The Chicago Rap scene has exploded onto the cultural stage with a diverse assortment of unique aesthetics coloring a sonic palette that now dictates the shifting tides of the genre’s national picture. Gifted kids, as they have so often before, are acting as the creative force plotting Rap’s trajectory, and the Windy City is the primary breeding ground for emerging talent right now. One such young upstart is Lil Bibby, a 20-year-old who isn’t so much a phenom as he is a workhorse, rapping consistently in a burly timbre that bulldozes through beats in a way that’s almost comical, if not trivializing. His debut mixtape, Free Crack, which was instrumental in the manufacturing of his buzz, was grizzly street Rap personified, and it won fans over with a technical approach to hood storytelling. While he does stay true to that formula, Free Crack 2 is Bibby’s first foray into sounds with a more crossover appeal, and it lulls due to an inability to transition into that headspace.
Earlier this year, Lil Bibby landed on XXL magazine’s annual “Freshman Class” list alongside three of the more high profile personalities from his city: Lil Durk, Vic Mensa, and Chance the Rapper. His presence represents a different, previously underrepresented segment of the Chicago landscape that isn’t recognized by the selection of the other three performers. Lil Bibby made his mark carving out his own space between the shout happy street mantras of traditional Chicago drill and the city’s eccentric, alternative scene, and he has stayed true to his brand if for no other reason than he has no other choice: He is a somewhat underwhelming personality, and there’s a chance he could still get lost in the shuffle if not careful.
With that in mind, moments of Free Crack 2 are disconcerting. The core of Lil Bibby’s viability lies in his ability to remain consistent, an unwavering constant amid an avalanche of unpredictable personas, but for brief, unexplainable spurts he seems to forget that, venturing off into uncharted terrain. He follows a Bibby staple like “Dead Or In Prison” with Juicy J’s druggy sonic noir in “Montana,” which name-drops Joe, Tony, and Hannah. Then, he strangely throws a Wiz Khalifa verse on “For The Low 2.” He’s thinking expansion, but he’s unable to execute. The mixtape has its share of bangers, and it roughly follows the mold of the original, but Bibby makes several head-scratching aesthetic decisions in what feels like a failed attempt to break out.
Every now and then, Free Crack 2 drifts into bizarre, unfamiliar territory. Instead of doing what he knows best, steadily and consistently, he veers into a weird, untested generic type of status Rap. On “Boy” he enlists T.I. for a spacey stunt anthem courtesy of P-Lo of the HBK Gang production team. He lines the hazy synths of “Can I Get” with an amateurish singsong, and he follows suit for the Hip-Pop-esque, Sak Pase-produced “I Be On It.” It isn’t that the songs are bad, per se; Bibby just never seems comfortable on them, and it’s awkward to listen to.
When in his pocket, however, Bibby is as menacing as ever, and Free Crack 2 provides its fair share of dark and intricate street Rap. The Chicagoan seems most at home rapping side-by-side with emcees of his ilk, namely Lil Herb and Kevin Gates. The DJ L-produced “Game Over” finds him trading bars with the former, and “We Are Strong” features an uncommonly dexterous verse from the latter. The opener, “Can I Have Your Attention,” is a poignant bit of self-awareness: in a crowded region, Lil Bibby will be vying for our ears. “Can I have your attention? Fuck that, when you hear me talk you better listen,” he spits. Attention is earned. The question remains, does he have the presence to command it? The jury is still out.
it was a great mixtape
Bullshit.
Best mixtape I heard in a long time #Classic
Was great .
4/5 For The Low 2 Goes Hard af
It does, minus Wiz’s verse. Dude is corny.
Trash.
If you really listen to Bibby’s word and the meaning behind them, you’ll get it. He’s not crazy lyrics but he packs punches with his bars. They’re not empty threats like a ton of other rappers
Can I have your attention was the best song. 1st verse is fire
Face of a 12 year old child voice of a 50 year old man its weird as fuck when u first hear him talk/rap
yea that threw me off too when I first heard him
he’s pretty good though
Yeah, i first heard him…and figured he be some fat ass bearded old head looking like Ross or Slim Thug. But his ass look younger than my nephew
Shit is dope.
I hated on this dude pretty harshly in the comments before, I was outraged he was an XXL Freshman and threw him in the same category as Chief Keef but I actually listened to this tape and I fuck with it, for the most part. Besides the autotune, he’s got a good voice for rap (it’s weird because he sounds like he’d be 6’8″ and like 35 but is like 5 something and 20), he’s got aggression and confidence in his flow and he can choose good beats for his style (mainly trap beats with heavy bass). I hope he tells more stories and cuts down the autotune and really spits, I noticed most songs were 2 verses rather than 3 and I think he should go for 3 when he drops his next shit. The guests were decent; Lil Reese had a nice flow and it was dope to hear him and Bibby trade bars, Juicy J brought some aggression in his verses although some corny lines as well, Wiz Khalifa was pretty meh as usual these days, and Jadakiss killed like Jada always does. I hope on his next joint he gets some more vets like Jada on his songs, maybe like Scarface, Young Buck etc.
Gotta co-sign this. Bibby not like them other drll chiraq fools that cant rap for shit he is pretty good id like to see him do more with the veterans as well like members of the lox wu tang bun b crooked I
beautiful ratring
I think it deserves a 4/5 becaude Lil Bibby really came wit it. My favorite song is “Water(Remix)” both Jadakiss and Bibby smashed that bit. After that “We Are Strong” is my second favorite, and Kevin Gates and Bibby going verse for verse was devastating. Free Crack 2 get 4 stars from me Bob!!
This review is terrible, i honestly think the tape is a 4 if not a 4.5 whoever decided to publish this needs to be fired. It is obvious to me they are trying to push less lyrical content rappers out than anything. This bounce and turn up shit has to come to a limit, not every song should be about partying and strippers, or cash throwing. He delivered on this, he gave a wide range of music. I used to think he was just some one hit, dude til i heard the first one and i listen everything he drop cuz he comes with that essence. Few rappers have that in they skills.
Fire! Slower tempo than Herb’s “Welcome to Fazoland”, but Bibby brings it.
Unlike most of the drill rappers from the crib(chicago) Bibby and Lil herb can actually spit. They actually CRAFT their lines and put thought into making songs..unlike most of theother super huff as Drill niggas that come off the top off the dome with songz that sound terrible with no structure and extra aut tune to hide the fact that they have NO flow. This reviewer was terrible.
My roomie is an old school classic hip hop head from Chicago that thinks this generation is corny. He’s 34 and like me loves Raekwan Nas, Mobb Deep, The Lox, Fab,etc…One morning before work he played Free Crack 2 like 3 time and judging from wht I heard I like it. I’m not sure if it’s doper than Free Crack but face it Bibby can spit. If he couldn’t then HOW IN THE HELL did he end up getting guys like Jada on his tape or being featured on songs with Saigon, Bleek and G.Rap? Is he Jay-Z? Nah but he puts thoughts into his bars and his voice and delivery are lace with star power and at age 20 I’m sure he’s only going to get better because he also is able to tell stories and paint pictures when he wants too. He’s one of the few young cats from the Chi that haven’t forgotten about our city’s legacy of actually spitting hot shit which has become lost with this BDK vs GDK shit called Drill Musik which most of it really is.
Not a great album, but not awful. Free Crack 1 was better, in my opinion. It was a bit grittier and Bibby seemed hungrier. On FC2 it’s really obvious that he’s trying to get a bit more of that mainstream appeal – and I don’t fault him for that – I just think this tape was mediocre at best.