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· Conor Welsch
Sequels have a reputation problem. They either ride nostalgia into redundancy or bend so far away from the original that they lose the thread. Alfredo 2 is neither. It’s not a retread of 2020’s Grammy nominated Alfredo, and it’s not a departure for the sake of reinvention. Instead, it’s the sound of two masters leaning into a space they built together, turning the lights up, and letting the details do the talking.
If Alfredo was lit like a Scorsese night scene, all shadow and glint, Alfredo 2 opens the blinds. Alchemist’s palette here is brighter, more spacious: brushed snares, dusty Rhodes, trumpet stabs that sound like they were lifted from a mid-70s CTI jazz cut. Gibbs still slices through with that surgical cadence, but he’s pacing himself, letting bars breathe over loops that glow instead of lurk.
The shift is clear on “Lemon Pepper Steppers,” where the beat bobs with a low slung confidence, and “Mar-a-Lago,” which feels like a slow roll through a city where Gibbs knows every turn. “Skinny Suge II” throws a little grit back in the mix, reminding you what’s still there.
There’s an ease in how Gibbs and Alchemist work together now. Gibbs’ voice has picked up gravel and warmth, more like a trusted narrator than a challenger in the ring. The Alchemist keeps the beats deceptively simple, the way a great chef plates something you know took hours to prepare. Nothing here is trying to trend. It’s trying to last.
At 14 tracks and just under 48 minutes, Alfredo 2 is already vinyl-friendly. Side A would glide from the open-air feel of “1995” through the slick bounce of “Lemon Pepper Steppers.” Flip to Side B and you’re in deeper water: “Still Love H.E.R” into “Shangri La” into ending in a great closer in “A thousand Mountains”.
This one slides neatly between Boldy James’ Bo Jackson and Roc Marciano’s Reloaded. It’s a cousin to Westside Gunn’s Pray for Paris but with more air in the mix. It’s also the spiritual follow up to Gibbs’ Bandana, still sample-heavy, still cinematic, but less about the chase and more about the conversation.
Alfredo 2 doesn’t need to outdo Alfredo. It doesn’t need to shout. It moves like two artists who know their lane, own their lane, and still find ways to surprise inside it. That’s harder to pull off than any chart climb.
Best Spins: “Lemon Pepper Steppers,” “Mar-a-Lago,” “Skinny Suge II”
For Fans Of: Roc Marciano, Boldy James, Earl Sweatshirt, Ka
If You’re Into This, Try:
Bo Jackson – Boldy James & The Alchemist
Pray for Paris – Westside Gunn
The Price of Tea in China – Boldy James & The Alchemist
Nicholas Craven – Craven N series
Navy Blue – Ways of Knowing