It was just last year when Freddie Gibbs — following a year-long legal ordeal — made a triumphant return to the game with his third solo studio album, You Only Live 2wice. Though he’s been teasing Bandana for a while now, which is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed collaboration with Madlib, Pinata, he’s gifted fans with a new project in the interim, Freddie. The 10-song effort delivers an experience that fans of Gangsta Gibbs have come to expect after the last two projects: glimmering gems scattered among a curated blend of believable, high-quality gangsterism.
A lot of rappers talk that talk, but Gibbs is in a league of his own. Pinata was a bar that established the versatility and depth of the pen game he was able to produce. Though Shadow of a Doubt and You Only Live 2wice were solid, they ventured into a universal trap sound that at times overshadowed his more lyrical material. While never entirely committing to a mainstream wave to the degree that he abandons his core audience, he walks the line — while simultaneously remaining consistent.
Freddie is a healthy dose of that trap life, with some incredible highs. For example, he teams up with 03 Greedo for “Death Row,” which samples elements from Eazy-E’s ghettofab classic single “Boyz-n-the-Hood.” Additionally, the slowed up, southern vibe of “Triple Threat” and the gorgeous Roy Ayers sample on “2 Legit” seem to bring out the best in Gibbs — delivering his full potential and swinging graciously on the bar he set for himself back in 2014. In contrast, songs like “Weight” and “Automatic” are still good records, but the lack of that same soul and fail to differentiate Gibbs from the pack.
There are times when his artistic pocket blossoms with the trap vibe, though, like his verse on “Diamonds 2,” or the wordplay on both “Set Set” and “Toe Tag.”
Ultimately, the project is a worthy follow-up and substantial collection of songs that will get Gibbs fans all hot and bothered. The “FLFM (Interlude)” and the Teddy Pendergrass-influenced cover art seems to suggest that there was an opportunity for an album that was a bit more conceptual in nature, perhaps more songs that stayed closer to “2 Legit.” Regardless, Gangsta Gibbs has enough fire here to remind fans that he’s able to compete in an era that has continuously boats of some insane releases.
Let’s hope we get Bandana sooner than later.
Gangsta Gibbs! Him, Mozzy and Nip are carrying the torch for the streets right now to me. Hands down. Can’t wait to hear this.
Nobody is carrying the torch but the 3 you named def holding the streets down.
Freddie looks like James Worthless in that last picture!
Hey young kid, look at Teddy Pendergrass “Teddy” album cover if you want to know whats up…
I think Pill Cosby is bang on & his comment might have sent over your head! He does look like James Worthy from the Magic Johnson Lakers era, and yes the album cover front to back is homage to Teddy P.
Doesn’t look like Worthy at all. FOH.
No lie y’all gave Freddie Gibbs “You only live 2wice” 3.9 rating. That project was way better then this. This shit here was kinda meh. 2.5 at best.
This is so much more consistent and energetic than the last joint. U lie
This is flames. Enough with the bullshit that it’s kendrick, j cole, and Drake carrying the torch. Replace Cole with Isaiah Rashad and Drake with Freddie. There you. That’s your next-gen 3 headed monster.
Yall are overrating the fuck out of Rashad…
Just listened. Wasn’t feeling most of the album tbh, but the final track, “Diamonds 2” is classic Gibbs.
“I can’t lie still get high on prescriptions/ Sometimes I go weeks without no sleep, I’m in the fifth dimension/ I just caught a body, Luca Brasi, he sleep with the fishes/ Worst part is when I sleep I see this n*gga image/”
He used to rap like this all the time, his newer shit he does all these weird cadences and ad libs that don’t really reflect why he was so dope on Midwestgangstaboxframecadillac, Str8 Killa, or even the mixtapes he did while down with Jeezy. The beats are pretty generic for the most part, not like the gritty country sounding shit from his early career or when he was working with Alchemist, Statik, and of course Madlib. I hate to give dude a bad review, and really hope this grows on me, but most of these songs were not up to par with his best work at all, at least after my first listen.
Dope
Quit deleting comments
Gangsta Gibbs the realest hip hop artist making music right now if you ask me,hands down!!!!!
worst gibbs project imho, still decent enough for me to rate it a 3
Gibbs get a 4.3 but Nas a 3.8 okay, FOH
Thats coz Nas album ain’t great, hop off his dick, just coz he a legend don’t mean everything he touches is automatically gold. It was forgettable. And Freddie Gibbs is fire, real dope artist, put sum respek on his name ya bish
I agree despite being a Nas since Illmatic I thought the LP was not great .It had some dope moments but I didn’t feel that it was a real LP.This however is dope,it really bumps the production is nasty and Gibbs is an M.C with skills as apposed to a Rapper, Triple Threat is glorious.Nasir looks po faced in comparison
Not his best work. Only liked a few songs, but most of this just didn’t sound all that appealing.
This album fucking slaps
NICE take on the Teddy Pendergrass album cover! DOPE!
Flames..
Gibbs is one of the best. No doubt. I wasn’t impressed much by his last album. BUT THIS…This is Gibbs x 10. You can tell he had fun doing this. It shows, from the art to the guest verses.
I’ll put gibbs against anyone in the rap game that’s how versatile he is…. from the voice to the flows and beat selection…. he basically can’t fuck up even if he tried too haha
I love this entire LP.Triple Threat is something else.All eyes are on overhyped but very average (except for Push) GOOD and Scorpion eyes should be watching Gangsta Gibbs (my only slight quibble is the use of the very obvious Roy Ayers sample on 2 Legit but that it a very minor thing).Plus like the comments have already picked up love the Teddy P homage
Shit was hella dope 5/5 for me i needed an entire album i could repeat like this one. Triple threat is gonna be my official theme song for the summer ??
Fuck ya’ll for deleting my last shit, I even praised you, illuminati dick lickers, for coming around.
5/5 for gangsta gibbs after this shit been on repeat all day long.
Gangsta Gibbs, hoe!
Dope album…hip hop livez !!!
Who’s album doper his or Jay Rock
No need to compare. Both Redemption and Freddie are great albums. Get them both.
Funny you said that. Production and concept pretty much the same. Both disappointing albums to me. If I had to pick I would give it to jay rock. Gibbs is way better then this. I think Gibbs production Knocks more tho.
Both albums are worth the purchase. No need to compare them.
Jay Rocks album is pretty good! Gibbs album is average by his standards.
Don’t get me wrong it still sounds good, Gibbs flows smoother than melting butter, but half the beats are generic as hell for him. He can do way way better than this. You Only Live 2wice was better.
Weight is a banger. Rest is pretty generic.
VERY DISAPPOINTING 2.5/5 AVERAGE.
Death Row the hardest beat I’ve heard in years. Listen with a real sound system
May I was sitting here like yeah right people say anything. Gave it a listen I was like “Holy Cow!! That some YG type bass in that beat!!” LOL Jeezy messed not putting Freddie out…thanks for the recommendation!!
I think you need to listen to music at home more often so this type of incident doesn’t happen in public. IJS
Salute to Gangsta Gibbs but where in the hell is the Westside Gunn – Supreme Blientelle review that is in the running for album of the year DX sleeping on Griseda GxFR all day drop nothing but classics
Salute Gangsta Gibbs but where the Westside Gunn – Supreme Blientelle review its in the running for album of the year DX be sleeping on Griselda Records GxFR all day
I fucc wit Freddie but he is better than this. Couple of great tracks but too much filler for a short album. This is still worth listening to and even though I just gave Drake 3/5 and this one 3/5 doesn’t mean they are the same, but I got standards when it comes to Freddie and this falls short. Would give it 3.5 if I could.
Freddie is just like Nas, has an ill flow, but beats suffer like a mother…His last great album for me was Pinata…Hoping he brings Bandana…Madlib saved his ass. Period
album is too fire