BY JORDAN COMMANDEUR • OCTOBER 1, 2019

Madlib & Freddie Gibbs have made one of 2019’s best Hip-Hop albums in the form of Bandana. The Keep Cool/RCA Records album is a benchmark release in both artists’ discography. While Gangsta Gibbs’ journey dates back to the mid-2000s, Madlib’s credits date back more than 25 years. In 1993, Madlib’s group, The Lootpack, debuted on Tha Alkaholiks’ 21 & Over LP, care of “Turn The Party Out” (embedded below).

For Madlib, Wildchild, and DJ Romes, roles would continue on 1995’s Coast II Coast and 1997’s Likwidation. For a time, the collective of affiliates became The Likwit Crew, which included King T, Xzibit, Defari, Phil Da Agony, and others.

In an interview with 247HH, The Liks spoke about putting Lootpack, including a young Otis Jackson, Jr. on. “That’s what we do, man. We discover talent, and we put them in the position to do better for themselves,” says producer/DJ E-Swift, who cut his teeth on early King T LPs. “Madlib was one that showed up. His work spoke for itself. There’s a lot of people we put on too that just didn’t make it.”

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