One of the most revealing moments of $oul $old $eperately comes in the form of a Tupac homage. Freddie Gibbs opens “Grandma’s Stove” by cribbing a couplet from Pac’s “Lord Knows,” a raw and unflinching description of living with depression: “I smoke a blunt to take the pain out/And if I wasn’t high, I’d probably try to blow my brains out.” “Lord Knows” is immediate and conversational, it feels like Pac staring you directly in the eye while expressing his pain. “Grandma’s Stove,” on the other hand, sounds incredibly lonely. Sevn Thomas & Neenyo’s beat is beautifully cold, glinting like light off a marble countertop in a kitchen no one uses. It feels like Freddie’s staring at his reflection, nursing a glass of expensive scotch on the bathroom sink, taking a moment away from his own lavish party.
“Grandma’s Stove” being tucked away near the end of the $oul $old $eperately feels emblematic of the album as a whole. It’s a glossy, high-dollar event record that’s frustrating as it is excellent. Gibbs certainly deserves the kind of budget signing with Warner entails, as he’s been one of the most consistently great rappers of the last decade. Though he’s settled into a groove of making widely lauded prestige rap as of late, his career began with a brief and turbulent stint on Jeezy’s CTE World, culminating in being dropped and sent back to square one. If you’ve kept up with his backstory, $oul $old $eperately plays like a sustained victory lap.
If previous efforts were about bars and Gibbs’ self-proclaimed (and undeniable) ability to rap on any beat, $$$ aims to showcase the roiling inner turmoil he feels. He raps about having “[a] broken heart and empty pockets” on “Lobster Omelette,” and on “Rabbit Vision” he plainly states that “these diamonds come from pressure.”
But it’s easy to hide behind money. $$$ sounds incredible, clearly benefiting from the sizable checks Warner was willing to dish out. The production credits have few repeat names (which is unusual for a Freddie Gibbs project), but the palette is pretty cohesive, full of spacey synths and lush soul samples that snake around tightly coiled drums. The production is quite varied, featuring beats by stalwart collaborators Alchemist and Madlib, but DJ Paul, Jake One and Boi-1da all contribute immaculate bangers. At times, though, the glossiness makes the album buckle under its own pressure, dulling the impact of his vulnerability.
Its best moments showcase the incredible rap pyrotechnics that have made Gibbs famous. His unbreakable 16th-note flow on “Too Much” is astounding, and it’s only one example of his ability to easily jump between styles without breaking a sweat. In a recent interview with Paper Magazine, Gibbs talked about how the music of Three 6 Mafia, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Twista was ubiquitous in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, and how he supplemented those sounds with East Coast heavyweights like Kool G Rap. $$$ finds him synthesizing these tastes, combining melodious Midwest fast-rap (“Zipper Bagz”) with 90’s Memphis triple time (“PYS”) with bubble coat New York classicism (“CIA”). On “Dark Hearted,” one of the most inspired moments on $$$, Gibbs uses James Blake’s melancholic beat as a springboard to launch a spiraling melodic flow. It feels like a Rich Homie Quan song filtered through Gibbs’ metronomic precision.
Still, some of his choices on $$$ are confounding. The loose casino theme that runs through the album doesn’t ever really gel, leading to a few momentum-killing moments that knock the album off its axis. A few of the guest appearances feel forced. “Pain & Strife” is a shapeless attempt at Atlanta trap with a completely unmemorable verse from Offset that disappears as soon as it’s over. Anderson .Paak’s verse on “Feel No Pain” is thoroughly atrocious, and not even a superb showing from Raekwon can salvage the song.
Most jarring are the skits. Comedian Jeff Ross shows up to roast Freddie with some powerfully bland jokes he seemingly wrote at the last minute. His appearance is a brutal 180 from “Space Rabbit,” a particularly soul-bearing track that talks about the “gun fights and sleepless nights” that plagued Freddie’s past. Kevin Durant also shows up just to say hi, like a primary source name drop. These moments are probably supposed to be cheeky, but just come off as tacked on. The songs themselves are already exhilarating; we don’t need Joe Rogan’s self-effacing DMT reference to tell us we’re having fun.
$oul $old $eparately isn’t the mind-blowing statement Freddie promised us, but it doesn’t really need to be. It’s a very solid record, messy and personal, that harkens back to his more experimental era of the 2010s. It’s a lot like Shadow of a Doubt, the 2015 album that laid bare his creative hunger. On that record, Gibbs implemented a ton of different sounds, put some unexpected guests together, and rapped his ass off the whole time. The fact that he’s still willing to push himself, to make music that may not completely work, should be cause for celebration. It means that an artist as consistently chameleonic as Freddie Gibbs still has ideas to explore and future classics for us to dissect.
Rap nerds will forever debate which collaboration with Madlib — Piñata or Bandana — is the real classic, or if Alfredo, his Grammy-nominated album with The Alchemist, is his final form. $oul $old $eparately is neither, but it’s quite good, and a good Freddie Gibbs album is an already high standard to match.
REPEAT ME
Grammy?
Solid really good album especially the 2nd half of the album for me
Album is fire ? Grandma’s stove is a classic
I can play the whole album without skipping. I strong effort however I wish it had more songs like Gang Signs, Black Illuminati, and Big Boss Rabbit. Those three were stellar buzz singles. Hopefully he releases a deluxe edition.
Freddie sat the bar too high with his 3 previous albums. This one is good, not great. I disagree with the review on one thing though, that Raekwon joint is fire.
Album starts on fire with these Kelly Price and Alchemist joints, then it becomes boring as duck until the least two songs with Madlib and Scarface. This one not for me, I have to admit it sounds crystal clear, great mix mastering and sound engineering
Forgot about Dark Hearted. This song amazing.
You have to be a fan of Corny rap in my opinion if you’re saying this do you like Drake or Wayne or Migos because with the exception of offset and moneybag yo songs this album of the year candidate
Freddie Gibbs an actor with the G life he portraits but he’s an amazing rapper. Have this on repeat. Dope effort!
Another Gibbs classic, solid album.
One of the better albums of the year. Can go through it without skipping a song. However, songs like Space Rabbit, Dark Hearted (one of the best songs of the year), and Grandma’s Stove get the repeat button. Top tier. Up there with Almost Dry. The question shouldn’t he so much how does $$$ stack up albums like Alfredo or Bandana. This album couldn’t be different from those two; but what would you pick out of $$$ or Almost Dry?
Its Almost Dry all day. Yyyyuuuuck
$$$ >>> Almost Dry.
But “Cheat Codes” is better than both.
Fire
Freddi never misses
ALBUM SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS. ITS NOT HIS BEST WORK, BUT IT DELIVERS ON ALL LEVELS. BEATS, BANGERS, STORYTELLING, STREET SONGS. GIBBS SOUNDS VERY POLISHED WITH THIS BIG BUDGET RELEASE AND SOUND. MY ONLY GRIPE WERE THAT THERE WERE A BIT TOO MANY DOUBLE TIME FLOWS EARLIER ON AND RICK ROSS SUPER OFF BEAT.
Yeah. Rick Ross sounds terrible. I dont even know what happened with him on this record.
ur wack bro
Damn you didn’t like it I thought it was dope
HE USUALLY COMES THROUGH ON FEATURES BUT HE COULDN’T FIND THE BEAT ON HERE. TIRED ASS FLOW TBH
Outside of JID, I haven’t looked forward to these goofy niccas music lately but Fred did his thing here.
It’s good, but the real shit is from the middle to the end…the beginning is kind of his mid-west/southern stuff, which doesn’t play well for him, IMO, although he is from that region. I’m from the south too, but some artists need those boom bap type beats…and he’s one of them that sounds better on those
Entire album is extremely dope to me, he went in and got personal. He starting separate himself with his catalog. Only rapper I see that can keep up with him in terms of dropping the amount of quality work is Big Krit. He should have thrown Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs on that Pain and Strife with Offset. Love him or hate him Gibbs never disappoints.
Offset lol
Big krit naw homie and I was his biggest fan back in 2011 he has been inconsistent
BIG KRIT AND FREDDIE GIBBS COULD BE THE NEW UGK
Pain & Strife sounded like Bone Thugs Karaoke. Worst song on the album. Would be better if Kbone was on it like you said though. Then it would be original and not a mimic.
Worst song on the album??? Really? I thought it was one of the best songs on the album. I know offset is not a great rapper but this song just hit different I knew it would when it first came on. I’ve been seeing a few people saying takeoff, krayzie bone and or quavo would have been a better fit than offset i do agree with that but I still love the song.
Typical trash Gibs album. Keeps going downhill unfortunately. Tried to like it but I’m definitely not listening to that garbage again. No wonder nobody really listens to him. Most people never even heard of him and for good reason.
In what alternate dimension does “nobody really listen to him” and “most people never even heard of him”. What planet are you from?
Don’t mind him, he’s been living in his father’s butt crack for the last 10 years and probably only listen to YoungButtPlugga.Just Ignore him.
good review. FYI though, his career didnt start with Jeezy/CTE. Before that, he was briefly signed to Interscope and had the single “The Ghetto” (using the same sample/beat as Milkbone’s “Keep it Real”), but got dropped or left before releasing a project
His music with DJ Burn 1 is what got me into Gibbs.
Same with Starlito, Yelawolf, Rittz, ScottyATL
I enjoyed the album a lot. But out of the new albums I dropped some money on this year, Meechy Darko’s Gothic Luxury has been the best of the year.
pretty good album
I gotta give this guy props, solid album that really picks up in the middle. Definitely will take notice when he drops music from now on.
It’s his best solo album, but not as good as albums with either madlib or alchemist, which I consider collaboration albums
It’s his best solo album, but not as good as albums with either madlib or alchemist, which I consider collaboration albums
Another loaded project by Gibbs. I can’t put it above his other projects…yet…but it will no doubt get just as many plays. Freddie raps his ass off on this one.
Just behind Cheat Codes for best album this year so far. IMO
type of scale is this….if this ain’t damn near a 5 don’t know whats is
Jeff Ross is the only sore on this album other then that..it’s 5/5. And whoever reviewed this..kill ya self. SMH
Two sores on the album: Jeff Ross and the Offset verse. 4.5 out of 5.
i agree mate so true, fax big fax
big fax homie
giving this a 4.1 and Jid a 3 something is clown shit – Freddie had bars but nothing new production wise which holds the album back, also too many songs sound similar….tbh of all the new releases this week i thought hands down the best was from Rhymsayers newest signing Sol Messiah for God Complex
No skips. Vibe from beginning to the end
It’s a 3.5
5/5
Amazing. Was waiting on this, knew it would be fire, and it damn sure was.
Freddie Kane
5/5
4.7 great balance between all parts of Freddie while still showing he can have fun with his skill and still talk drugs and introspectively
5/5
That album nasty I listen like twice but ima check it out again. I see why he got so many haters
It’s a real good album but not super outstanding this year, the competition is kinda tough even in his lane. Benny, Conway and Pusha (to name the most prominent ones) had the slightly superior projects this year.
Still a good album, maybe Like 3-4 mid tracks but not a skip. 3.5 for me, but more towards a 4.
Pusha T album wasn’t good it was boring as usual. I always have high hopes for pusha t and it’s always a let down he has one good solo my name is my name and that’s it. The production King Push keeps choosen for his albums are dry and bland. The 3 best albums this year is easily This gibbs album, Kendrick and Krits Digital Roses. I like Pusha T but at this point it seems like he’s never going to deliver a classic like most believe he can.
I wouldn’t even disagree a lot with you about Pusha-T. His album isn’t a classic and I don’t know if he will ever deliver one. Actually I also don’t really care, I could honestly do without his music. I just enjoyed Almost Dry a bit more than this album, but it also lacks replay value after a time. That being said I never really felt Freddies music that much. I mean his skills and all are impressive but somehow he lacks soul. I don’t know how else to put it. His albums stand or fall with the production for me.
For my favs this year, Iam kinda behind the schedule but as my favs so far I would name Black Thought (especially!!), Tana Talk 4 , God Don’t Make Mistakes, Ransom – No Rest For The Wicked, Roc&Alchemist, JID, Denzel Curry, The Difference Machine and Lloyd Banks.
Boldy James will probably make my list and Iam still missing out on a lot of stuff. Kendrick is up there but I need a few more listens.
You sound stupid. Pusha T easily has album of the year so far. This Gibbs album is trash, all he does is mumble his words to generic beats.
pure crack mane!
The joint with DJ Paul is incredible.
Gibbs rap with that Bone Thugs flavor!!! He can cut you with his flow and or lyrics majority of rappers now can’t do either.
He might and should win a grammy for this project.
3 peat 5 for sure
Great
Dd
This is Freddie Gibbs best album to date. The project is very cohesive and I have it up there as album of the year contender. The only hip hop album that comes close is Kendrick Lamar Mr.Morale and The Big Steppers.
Really liked the varied production, Gibbs can really spit on any kind of beat, he just knows the pockets that well. He will never drop an album with wack bars either, the album is full of quotables like “broke my heart but fixed my vision” or “Saw you at your homies grave tell him you’ll be home soon”. Features also killed it, dope verse from Scarface, Pusha,Raekwon, and Bagg. Anderson Paak and Kelly Price definitely held their own as singers and were the finishing touch on the songs they were on. I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for Bandana and Pinata, but $$$ is really up there with his best like Alfredo, Cold Day in Hell,Baby Face Killa and Shadow of a Doubt
Another terrible album by Gibbs. Smh.
Boooooooooring.
pure fuego
Freddie Gibs is back with a strong claim to his position in the echelon of Hip-Hop with a third album classic. Not a single tracks is skipped. Relatively short compact and sweet.
I have been debating with myself, and I came to the conclusion that this is my Hip-hop album of the year. Easy listen, dope beats, lyrical proficiency, versatile flows. Full of bangers yet the songs paint a cohesive scenario.