Integrity is paramount to Freddie Gibbs.
Boasting a polished midwestern style that effortlessly shifts from rapid fire to slow flow throughout, the Gary, Indiana native laces his Decon Records debut EP — Str8 Killa — with unabashedly gangster tales depicting the consequences and repercussions of hustling for survival, never glamorizing the street life’s unsavory nature. “My homie’s 16 and won’t see daylight till he’s 64 / That’s how we’re living though / With limited opportunity / Twisted off reefer / Parents and teachers could not get through to me,” he raps over the Block Beattaz’ stadium-sized production on album opener “Str8 Killa No Filla.” The Jay Rock-assisted “Rep 2 Tha Fullest” reinforces Gangsta Gibbs’s intent on showing both halves of the dark side while quickly separating himself from other rappers publicly pimping a life they’ve never lived. “Rap is for dick suckers and divas / I don’t recall these / type of niggas living and breathing where I reside at…so little niggas go to school get right / The shit I’m doing, nigga, you could do life / Before I picked up a mic I earned my stripes.”
Str8 Killa’s highpoint comes on the appropriately entitled, LA Riot produced, “National Anthem (Fuck The World),” where Gibbs details the dilapidated conditions of his hometown, his eventual dismissal from Interscope Records, and the struggle to make music for “the midwest streets that need [his] voice” — over a righteously anthemic beat designed to rattle trunks rolling down any highway in America. “Personal OG” provides the obligatory salute to the sticky green, while “The Coldest” and it’s radio-ready hook (courtesy of BJ The Chicago Kid) and sublime Kno production adds just as much depth and perspective as any other offering on the EP, proving Gangsta Gibbs can play in the commercial sandbox and still come out clean — never sacrificing his message for the masses.
And there lies Str8 Killa’s lasting legacy: Freddie’s ability to delve deeper into the psychology behind the gangster life. He attacks each track with enough angst and honesty to force you to relate to his “struggle” without ever experiencing it personally. The visceral nature of his music is what makes him an artist, not just a rapper. Gibbs largely accomplishes this feat throughout Str8 Killa, but never more potently than on the Bun B-assisted, Beatnik & K-Salaam produced, “Rock Bottom 
:
“If you a man, then put some muthafucking food on the table / That’s what she said / But still a nigga wasn’t able / To get up some bread for the rent, lights and cable / The gas and water / She’s acting like I’m trying to starve her / And I know the baby growing in her belly gotta eat too / Only thing I got left is this gun on my belt / If I can’t feed myself, how am I going to feed you?”
The nine-song EP ends with “Oil Money” , featuring Chuck Inglish, Chip Tha Ripper and Bun B kicking braggadocio raps over the Blended Babies’ brooding backdrop and Dan Auerbach’s (of The Black Keys) melancholy hook acutely highlighting Str8 Killa’s underlying theme: “This is a lullaby not intended to make you cry / But to open up your eyes / And in this lullaby / You got to do right before you die.”
From mic to plug, Str8 Killa is a Gangsta Rap album in the historical sense of the classification. It’s aggressive and angst injected, loaded with causality and consequences and lyrical skill, leaving an indelible impression through it’s honesty, vulnerability and solid beats. Besides “National Anthem,” none of the productions give Gibbs the tour de force his detailed lyrics call for. This is a breakthrough effort, that still shines as the UGK and Masta Ace-influenced emcee finds his musical canvas to wax poetic best. With what’s given, Freddie never glamorizes the lifestyle or the choices made to survive. In fact, he goes out of his way to reinforce the opposite — that living the gangster life is nothing to strive towards. Excluding the first verse on “Str8 Killa No Filla”, weed song “Personal OG” and his only verse on “Oil Money,” every stanza kicked contains both sides of the proverbial coin, the trials and trepidation. Although the Block Beattaz produced “Live By The Game” sonically feels like generic radio mediocrity — resulting in the EP’s lone skippable cut — Gibbs still delivers real life raps. His inability to fabricate for the sake of financing shines throughout, making him a modern emcee with throwback sensibilities. And one of the few new rappers capturing the essence of Gangsta Rap specifically and Hip Hop as whole: integrity, or die trying.
Love the str8 killa ep.
Freddie Gibbs a.k.a. Young Legend
I know the beats are so-so, I’m still buying this.
One of the best new artists in the game right now along with Big K.R.I.T. Copped the EP last week and the shit knocks. I’m excited to see what Gibbs will do for his debut album.
National anthem is fucking great . Strange vibe but damn Freddie be layin it down.
Gangsta Gibbs
This ep lives up to its name, front to back dopeness. Gibbs’ been killin’ it for a minute, and more than deserves the props/attention he’s getting these days. Hope this EP moves a lot of units for the folk. I got one major and a minor point of contention with this review. My biggest disagreement is the score. The review’s criticisms don’t justify the 3 1/2. Also disagree about production, I think it’s all on point and compliments Gibbs lyrics/flow. “the Block Beattaz produced “Live By The Game†sonically feels like generic radio mediocrity — resulting in the EP’s lone skippable cut” completely off base, folk. Live by the Game is a dope beat. Far from mediocre, let alone standard radio fair. I don’t listen to radio often, but when I do I don’t hear joints that sound like that(or any other Block Beattaz joint) on it. My Lone issue with this ep is Big Kill’s nondescript guest verse on “Str8 Killa”. Repsect Gibbs for puttin’ dudes back home on but somebody like Pill should’ve had that 16.
how is this only 3.5 stars ? skip live the game ? thats some of the best verses on there. Do you listen or skim thru ?there is not one bad track and at least 5 are classic for years to come. Certified Classic. he out raps every 1 in his age bracket with more flows… they dissed Pac n Nas beats too. Poets are about than beats
Fred,pac, and nas are wack good beats or not
@idontgiveashit eat musty dick u bitch nigga
How can this be a 3.5? He’s one of the only freshmen from ’10 who didn’t turn to a mainstream nigga! Even Str8 Killa No Filla was a 4! His lyrics kill every new school rapper ( with a few exeptions ofcourse)! This is without a doubt a 4.5 or a 5.
We’re big fans of Gibbs over here, we just didn’t think the production held up.
BEST ALBUM EVER!
Sick
damn i gotta get this ep fast the song with Bun b is dope as fuck . freddie gibbs is nice with it
dope album
this that fire
Yall have the worst album review staff in the hip-hop industry. How does that happen? You have the best site but the worst album review staff. You get almost every review wrong. This album is dope as fuck. Yall are tripping. It’s not a five but it’s a definite 4.5 but since you can’t rate in halves on here. I’m going to give it a 5.
I gotta agree with G5 here, i love this site, but the reviews tend to be way off.
new Rosa Acosta & D.Stephens video at http://www.wapproved.com
This albums deserves way more than a 3.5. All the songs on here are dope and straight bangers. Yo Gibbs keep doin what u doin man. I love ur music
3.5, you all must not of heard the album then, u got fat joe ahead of him, pretty wack DX!
3.5 is what this dude deserves. You had better be happy this shit wasn’t a 1.5 because DX can change their minds if you to be bitches about it.
3.5 is what this dude deserves. You had better be happy this shit wasn’t a 1.5 because DX can change their minds if you want to continue to be bitches about it.
Yo this is fuckin 5 or 4.5. DX is crazy sound like they like bullshit over good music too. And why did nobody mention live by the game that song made me fuckin have a musical orgasm
its dope which it was longer but in all dope
gibbs is the truth cop it nuff said…
dont believe the hype.nice rapper but all this im so gangster shit is old nigga when u make a real impact on somebody life other then some negative shit then maybe it will get some play but until then dont believe the hype these niggas try and put out its all entertainment,if its not then go back to the streets full time and stop rappin if it dont matter.fuck a gimmic ass nigga
straight dope
good shit.
Can’t take it out of the car
aight
so sick
ROSA ACOSTA & D.STEPHENS video at http://www.wapproved.com
this is DOPE !!
Freddie Gibbs = B.R.A. (Best Rapper Alive) yah, I said it. He has a flawless flow, and he has a level of consistency that only the greats have. This EP’s only flaw is that other than on “Oil Money” and Bun’s verse on “Rock Bottom”, the guest verses don’t hold up next to Gibbs’ verses. I honestly believe he will be the next huge star in rap. He is gonna swing the pendulum back to street rap like the NWA did in the late 80’s and the Wu did in the mid 90’s.
Dont sleep on this
dope shit
SHOW OFF!!
Its Hood; real niggas can relate. Ho niggas better Listen up…
Best Debut album from an MC in 2010
This that gully shit!! He really reminds me of Pac and Cube but more relevant to this year.
Best songs is Face Down, Fuck the World, and sTr8 KillA
look out for gibbs