Over at the Rappcats website, Madlib hinted a while ago at a new studio album with a yet-to-be-identified MC. Now the Stones Throw label artist has announced—in the Rappcats newsletter—that he is dropping a track later on this week and presenting the limited 12-inch EP in Chicago and Los Angeles.

The upcoming record presents three vocal tracks, plus bonus beats and instrumentals—9 tracks in all. Sleeves are hand-printed by Hit & Run, with artwork by Gustavo Eandi and Jeff Jank, who have designed around 10 variations of each sleeve.

On Friday, July 17, Madlib will perform at The Mid in Chicago, where he will eventually be joined onstage by the secret album guest for a big reveal of their identity. The Rappcats website is keeping everything very hush-hush, and they are adamant that the guest will not be who you think it is. Hit & Run, the world’s premier live screen printing crew founded in 2005 by Los Angeles artists Brandy Flower and Mike Crivello, will be live-printing the sleeves at the gig in Chicago. Then in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 18, Rappcats will have these records along with everything else on the Madlib Invazion catalog in a one-day record store pop-up! The records will be numbered, with 150 up for grabs in Chicago, and 150 in LA. Another few hundred are currently being printed and will be available on Rappcats website later this summer. The Chicago show will be followed by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib at the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago on July 19.

You can find more information about the unnamed ablum by visiting the Rappcats website, and you can find out more about these two special dates by clicking here.

07/17: Chicago. Friday, July 17. The Mid Chicago, 306 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60661.
07/18: Los Angeles. Saturday, July 18. Rappcats, 5636 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042 12PM-4PM.