Madlib and MF DOOM‘s ‘Madvillainy 2’ is still in the works, 20 years after ‘Madvillainy’ first arrived.
The legendary rapper, whose death was confirmed on New Year’s Eve 2020, teamed up with Madlib to release the acclaimed 2004 album under their collaborative name Madvillain.
Now, Madlib has confirmed that ‘Madvillainy 2’ is still on its way. Appearing on Hot 97 alongside Talib Kweli to promote their new joint project, ‘Liberation 2’, Madlib told host Peter Rosenberg: “We have like 10 joints. [It’s] just not complete.
“It’s more like a demo to me because we didn’t piece it together or anything and some of them it sounds like he just did one take and that’s it. [But] I’m gonna finish it. I gotta change a lot of the beats because some of the beats were used also.”
Madlib also noted that the project had been in progress for almost two decades, with the recording process beginning right after the release of ‘Madvillainy’. DOOM, however, only did a couple of songs a year.
The pair released the album via Stones Throw Records – with founder Peanut Butter Wolf revealing that a sequel was on the way at the time of DOOM’s death. He was reportedly “85% done” with the sequel at the time.
“DOOM was always telling me ‘It’s 85% done, it’s 85% done.’ That was the magic number,” Wolf said on the Juan Ep is Dead podcast.
He went on to recall how DOOM initially sent him 11 tracks for the project in 2009, but wanted to hold off on releasing the project until “a few more songs” were finished.
“I got a little frustrated, and I was just like, you know, ‘It’s gonna happen when it’s gonna happen.’ I don’t wanna be the guy to force creativity or anything,” he added.
Talib Kweli and Madlib’s ‘Liberation 2’, a sequel to their collaborative 2007 album, was released last month. It features a posthumous contribution by Mac Miller, as well as collaborations with Q-Tip, Wildchild, Roc Marciano and Westside Gunn.
In other news, Madlib confirmed last month that he has numerous new projects underway including a new Mac Miller album that is near completion.
According to Madlib, work on the upcoming LP first began “years ago”, however he has only recently gained the blessing from Miller’s estate. Miller died in September 2018 following an accidental overdose. He was 26 years old.
Elsewhere in the same interview, Madlib also confirmed that he is in the process of working on a new Erykah Badu album and a new project involving California rapper Planet Asia. No details involving the albums’ titles or release dates have been announced yet.