Joint album Fetti serves as a huge sigh of relief for rap fans who have been bombarded with long projects and half-assed collaborative albums this last year or so. New Orleans spitta Curren$y and Gary, Indiana boy Freddie Gibbs are two highly-respected MCs who many argue don’t get the commercial acclaim they deserve. The solution for that is a simply creating a project dope enough for people to revisit and promote to other rap fans. This could be it.
Teaming up with veteran producer The Alchemist, the two put together a nine-song, 23-minute project loaded with bars about drugs, money, street life, women, and their thoughts on the world as a whole. At times, Alchemist’s production is huge and contributes to the overall energy of the two when they brand a faster flow. Other beats are stripped down and more minimalistic in nature, allowing both Gibbs and Curren$y’s poetic-feeling lyrics to be the focal point.
The project has a mature feel to it, which makes sense given the age of those involved (Curren$y, 37; Gibbs, 36; Alchemist, 41). With all having so many years in the game and being established in their art, they have the ability to take their time and construct something cohesive both sonically and lyrically. The effort put into the album can be felt and heard, and perhaps it’s a good thing that it didn’t release soon after it was teased in 2017.
The way their flows bounced off one another on standout tracks like the opener “Location Remote,” “New Thangs,” and “Saturday Night Special” made for a smooth listening experience. Gibbs got the opportunity to shine on his own on “Now & Later Gators” and “Willie Lloyd,” while Curren$y manned a brief interlude on “No Window Tints.” Despite the solo songs, the album didn’t feel as though there were any missteps or obstacles to get over when listening. It was easy sailing, in large part due to the length but also the overall crafting.
Album closer “Bundy & Sincere” paid homage to the two characters played by Nas and DMX in 1998’s Belly, but they also made sure to throw in some love for the late Mac Miller. The line “Make sure you touch something luxurious before you die, Light one for Mac Miller, Blue Slide Park in the sky, still in here” couldn’t have ended Curren$y’s final verse any better, and Gibbs adding “Rest in peace Mac” was the icing on the cake.
Will this be the project to thrust these two into the mainstream spotlight? Perhaps not, but to say it was well-done is an understatement. The nostalgic feel combined with modern day relevance will contribute to many listeners being able to identify with what is said but also simply enjoy the sound. It may not be the typical content people look to turn up to, but for those who love good old-fashioned bars, this is for you. Check out the joint album Fetti below.
