Pinata

もはや説明の必要もなし、現役最強のプロデューサー/ ビートメイカー:Madlib。そしてメジャー・レーベルやヤング・ジージーとも契約し、数々のミックステープや客演仕事で高い人気を誇るブレイク必至の実力派ラッパー:Freddie Gibbs!シングル、EP 等のリリースで以前から期待が高まっていた待望のフル・アルバムが遂に登場です!何と言ってもMadlib 本気の最新ビートがフル・アルバムで聴けるというだけでファンなら狂喜間違いなし!そして最注目の実力派ラッパーFreddie Gibbs とのコラボというだけでも十分過ぎるというのに現シーンの熱い精鋭からベテラン・ラッパーまでが参加した超豪華ゲスト陣。まさに純正ヒップホップ近年稀にみる奇跡のアルバム。ジャンルの壁を縦横無尽に横断し唯一無二のセンスでダイナミックに料理されたネタ感に溢れた珠玉のビート群。よりソウル色が濃くなりクールに洗練されたMadlib のトラックに抜群の相性で応えるFreddie Gibbs!聴けば聴くほどハマっていくこの奥行き。凄まじすぎるセンスとスキル!現シーンでこの世界観を表現できるのはMadlib だけでしょう!間違いなく2014年の代表作となるであろう完璧なクラシック・アルバムです!

With a delivery that sounds like 2Pac pitched down a notch, and a technical, streetwise proficiency that's Scarface-styled and just as solid, Gary, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs is a rare find, but his odd come-up is arguably even more interesting. Promoted by websites with more of an indie spin and hanging with more left-field folk like Chip tha Ripper, SpaceGhostPurrp, and the Cool Kids, Gibbs is a gruff thug who allows access to the avant side of the underground, something that's especially attractive to any edgy beatmaker with a love of hardcore lyrics. In the case of this superior collaboration called Pinata, that beatmaker is Madlib, the wonderfully cloudy king of groove who has long anchored the Stones Throw label to the street. Here, one of his hands is guided by RZA, while the other is guided by Dilla, combining for some creeping, off-world karate movie themes like "Thuggin'" (where Gibbs' proudly admits his "Pants gonna be saggin' till I'm forty"), while "Broken" floats with, apt to its title, some dreamy broken beat soul (prompting Freddie to brilliantly ruminate "Swear I've seen everything but old age"). Madlib's fans will have to do the most adapting, as the skittishness found on his Medicine Show series of releases is smoothed out with more chilled beats and longer running times, but the deliciously off-kilter production style is there and strong, influencing Gibbs to go "Deeper" on the cut of the same name, where he views the local wrecks in his neighborhood as more mature than himself, simply because they're not dealing with this young man's game called "hip-hop". Startling numbers like the block-rockin' then dissolving "Real" crop up throughout the album and make this project even more than a sum of its parts, and with the track list flowing smoothly as attractive guests (Danny Brown, Raekwon, Scarface, Mac Miller, and the list goes diversely and gloriously on) come and go, Pinata winds up excellent overall. Extra points are added for being a peerless success while still giving fans of Mobb Deep, Slum Village, Young Buck, Odd Future, and David Banner enough familiar touchstones for easy access. ~ David Jeffries

テン年代のギャングスタ・ラップ・シーンを牽引するフレディ・ギブス、そして西海岸のビートの魔術師マッドリブが、ジョイント・アルバムを発表。ドープなフレディのラップとマッドリブの無骨なビートの相性が作り出す生々しさと言ったら! 表題曲での、ドモ・ジェネシスにケイシー・ヴェジーズ、フラットブッシュ・ゾンビーズのミーチ・ダーコ、そしてマック・ミラーらによる、静脈が破裂しそうなマイク・リレーは圧巻!
bounce (C)渡辺志保