Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day In Hell (Mixtape Review)

    Unlike so many of his peers, Freddie Gibbs has proven that he doesn’t need anybody’s help to succeed. The Gary, Indiana emcee has found more acclaim on free projects like 2009’s two-piece The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik than he has with more recent retail experiments like the feature-heavy Str8 Killa EP and 24-hour-sketch Lord Giveth, Lord Taketh Away with Statik Selektah. Now with a CTE deal, Young Jeezy‘s profile player brushes off his original blueprint, and waxes O.G. wisdom under the age of 30. Cold Day In Hell is an assuring reminder than Freddie Gibbs’ inspirations might bare rust, but this emcee is oiled and polished for the big stage.

    “Barely M.A.D.E.” is a great opener to show where exactly Freddie Gibbs’ head is at for Cold Day In Hell. Here the emcee recalls his early-twenties Midwest hustling exploits with proclamations like, “Baptized in a lake of fire, so this how hell feels.” The fearless rapper uses this opportunity to show the listener that his starving years are still his motivation, as his convictions to succeed won’t buck towards trends or easy-ends. The same end of life imagery carries through to “Heaven Can Wait.” Freddie looks at how he would spend his last day on earth, comparing the hypothetical chain of events with a first day out of incarceration. That same criminology inspires “Rob Me A Nigga,” with Alley Boy. This unveils the mind-state of a premeditated robbery, with tongue-in-cheek explanation of the violent sociology found in streets like Gary, with longtime associates seeing past commonalities in pursuit of paper and power.

    Like Str8 Killa, Gibbs uses some minor musical experiments to signify stamps in his growing career passport. “Menace II Society” with Dom Kennedy and Polyester, chronicles Freddie’s assimilation in West Coast life, with a common interest in women and weed, yet still refusing to tuck chains or tail in a land of colors and fierce territoriality. “Let Ya Nuts Hang,” with CTE label-mate Scrilla, cements Gibbs’ fit in the Trap Muzik sound. “Doin’ wrong is my rite of passage,” declares Gibbs as he makes a song about taking ownership of a block, and surrounding defenders at all entrances and exits for pole position. Arkatech Beatz supplies a track that has the Jeezy/T.I. sound, as Gibbs’ Midwestern flow does adapt, but takes the synth-driven track by force. The actual Jeezy-assisted track, “Twos and Fews” is one of several recent collaborations between CTE founder and star signee, but the mainstream chorus and the vesres make for one of the less interesting moments on Cold Day In Hell, despite the fanfare. “Str8 Slammin'” with Three 6 Mafia‘s Juicy J is a more organic pairing with a platinum star, with a SMKA beat that truly sounds Hypnotized. The message might be limited to debauchery and survival, but its presentation is so convincing that the engaging listen rarely wavers.

    Now a passenger on private jets, Gangsta Gibbs is still making music for box-frame Chevys with packed kick-panels. Cold Day In Hell is the definitive mixtape fans have been asking for. With his Interscope recordings unveiled, a plethora of powerful songs since and a restless catalog of verses, videos and features, this tape is very telling of the type of album Gibbs has made before, and now has the Corporate Thugz in his corner to see it through.

    DX Consensus: “Free Album” (the highest possible praise for a mixtape).

    133 thoughts on “Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day In Hell (Mixtape Review)

    1. The tape is pure dopeness, up there with KRIT, Elzhi and Self Scientifics’s as the best free projects of the year.

    2. YO WHERE IS THE FUCKING TAPE
      WHAT THE FUCK YOU GUYS THINK YALL IS
      PUTTIN OUT A REVIEW FOR A TAPE US NORMAL PEOPLE DONT HAVE
      WHAT THE FUCK DX
      MAN
      PUT A LINK OUT FOR THE TAPE IF YALL HAVE IT
      STOP FUCKING WIT US
      ROB ME A NIGGA
      ROB ME A NIGGA
      ROB ME A NIGGA
      ROB ME A NIGGA
      ROB ME A NIGGA

    3. WHERE THE FUCK IS #CDH????
      BEEN WAITING ON THIS SHIT FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND HERE THE DAY IS AND I CANT FIND SHIT ANYWHERE…
      COMEON FRED DROP THAT SHIT ALREADY WE FIENDIN FOR DAT SHIT!!
      HOW YALL GON PUT OUT AN ALBUM REVIEW WIT NO DL??
      COMEON YALL

    4. YO I DONE SEEN SOME OF THESE COMMENTS SAYING HOW GOOD THE TAPE IS… WHERE THE FUCK YOU GETTIN THIS SHIT HUH
      SPREAD THE LOVE NIGGAS I NEED TO GET ON WIT MY DAY GODDAMN YO

    5. Freddie is what alot of people been waitin on cold day in Hell & some haterz haven’t been waitin on. Shazzamm

    6. freddie gibbs built up hype with this for me because he hasnt released much material except for that statik EP and Str8 killa…great mixtape, gibbs seems to always be gettin better

    7. This and Returnof4eva are probably the two best projects ever released for free, they show all the positives about the south from the smooth, soulful nostalgia K.R.I.T. provides to the aggression and emotion of Gibbs. 2 classic southern bangers could be on their way next year.

      1. K.R.I.T is a strictly southern rapper with an honest soulful touch. Gibbs has influences all over. From Midwest Murder (Rob Me a Nigga/Str8 Slammin) to Southern Pimpin (Neighborhood Hoez) to West Coast (Menace 2 Society II) and has the lyrical capabilities that East Coast/NYC purest. Gibbs = best MC in the game

      2. I had high hopes for this ever since Gibbs signed with Jeezy and I have to admit after hearing collabos between the two on Jeezys last mixtape i was scared that Freddie was gonna change his sound for good. NOPE!! This Mixtape is a banger and I cant wait for his first release.

    8. You know this shit banging….FG stay wit that piff…niggas kill yourself if you aint high off this shit….

    9. Where all the doubters about Gibbs signing with Jeezy? Gibbs is one of, if not the best rapper in the game, just admit it. Just cuz he chooses not to sacrifice his ability to make a club song/appeal to high schoolers doesnt mean he wont be around for a while. 5/5 str8 slammin bitches.

      1. Ill admit that I was`a`doubter who is now a believer…This is the best mix tape of the year…He took on a sound from all the regions, East,West,Midwest,and South. It was pretty much a free album….Keep it up,Gibbs

    10. Gibbs & KRIT the only 2 new school rappers i knock on the regular

      Gibbs flow is untouchable, and he bringing that street music back. He might become the Tupac of this generation.. so eerie how similar they are

    11. Gibbs fan here and I still say his first album dont move 50k fuck jeezy wont do 80k first week. btw that ASAP Rocky is the best mixtape to come out on 10/31/11 know that he makes gibbs look like a rookie

    12. I still need to peep this as i’m a big fan of his flow (and he even uses multis that make me say damn @ times, plus dude is real), but how is no one here mentioned ELZHI’S ELMATIC (live instruments most of it, secret tracks)? IMO Elzhi is the illest alive TECHNICALLY. Others up there for me who are criminally slept on as well include Diabolic, Pharoahe, Tonedeff, Percee-P, Louis Logic, Juice, Blu, Apathy, Lowkey, Rhyme Asylum, Crooked I, One Be Lo.

      I’ll def peep this though.

      Actually this and Elmatic are the two highest user rated album/mixtapes of the year

    13. @jake Elzhi is dope. But comparing the two mixtapes, Elmatic is new interpretation of something that has already been done b4. That’s cool and all but CDH is original, so that gives CDH the edge cuz there aint no way you can tell me Elzhi is technically BETTER than Gibbs.
      @sourheadband420 ASAP is dope. But his beats are not complemented with fire lyrics like Gibbs. His shit is just get really fucked up and listen to the beats n shit. Thats cool, but he aint fuckin wit Gibbs bars, and CDHs beats are sick too. and btw, GTFO with all the record sales garbage. The rap industry nowadays sucks. Gibbs is the truth whether he sells or not. SMH some mufuckers are looking for a sugar daddy rather than an MC.

      1. LMAO off at @Justin saying Covert Coup is harder than CDH. Gibbs had the best verse on CC you fucking idiot. I am literally laughing right now. Oh, and Elmatic is a reinterpretation, not original, even tho Elzhi is dope as fuck. Gibbs’ originality and wide range of beats and sound give him the nod. CDH and Return of 4Eva >>>

      2. Return Of 4eva was not whack. Just because you dont understand southern soul music doesnt mean you can hate on it. Return of 4eva > Covert Coup all day

    14. this was dope i’ll give it a 5, but yall ridin Gibbs nuts a lil tooo hard rite now. Its top 5 mixtapes released this year, but its nothing too crazy or the best thing I ever heard.

    15. It’s funny how many times HHDX gives mixtapes a perfect rating but I have NEVER seen anything higher then a 4 on there albums lol, not hating it’s just good to see they know the difference..although I don’t agree with Wale

    16. Can’t stop bangin dis… shit is so gangsta…Proves that gangsta music can still be done when executed properly….

      1. Whether you think Kendrick or Gibbs is better the fact you comparing a nigga like Gibbs who makes gangsta music in a EMO rap world says enough in itself. Ya feel. Shit he must be dope as fuck to be recognized with the best when he has a completely different content. That’s all I’m saying.

    17. how can you have listened to MidwesGangstatBoxFrameCadillacMusix and then tell me this shit sounds good? He was killin it two years ago

      1. They are very different rappers, how can one be better than the other. I bump both these dudes on the regular and they both have the potential to become legends.

    18. Shit is stupid dope. This nigga is the best artist in CTE and that’s including Jeezy. They need to put everything behind that nigga cause his flow go hard, got his own style, always picks dope ass beats. Shit you can’t lose with Gibbs. Shit is too real.

    19. Really Hot Mix CD…Really sounds like a full length studio album. He is a hardcore artist with a very skilled production behind him. I think his voice sounds like Soulja Slim

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