NEWS
Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist dropped their new collaborative album Alfredo 2 last week, and today, they unveiled a special surprise for fans. The surprise in question is a game inspired by the new project, which the Gary, Indiana-born performer announced on X. "Alfredo 2: Arcade," he wrote. "Listen to the album on Spotify or Apple Music while fighting the sensei as Freddie or ALC & go for the high score."
The game arrives shortly after the new music video for their track "A Thousand Mountains," which they dropped off yesterday. Ahead of the album release, they also revealed a music video for the lead single, "1995." An Alfredo short film was also released before the album. It's described as a "Tokyo crime saga" and was created in Japan with the help of director Nick Walker.
Alfredo 2 has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback so far, and the same can be said for this fun addition to the rollout.
As for what else about the album has fans talking, Gibbs appears to take shots at various peers on it. In "Empanadas," for example, he seemingly references some run-ins he's rumored to have had with Benny The Butcher and Jim Jones.
"Smacked him in Miami, his boys jumped me, he played it safe / B*tches in Buffalo get the same thing, they was throwin' plates / Limped away on his good foot, but he ain't bust a grape / These n***as fake / Sealed documents, still poppin' it / F*ck the certified crack babies, come get your mama hit (Yeah) / Sh*t ain't sellin', they gotta resort to drama sh*t / F*ck these Love & Hip-Hop n***as, I'm at the Oscars, b*tch," he raps.
Gibbs also throws a direct jab at Gunna on "Lavish Habits." He does so by bringing up the relentless snitching allegations he's faced in recent years. "First-class Virgin Atlantic, stewardess' t*tties plastic / I'm still gon' squeeze Akademiks t*tties, that fat b*stard," he spits. "Gunna dissed me and took a plea, he a rat b*stard."
Jade Thirlwall has been learning to lean into a softer approach with her voice as she steps into life as a solo performer.
The former Little Mix member shared that she’s been carving out her own sound since the British girl group decided to go on an indefinite break in 2022.
Speaking with ELLE, Jade opened up about discovering that not every track on her debut solo album, That's Showbiz Baby, needed a full vocal showcase.
“That’s what I’ve discovered with this project, especially after Little Mix, is that I don’t always need to give a big vocal moment,” she said. “It’s actually been really nice to understand that part of my voice.”
She pointed to the group’s 2016 single Power, which has at times faced online comments about being a little too intense vocally.
“I’ll scroll through TikTok and see people talk about Power like, ‘These girlies are out here like, AHHH,’” she told the outlet. “Everyone trying to top each other with the loudest note for three minutes straight.”
Although Jade still loves that kind of performance, she said she’s learned the value of holding back.
“I still adore that energy, but it’s been kind of freeing to realise, babe, it doesn’t always need to end with this massive ad-lib run,” she shared.
She also mentioned that her song Angel of My Dreams was first recorded with a much bigger vocal take before she decided to go back and do it in a more relaxed, softer tone.
Jade officially dropped That's Showbiz Baby on 12 September. The record includes 14 tracks, among them IT Girl, Plastic Box, and the lead single Angel of My Dreams.
