Madlib spoke with Chairman Mao earlier this month at the Red Bull Music Academy in New York City, touching on his upcoming collaboration with Freddie Gibbs – Bandana – and much more.

“Since the early ‘90s, the reclusive Madlib has been producing music at a relentless pace. Whether he’s working with artists like Freddie Gibbs, MF Doom or Erykah Badu, collaborating with the late J Dilla, or working under one of his own aliases, like the drugged out party creature Quasimoto, Madlib has carved out his own idiosyncratic corner in the massive hip-hop universe. Luckily, we were able to coax him out of his studio for a rare discussion at the Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York 2016 about Prince, the importance of doing taxes, the death of his Quasimoto alter-ego, collaborating with Kanye West and his love of industrial music.” – RBMA