t share too many other details, but the LP is $22.

Freddie and Madlib spent most of 2019 promoting the album, which was their first as a group in five years. In December, they made a highly-anticipated stop at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts to run through a set with a famed, New York-based funk band and in October, they assembled their previously released music videos into a trailer for a phony film recounting the overarching narrative of Bandana.

Meanwhile, outside of his work with Gibbs, Madlib shot down rumors of a joint album with the late Mac Miller. Check out the video for album standout “Giannis” here.

Bandana Beats is out January 31.